Copernical Team
Boeing Starliner launch delayed to Tuesday due to helium leak
Write a comment
Boeing's Starliner flight to the International Space Station was delayed again due to a helium leak.
NASA, Boeing and the United Launch Alliance said in a statemen Tuesday that the launch date will now come no earlier than Tuesday at 4:43 p.m. EDT.
"Starliner teams are working to resolve a small helium leak detected in the spacecraft's service module traced to a flange on a singl SpaceX plans to launch 90 rockets from Vandenberg Space Force Base by 2026: Could that harm the coast?
Write a comment
SpaceX plans to launch 90 rockets into space from a Santa Barbara County military base by 2026, tripling the number of blasts rocking the coastal community—and raising concerns from neighbors and environmental groups about the effects on marine life.
Owned by billionaire Elon Musk, SpaceX has ramped up the number of rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base in recent years, and it has made clear its desire to increase the frequency of blasts-offs. But during a California Coastal Commission hearing, U.S. Space Force officials outlined for the first time its own plans to multiply the number of launches from the base, from 37 in 2023 to more than 120 a year by 2026.
The overwhelming majority of those rocket blasts would be conducted by SpaceX, which has already done more launches from the base than the commission has approved.
Last year SpaceX breached an agreement with the commission that limited the number of launches to six, sending 28 rockets into space. It is currently seeking an agreement with the commission to do 36 launches a year, increasing to 90 in 2026.
Robotic 'superlimbs' could help moonwalkers recover from falls
Write a comment
Need a moment of levity? Try watching videos of astronauts falling on the moon. NASA's outtakes of Apollo astronauts tripping and stumbling as they bounce in slow motion are delightfully relatable.
For MIT engineers, the lunar bloopers also highlight an opportunity to innovate.
New Director of CSC and Head of ECSAT
Write a comment
Laurent Jaffart took up duty as Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications (D/CSC) and Head of ECSAT in Harwell, UK, on 15 May 2024.
Glitch on BepiColombo: work ongoing to restore spacecraft to full thrust
The eye of the crater
Write a comment
Image:
The eye of the crater Ascent Solar Secures Order for Thin-Film PV from Satellite Manufacturer
Write a comment
Ascent Solar Technologies, (Nasdaq: ASTI), a U.S. innovator in the design and manufacture of flexible, durable CIGS thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions, has received an order from a mega-constellation satellite manufacturer for initial delivery of PV modules for evaluation. The Ascent product will be evaluated for use in the manufacturer's next-generation hardware.
Following delivery and How 'Glowing' Plants Could Help Scientists Predict Flash Drought
Write a comment
An unusual boost in plant productivity can foreshadow severe soil water loss. NASA satellites are following the clues.
Flaring up rapidly and with little warning, the drought that gripped much of the United States in the summer of 2012 was one of the most extensive the country had seen since the yearslong Dust Bowl of the 1930s. The "flash drought," stoked by extreme heat that baked the mo Understanding Earth's Atmosphere: A Detailed Overview
Write a comment
The Earth's atmosphere is composed of layers of gas that protect the planet. Rei Ueyama, an atmospheric scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, discusses its functions and importance. The Atmospheric Science Branch focuses on atmospheric behavior. Ueyama's work involves processes in the upper troposphere and stratosphere, supporting NASA's airborne missions.
"The Earth's atmosphere allows SOHO’s view of the 11 May 2024 solar storm
Write a comment
Video:
00:00:29
Over the weekend of 10–12 May 2024, Earth was struck by the largest solar storm in more than a decade. While many of us enjoyed colourful auroras lighting up Earth’s protective atmosphere, spacecraft had to endure being buffeted by incredibly strong solar winds and electromagnetic radiation.
Positioned between the Sun and Earth, the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) caught the entire solar outburst on camera. The Sun can be seen spewing out clouds of particles, with an extremely large burst sent to Earth on 11 May. The bright spots on the left and right are Jupiter