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Live Science Verdict
A brilliantly fun and unique telescope that allows beginners to image all kinds of deep sky objects. The price might seem steep for a beginner, but we think it's worth it for the ease of use and excellent results.
Pros
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Easy to use
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Almost instant images
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Can share with up to 8 people on Wi-Fi
Cons
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Expensive
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Important accessories have to be bought separately
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Large field of view prevents serious planetary imaging
Why you can trust Live Science Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best ones for you. Find out more about how we test.
The Vaonis Vespera is your all-in-one ticket to becoming an astrophotographer. Unlike ordinary telescopes, the Vespera does not have an eyepiece – you can't look through it! Instead, the Vespera contains a built-in imaging sensor that captures images of whatever it is pointed at, which you can view directly on your smartphone or tablet that you use to control the Vespera with Vaonis' 'Singularity' software.
We might then ask, is the Vespera a telescope or a camera? Vaonis call it an 'observation station' and technically, it's both – it sports a 2-inch (50 mm), f/4 quadruplet apochromat telescope, which means it is designed around two sets of two lenses that remove chromatic (color) aberration. At the same time, it hosts a 2.1MP color Sony STARVIX IMX462 CMOS camera sensor for recording the Vespera's clarity of view.
Aperture: 2 inches
Focal length: 8 inches
Aperture ratio: f/4
Field of view: 1.6 x 0.9 degrees
Imaging sensor: Sony IMX462
Magnification: 30x
Size: 15 x 8 x 3.5 inch/40 x 20 x 9 cm
Weight: 11 lbs (5 kg)
Price: $1,499/£1,299/€1,499
Vaonis launched their first imaging telescope, the Stellina, in 2018, and the Vespera builds on that experience while also providing more portability. It has a smaller aperture (by over an inch) and imaging sensor than the Stellina, meaning it doesn't reach the same level of resolution that the Stellina achieves, but the price is less than half that of the Stellina, making the Vespera extremely tempting.
We found the Vaonis Vespera to be great fun, and only fails to achieve top marks because of its lack of accessories, its somewhat limited versatility and because its sibling, the Stellina, is technically a more powerful instrument. However, the sheer enjoyment that we got out of straightforward imaging and then being able to share those images with others logged onto the Vespera's Wi-Fi network is addictive. it's unconventional, but its definitely one of the best telescopes out there.
Vaonis Vespera Observing Station: Design
- Large field of view
- Highly portable, weighing less than 11 lbs
- 3/8th thread allows attachment to many standard tripods
The Vaonis Vespera doesn't look like your typical telescope (it looks a bit like an egg, actually). When we pressed the 'on' switch at the side of the instrument, half of it folded out to reveal the telescope part attached to a single arm. It's interesting to note that it's sibling design, the Stellina is mounted on sturdier fork arms.
The 2 inches of aperture are small, and if this was a visual telescope with an eyepiece, it would be too modest. For imaging, where photons build up incrementally to form a picture, it's a different matter. At f/4 and a focal length of 7.8 inches (200 mm), wielding a field of view of 1.6 x 0.9 degrees on the sky, it is capable of imaging large deep-sky targets, the Moon and, with the separate purchase of Vaonis' full-aperture solar filter, the Sun. The field of view is sadly too big for planetary imaging. Resolution is 3 arcseconds per pixel, which while not brilliant, it's more than enough to capture wonderful images of galaxies and nebulae.
Weighing less than 11 lbs (5 kg), the Vespera is easily portable for when we want to get away to those dark-sky locations. The package comes with a tiny table-top tripod that we had to assemble ourselves by screwing in the legs. The 3/8ths thread that attaches the Vespera to the tripod should also fit many larger photographic tripods. Vaonis also offer their own larger tripod for an additional cost.
Vaonis Vespera Observing Station: Performance
- Controlled by the Singularity app
- Brighter deep sky objects can be imaged in less than a minute
- Live stacking
For all the hype, the Vespera has a lot to live up to, and thankfully we thought it did so brilliantly.
Once activated, the Vespera creates its own Wi-Fi network that we could connect to our smartphone (or tablet) while running the Singularity app, which we downloaded onto our device via a QR code. Our first job was to input our location into the app so that the telescope knows its latitude and longitude and where the stars are positioned in the sky relative to its location. You then press a button on the app to initialize the Vespera (this first required us to download an update to the software). Once initialized, the Vespera then scans around the sky, looking for patterns of stars that it can match up to charts stored in its memory, to figure out where it is pointing and the orientation of the sky. It then automatically focuses itself, which was great! The focusing was perfect, with pinpoint stars.
The Vespera is controlled entirely by Singularity. The app provides basic information, such as the phase of the moon, when the sun rises and sets, and it flags up some celestial highlights that are especially helpful for beginners who may not know where to start.
But it was the imaging that we were here for. The first target we selected was NGC 7000, the North America Nebula in the constellation of Cygnus, right above our heads. It took about a minute for the telescope to swivel on its base and move its telescope arm up to point at the nebula. Once it was ready to begin capturing the image, the app displays a kind of space warp effect, before the image appears. The Vespera stacks new images every 20 seconds (this exposure time can be adjusted in the options) and we could just see the red outline of the nebula beginning to fill the field of view as clouds began to roll in. Though forced to abandon that particular image, it was noticeable how the nebula's 2-degree-wide expanse was a little too big for the Vespera's field of view. However, Singularity has a Mosaic Mode that allows you to image up to four times the normal field of view by joining different exposures together and when this is employed, the North America Nebula can be captured in its entirety.
Undeterred by the clouds, we switched to another patch of clear sky: Ursa Major, the Great Bear where we found two galaxies, Bode's Galaxy (M81) and the Cigar Galaxy (M82). Going through the motion of the telescope turning to find M81, the bright diffuse bulge of the galaxy popped out immediately, and over the next 10 minutes gradually more and more of its spiral disk became apparent. It was highly impressive to watch the galaxy materialize out of the darkness. We could even zoom in and rotate the image on our phone screen while it was still stacking.
The Cigar Galaxy was something else. Whereas M81 took its time to appear, the edge-on M82 showed brightly in the image after just 20 seconds. We were amazed by how fast the image appeared. The sliver of light grew larger and bolder, and the higher surface brightness of M82 meant a much shorter total exposure time – we imaged for just 5 minutes. However, we did notice that the galaxies had the opposite problem to the North America Nebula – they appeared quite small in the field of view.
Taking images with the Vaonis Vespera is such a delight, and very quickly you will find, as we did, that you can rack up more than a dozen objects in a session of a couple of hours. The brighter objects can be captured after a few dozen seconds or so, fainter objects need longer – in the case of the ephemeral Veil Nebula it took a lot longer, we're talking hours, particularly if operating in mosaic mode. We chose to move on to other targets rather than wait.
You can end the image capture at any time. The images are saved to folders on the app, and we could download them from there onto our device. Processing them in Photoshop on one of the best laptops for photo editing or some similar product would enhance the images considerably.
While we had frustrations over the field of view, overall we were really impressed by the ease with which we could image deep sky objects, despite the unseasonal unsettled weather.
Vaonis Vespera Observing Station: Functionality
- Ability to connect up to 8 people on Wi-Fi
- Limited accessories means you have to pay more to get the full experience
- Small tripod
The Vaonis Vespera package is somewhat bare bones. Along with the instrument itself, there's a little tabletop tripod that stands just 7 inch (18 cm) tall and isn't really of much use. Vaonis do sell a taller, adjustable tripod for £135/€149/$149 which offers a maximum height of 11.8 inch (30 cm). The power pack that we received only had an EU plug fitting, and we had to source our own EU-UK adaptor. Battery power when fully charged lasted 8 hours, though in cold winter conditions expect the battery to drain faster.
The Vespera has a solar mode, but the all-important solar filter has to be purchased separately at a cost of £109/€99/$99. So too does Vaonis' light-pollution filter, so if you're an urban astronomer you're going to have to deal with light pollution gradients in your images unless you fork out for the expensive £209/€199/$199 filter.
What you do get is a well-made, finely-tuned, and virtually flawless observing station. Every time you switch it on and the robotic arm moves into position is thrilling. The Singularity app works well and is simple to use. We liked the 'Plan Your Night' option, where we could select a list of targets and exposure times and the Vespera would automatically work its way through the list.
One thing that could be improved is the list of objects to choose from, which is pretty short with not more than a few hundred objects – we're used to go-to telescopes having catalogs of tens of thousands of objects. If an object that we wanted to image wasn't on the list, we could manually input the RA and declination coordinates.
Images can be saved as a JPG, TIFF or – if you're intending to process them further afterwards on your home computer – RAW camera files, which will be appreciated by dedicated astrophotographers.
