University Park PA (SPX) May 11, 2023
More than a hundred blazars - distant and active galaxies with a central supermassive black hole that drives powerful jets - have been newly characterized by Penn State researchers from a catalog of previously unclassified high-energy cosmic emissions. The new blazars, which are dim relative to more typical blazars, have allowed the researchers to test a controversial theory of blazar emissions,

Pasadena CA (JPL) May 11, 2023
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has observed a distant planet outside our solar system - and unlike anything in it - to reveal what is likely a highly reflective world with a steamy atmosphere. It's the closest look yet at the mysterious world, a "mini-Neptune" that was largely impenetrable to previous observations. And while the planet, called GJ 1214 b, is too hot to harbor liquid-wate

College Park MD (SPX) May 11, 2023
For more than a decade, astronomers have been trying to get a closer look at GJ 1214b, an exoplanet 40 light-years away from Earth. Their biggest obstacle is a thick layer of haze that blankets the planet, shielding it from the probing eyes of space telescopes and stymying efforts to study its atmosphere. NASA's new James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) solved that issue. The telescope's infra

Beijing (XNA) May 11, 2023
The Beijing Institute of Technology recently received 500 milligrams of the lunar samples brought back by the Chang'e 5 mission. BIT's research team will study the material characteristics of these samples and related manufacturing technology, with the building of a future lunar research station in mind. Shen Jun, a professor with the School of Mechanical Engineering at BIT, noted th

Pasadena CA (JPL) May 11, 2023
When it comes to searching for clues about Mars' geologic past and present, SHERLOC and WATSON are on the case! SHERLOC stands for Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals, and WATSON stands for Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering. SHERLOC and WATSON both sit at the end of Perseverance's robotic arm, and their names pay homag

Vienna VA (SPX) May 10, 2023
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has awarded a contract to Spire Global's newly acquired subsidiary, ExactEarth Ltd., for preparatory work on its WildFireSat mission. The mission aims to monitor all active wildfires in Canada from space on a daily basis to support wildfire management, provide Canadians with more precise information on smoke and air quality conditions, and more accurately measure

Cape Canaveral FL (SPX) May 11, 2023
Sidus Space (NASDAQ: SIDU) has selected ATLAS Space Operations (ATLAS) to expand ground station services. The agreement is set to significantly increase the global network of ground stations for the LizzieSat constellation and further solidify Sidus Space's position as a leader in Space and Defense-as-a-Service solutions. ATLAS Space Operations provides Ground Software as a Service (GSaaS)

Medford MA (SPX) May 11, 2023
To make it possible for cellular agriculture-the process of growing meat in bioreactors-to feed millions of people, several technical challenges will have to be overcome. Muscle cells from chicken, fish, cows, and other food sources will have to be grown to produce millions of metric tons per year. Toward this goal, researchers at Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA) develope

London, UK (SPX) May 10, 2023
Supernal and Inmarsat announced a partnership to define the application of satellite connectivity in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). Together, the companies will conduct testing and data sharing to optimize hardware and network systems, which will lead to the safe and efficient integration of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles into the airspace. During vehicle testing, Sup

Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 11, 2023
Vast has revealed that SpaceX is slated to launch Vast Haven-1, anticipated to be the world's premier commercial space station. The launch, targeted for no earlier than August 2025, will be swiftly followed by two manned spaceflight missions to the station. A Falcon 9 rocket will propel Haven-1 into low-Earth orbit, where it will function as a fully independent space station before eventually jo