Washington DC (UPI) Jan 6, 2024
SpaceX on Monday launched a Falcon 9 rocket with its first Starlink mission of the new year, sending 24 satellites to low-Earth orbit from Florida. The rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the afternoon. Officials with SpaceX said the flight was the 17th one for the first-stage booster supporting the mission. It previously launch

On 8 January 2025, the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission will fly just 295 km above Mercury's surface, with a closest approach scheduled for 06:59 CET (05:59 UTC). It will use this opportunity to photograph Mercury, make unique measurements of the planet’s environment, and fine-tune science instrument operations before the main mission begins. This sixth and final flyby will reduce the spacecraft’s speed and change its direction, readying it for entering orbit around the tiny planet in late 2026.

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 23, 2024
XTEND, a leading provider of AI-powered autonomy and tactical drone solutions, has secured an $8.8 million contract with the U.S. Department of Defense's Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate (IWTSD). The agreement focuses on delivering Precision Strike Indoor and Outdoor (PSIO) small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS). The PSIO sUAS platform is a cutting-edge advancement in tactical

Boston MA (SPX) Dec 20, 2024
On June 18, 2023, the Titan submersible was about an hour-and-a-half into its two-hour descent to the Titanic wreckage at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean when it lost contact with its support ship. This cease in communication set off a frantic search for the tourist submersible and five passengers onboard, located about two miles below the ocean's surface. Deep-ocean search and recovery i

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 26, 2024
Researchers at Rice University have achieved a significant milestone in quantum simulation by modeling molecular electron transfer processes using a trapped-ion quantum simulator. This innovative study, published in Science Advances, demonstrates an advanced method for studying electron transfer dynamics, which are foundational to many physical, chemical, and biological systems. Electron t

Boston MA (SPX) Dec 23, 2024
The electronics industry is approaching a limit to the number of transistors that can be packed onto the surface of a computer chip. So, chip manufacturers are looking to build up rather than out. Instead of squeezing ever-smaller transistors onto a single surface, the industry is aiming to stack multiple surfaces of transistors and semiconducting elements - akin to turning a ranch house i

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Dec 16, 2024
For the first time, researchers have closely observed the catastrophic release of meltwater from a massive glacial lake in East Greenland, where 3,000 billion liters of water cascaded into the Scoresby Sound fjord in just a few weeks. The unprecedented event sheds light on the immense power of glacial meltwater and its potential hazards, offering critical insights into the phenomenon known as Gl

London, UK (SPX) Dec 16, 2024
An international team of scientists, including a glaciologist from Newcastle University, has uncovered remarkably preserved glacial landforms buried nearly 1 km beneath the North Sea. The discovery offers key insights into the region's Ice Age history and its connection to climate change. Using advanced seismic technology, researchers revealed Ice Age features hidden beneath layers of sedi

Boston MA (SPX) Dec 26, 2024
MIT physicists have created a new and long-lasting magnetic state in a material, using only light. In a study appearing in Nature, the researchers report using a terahertz laser - a light source that oscillates more than a trillion times per second - to directly stimulate atoms in an antiferromagnetic material. The laser's oscillations are tuned to the natural vibrations among the material

Paris, France (SPX) Dec 28, 2024
Researchers at the University of Bologna, led by Prof. Alberto Credi, have developed an innovative method to manipulate molecular assembly using light energy. This approach allows for the creation of a molecular configuration that defies the natural thermodynamic equilibrium, a feat previously considered unattainable. "We have shown that by administering light energy to an aqueous solution