One cool function that we weren't able to test to its maximum is the ability for up to 8 people to simultaneously join Vespera's Wi-Fi network; we did however link two smartphones up to it and we think it is an excellent function, particularly for astronomical outreach at public events and star parties. Indeed, its ease of use makes the Vaonis Vespera a perfect device for beginners.
Should you buy the Vaonis Vespera Observing Station?
This is a tough one to answer because although there's not much to fault with the Vespera, whether you need one really depends on what kind of astronomy, and astrophotography, you're looking to do.
Purely visual observers might automatically recoil from the idea of a telescope without an eyepiece where you can only do imaging. But we recommend that even visual observers give it a shot, because it is addictive fun and very quickly you can build up a library of astro-images to show your friends and family and share on social media. With that being said, the asking price of $1,499/£1,299/€1,499 is a hefty chunk of cash for casual users.
It's also not an inexpensive way to get into astro-imaging. If you already own a telescope in the 4-8 inch category or larger, then the price of a CCD/CMOS camera or DSLR, and a go-to equatorial mount, isn't going to come to more than the price of the Vespera (unless you go really high-end). However, that kind of hands-on imaging requires a degree of know-how – the use of filters if using a mono camera, stacking and the other various processing stages, plus they all require a computer. If you don't have a computer, or don't feel skilled enough to master the processing steps, then the instant results of the Vespera might be attractive to you. In a way, it's the astronomical version of a polaroid camera.
This ability to produce instant results, as well as the multi-user mode, is where the Vespera really shines, and it is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at star parties, outreach events, schools or family gatherings. If you are involved in education or outreach work presenting the night sky to children or members of the public, then we think the Vaonis Vespera is an essential piece of instrument.
If the Vaonis Vespera Observing Station isn't for you
The Vaonis Vespera is fun, but it is not versatile. Planetary imagers wanting to do close up work need a much smaller field of view. A Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope such as the Celestron Advanced VX 8 Edge HD telescope would be more suitable. Coupled to an equatorial go-to mount and using a Canon EOS R8, might be more suitable.
Gemma is content director of Live Science, Space.com, science and space magazines How It Works and All About Space, history magazines All About History and History of War as well as Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) kids education brand Future Genius. She is the author of several books including "Quantum Physics in Minutes", "Haynes Owners’ Workshop Manual to the Large Hadron Collider" and "Haynes Owners’ Workshop Manual to the Milky Way". She holds a degree in physical sciences, a Master’s in astrophysics and a PhD in computational astrophysics. She was elected as a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in 2011. Previously, she worked for Nature's journal, Scientific Reports, and created scientific industry reports for the Institute of Physics and the British Antarctic Survey. She has covered stories and features for publications such as Physics World, Astronomy Now and Astrobiology Magazine. | Space Technology |
Ever wondered what it would be like to fly over the surface of Mars?
Well now you can get an idea.
That's because the European Space Agency (ESA) has shared an animation offering an overhead glimpse of one of the Red Planet's most stunning spectacles, Noctis Labyrinthus — Latin for 'Labyrinth of Night'.
The video was put together with the help of images taken by ESA's Mars Express spacecraft, which has been mapping the Martian surface for two decades.
It has taken thousands of images since arriving at the fourth planet from the sun in December 2003, including snapping the ruptured landscape of canyons which sit between Mars's Valles Marineris and the huge volcanoes of the Tharsis Bulge.
WHAT IS THE LABYRINTH OF NIGHT? The region known as Noctis Laryinthus - or Labyrinth of Night - lies on the western edge of the Valles Marineris, a spectacular feature known as the Grand Canyon of Mars. Vast blocks more than 70 miles (112km) wide create a jumble of paths through fractures up to 3.7 miles (6km) deep in the Martian surface that stretch for more than 745 miles (1,200km). Scientists say this maze of valleys was formed when the Martian crust swelled millions of years ago as a result of tectonic and volcanic activity. The area, known as the Tharsis region, is home to one of the largest volcanoes in the solar system – Olympus Mons. 'As the crust bulged in the Tharsis province it stretched apart the surrounding terrain, ripping fractures several kilometres deep and leaving blocks – graben – stranded within the resulting trenches,' the European Space Agency said.
Scientists took these pictures and combined them to create an animation showcasing the 745-mile (1,200km) maze of valleys which are up to 18.6 miles (30km) wide and 3.7 miles (6km) deep.
As a comparison, the Grand Canyon in Arizona is 18 miles (29km) at its widest point and 1.1 miles (1.8km) at its deepest.
Such is the vast size of Noctis Labyrinthus that it stretches about the length of Italy, or the river Rhine from its source in the Alps to the North Sea.
It is located at the western end of Valles Marineris, a spectacular feature known as the Grand Canyon of Mars.
Scientists say the maze of valleys was formed when the Martian crust swelled millions of years ago as a result of tectonic and volcanic activity.
'As the crust bulged in the Tharsis province it stretched apart the surrounding terrain, ripping fractures several kilometres deep and leaving blocks stranded within the resulting trenches,' ESA said.
As well as relying on the Mars Express probe's High Resolution Stereo Camera, experts also had to use topographic information from a digital terrain model to help generate a three-dimensional view of the landscape.
The result is a video animation which provides the viewer with the feeling of being in a helicopter while exploring another planet in our solar system.
The video reveals fascinating features in the Noctis Labyrinthus landscape, including what are known as 'grabens'.
These are parts of the planet's crust that have collapsed downward.
They can be found on Earth, too, including in the Canyonlands National Park in Utah.
'The intense volcanism in the nearby Tharsis region is to blame for the formation of these features,' ESA said.
'This volcanism caused large areas of Martian crust to arch upwards and become stretched and tectonically stressed, leading to it thinning out, faulting and subsiding.'
The main objective of the Mars Express spacecraft, which was ESA's first foray to another planet, is to search for evidence of water beneath the Red Planet's surface.
It also carried a small lander called Beagle 2 when it was sent to Mars in 2003, but this was lost on arrival.
The orbiter has so far detected enough water ice in the polar caps to create a global ocean 36 ft (11m) deep, and revealed vast plains of permafrost around the Red Planet's South Pole.
Mars Express also found the highest clouds ever seen above any planetary surface at 62 miles (100km).
Other human spacecraft that have imaged Noctis Labyrinthus include NASA's Viking 1 orbiter, which captured a wide view of the region in 1980. | Space Technology |
A Wolf-Rayet star will likely morph into a magnetic monsterMagnetars are the most magnetic objects in the known universe and we know surprisingly little about their origins and formation.Chris Young| Aug 17, 2023 01:00 PM ESTCreated: Aug 17, 2023 01:00 PM ESTscienceAn artist’s impression of the binary system HD 45166.Fabian Bodensteiner Stay ahead of your peers in technology and engineering - The BlueprintBy subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Policies You may unsubscribe at any time.A team of astronomers carried out observations of a hot, helium-rich Wolf-Rayet star that forms part of a binary system known as HD 45166, a press statement reveals.They also performed computer simulations and found that the Wolf-Rayet star will likely produce a magnetar when it explodes as a supernova. The findings shed new light on the formation of magnetars, the most magnetic objects in the universe.Analyzing a Wolf-Rayet starWolf-Rayet stars are some of the most massive, luminous stars in the universe. They are at an advanced stage of stellar evolution, and, as such, they are expelling their outer layers prior to going supernova in a massive cosmic explosion. See Also Related JWST captures a rare star 15,000 light-years away nearing its end Astronomers identify 19 new Wolf-Rayet stars in Andromeda Galaxy Scientists find evidence of galactic immigration outside the Milky Way They are essentially the exposed helium core of a massive star that has lost its outer hydrogen layers. In March this year, NASA shared a stunning image of a Wolf-Rayet star called WR 124 and its surrounding nebula.The team of researchers, who published their findings in a paper in the journal Science, observed HD 45166, a binary system with a main sequence star and a hot Wolf-Rayet star companion. They analyzed new spectropolarimetric observations of HD45166 taken by the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope as well as archival spectra from other instruments. By investigating these observations, they found that the Wolf-Rayet star has the equivalent of two solar masses and a high magnetic field of 43 kilogauss.The scientists behind the new study then ran stellar evolution simulations using advanced computer models. The models, which incorporated the new observation data, showed that the Wolf-Rayet star would eventually collapse into a neutron star.Supernovae may amplify magnetic fields in massive stellar coresWhat's more, the team calculated that magnetic flux conservation during the star's core collapse would increase the strength of the star's magnetic field to a range that would see it categorized as a magnetar."Our observations and stellar-evolution models therefore indicate that the Wolf-Rayet component could be an immediate progenitor of a magnetar," the authors wrote. A magnetar is a type of neutron star with an incredibly powerful magnetic field, making it the most powerful type of magnetic object in the known universe.The origins and formation process of magnetars remain somewhat of a mystery, though. One hypothesis suggests that a supernova explosion can lead to the amplification of a magnetic field in the massive core of the parent star, producing a magnetar.Though the new findings don't confirm this hypothesis, they add another piece to the magnetar puzzle. With astronomers having recently identified 19 new Wolf-Rayet stars in our nearest galactic neighbor, the Andromeda galaxy, the global astronomical community continues to uncover the mysteries of these highly-luminous stars. HomeScienceAdd Interesting Engineering to your Google News feed.Add Interesting Engineering to your Google News feed.SHOW COMMENT (1) For You AI and robots might be the future of battery developmentDecoding the mysteries of Homo sapiens' survival: study reveals three million years of adaptationNew force of nature discovered by scientists at FermilabChinese researchers find novel method to track US submarinesPredictions for what the world will be like in 2100?Ad Astra: The Future of Propulsion Technology (Part II)Acrocyanosis, a rare and shocking symptom of long COVIDMeet history's most famous short-sleepersThis bio-inspired leaf generates more power than solar panelsRussia to evacuate entire village due to danger of falling rocket Job Board | Space Technology |
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe flew through an ejection of coronal material as it passed by the Sun in September 2022, giving researchers new data to understand how the Sun’s superheated plasma interacts with the surrounding interplanetary dust.
