Irvine CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2024
A recently discovered solar system with six confirmed exoplanets and a possible seventh is boosting astronomers' knowledge of planet formation and evolution. Relying on a globe-spanning arsenal of observatories and instruments, a team led by researchers at the University of California, Irvine has compiled the most precise measurements yet of the exoplanets' masses, orbital properties and atmosph

Pasadena CA (JPL) Jan 29, 2024
NASA's history-making Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has ended its mission at the Red Planet after surpassing expectations and making dozens more flights than planned. While the helicopter remains upright and in communication with ground controllers, imagery of its Jan. 18 flight sent to Earth this week indicates one or more of its rotor blades sustained damage during landing and it is no longer capa

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 28, 2024
The Midland Development Corporation (MDC) and MITRE have recently inked an agreement aiming to synergize their efforts towards enhancing commercial space and high-speed flight operations at the Midland International Air and Space Port. This collaboration marks a significant step in advancing the United States' capabilities in both aviation and space travel sectors. MDC, a key economic deve

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2024
Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPCE), a pioneer in the field of commercial space travel, has completed its first spaceflight of 2024, marking its 11th mission overall. The 'Galactic 06' flight is notable for being the first to carry a full complement of private astronauts on board the VSS Unity. Michael Colglazier, the CEO of Virgin Galactic, expressed his pride and confidence in th

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2024
Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR), a renowned global provider of space-based data, analytics, and space services, has recently announced an exciting new mission. The company is set to launch four satellites dedicated to Space Situational Awareness (SSA) for NorthStar Earth and Space, a significant step in commercial space surveillance. This mission, named 'Four of a Kind,' is scheduled to lift off

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2024
If life ever existed on Mars, the Perseverance rover's verification of lake sediments at the base of the Jezero crater reinforces the hope that traces might be found in the crater. In new research published in the journal Science Advances, a team led by UCLA and The University of Oslo shows that at some point, the crater filled with water, depositing layers of sediments on the crater floor

Washington DC (SPX) Jan 29, 2024
Much like the Earth, our Sun is a dynamic body with a complex - and sometimes violent - weather system. Solar storms eject highly energetic radiation that can impact our planet, forming strong auroras and disrupting power grids, electronics, and satellites. The scientific study of space weather attempts to understand, track, and forecast this solar activity, which peaks with the solar maxi

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jan 29, 2024
In a significant development in lunar science, a team of renowned scientists, including Dr. Dijun Guo from the National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dr. Jianhzong Liu from the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Dr. James W Head from Brown University, have proposed an updated time scale for the Earth's Moon. This

Pasadena CA (JPL) Jan 26, 2024
Earth planning date: Wednesday, January 24, 2024: We arrived at a workspace with bedrock delightfully dotted with resistant features whose granular appearance and gray color were intriguing enough to warrant attention from APXS, ChemCam, and MAHLI. ChemCam will target one of these features, "Tehipite Dome," while MAHLI and APXS will target a different feature on the same block, "Sierra Col

Pasadena CA (JPL) Jan 26, 2024
Since parking at Airey Hill during Solar Conjunction back in November, Perseverance has been busy exploring. We drove north from Airey Hill to Flat Point, where we had the best views to conduct imaging using Mastcam-Z of some of the deepest parts of the Margin Unit. We then drove south-east, parallel to a ridge that shows apparent layering, and imaged targets including Burnt Island and Lil