Baltimore MD (SPX) Jan 08, 2024
This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope features a richness of spiral galaxies: the large, prominent spiral galaxy on the right side of the image is NGC 1356; the two apparently smaller spiral galaxies flanking it are LEDA 467699 (above it) and LEDA 95415 (very close at its left) respectively; and finally, IC 1947 sits along the left side of the image. This image is a really in

Melbourne, Australia (SPX) Jan 08, 2024
A team of international scientists, armed with the powerful ALMA telescope array in Chile, has unravelled the cosmic mysteries surrounding a dying star, revealing an intricate celestial dance shaped by unusual chemistry. The ground-breaking study, published in Nature Astronomy, sheds light on the orbit of a cool red giant star, shedding its outer layers in a dramatic stellar wind during th

Washington DC (SPX) Jan 08, 2024
Titan's "magic islands" are likely floating chunks of porous, frozen organic solids, a new study finds, pivoting from previous work suggesting they were gas bubbles. The study was published in Geophysical Research Letters, AGU's journal for high-impact, short-format reports with immediate implications spanning all Earth and space sciences. A hazy orange atmosphere 50% thicker than Earth's

Cambridge UK (SPX) Jan 08, 2024
What are the clouds of Venus made of? Scientists know it's mainly made of sulfuric acid droplets, with some water, chlorine, and iron. Their concentrations vary with height in the thick and hostile Venusian atmosphere. But until now they have been unable to identify the missing component that would explain the clouds' patches and streaks, only visible in the UV range. In a new study publis

Pasadena CA (JPL) Jan 08, 2024
Earth planning date: Friday, January 5, 2024: Coming back after the new year celebrations it was my first Curiosity planning as Geology Science Team Lead (GeoSTL) today. Of course, I hoped for an easy start... but somehow, everything seemed to have other ideas! First things first, we didn't have some of the usual images available on the system we use for planning. This was resolved swiftly by th

London, UK (SPX) Jan 08, 2024
Neptune is fondly known for being a rich blue and Uranus green - but a new study has revealed that the two ice giants are actually far closer in colour than typically thought. The correct shades of the planets have been confirmed with the help of research led by Professor Patrick Irwin from the University of Oxford, which has been published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 08, 2024
Diversified Technologies, Inc. (DTI), based in Bedford, MA, has recently announced the development of a new spacecraft engine that promises to significantly alter the dynamics of space travel. The Atmosphere-Refueling Magnetic Induction Plasma Engine (AR-MIPE) represents a novel approach in space propulsion technology, emphasizing the use of in-situ propellants to enhance in-space maneuverabilit

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 08, 2024
NASA has officially announced the selection of 13 innovative concepts for its 2024 Phase I awards under the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program. This program is renowned for funding early-stage technology concept studies that hold the potential to radically transform future agency missions, as well as offering possibilities for commercialization. The awardees, hailing from diverse c

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 08, 2024
NASA has recently updated its agreements with two prominent commercial space station partners, marking a significant step in the development of low Earth orbit (LEO) destinations. This move is pivotal as the agency prepares for the retirement of the International Space Station (ISS) in 2030 and transitions to a new era of commercial space stations. Phil McAlister, the director of commercia

Washington DC (AFP) Jan 08, 2024
An historic private mission to land on the Moon was facing near-certain failure Monday after the spacecraft suffered a "critical loss" of fuel, in a major blow to America's hopes of placing its first robot on the lunar surface in five decades. Fixed to the top of United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan rocket, Astrobotic's Peregrine Lunar Lander blasted off overnight from Florida's Cape Canave