The coronal mass ejection (CME) flown through by the probe is one of the most powerful ever recorded, according to a NASA release. The flythrough is also the first time Parker has observed how CMEs interact with interplanetary dust, the particulate matter that floats through space. Analysis of the data collected by Parker in the process was published in The Astrophysical Journal.
Based on data from the probe, scientists studying the CME concluded that the ejection cleared the interplanetary dust out to about 6 million miles (9.66 million kilometers) from the Sun. Like the dust that accumulates in homes, the space cleaned up by the CME was quickly covered in more interplanetary dust. But for a moment, it was open space.
“These interactions between CMEs and dust were theorized two decades ago, but had not been observed until Parker Solar Probe viewed a CME act like a vacuum cleaner, clearing the dust out of its path,” said Guillermo Stenborg, an astrophysicist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory , and the study’s lead author, in the NASA release.
The probe’s Wide Field Imagery for Solar Probe (WISPR) camera showed the spacecraft’s view of the CME; what begins as a peaceful view of deep space is suddenly crowded with bright light. Wisps of material pass from left to right across the camera’s point of view as the probe passes through the ejected solar material and the dust.
It’s hardly the first first for the Parker Solar Probe, which launched in August 2018 and has since been looping around the Sun, making flybys of Mercury and Venus as it goes. The probe made its first direct contact with the Sun’s corona in 2021, and scrutinized the solar wind earlier this summer. The probe also happens to be named for Eugene Parker, who theorized the existence of solar wind.
The probe completed its sixth flyby of Venus on August 21, and its next flyby won’t occur until November 2024. Until then, the spacecraft will continue to swing by the Sun, picking up new insights about our dynamic star. | Space Technology |
There's good news and bad news about the James Webb Space Telescope.
The bad news is that one of the 'scope's instruments named the Mid-Infrared Instrument, or MIRI, has experienced a bit of an anomaly. But before you get too worried, the good news is that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is still happy, healthy and heartily able to continue decoding the invisible universe for us.
Basically, in April, the JWST team announced that one of MIRI's four observing modes indicated a reduction in the amount of light registered by the instrument. However, after conducting an investigation into the issue, NASA said this change doesn't pose a risk to MIRI's science capabilities. "There is no risk to the instrument," NASA said in a blog post on Thursday (Aug. 24).
Although, the anomaly might have an impact on the amount of exposure time needed when the instrument switches to the particular mode that's been affected.
The mode at hand, called Medium-Resolution Spectroscopy (MRS), is calibrated to obtain infrared data coming from distant regions of the cosmos associated with wavelengths between 5 and 28.5 microns. That range, according to NASA, is where emission from molecules and dust are typically found, making MRS perfect for finding things like planet-forming disks. But, as NASA explains in the blog post, the reduced signal is specific for MIRI imaging at the longer wavelengths specifically.
One of MIRI's other modes, called Low-Resolution Spectrography that specializes in wavelengths between 5 and 12 microns normally connected to object surfaces (like planets), is operating normally, the team says. A fourth MIRI mode, called Coronagraphic Imaging, is currently under investigation. That mode is programmed to directly detect exoplanets and dust disks around host stars through a mechanism known as coronagraphy, which relies on blocking light from one source to gather data about surrounding sources.
The JWST team also confirmed that the observatory is generally in "good health," and that "each of Webb's other scientific instruments remain unaffected." Those instruments include its Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec), Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) and Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS). | Space Technology |
At the center of our galaxy sits a dark enigma, a supermassive black hole named Sagittarius A*. Astronomers have known about the existence of Sgr. A* for some time, and even snagged a spectacular image of it in 2022, but getting exact measurements of its size and activity have proven elusive.
Specifically, Sgr A* was found to come in at a whooping 4.297 million solar masses — with a radius smaller than that of Venus' orbit around the sun. They deduced this information by studying the luminous gas found in this enormous void's orbit.
Basically, the researchers used data from the near-infrared interferometer at the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) to track electromagnetic emissions of gas swirling around the black hole. They were on the lookout for flares — bright flashes of electromagnetic radiation that might happen once or twice a day. These flares, in short, allowed the astronomers to trace the motion of gas surrounding Sgr A*.
The team analyzed flares observed in 2018, 2021 and 2022. This combined data allowed the researchers to estimate the mass of the black hole with a high level of accuracy, they say, which was important because it provides a new, independent measurement of the black hole's mass. Thankfully, the results sat in accordance with previous estimates.
Those prior measurements were based on the orbital trajectories of stars around Sgr. A*, but those stars are much further away than the newly measured flares appear to be meaning the results were technically less reliable.
The researchers refer to what's known as "gravitational radii" in calculating the mass of Sgr. A*. The gravitational radii value of an object has to do with the radial distance of the object; it's also proportional to that object's mass. For Sgr. A*, the radii represents the distance from the center of the black hole to the event horizon, which is the barrier between the observable universe and whatever's inside the black hole. Beyond the event horizon, even light gets overtaken by the black hole's immense gravitational strength. The gravitational radii of Sgr A* turned out to be equal to roughly 0.1 astronomical units, or one tenth the distance from the Earth to the sun.
While this might sound small, it's actually relatively large, as the sun's gravitational radii value is equal to approximately 3 kilometers (1.9 miles). This is also the size the sun would need to be compressed to before it can collapse into a black hole.
''The mass we derived now from the flares at just a few gravitational radii is compatible with the value measured from the orbits of stars at several thousand gravitational radii,'' Diogo Ribeiro, who was responsible for the study's theoretical modeling at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, said in a statement.
"This strengthens the case for a single black hole at the center of the Milky Way," he adds.
Researchers are also excited about what treasures these measurements might contain regarding the formation of structures in the Galactic Center. According to Antonia Drescher, who was also involved in the study measurements, the orientation of the flare orbits hint at a physical connection with a stellar disk sitting much further away from the black hole.
''It is great to see the repeated, similar behavior of the flares,'' Drescher said in the statement. ''All of them show a clockwise looped motion on the sky; all have a similar radius and a similar orbital period. This is really beautiful to see."
The team hopes data collected from the flares may eventually provide the scientific community about information on the spin of the black hole too, something that still remains a mystery.
A study on these findings was published in September in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. | Space Technology |
Astronomers have discovered a rare temperature-sensitive molecule that is usually associated with stars in the atmosphere of an exoplanet for the first time.
The "thermometer molecule" chromium hydride is abundant in a narrow range of temperatures between 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit to 3,140 degrees Fahrenheit (926 to 1,730 degrees Celsius). It was discovered in the atmosphere of the "hot Jupiter" exoplanet WASP-17b, which orbits an F-type star located around 1,250 light-years from Earth.
The discovery of such a metal hydride — a metal bonded to hydrogen to form a new compound — in the atmosphere of an alien planet could allow scientists to gauge the temperatures of worlds outside the solar system in a new way.
"Chromium hydride molecules are very temperature sensitive," research lead author Laura Flagg, a research associate at Cornell University in New York, said in a statement. "At hotter temperatures, you see just chromium alone. And at lower temperatures, it turns into other things. So there’s only a specific temperature range where chromium hydride is seen in large abundances."
