Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany (SPX) Feb 04, 2021
In the event of a forest fire, flash flooding or a landslide, how can firefighters and rescue workers get to the disaster site as quickly as possible? What measures need to be taken? What lessons can be learned from past disasters? The HEIMDALL project provides answers via a digital platform that collects all of this information. At the virtual final presentation of the project, the benefi

Washington DC (UPI) Feb 3, 2021
Elon Musk's SpaceX plans to launch two Starlink communications satellite cluster missions from Florida in one day Thursday - the first time in history for such a feat by a launch company. The first launch is planned at 1:19 a.m. EST from Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, followed by another just over four hours later at 5:36 a.m. EST from Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Ce

Moscow (Sputnik) Feb 02, 2021
Tensions between the US and Iran have been especially high ever since Trump in 2018 withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and reinstated harsh sanctions against Iran. The JCPOA stipulated that Iran would receive waivers from sanctions if it agreed to limit its nuclear programme. Iran on Monday shared a video of its new domes

Washington (AFP) Feb 2, 2021
The United States on Tuesday voiced concern about Iran's launch of a satellite-carrying rocket, saying the test could boost missile work at a moment when the two nations are inching back to diplomacy. "The United States remains concerned with Iran's efforts to development space launch vehicles (SLVs), given these programs' ability to advance Iran's ballistic missile development," a State Dep

Manchester UK (SPX) Feb 04, 2021
An international research team including members from The University of Manchester has shown that a rapidly rotating neutron star is at the core of a celestial object now known as PSR J2039-5617 The international collaboration used novel data analysis methods and the enormous computing power of the citizen science project Einstein@Home to track down the neutron star's faint gamma-ray pulsa

Boston MA (SPX) Feb 04, 2021
It started with a movie. Supernovas filled the screen and exploded with galactic color. The voice of Neil DeGrasse Tyson narrated the beginning of the universe. At only 14 years old, Alana Sanchez was hooked. Prior to high school, Sanchez was primarily interested in visual arts and movies. She taught herself animation and aspired to work in the creative realm. However, her dreams quickly t

Potsdam, Germany (SPX) Feb 04, 2021
A new study has found that electrons can reach ultra-relativistic energies for very special conditions in the magnetosphere when space is devoid of plasma. Recent measurements from NASA's Van Allen Probes spacecraft showed that electrons can reach ultra-relativistic energies flying at almost the speed of light. Hayley Allison, Yuri Shprits and collaborators from the German Research Centre

Mountain View CA (SPX) Feb 04, 2021
A team of researchers led by SETI Institute Senior Research Scientist Janice Bishop, a member of the SETI Institute NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) team, has come up with a theory about what is causing landslides on the surface of Mars. Previous ideas suggested that liquid debris flows or dry granular flows caused this movement. Neither model can completely account for the seasonal marti

Leioa, Spain (SPX) Feb 04, 2021
The IBeA research group from the University of the Basque Country's Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, is participating in NASA's Mars2020 space mission, which is scheduled to touch down on Mars in February this year. Specifically, the group has participated in constructing and verifying the chemical homogeneity of the templates included on the calibration car

Washington DC (SPX) Feb 04, 2021
NASA and three international partners have signed a statement of intent to advance a possible robotic Mars ice mapping mission, which could help identify abundant, accessible ice for future candidate landing sites on the Red Planet. The agencies have agreed to establish a joint concept team to assess mission potential, as well as partnership opportunities. Under the statement, NASA, the It