Solar wing jammed on NASA spacecraft chasing asteroids
Thursday, 28 October 2021 14:48
A Mars colony could be a hydrogen factory, providing propellant for the inner solar system
Thursday, 28 October 2021 14:41
There are lots of potential uses for a Mars colony. It could be a research outpost, mining colony, or even a possible second home if something happens to go drastically wrong on our first one. But it could also be a potential source of what is sure to be one of the most valuable elements in the space economy—hydrogen.
A new paper from Dr. Mikhail Shubov at the University of Massachusetts Lowell discusses just such an eventuality. Hydrogen is useful in myriad applications. From creating water to exploding as rocket fuel, the most abundant element in the universe sure has many uses. The problem is it's relatively hard to get access to in the broader solar system.
There is plenty of it in Jupiter or even the sun, but extracting the material from those enormous gravity wells is not particularly cost-effective. Smaller orbital bodies, such as asteroids, have some water that could be used as a hydrogen source, but they are not large enough to provide all of the solar system's needs.
Op-Ed | To shore up U.S. space dominance, Biden administration must boost Japan-U.S. alliance
Thursday, 28 October 2021 14:01
Recent reports that China has tested a space-based, nuclear-capable hypersonic missile underscore the need for the Biden administration to take a number of steps to strengthen a Japan-U.S. alliance.
Image: Lunar lander in Dubai
Thursday, 28 October 2021 13:03
This mockup of ESA's European Lunar Logistics Lander (EL3) is currently on display at the International Astronautical Congress in Dubai.
The versatile EL3 will be used to land cargo on the lunar surface in support of crewed expeditions as well as to host science payloads, potentially enabling sample returns as well.
This EL3 Landing and Descent Element mockup was created for ESA by startup Spartan Space in France. In practice this segment will be attached to a payload-hauling Cargo Platform Element, the subject of a study by ESA's Concurrent Design Facility (CDF).
CASIS and Estée Lauder seek microgravity research on plastic alternatives
Thursday, 28 October 2021 13:01
The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) announced plans Oct. 28 to work with multinational corporation Estée Lauder to solicit microgravity projects aimed at reducing plastics waste.
A call for a methodical approach to identifying life beyond Earth
Thursday, 28 October 2021 12:17
A team of space scientists at NASA has published a Perspective piece in the journal Nature calling for the establishment of a methodical approach to identifying life beyond Earth. In their paper, the group suggests the space science community begin using a "confidence of life detection" (CoLD) scale, similar in some respects to others used in the science community, such as the TRL scale NASA uses to chart the readiness of new technology to be used on missions.
Noting that science, technology and space exploration efforts have led humanity to the point that it might be possible to find evidence of life on Mars or elsewhere—and further noting that in the past, discoveries surrounding the possibility of life in other places, most often on Mars, has led to widespread speculation and often criticism of those reporting the evidence—the authors suggest a new approach may be needed. They suggest the adoption of the CoLD scale and outline its seven levels.
The first level would be assigned if detection of a biosignature suggested life might have been found. That would kick off the second level, which would involve ruling out other factors such as contamination.
NASA to Host Briefing on Webb Telescope Engineering, Deployments
Thursday, 28 October 2021 12:14
NASA will hold a virtual media briefing 11 a.m. EDT Tuesday, Nov. 2, to discuss the engineering of the James Webb Space Telescope, the world’s largest and most powerful space science telescope. 
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Lunar Lander in Dubai JWST launch preparations on track
Thursday, 28 October 2021 08:47
The success of the most recent Ariane 5 launch has allowed preparations for the launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to move into the home stretch, officials said Oct. 27.
Towards the detection of the nanohertz gravitational-wave background
Thursday, 28 October 2021 07:53
The European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA) is a scientific collaboration bringing together teams of astronomers around the largest European radio telescopes, as well as groups specialized in data analysis and modelling of gravitational-wave (GW) signals. It has published a detailed analysis of a candidate signal for the since-long sought gravitational-wave background (GWB) due to in-spiraling super Researchers find standing waves at edge of earth's magnetic bubble
Thursday, 28 October 2021 07:53
Earth sails the solar system in a ship of its own making: the magnetosphere, the magnetic field that envelops and protects our planet. The celestial sea we find ourselves in is filled with charged particles flowing from the Sun, known as the solar wind. Just as ocean waves follow the wind, scientists expected that waves traveling along the magnetosphere should ripple in the direction of the sola Some of the world's oldest rubies linked to early life
Thursday, 28 October 2021 07:53
While analyzing some of the world's oldest coloured gemstones, researchers from the University of Waterloo discovered carbon residue that was once ancient life, encased in a 2.5 billion-year-old ruby.
The research team, led by Chris Yakymchuk, professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Waterloo, set out to study the geology of rubies to better understand the conditions necessary for NASA, FEMA to host Alliance For Climate Action series in October
Thursday, 28 October 2021 07:53
NASA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will co-host the Alliances for Climate Action, a virtual series to address rising demand for accurate, timely, and actionable information at a time of rapid global climate change. The first event, featuring NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, will take place noon EDT Wednesday, Oct. 6, and will livestream on the agency's website.
Attendee Increased aurora activity herald a new solar cycle
Thursday, 28 October 2021 07:53
Solar Cycle 25 is underway, and that means more frequent opportunities to see auroras-more commonly known as the northern lights and southern lights. One of the best opportunities in recent years occurred on October 11-12, 2021. In the early morning hours of October 12, 2021, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NOAA-NASA Suomi NPP satellite acquired images of the aurora Kuaizhou lifts off successfully, places satellite in orbit
Thursday, 28 October 2021 03:03
China launched a high-resolution Earth-observation satellite into space aboard a Kuaizhou 1A carrier rocket on Wednesday afternoon, according to the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp.
In a statement, the State-owned space contractor said that the solid-propellant rocket blasted off at 2:19 pm from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, and placed the satellite -