Related: 10 amazing exoplanet discoveries
Toasting a cosmic marshmellow
Discovered in 2010, WASP-17b was already known to be a pretty extraordinary and extreme exoplanet before the team found chromium hydride in its atmosphere. The hot Jupiter is located just 4.3 million miles (6.9 million kilometers) from its parent star, so close that it completes an orbit in just 3.4 Earth days.
This proximity to the host star, called WASP-17, causes extreme temperatures on the hot Jupiter of around 2,060 degrees Fahrenheit (1,130 degrees Celsius), as confirmed by Flagg and her team. That temperature is just right to host chromium hydride molecules.
The extreme temperature of WASP -17b has another consequence: causing the atmosphere of the gas giant to "puff out."
This means that, despite having a mass less than half that of Jupiter, Wasp-17b is more than 1.5 times wider than our solar system's largest planet. That gives Wasp-17b a density around 13% that of Jupiter, or around 0.17 grams per cubic centimeter.
By comparison, a marshmallow has a density of 0.21 grams per cubic centimeter. So WASP-17b, one of the lightest exoplanets ever discovered, is actually less dense than a marshmallow.
Hunting for a chromium fingerprint
The team of astronomers spotted chromium hydride in the atmosphere of WASP-17b while using high-resolution spectroscopy. Elements and chemical compounds absorb light at specific wavelengths, leaving their characteristic fingerprints in the spectra of light coming from a star, which can be assessed with spectroscopy.
Flagg and her colleagues compared the spectra of light coming from a star when its orbiting planets were at its side to spectra coming from the star when the planet transits, or crosses, its face. In this second case, the light from the star has to traverse through the atmosphere of the transiting planet, and thus, the team can spot the fingerprints that weren't present in the spectra of light collected from the star alone. This tells the team which of these elements and compounds exist in the planet's atmosphere.
"High spectral resolution means we have very precise wavelength information," Flagg said. "We can get thousands of different lines. We combine them using various statistical methods, using a template — an approximate idea of what the spectrum looks like — and we compare it to the data, and we match it up. If it matches well, there’s a signal.
"We try all the different templates, and in this case, the chromium hydride template produced a signal."
Chromium is rare, even at the "correct" temperatures, meaning that Flagg and colleagues needed highly sensitive data to confirm its presence. This came in the form of observations of WASP-17b and its star made by the GRACES instrument (short for "Gemini Remote Access to CFHT ESPaDOnS Spectrograph") at Hawaii‘s Maunakea observatory in March 2022. The team bolstered the GRACES data using data collected in 2017, which was not intended to hunt for metal hydrides.
"Part of our data for this paper was old data that was on the very edge of the data set," Flagg continued. "You wouldn’t have looked for it."
She now intends to hunt for metal hydrides in the atmospheres of other exoplanets, suspecting that this evidence may have already been collected but could have been missed thus far.
"I’m hoping that this paper will encourage other researchers to look in their data for chromium hydride and other metal hydrides," Flagg said. "We think it should be there. Hopefully, we’ll get more data that will be suitable for looking for chromium hydride and eventually build up a sample size to look for trends."
The team's research was published this month in the The Astrophysical Journal Letters. | Space Technology |
The first images from NASA's new spaceborne air pollution sensor reveal how levels of toxic pollutants change within a day across the United States.
The images taken by the Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution instrument, or TEMPO, show the daily evolution of nitrogen oxide concentrations in major North American cities including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, Washington and New Orleans. Nitrogen oxide is a toxic pollutant that comes from fossil fuel combustion. In high concentrations, the gas can harm the human respiratory tract and contribute to the development of asthma. Detailed understanding of how its concentrations vary over the course of a day and a year will help authorities to better inform the public so that people can better protect their health. Nitrogen oxide is, however, only one of many toxic pollutants that TEMPO can detect.
"TEMPO is beginning to measure hourly daytime air pollution over greater North America," Kelly Chance, a senior physicist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (which cooperates on the mission with NASA) and TEMPO principal investigator, said in a statement. "It measures ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, aerosols, water vapor and several trace gases," she added.
TEMPO, which is mounted on a commercial telecommunication satellite Intelsat 40e, made the measurements that form the basis of the released maps during its testing period between July 31 to Aug. 2.
The Intelsat 40e satellite sits in geostationary orbit, a ring at the altitude of 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometers). At this altitude, satellites orbit Earth at a speed that matches the planet's rotation, which makes them appear suspended above a fixed spot above the equator. Thanks to this clever trick of orbital mechanics, satellites in geostationary orbit have a constant view of certain parts of the Earth's globe.
This position enables TEMPO to make hourly measurements of air pollution levels across America from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coast, from as far south as Mexico City all the way up to central Canada.
TEMPO measures reflected sunlight scattered off Earth's surface, clouds and atmosphere. As different gases absorb different wavelengths of light, the resulting spectra (wavelength fingerprints of the measured light), correspond with the composition of the air and the concentrations of various chemical compounds present in it.
The mission launched in April on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, but it took several months for the satellite to reach its correct position so that the instrument testing could commence. Now in place and tested, TEMPO will become the first satellite to provide scientists with real time air-pollution measurements over North America.
"Neighborhoods and communities across the country will benefit from TEMPO’s game-changing data for decades to come," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in the statement. "This summer, millions of Americans felt firsthand the effect of smoke from forest fires on our health. NASA and the Biden-Harris Administration are committed to making it easier for everyday Americans and decisionmakers to access and use TEMPO data to monitor and improve the quality of the air we breathe, benefitting life here on Earth." | Space Technology |
Our Sun’s solar cycle will peak earlier than expected, which means the star at the center of our solar system is going to reach its solar maximum before the next forecast peak, and that could help us learn more about the star as a whole, researchers believe.
Previously, it was believed that our Sun’s solar activity would peak sometime in July 2025. However, new forecasts put that solar maximum happening much earlier than expected. And because solar activity has a very distinct effect on Earth and the technology that we rely on, it’s important to understand why this is happening.
Scientists rely on forecasts of this information to try to figure out when it is happening so that we can plan around it. For example, knowing when the solar maximum will arrive means we can better prepare for increased solar activity, which can have a distinct effect on our GPS and radio signals.
That’s why understanding when the solar maximum happens, and why it might be coming early, is so important. And, because the scientific model isn’t lining up with what we’re seeing, scientists may need to change the way they are interpreting the data that we gather from the Sun.
Instead of July of 2025, a new alternative forecast published by a team of scientists led by NASA’s Robert Leamon and Scott McIntosh posits that the cycle will peak a year earlier, in mid to late 2024. Further, the forecast suggests that the activity of sunspots on the surface will be twice the official prediction.
As far as ongoing observations go, the Sun’s current activity seems to support this alternative forecast, researchers point out in a post on The Conversation. So why are these forecasts so different? Well, much of it comes down to the model used to determine when a solar cycle ends. See, a solar cycle isn’t like a light switch. It doesn’t just turn on and off instantaneously.
Things move a lot more slowly, and they kind of fade in and out. So, depending on when the researchers estimate the end of the last solar peak, they might find a different forecast for the next one. With a solar cycle that lasts 11 years, finding the solar maximum isn’t always easy. And when the cycle peaks next year or the year after, it’ll bring a ton of potential solar flares, which we’ll need to keep a close eye on. | Space Technology |
Gamma ray detection marks highest energy light from the Sun
Scientists have discovered that the Sun produces higher energy light than was thought possible. An unusual type of telescope detected gamma rays with energies of over 1 tera electron volt (TeV), at least five times more energetic than previously known.
The Sun emits light spanning a wide range of energies, from infrared through visible light and up to ultraviolet. It was previously predicted that the Sun could produce gamma rays – electromagnetic radiation with the highest energy – through interactions with cosmic rays from distant sources, but these would rarely reach Earth to be detectable.
A few decades later, these gamma rays were eventually detected by NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in 2011. With more and more observations over the years since, Fermi found that the Sun was producing around seven times more gamma rays than had been predicted. Their energies were detected at up to 200 giga electron volts (GeV), which is the upper limit that Fermi can pick up. So for the new study, scientists used a different instrument that’s sensitive beyond that limit.
The instrument in question is called the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC), and it works in a way unlike your everyday telescope. It’s made up of a series of 300 big tanks filled with 200 tons of water each. When gamma rays hit molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere, they create a cascade of lower energy particles, and these can interact with the water molecules in those big tanks. Sensitive instruments keep watch for these interactions, and scientists can work backwards to calculate the energy of the original gamma ray.
