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NASA’s New Missions Will Map the Sun and the Cosmos
NASA is set to launch two major missions, PUNCH and SPHEREx, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base on March 2. PUNCH, a four-satellite system, will study the sun’s corona and space weather, while SPHEREx will create infrared maps of the cosmos to study galaxy evolution and cosmic history. These missions will contribute to a de...
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NASA Launches Satellite On Mission To Detect Water On The Moon
Lunar Trailblazer, which weighs about 440 pounds (200 kg) and measures about 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) wide when its solar panels are fully deployed, is being sent to find and map this water on the moon's surface.
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Solar System’s Journey Through Orion Complex May Have Altered Earth’s Climate
Scientists have studied the solar system’s passage through the Orion complex, a dense region in space, around 14 million years ago. According to researchers, this movement may have compressed the heliosphere and increased interstellar dust reaching Earth. This dust could have influenced the planet’s climate and left traces in geological records...
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US Space Force Shares First X-37B Space Plane Image, Revealing Mission Insights
The US Space Force has released the first-ever image of its X-37B space plane in orbit. Captured while conducting experiments above the African continent, the image shows the spacecraft’s solar panel and open payload bay. The X-37B, launched on December 28, 2023, has been in orbit for over a year, testing new space domain awareness technologies a...
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Solar Sail Satellites Could Enhance Space Weather Forecasting and Alerts
Solar sail satellites, harnessing sunlight for propulsion, are being developed to improve space weather forecasting. NOAA and NASA’s Solar Cruiser project aims to extend geomagnetic storm alert times by 50%, reducing risks to power grids, GPS, and air traffic. The new spacecraft, expected to launch in 2029, will move beyond traditional observatio...
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May 2024 Solar Storm Triggers Unusual Radiation Belts, Raising Space Safety Concerns
A significant solar storm in May 2024 led to the creation of two temporary radiation belts, detected by the CIRBE satellite in June. One belt contained high-energy electrons, while the other was rich in protons, a rare occurrence. While the electron belt dissipated in three months, the proton-dominated belt remains, potentially affecting space miss...
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NASA Perseverance Rover Discovers Ancient Rock Sample on Mars' Jezero Crater
NASA’s Perseverance rover has collected a unique rock sample from Mars' Jezero Crater. The rock, named “Silver Mountain,” is believed to be one of the oldest in the solar system, possibly dating back to the Noachian period, over 4 billion years ago. This discovery provides new insights into Mars’ geological history and past environmental co...
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NASA’s PUNCH Mission Set to Track the Sun’s Corona and Solar Wind in 3D
NASA’s PUNCH mission, set for launch on Feb 27, will deploy four satellites to study the transition between the sun’s corona and the solar wind. The mission aims to improve understanding of space weather by capturing 3D images, helping predict solar storms with greater accuracy. The data will also complement NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, offerin...
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Bennu Asteroid Sample Reveals Organic Compounds That May Hint at Life Beyond Earth
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has delivered a sample from asteroid Bennu, revealing amino acids, nucleobases, ammonia, and minerals formed in saltwater. These organic compounds, vital to life, suggest that the building blocks for life might have existed in other regions of the early solar system. The discovery of evaporite minerals, including halite ...
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New Supercomputer Set to Propel Electric Spacecraft Technology Forward
Electric propulsion technology, powered by ion engines, is gaining traction for its efficiency in space travel. However, challenges such as back-scattered electrons from the ion plume threaten spacecraft components like solar arrays and antennas. Recent research by scientists from the University of Virginia and the University of Southern California...
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Chorus Waves Found Far From Earth Raise Concerns for Space Exploration
Chorus waves, energetic electromagnetic bursts resembling bird chirps, have been detected 100,000 miles from Earth, far beyond their usual range. NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale satellites observed these waves in a flatter region of Earth's magnetosphere, contradicting prior assumptions about their formation near strong magnetic gradients. The wav...
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SpaceX Achieves 400 Orbital Rocket Landings with Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy
SpaceX achieved its 400th orbital-class rocket landing with Falcon 9 leading the charge. The company’s focus on reusable technology has reshaped space exploration, with Falcon Heavy contributing through multi-booster landings. Starship development also continues, aiming to support human missions to the moon and Mars. This milestone underlines Spa...
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Study Finds Coronal Loop Flickers Could Predict Solar Flares Hours in Advance
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory has revealed a potential breakthrough in predicting solar flares. Scientists observed brightness fluctuations in coronal loops—plasma structures in the Sun's atmosphere—that intensify hours before solar flares occur. This discovery, with a prediction accuracy of 60–80%, may provide 2–6 hours of advance warn...
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ESA Uses Solar Orbiter to Turn Solar Flares into Sound, Offering New Insights
The European Space Agency (ESA), in collaboration with NASA, has used data from the Solar Orbiter mission to convert solar flares into audible sound. By mapping solar flare data into blue circles and pairing them with tones, a new way to experience solar activity has been created. This process is linked to the sun’s 11-year solar cycle, with curr...
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Flexible, Radiation-Resistant Organic Solar Cells Ideal for Space Exploration, New Study Finds
Organic solar cells are gaining attention for their potential in space missions, offering lightweight and flexible alternatives to traditional silicon and gallium arsenide cells. A study published in Joule found that small molecule-based cells resisted radiation for up to three years, though polymer-based cells experienced efficiency drops, potenti...
