Pasadena CA (JPL) Nov 01, 2023
NASA's Lucy spacecraft is on track for its first asteroid encounter on Nov. 1. Lucy's optical navigation team has confirmed that the latest trajectory correction maneuver on Sept 29 accurately set the spacecraft on course for its flyby of the small main belt asteroid Dinkinesh. The spacecraft is anticipated to pass approximately 265 miles (425 km) from the asteroid at 12:54 p.m. EDT. On Oc

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 01, 2023
SpinLaunch, a pioneering space company enabling rapid and sustainable low-cost access to space, has announced major executive appointments that will provide the company with additional expertise in global investments, partnerships, commercialization, and go-to-market strategy. Aerospace pioneer and investor Domhnal Slattery has been elected Chairman of SpinLaunch's Board of Directors. In h

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 01, 2023
Space Systems Command (SSC) has outlined 21 mission assignments as part of the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement contract. Marking the final order year for Phase 2 of the contract, United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) have been awarded 11 and 10 missions, respectively. The missions, spanning

Nagoya, Japan (SPX) Oct 31, 2023
A study from an international team led by researchers from Nagoya University in Japan and the University of New Hampshire in the United States has revealed the importance of the Earth's upper atmosphere in determining how large geomagnetic storms develop. Their findings reveal the previously underestimated importance of the Earth's atmosphere. Understanding the factors that cause geomagnet

Washington DC (UPI) Nov 1, 2023
NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O'Hara launched the space agency's fourth ever all-female spacewalk Wednesday, participating in science research and along with maintenance of the International Space Station. Moghbeli and O'Hara kicked off the six-hour spacewalk by exiting the Quest airlock to remove an electronics box called the Radio Frequency Group from the station's truss t

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen is taking part in an experiment to understand how the body’s immune system handles the new environment.

Beijing (XNA) Nov 02, 2023
China placed a multipurpose satellite into space on Wednesday morning, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. The State-owned space conglomerate said in a news release the Tianhui 5 satellite was transported by a Long March 6A rocket that blasted off at 6:50 am from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province. Made by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight

Beijing (XNA) Nov 02, 2023
The fifth batch of scientific experimental samples from China's Tiangong space station has arrived in Beijing, following the return of the Shenzhou XVI crew on Tuesday. Samples of 19 scientific experiments, weighing around 25 kilograms, were brought back to Earth, including liver cells, protein and nucleic acid, Arabidopsis plants, rice seeds, radiation-resistant microbes and some chemical

Washington DC (SPX) Nov 02, 2023
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory's Melanized Microbes for Multiple Uses in Space Project, or MELSP, will use the International Space Station (ISS) to search for production of melanin variants and other useful biomaterials that can have applications both on Earth and in space. The mission is scheduled to launch in early November 2023. Melanin is described as a group of biopolymers respons

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Nov 02, 2023
In a groundbreaking collaborative effort, a new study drawing on the collective efforts of citizen scientists has shed light on the intricate patterns of Martian clouds. The research, fueled by contributions from the "Cloudspotting on Mars" project, has now reached a milestone with its acceptance for publication, soon to feature in a special Mars-focused issue of the esteemed journal Icarus.