Using HAWC data gathered between 2015 and 2021, the researchers discovered that the Sun was producing gamma rays with energies well beyond that which Fermi detected. They were reaching energies on the scale of TeV, with some spiking to almost 10 TeV.
“After looking at six years’ worth of data, out popped this excess of gamma rays,” said Mehr Un Nisa, corresponding author of the study. “When we first saw it, we were like, ‘We definitely messed this up. The Sun cannot be this bright at these energies’.”
But the sheer amount of data over those six years showed that it was the case. Exactly how the Sun produces them remains a mystery, the team says, but further research will investigate how their energy gets so high and what role the Sun’s magnetic field might play.
The research was published in the journal Physical Review Letters.
Source: Michigan State University | Space Technology |
The sun will reach the peak of its current activity cycle in 2024, one year earlier than previous estimates, according to experts at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).
The revised prediction now places Solar Cycle 25's peak of activity known as "solar maximum" between January and October 2024 according to a NOAA statement. The peak will be earlier, stronger and last longer than estimates made in 2019.
The solar cycle describes an approximately 11-year period of solar activity driven by the sun's magnetic field and indicated by the frequency and intensity of visible sunspots on the surface.
Predictions on when solar maximum will occur are based on long-term historical records of sunspot numbers, advanced statistics and models of the solar dynamo — the flow of hot, ionized gases within the sun that generate our star's magnetic field which in turn drives the solar cycle.
"We expect that our new experimental forecast will be much more accurate than the 2019 panel prediction and, unlike previous solar cycle predictions, it will be continuously updated on a monthly basis as new sunspot observations become available," solar scientist Mark Miesch said in the NOAA statement. "It's a pretty significant change."
The revised prediction is good news for eclipse chasers as the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 will occur near the solar maximum. During totality, when the moon completely obscures the sun's disk, the sun's outer atmosphere (known as the corona) is visible to observers. During heightened solar activity, the corona is very active and eagle-eyed observers may be able to see solar prominences — gigantic loops of plasma extending outward from the sun — appear as bright pink spots at the sun's edges.
Accurate predictions of solar activity are crucial as geomagnetic storms triggered by plasma outbursts known as coronal mass ejections can affect electrical grids, GPS signals, drag satellites out of orbit and pose a radiation risk to airline workers and astronauts. Advanced warning of space weather events can help industries implement safeguarding procedures to reduce the risk to both their equipment and workers.
"We can't ignore space weather, but we can take appropriate measures to protect ourselves," NASA says.
We are of course not without our own natural protection — Earth's magnetic field.
When energetic particles and magnetic fields are released from the sun during events such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, Earth can sometimes find itself within the line of fire.
When this happens, our protective magnetic "bubble" known as the magnetosphere repels harmful energy away from Earth and traps it in zones called the Van Allen radiation belts. These donut-shaped belts of radiation can swell when the sun's activity increases.
But our protective shield is not invincible.
During particularly strong space weather events — which are more common during solar maximum — Earth's magnetic field is disturbed and geomagnetic storms can penetrate the magnetosphere and lead to widespread radio and power blackouts as well as endangering astronauts and Earth-orbiting satellites. One notable example occurred in 1989 when a CME accompanied a solar flare and plunged the entire province of Quebec, Canada into an electrical blackout that lasted around 12 hours according to NASA.
However, not all magnetosphere interferences are destructive, and one disturbance in particular gives rise to a remarkable show — auroras. The phenomenon is known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) in the Northern Hemisphere and the southern lights (aurora australis) in the Southern Hemisphere and is triggered by energetic particles being redirected toward Earth's poles and colliding with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen in Earth's atmosphere.
Solar activity can have a large impact on our technological world which is why advanced notice and accurate predictions are key to mitigating potential damage and of course, give aurora chasers the information they need to capture incredible shows! | Space Technology |
A new groundbreaking measurement made by the Solar Orbiter spacecraft and the Parker Solar probe brings scientists closer than ever to solving a longstanding mystery surrounding the sun. Oddly enough, our host star's atmosphere, or corona, is staggeringly hotter than the solar surface despite being further away from the obvious source of the sun’s heat — and this is a puzzle that has troubled physicists for about 65 years.
The collaboration between these two instruments was made possible when the Solar Orbiter, operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) performed some space-based gymnastics. These maneuvers allowed the spacecraft to observe the sun and NASA’s Parker Solar Probe at the same time. Ultimately, that allowed for simultaneous solar observations between the two, which together indicated that turbulence is likely heating the solar corona to incredible temperatures.
"The ability to use both Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe has really opened up an entirely new dimension in this research," Gary Zank, co-author of a study on the results and a researcher at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, said in a statement.
This team-up could finally solve the so-called "coronal heating mystery," which revolves around that heat discrepancy between the corona, made of wispy and nebulous electrically charged gas called plasma, and the sun’s surface, or photosphere.
What is the coronal heating mystery?
The corona can reach temperatures as great as 1.8 million degrees Fahrenheit (1,000,000 degrees Celsius), while 1,000 miles below it, the photosphere only reaches temperatures of around 10,800 degrees Fahrenheit (6,000 degrees Celsius).
That is a troubling fact because the sun’s core, where the nuclear fusion of hydrogen to helium occurs, is where the vast majority of the sun’s heat comes from. This is like air about one foot above a campfire being hotter than air one inch away from the flames.
The discrepancy in heat also means there must be another heating mechanism at play directly on the corona. Until now, that mechanism has evaded scientists, but turbulence in the atmosphere of the sun significantly heating coronal plasma has long been considered a plausible explanation. However, that hypothesis had been impossible to investigate with data from one spacecraft.
Satellites can investigate the sun in two ways: they can get up close and personal, making in-situ measurements like NASA’s Parker Solar Probe does, or they can make more remote investigations like the Solar Orbiter. The Solar Orbiter studies the corona from around 26 million miles (42 million kilometers) away from the sun, while the Parker Solar Probe braves the blazing hot plasma of the sun as it passes around 4 million miles (6.4 million km) from the solar surface.
But, there is a trade-off between the two approaches.
Remote sensing can see broad details about the sun, but suffers when it comes to making observations of what physics is at play in coronal plasma. On the other hand, in-situ observations can measure that plasma in greater detail but tend to miss the bigger solar picture.
That means uniting the large-scale measurements of events on the sun from the Solar Orbiter with the detailed observations of the same phenomenon by the Parker Solar Probe could present us with the total picture of the sun with all intricate details filled in — the best of both worlds.
This isn’t as straightforward as it sounds, however. To facilitate this team-up, the Parker Solar Probe would have to be within the field of view of one of the Solar Orbiter’s instruments as the two observe the sun from their relative positions.
How scientists achieved the 'best of both worlds' to potentially solve a solar mystery
A team of astronomers, including Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) researcher Daniele Telloni, discovered that on June 1, 2022, the two solar observatories would be within touching distance of the desired orbital configuration to engage in such a team-up.
As the Solar Orbiter would be looking at the sun, the Parker Solar Probe would be just off to the side, only a little bit out of view of the ESA spacecraft’s Metis instrument — a device called a "coronagraph" that blocks out light from the photosphere to image the corona and is ideal for large-scale, distant observations.
To perfectly line up the two spacecraft and get the Parker Solar Probe in view of Metis, the Solar Orbiter performed a 45-degree roll and was then pointed slightly away from the sun.
The data that was collected as a result of this well-planned maneuver authorized by the spacecraft’s operation team paid off, revealing turbulence that could indeed be transferring energy in the way solar physicists had theoretically predicted would be causing coronal heating.
The turbulence drives coronal heating in a way that is similar to what happens when coffee is stirred here on Earth. Energy is transferred to smaller scales by random movements in a fluid or gas — coffee and plasma — and this converts that energy to heat. In the case of the corona, plasma is magnetized, and that means stored magnetic energy can also be converted to heat.
The transfer of magnetic and movement or kinetic energy from larger to smaller scales is the very essence of this turbulence, and at the smallest scales, it allows the fluctuations to interact with individual particles, mostly positively charged protons, heating them.
That isn’t to say the mystery of coronal heating is "case closed," however. Solar scientists still need to confirm the mechanism that has been hinted at by these results and by the collaboration between the Parker Solar Probe and the Solar Orbiter.
"This is a scientific first. This work represents a significant step forward in solving the coronal heating problem," Solar Orbiter Project Scientist Daniel Müller said.
The team’s research was published on Thursday (Sept. 14) in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. | Space Technology |
No space-based gravitational wave observatory exists…yet. But that hasn’t stopped a team of astronomers from demonstrating how the gravitational universe might look, using simulated data to create a “synthetic gravitational sky.”