-
NASA’s New Missions Will Map the Sun and the Cosmos
NASA is set to launch two major missions, PUNCH and SPHEREx, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base on March 2. PUNCH, a four-satellite system, will study the sun’s corona and space weather, while SPHEREx will create infrared maps of the cosmos to study galaxy evolution and cosmic history. These missions will contribute to a de...
-
NASA Launches Satellite On Mission To Detect Water On The Moon
Lunar Trailblazer, which weighs about 440 pounds (200 kg) and measures about 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) wide when its solar panels are fully deployed, is being sent to find and map this water on the moon's surface.
-
Solar System’s Journey Through Orion Complex May Have Altered Earth’s Climate
Scientists have studied the solar system’s passage through the Orion complex, a dense region in space, around 14 million years ago. According to researchers, this movement may have compressed the heliosphere and increased interstellar dust reaching Earth. This dust could have influenced the planet’s climate and left traces in geological records...
-
US Space Force Shares First X-37B Space Plane Image, Revealing Mission Insights
The US Space Force has released the first-ever image of its X-37B space plane in orbit. Captured while conducting experiments above the African continent, the image shows the spacecraft’s solar panel and open payload bay. The X-37B, launched on December 28, 2023, has been in orbit for over a year, testing new space domain awareness technologies a...
-
Solar Sail Satellites Could Enhance Space Weather Forecasting and Alerts
Solar sail satellites, harnessing sunlight for propulsion, are being developed to improve space weather forecasting. NOAA and NASA’s Solar Cruiser project aims to extend geomagnetic storm alert times by 50%, reducing risks to power grids, GPS, and air traffic. The new spacecraft, expected to launch in 2029, will move beyond traditional observatio...
-
May 2024 Solar Storm Triggers Unusual Radiation Belts, Raising Space Safety Concerns
A significant solar storm in May 2024 led to the creation of two temporary radiation belts, detected by the CIRBE satellite in June. One belt contained high-energy electrons, while the other was rich in protons, a rare occurrence. While the electron belt dissipated in three months, the proton-dominated belt remains, potentially affecting space miss...
-
NASA Perseverance Rover Discovers Ancient Rock Sample on Mars' Jezero Crater
NASA’s Perseverance rover has collected a unique rock sample from Mars' Jezero Crater. The rock, named “Silver Mountain,” is believed to be one of the oldest in the solar system, possibly dating back to the Noachian period, over 4 billion years ago. This discovery provides new insights into Mars’ geological history and past environmental co...
-
NASA’s PUNCH Mission Set to Track the Sun’s Corona and Solar Wind in 3D
NASA’s PUNCH mission, set for launch on Feb 27, will deploy four satellites to study the transition between the sun’s corona and the solar wind. The mission aims to improve understanding of space weather by capturing 3D images, helping predict solar storms with greater accuracy. The data will also complement NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, offerin...
-
Bennu Asteroid Sample Reveals Organic Compounds That May Hint at Life Beyond Earth
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has delivered a sample from asteroid Bennu, revealing amino acids, nucleobases, ammonia, and minerals formed in saltwater. These organic compounds, vital to life, suggest that the building blocks for life might have existed in other regions of the early solar system. The discovery of evaporite minerals, including halite ...
-
New Supercomputer Set to Propel Electric Spacecraft Technology Forward
Electric propulsion technology, powered by ion engines, is gaining traction for its efficiency in space travel. However, challenges such as back-scattered electrons from the ion plume threaten spacecraft components like solar arrays and antennas. Recent research by scientists from the University of Virginia and the University of Southern California...
-
Chorus Waves Found Far From Earth Raise Concerns for Space Exploration
Chorus waves, energetic electromagnetic bursts resembling bird chirps, have been detected 100,000 miles from Earth, far beyond their usual range. NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale satellites observed these waves in a flatter region of Earth's magnetosphere, contradicting prior assumptions about their formation near strong magnetic gradients. The wav...
-
SpaceX Achieves 400 Orbital Rocket Landings with Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy
SpaceX achieved its 400th orbital-class rocket landing with Falcon 9 leading the charge. The company’s focus on reusable technology has reshaped space exploration, with Falcon Heavy contributing through multi-booster landings. Starship development also continues, aiming to support human missions to the moon and Mars. This milestone underlines Spa...
-
Study Finds Coronal Loop Flickers Could Predict Solar Flares Hours in Advance
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory has revealed a potential breakthrough in predicting solar flares. Scientists observed brightness fluctuations in coronal loops—plasma structures in the Sun's atmosphere—that intensify hours before solar flares occur. This discovery, with a prediction accuracy of 60–80%, may provide 2–6 hours of advance warn...
-
ESA Uses Solar Orbiter to Turn Solar Flares into Sound, Offering New Insights
The European Space Agency (ESA), in collaboration with NASA, has used data from the Solar Orbiter mission to convert solar flares into audible sound. By mapping solar flare data into blue circles and pairing them with tones, a new way to experience solar activity has been created. This process is linked to the sun’s 11-year solar cycle, with curr...
-
Flexible, Radiation-Resistant Organic Solar Cells Ideal for Space Exploration, New Study Finds
Organic solar cells are gaining attention for their potential in space missions, offering lightweight and flexible alternatives to traditional silicon and gallium arsenide cells. A study published in Joule found that small molecule-based cells resisted radiation for up to three years, though polymer-based cells experienced efficiency drops, potenti...
