Tonga eruption sent ripples through Earth's ionosphere
Tuesday, 08 February 2022 06:52
The powerful underwater volcanic eruption that blanketed the island nation of Tonga with ash and sent tsunami waves across the world also caused ripples in Earth's ionosphere, according to measurements from the Global Differential Global Positioning System (GDGPS) managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
When the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted on Jan. NASA selects developer for rocket to retrieve first samples from Mars
Tuesday, 08 February 2022 04:45
NASA has awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin Space of Littleton, Colorado, to build the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), a small, lightweight rocket to launch rock, sediment, and atmospheric samples from the surface of the Red Planet. The award brings NASA a step closer to the first robotic round-trip to bring samples safely to Earth through the Mars Sample Return Program.
"This groundbreaking Is the 'fine-tuned universe' an illusion?
Tuesday, 08 February 2022 04:45
For decades physicists have been perplexed about why our cosmos appears to have been precisely tuned to foster intelligent life. It is widely thought that if the values of certain physical parameters, such as the masses of elementary particles, were tweaked, even slightly, it would have prevented the formation of the components necessary for life in the universe - including planets, stars, and g Chemical history of the Milky Way revealed by new catalog of tens of millions of stars
Tuesday, 08 February 2022 04:45
University of Notre Dame researchers, along with collaborators in China and Australia, published a new sample catalog of more than 24 million stars that can be used to decipher the chemical history of elements in the Milky Way Galaxy.
The research, published February 3 in The Astrophysical Journal, represents about one-hundredth of a percent of the roughly 240 billion stars in the Milky Wa Astra Space scrubs first Florida launch a second time
Tuesday, 08 February 2022 04:45
Astra Space postponed its first rocket launch from Florida on Monday for the second time in three days due to a "minor telemetry issue" and did not set a new launch date, a company official said.
"Unfortunately, we need to stand down from today's launch attempt," Astra product manager Carolina Grossman said during a live launch broadcast.
The rocket's software aborted a launch at Lockheed Martin wins NASA contract to bring Mars samples back to Earth
Tuesday, 08 February 2022 04:45
Lockheed Martin's space division has won a NASA contract to build the rocket that will return the first Mars rock samples to Earth in the 2030s, the US space agency said Monday.
The "small, lightweight rocket" will be the first to take off from another planet, bringing back "rock, sediment and atmospheric samples from the surface of the Red Planet," NASA said in a statement.
NASA's Perse Increasing accuracy of atomic force calculations with space-warp transformation
Tuesday, 08 February 2022 04:45
Atomic forces are primarily responsible for the motion of atoms and their versatile arrangement patterns, which is unique for different types of materials. Atomic simulation methods are a popular choice for the calculation of these forces, the understanding of which can vastly enhance existing knowledge on how to improve a material's function at an atomic level.
Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) m Wyler raises $50 million for “sustainable” megaconstellation
Monday, 07 February 2022 23:10
E-Space, the Greg Wyler-led startup behind Rwanda’s September filing for a constellation of 300,000 satellites, said Feb. 7 it has raised $50 million to fund the launch of two sets of test satellites this year.
Space Force soliciting industry ideas for thwarting cyber attacks
Monday, 07 February 2022 22:39
The Space Systems Command issued a request for information on industry capabilities to combat cyber attacks and protect critical networks during wartime.
The post Space Force soliciting industry ideas for thwarting cyber attacks appeared first on SpaceNews.
SciTec gets $5 million Space Force contract to process data from missile-warning satellites
Monday, 07 February 2022 20:41
SciTec won a $5 million contract from the Space Force to develop a software application that analyzes data from U.S. missile-warning satellites.
The post SciTec gets $5 million Space Force contract to process data from missile-warning satellites appeared first on SpaceNews.
Astra aborts launch attempt
Monday, 07 February 2022 19:45
Astra Space aborted and then scrubbed a launch of its Rocket 3.3 small launch vehicle Feb. 7 seconds before liftoff.
The post Astra aborts launch attempt appeared first on SpaceNews.
Astra Space scrubs attempt for 1st Cape Canaveral launch
Monday, 07 February 2022 16:40
A new rocket company on the Space Coast looked to make its first launch on a mission for NASA Saturday as Astra Space lined up its Rocket 3 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, but an issue on the Eastern Range caused a late scrub at the end of its three-hour launch window.
"Unfortunately due to a range asset that has gone out of service today we are going to stand down from today's launch attempt," said Astra Space Director of Product Management Carolina Grossman. "We're going to give it another try tomorrow."
The company based in Alameda, California, received a new type of launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday that allows for more frequent launches, and clearing the way for its attempt from Space Launch Complex 46.
The countdown clock had been reset to 3:30 p.m. EST, near the end of its 1-4 p.m. launch window, but the clock was put in a hold at T-15 minutes despite dicey weather and rocket parameters all listed as go for launch.
Video: Space repairs in 360 degrees
Monday, 07 February 2022 14:02
Scientist, engineer, test subject and tradesperson—astronauts in orbit wear many different hats. In this 360° timelapse, ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer works to repair a faulty valve behind EXPRESS-Rack 3.
Water On-Off Valve 8 (WOOV-8), along with WOOV-6 and WOOV-7, determines whether the cooling water of Europe's Columbus module flows through, or bypasses, the heat exchange system that transfers waste heat to downstream cooling circuits outside the International Space Station. The valve has been a problem child for ground teams and astronauts for the past few years and was first replaced during a complicated operation in 2013.
It was last replaced by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet in October 2021, but continued issues led Matthias to try out a reserve valve to see if an unplanned conversion was possible. The operation was successfully completed on the real WOOV-8 in December 2021, and all involved breathed a sigh of relief.
Performing maintenance and repair tasks in weightlessness is especially difficult as astronauts have the added challenge of trying to hold themselves in position while turning a screw or securing a hatch.
Tesat-Spacecom to establish U.S. manufacturing facility
Monday, 07 February 2022 12:44
Tesat-Spacecom (TESAT), the global leader in optical communication technologies for space, is expanding its manufacturing footprint into the United States to support its U.S. government and commercial customers.
The post Tesat-Spacecom to establish U.S.
Launcher buys additional SpaceX rideshare missions
Monday, 07 February 2022 10:53
Launcher has purchased slots on three more SpaceX rideshare missions for its Orbiter tug as it continues development of a small launch vehicle.
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