Gravitational waves are perturbations in spacetime that were predicted by Einstein in his theory of general relativity; as Einstein described them, the waves are changes to a gravitational field that travel at the speed of light. That sounds like a disruption you would feel. However, these ripples—observed for the first time in 2015 by LIGO, an interferometer observatory, a century after Einstein’s predictions—are passing through us at all times, stretching and squeezing our bodies on an imperceptible level.
At least, imperceptible for now. Earlier this year, a consortium of gravitational wave collaborations independently published data that strongly suggested the presence of a gravitational wave background, or the constant murmur of gravitational waves that permeates the universe. You can think of the gravitational waves spotted by LIGO as specific waves lapping up on our planetary shores, while the signal detected by the collaborations uses light timed from rapidly spinning stars called pulsars to identify gravitational ripples, is more akin to the surface of the gravitational ocean.
In the new visualization, a team of astronomers simulated data from gravitational waves to show how space-based gravitational wave observatories might see our galaxy. Bright spots in the visualization indicate stronger gravitational wave signals, and brighter spots show areas with a higher frequency. The inset graph (of the visualization) shows the gravitational wave signal strength, frequency and the limit of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission, a planned gravitational wave observatory.
The visualization is based on simulated data from stellar-mass black hole mergers, neutron star mergers, and the mergers of neutron stars and black holes. Neutron stars are very dense stellar remnants; scientists confirmed detections of a neutron star-black hole merger for the first time in 2021, from an event that occurred one billion years ago.
“Binary systems also fill the Milky Way, and we expect many of them to contain compact objects like white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes in tight orbits,” said Cecilia Chirenti, a researcher at the University of Maryland at College Park and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, in a NASA release. “But we need a space observatory to ‘hear’ them because their gravitational waves hum at frequencies too low for ground-based detectors.”
No space-based gravitational wave observatory exists yet, but not for long. Last year, LISA passed a feasibility review, taking it one step closer to an eventual launch. LISA will consist of three spacecraft that will orbit the Sun in a triangular formation, making an interferometer in space with arms 1.5 million miles (2.41 million kilometers) long.
LISA is expected to launch in 2037, which is relatively soon as far as large NASA missions are concerned. It puts the observatory in the same timeframe as the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a next-generation telescope that will try to find worlds like ours, capable of fostering life as we know it.
The future of science in space is bright, but scientists want to see that brightness at every wavelength—including gravitational ones. | Space Technology |
What do you feel when you see the aurora?
Otherwise known as the northern or southern lights, an aurora is light emitted by upper atmospheric particles as they interact with energized ones from the magnetosphere.
It’s an awe-inspiring and otherworldly event that those living at high latitudes can experience often. In Cree and Ojibwe teachings, the northern lights are ancestral spirits who remain and communicate from the sky.
To scientists, the aurora is an infinitely complex amalgamation of ionospheric dynamics, a manifestation of Earth’s intrinsic connection to the sun. To industry, it’s a risk factor.
The Starlink destruction event
In February 2022, SpaceX launched 49 Starlink internet satellites into a low-Earth orbit (LEO). This was the 36th Starlink launch that SpaceX had carried out, and one that they anticipated to go off without a hitch, just like the 35 before.
On launch day, a coronal mass ejection — a large burst of plasma expelled from the sun — struck Earth. It caused a geomagnetic storm in the atmosphere between around 100 and 500 kilometres in altitude, the target range for Starlink.
This event injected an immense amount of electromagnetic energy straight into Earth’s upper atmosphere. It produced beautiful auroral displays, but the energy also increased the density of the air. A higher air density typically isn’t a big deal for LEO satellites, because it’s already extremely low at usual operational altitudes (upwards of 400 kilometres).
Starlink, however, was initially launched into an altitude of 210 kilometres. That’s much closer to Earth, with an exponentially higher air density. Thirty-eight out of those 49 initial launch satellites were subsequently lost due to atmospheric drag from the dense atmosphere, pulling them back to Earth.
Surprising solar cycle
The sun undergoes a cycle — an 11-year one, to be exact — from which its activity increases and decreases periodically. At the peak of a cycle, we see more sunspots on the solar surface, more radiation emitted, and more solar flares. Geomagnetic storms like the one that caused the Starlink destruction event are a relatively common occurrence, especially when the sun reaches the peak of its 11-year cycle of strengthening and weakening activity.
In the previous cycle, which ended in 2019 (the 24th tracked cycle since 1755), there were 927 storms classed as moderate or weak alone — an average of one every five or so days.
We’re currently four years into solar cycle 25, but this one has already proven surprising. The maximum activity of the 25th cycle was predicted to occur in 2025, but solar activity has already exceeded that. This means we’ve been seeing more geomagnetic storms, more auroral displays (and at lower latitudes than usual) and, potentially, more hazardous conditions for LEO satellites.
Space weather — the unseen force of nature
If geomagnetic storms are so common, why don’t they cause more issues? The reality is that they do, but the consequences are much less obvious than satellites burning up in the atmosphere.
When space weather energy enters Earth’s upper atmosphere, for example, the ionospheric composition changes in addition to the air getting denser. High-frequency, or “shortwave,” radio communication depends on a predictable ionosphere to broadcast long distances.
Geomagnetic storms that affect ionospheric composition can cause radio blackouts, such as a disruption in North America on Aug. 7. Even minor storms can cause the degradation of radio signals used in military and maritime systems, aviation communication or ham radio.
Extreme storms can cause radio blackouts lasting hours, and for an entire side of the globe. Storms that big can also cause more discernible problems, such as the nine-hour electricity outage experienced by Hydro-Québec in 1989.
Space weather warning systems
It’s not all doom and disintegrating rockets, however. We can detect when a solar flare leaves the surface of the sun and predict roughly when it will affect the Earth, giving forewarning to certain types of storms and chances to see the aurora.
For many storms however, there is very little or no predictive capability because it depends on how the Earth’s magnetic field interacts with the solar wind, which is harder to see.
Nowcasting — using real-time data to understand conditions as they occur — is one of our best tools. With instruments such as ground-based radar and magnetometers on satellites, we can estimate the electromagnetic space weather energy entering the atmosphere almost instantaneously.
As for why SpaceX lost satellites in February 2022 during a minor geomagnetic storm, that was just a matter of timing. The loss of the satellites, however, is a stunning reminder of the power of the universe we live in. | Space Technology |
Space has always been a source of wonder and fascination. It’s a vast, infinite expanse that holds countless mysteries and beautiful spectacles, one of which is our neighboring Red Planet, Mars. Today, we invite you to join us on an extraordinary journey as we explore the ‘Top 10 Best Pictures of Mars Surface.’ These images, captured by cutting-edge space technology, offer a glimpse into the captivating landscapes that make up Mars. From the towering peaks of Martian mountains to the deep valleys of its grand canyons, each picture in this top 10 list reveals a different facet of this intriguing planet. As we delve into the details of these images, we’ll not only appreciate the beauty of Mars but also ignite our curiosity about the universe that lies beyond our own world. So, buckle up and prepare for an awe-inspiring journey across the Martian surface, one stunning image at a time.
Curiosity’s Self-Portrait:
This iconic image, one of the best pictures of Mars surface, showcases the rover amidst the Martian landscape, with Mount Sharp looming in the backdrop. Captured in 2016, it remains a testament to our technological prowess.
The Martian Grand Canyon:
Stretching over 4,000 kilometers long and plunging up to 8 kilometers deep, this vast canyon is a marvel of the Martian surface. It stands as a silent witness to the ancient river system that once flowed on Mars.
Spirit of Curiosity:
Among the top pictures of Mars surface is this image of a dust devil swirling across the Martian terrain. These dust devils, reaching heights of up to 100 meters, are a common yet fascinating phenomenon on Mars.
The Martian Dunes:
Nestled in the Gale Crater are some of the largest dunes on Mars. These fine-grained sand formations, constantly reshaped by the wind, add a dynamic element to the Martian surface.
Martian Craters:
The surface of Mars is pockmarked with craters, formed by impacts from asteroids and comets. The largest among them, Hellas Basin, spans over 2,000 kilometers wide, making it a standout feature in the best pictures of Mars surface.
Martian Rocks:
Mars hosts a variety of rocks, including sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic types. These rocks, offering clues about Mars’ history and potential signs of past life, are a captivating subject in the top pictures of Mars surface.
The Martian Landscape:
The Martian surface is a tapestry of rolling hills and towering mountains. Despite its harsh and unforgiving nature, it holds a certain beauty that is perfectly captured in the best pictures of Mars.
The Martian Sky:
The deep red hue of the Martian sky, caused by atmospheric dust, is a striking feature in the best pictures of Mars surface. Its thinness also makes stars and planets appear much larger, adding to the spectacle.
