London, UK (SPX) Aug 09, 2024
Two proposed UK space missions, led by the University of Leicester, aim to explore how the Sun and other stars influence the atmospheres, space weather, and potential habitability of planets. These missions could also provide insights into the space between stars, known as the interstellar medium. The UK Space Agency has awarded nearly GBP 500,000 to teams at Space Park Leicester, a GBP 10

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 09, 2024
NASA's NEOWISE mission has officially ended after more than 10 years of detecting asteroids and comets, including those that could potentially threaten Earth. Engineers commanded the spacecraft to power down its transmitter for the final time on Thursday, marking the conclusion of its significant role in planetary defense. The final shutdown command was issued from NASA's Jet Propulsion La

Paris, France (SPX) Aug 09, 2024
ESA's Gaia mission, originally launched to survey stars, has demonstrated its prowess in asteroid exploration by identifying potential moons around more than 350 asteroids that were not previously known to have companions. Gaia has previously examined asteroids known to possess moons, termed 'binary asteroids,' and confirmed the presence of these tiny satellites using its highly accurate a

Chicago IL (SPX) Aug 09, 2024
Ever since we learned that the surface of planet Mars is cold and dead, people have wondered if there is a way to make it friendlier to life. In a groundbreaking study published Aug. 7 in Science Advances, researchers from the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of Central Florida have proposed a revolutionary approach towards terraforming Mars. This new meth

Washington DC (UPI) Aug 8, 2024
The annual Perseid meteor shower is set to peak later this week with ideal viewing conditions anticipated in most places, according to reports. Commonly known as the "Perseids," the Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak Sunday night and before dawn the next morning on Monday, and is seen annually every four years by mid-July to late August. NASA says the Perseid is considered the "b

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 09, 2024
NASA is calling on teams from colleges, universities, and technical schools nationwide to showcase their engineering talents in the 2025 Lunabotics Challenge. Applications for the competition open at 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, Sept. 6. This event is designed to motivate Artemis Generation students to engage deeply with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines, contributing to adv

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 09, 2024
NASA has awarded a $1.13 million grant to an assistant professor at Mississippi State University (MSU) to develop an advanced computational tool designed to improve the design process of hypersonic vehicles for space exploration. Vilas Shinde, a faculty member in MSU's Department of Aerospace Engineering, secured the funding to create a new tool for flow stability and transition analysis.

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 09, 2024
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has conducted the first hot fire test of its new Archimedes rocket engine, marking an important step toward the inaugural launch of its Neutron medium-lift rocket. The successful hot fire test took place in August 2024 at Rocket Lab's Engine Test Complex, located within NASA's Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi. During the test, Archimed

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 09, 2024
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB), a global leader in launch services and space systems, has commenced the installation of a state-of-the-art automated fiber placement (AFP) machine at its Neutron rocket production facility in Middle River, Maryland. The machine, touted as the largest of its kind, is set to revolutionize the production of carbon composite structures for Rocket Lab's Neutron la

Paris, France (SPX) Aug 09, 2024
The European Space Agency (ESA) has successfully completed the first phase of hot-fire tests on a new variable-thrust rocket engine, part of the Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP). Conducted in Warsaw, Poland, the tests focused on a rocket engine developed by a Polish consortium that is exploring innovative designs for propellant valves and injectors. These designs aim to vary thrust