The Martian Sunrise:
The Martian sunrise, with the sky turning a fiery red as the sun ascends over the horizon, is a sight to behold. It’s no wonder it features prominently among the top pictures of Mars surface.
The Martian Sunset:
Equally captivating is the Martian sunset, where the sky transitions to a deep blue as the sun dips below the horizon. This mesmerizing view rounds off our top 10 best pictures of Mars surface.
As we conclude our visual journey through the ‘Top 10 Best Pictures of Mars Surface,’ we hope you’ve enjoyed this exploration as much as we have. Each image has offered us a unique perspective of the Martian landscape, from the towering dunes to the vast craters, revealing the stark beauty and complexity of our neighboring planet. These pictures serve not only as a testament to the wonders of Mars but also as a reminder of the infinite mysteries that space holds. For those of us who love space, these images fuel our curiosity and inspire us to continue our quest for knowledge about the universe. As we gaze upon these pictures, we are reminded that we are but a small part of a vast cosmos, filled with endless possibilities for discovery. Thank you for joining us on this journey across the Martian surface. Until our next space adventure, keep looking up and let the stars guide your way. | Space Technology |
With the next solar maximum on the horizon – where solar activity peaks – new space players are operating in an environment unlike what they have seen before, according to authors of a recently published editorial in the journal Space Weather.
Increased solar activity leads to intensified space weather, which can be disruptive to satellites and rocket launch operations. New space companies have operated almost exclusively in periods of weak or very weak solar activity, but this is now returning to a more “normal” level.
“The last time the sunspot number was higher than it is now, SpaceX was a 6-month-old company, Rocket Lab was still 4 years from being founded, and the first standardized CubeSats were still 1 year from being launched,” the authors write.
The SMC asked local experts to explain the science behind space weather and comment on implications of a solar maximum for our aerospace industry.
Dr George Buchanan, Guidance, Navigation, and Control Team Lead – Neutron, Rocket Lab, comments:
“With the rise of smaller and higher-performance satellites in low earth orbit comes increased sensitivity to solar radiation.
“Traditionally satellites are expected to last for decades, use radiation hardened electronics to protect against space weather, and are in higher orbits which already see more harsh environments.
“In the last decade the proliferation of cheap, high-performing, consumer-grade electronics has led to a rapid increase in the number and capability of satellites, which are predominantly placed into low earth orbit where there is still noticeable atmospheric drag even at a solar low (this is partially done to reduce their orbital lifetime and minimise space junk).
“With increased solar activity comes increased tropospheric and exospheric density, and Rocket Lab has already experienced instances of customers requesting higher orbits to increase orbital lifetime due to this increased density.
“Solar phenomena are not unknown to space companies, of course, and smaller satellites with reduced redundancy and smaller transistor sizes see electrical upsets even at a solar low.
“Various common techniques are used to mitigate the impact of these upsets. However, high sun activity is likely to have outsized impact on these smaller satellites, whether that is interrupted operations or permanent damage.
“The current solar cycle has risen faster than expected, and so space weather has rapidly become an area of interest for new space companies.”
Conflict of interest statement: None
Craig Rodger, Beverly Professor of Physics, University of Otago, comments:
“Sunspots are one of the most visible aspects of the roughly 11-year solar cycle – and the solar cycle is a very important indication of how disturbed the Sun is.
“Sunspots are cooler regions of the solar surface, and hence appear darker than their surroundings. They have magnetic fields which are more than one thousand times more intense than the Sun’s global average field, and are locations where the magnetic field which is normally inside the Sun pokes outward.
“Typically we see a clean pattern of highs and lows in sunspot levels, recurring every 11-years. When sunspot numbers are high, we call it “solar maximum”, and the Sun is more active in all senses – so more background X-ray output, extreme ultraviolet output, and more explosions in the form of solar flares and solar tsunami (coronal mass ejections). When sunspot numbers are low, a time called “solar minimum”, the Sun is much less active and variable – essentially, it is a time of “solar boring”.
“Increased solar activity will lead to more aurora visible over New Zealand, which is a good thing! But it will lead to more space weather events, changes in the near-space environment which can be disruptive to satellites and other technologies (including communications systems and even power grids).
“Right now, we are in the increasing phase, coming out of a deep solar minimum heading towards solar maximum. There is a bit of an argument right now as to when solar maximum is expected, but it is probably 1-2 years away.
“The space age started with the launch of Sputnik 1 in October 1957. This was around the peak of solar cycle 19, and the monthly sunspot average number was 360. During most of the space age the solar cycles peaked at monthly values well over well over 200 sunspots, with some months getting close to 300. The last solar cycle was pretty weak, with the peak in early 2014 being only 146. The current solar cycle has increased faster than predicted, with higher numbers. A couple of months ago in June/July, the peak was about 160 – which is higher than the peak last solar cycle, and the largest sunspot number since September 2002, when the monthly sunspot number was 188.
“It is true that the new space launch companies are operating in an environment which is different from what they have seen before, which is why the editors of AGU’s space weather are pointing this out. Having said that, the current conditions are still quite a lot quieter than was experienced for most of the space age. The modern era, say from 2008, has been rather boring in comparison with 1957-2007.
“We are just starting to see some events this year which are more intense and interesting, but not on the scale of earlier times. We’ll have to see if this solar cycle is more like late 80’s/early 90’s, which was about twice the magnitude, the late 1950’s, which was about two and half times the magnitude, or a bit of a fizzer, like 2012-2014.
“On the plus side, we are getting more and better aurora over New Zealand.”
Conflict of interest statement: “I receive NZ government funding to undertake my research (working alongside the NZ energy industry), and also to operate equipment in Antarctica (working with AntarcticaNZ). I am paid by the University of Otago. I have some national and international science leadership roles.”
Loic Catuhe, Radio Frequency System Engineer, Rocket Lab
“Once a rocket lifts-off and ascends through the lower density layers of Earth’s atmosphere, it is less protected against the various fluxes and outbursts of the Sun as it reaches space.
“Charged particles emitted from the Sun can interact with a rocket’s electronics and radio frequency signals. These particles create charged plasma in the high-altitude atmospheric layer called the ionosphere which can affect the sub-systems rockets require for positioning; in particular, Global Positioning System (GPS) signals.
“As this phenomenon is dynamic and related to solar fluxes, large events like the geomagnetic storms seen more frequently at certain phases of the solar cycle can lead to the functional loss of these positioning systems.
“Thermal effects linked to unusual atmospheric heating during such events may also change the drag profile of rocket launches, which could impact how satellites are delivered to orbit.
“Understanding of these solar behaviours and impacts as well as their forecast has a direct link to the reliability and performance of global rocket launches.”
Conflict of interest statement: None | Space Technology |
India's historic cut-price Moon mission set for touchdown
India readied Wednesday to become the first nation to land a spacecraft on the Moon's south pole, days after a Russian probe crashed in the same region.
The latest attempted Moon landing is a historic moment for the world's most populous nation, as it rapidly closes in on milestones set by global space powers.
Chandrayaan-3, which means "Mooncraft" in Sanskrit, is scheduled to touch down shortly after 6:00 pm India time (1230 GMT) near the little-explored lunar south pole.
"India reaches for the Moon", The Times of India front-page headline read Wednesday, with the hoped-for lunar landing dominating local news. "It's D-Day for Moon Mission", The Hindustan Times said.
A previous Indian effort failed in 2019, and the latest attempt comes just days after Russia's first Moon mission in almost 50 years, destined for the same region, crashed on the lunar surface.
But former Indian space chief K. Sivan said the latest photos transmitted back home by the lander gave every indication the final leg of the voyage would succeed.
"It is giving some encouragement that we will be able to achieve the landing mission without any problem," he told AFP on Monday.
'Confidence'
Sivan added that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had made corrections after the failure of four years ago, when scientists lost contact with the previous lunar module moments before its slated landing.
"Chandrayaan-3 is going to go with more ruggedness," he said. "We have confidence, and we expect that everything will go smoothly."
The mission was launched nearly six weeks ago in front of thousands of cheering spectators, but took much longer to reach the Moon than those of the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s, which arrived in a matter of days.
India is using rockets much less powerful than those the United States used back then, meaning the probe must orbit Earth several times to gain speed before embarking on its month-long lunar trajectory.
The spacecraft's lander, Vikram, which means "valor" in Sanskrit, detached from its propulsion module last week and has been sending back images of the moon's surface since entering lunar orbit on August 5.
A day ahead of the landing, the ISRO said on social media the landing was proceeding on schedule and that its mission control complex was "buzzed with energy and excitement".
"Smooth sailing is continuing," the agency posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
India has a comparatively low-budget aerospace program, but one that has grown considerably in size and momentum since it first sent a probe to orbit the Moon in 2008.
The latest mission comes with a price tag of $74.6 million—far lower than those of other countries, and a testament to India's frugal space engineering.
Experts say India can keep costs low by copying and adapting existing space technology, and thanks to an abundance of highly skilled engineers who earn a fraction of their foreign counterparts' wages.
In 2014, India became the first Asian nation to put a satellite into orbit around Mars and is slated to launch a three-day manned mission into Earth's orbit by next year.
'Very, very important'
Sivan, the former ISRO chief, said India's efforts to explore the relatively unmapped lunar south pole would make a "very, very important" contribution to scientific knowledge.
Only Russia, the United States and China have previously achieved a controlled landing on the lunar surface.
Russia launched its own lunar probe earlier in August—its first in nearly half a century.
If successful, it would have beaten Chandrayaan-3 by a matter of days to become the first mission of any nation to make a controlled landing around the lunar south pole.
But the Luna-25 probe crash-landed on Saturday after an unspecified incident as it was preparing for descent.
Punishing sanctions since the outset of the Ukraine war have affected Russia's space industry, which has also been beleaguered by corruption and a lack of innovation and partnerships.
© 2023 AFP | Space Technology |
Using satellite date to help accelerate the green transition
Earth observation has been essential in identifying and monitoring climate change. Satellite data form the baseline for effective European mitigation and adaptation strategies to support the Green Transition, the European Union to reach its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, as well as its Green Deal.
ESA has now concluded its initial phase of a pilot initiative in Austria that demonstrates the untapped potential of space technologies by providing actionable Earth observation information to accelerate the Green Transition for both society and the economy.
The climate crisis is the most urgent challenge faced by humankind—affecting every region, continent, and ocean on Earth. It fuels a range of other top-level challenges such as food security, biodiversity loss, risks to human health and economic losses.
With the window of opportunity closing, fast action could still avert the worst damage. To achieve sustainable development and reach carbon neutrality by 2050, international policy reforms are supporting the growth of a responsible, Green Economy, defined as one that is low-carbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive.
Now is the time to fulfill the full potential of space technology and move from knowledge to action.
In 2021, ESA's Director General Josef Aschbacher introduced the Space for Green Future Accelerator, one of ESA's Accelerators driving Europe's innovation and the use of space to the global climate crisis. The initiative intends to accelerate the Green Transition towards a carbon-neutral, resource-efficient and resilient society.
One of the components of the Space for Green Future Accelerator is the development of the Green Transition Information Factory—an online platform providing actionable information from Earth observation to accelerate the Green Transition for both society and the economy.
The Green Transition Information Factory is a cloud-based platform, fed by Earth observation and other geospatial data, that allows users to explore the underlying challenges and opportunities of transitioning to carbon neutrality by 2050 utilizing cloud-computing technologies and cutting-edge analytics.
While the platform's capabilities will be eventually rolled out to all of Europe, the first demonstrator focuses on Austria—a country with a favorable size for national-scale monitoring and very ambitious goals for the Green Transition, including the country's goal to use 100% renewable energy by 2030.
Patrick Griffiths, technical lead for the platform at ESA, explains, "The richness and variety of Earth observation and other geospatial data, coupled with cloud-computing and modern analytics, enables new perspectives and insights on the complex challenges of the Green Transition.
"The Green Transition Information Factory has been successful in promoting the value of Earth observation and other technologies for addressing the information needs related to the Green Transition. The initiative has successfully engaged various Green Transition actors who typically do not have any interactions with the space domain providing intuitive tools together with rich, interdisciplinary data offers new perspectives to users working in ministries, start-ups and NGOs."
National priorities towards a Green Transition were addressed along the following key domains: energy transition and mobility transition, sustainable cities, carbon accounting and Earth observation adaptation services.
As an example, decision-makers in the energy sector can assess the suitability of different areas for expanding wind or solar power installations considering constraining factors, such as distance to settlements or the presence of protected areas. Users can interactively investigate related trade-offs with, for example, other land uses or soil quality.
This is just one example of how the platform enables decision-makers to assess and monitor the effectiveness of its policies and evaluate outcomes using its data, it allows industry to develop novel solutions to foster the Green Economy and allows citizens to engage and understand their actions through interactive exploration tools across key Green Transition domains.
Gebhard Banko, from the Environment Agency Austria, commented, "The Green Transition Information Factory will support a better understanding of constraints and dependencies between different policy goals in a spatial explicit manner."
"As policy decisions are affecting different administrative levels and thematic domains, the tool will support bridging the gap between the various stakeholders, enrich our communication tools, and contribute to improved decision making relying on evidence-based measurements and models. A continuous integration of nature conservation datasets into the platform is necessary to improve the assessment of trade-offs between energy transition and biodiversity."
The Austrian government, through the Austrian Federal Ministry of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK), have early on expressed a key interest in the initiative. Additional requirements to further evolve the Green Transition Information Factory were brought forward to meet the specific needs of Austria and discussions on how this can be facilitated are ongoing.
Leonore Gewessler, the Austrian Minister for Climate Action, comments, "The Green Transition Information Factory demonstrates the added value of the European Earth observation system (Copernicus) for the transition in the energy and mobility fields as well as with regard to sustainable cities. If decision-makers or the public want to know where the best place is for wind of PV systems, this great tool which has been developed by ESA in cooperation with Austrian space companies, makes it easy to locate them."
The overall ambition for ESA's Green Transition Information Factory is to enable such analyzes and comparison across countries and regions for all of Europe. As a next step, an invitation to tender is being prepared that will expand the initiative and define a blueprint for scaling up the geographic coverage of the platform.
ESA's Director General Josef Aschbacher said, "We are sitting on a gold mine of Earth observation data, during the golden age of space data. We need to unlock this for all sectors and actors that are trying to reach net-zero. ESA and its Member States will continue investing in future technology, missions, research, science and applications, to enable reaching such ambitious objectives."
"The Space for a Green Future Accelerator, led by ESA, will spur the uptake and use of space solutions to give much greater momentum to the green economy and will be one of the key ambitions that ESA will table at the 2023 European Space Summit in Seville, Spain."
Provided by European Space Agency | Space Technology |
As part of Microsoft’s Airband Initiative, which aims to bring affordable internet access to rural communities, Microsoft and Viasat are partnering to expand internet access to 10 million people living in underserved areas of the world.Viasat is the leading provider of satellite broadband services, with a global network of satellites that can deliver high-speed internet to even the most remote locations. According to a press release from Microsoft, the partnership will bring internet access to 5 million people in Egypt, Senegal, Angola, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as another 5 million people in Guatemala, Mexico, and the US.Together, Microsoft and Viasat will use a combination of TV white space technology and Viasat’s satellite broadband service to bring internet access to people who currently cannot connect to the internet. This will not only improve the lives of individuals and families but also help drive economic growth and development in these areas.“Through our Airband Initiative, we will extend high-speed internet access to 100 million people on the continent of Africa and a quarter of a billion people living in unserved and underserved areas across the world by 2025,” said Teresa Hutson, Microsoft’s vice president of Technology and Corporate Responsibility.Microsoft’s Airband initiativeIn today’s digital age, access to the internet is essential for education, healthcare, and economic opportunity. Microsoft’s Airband project is a major initiative aimed at bringing internet access to rural and underserved communities around the world.The Airband project uses a combination of technologies to deliver internet access to these communities, including TV white spaces (TVWS), which utilizes unused TV frequencies to transmit internet signals, and low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites, which can provide broadband internet access to even the most remote areas.In addition to providing internet access, Microsoft is also working with partners to provide training and support to communities on how to use the internet and take advantage of its benefits. This includes providing access to education and healthcare resources, as well as supporting the development of local businesses. | Space Technology |
As space exploration becomes more ambitious, Cornell Engineering researchers are using a NASA grant to investigate technologies for the vital energy systems that will enable missions to last longer and go farther, including nuclear power-enabled missions. A NASA Space Technology Research Grant announced Dec. 1 is funding a project dubbed AdVECT – Additive Vehicle-Embedded Cooling Technologies – led by Sadaf Sobhani, assistant professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Co-investigators on the grant include assistant professor Elaine Petro and senior research associate Andrew van Paridon, both of the Sibley School. The project aims to produce novel ceramic heat-rejection technologies suitable for nuclear power systems, including fission surface power, which could one day enable operation of a moon base, and nuclear electric propulsion, which could efficiently thrust rockets to Mars. Sobhani and collaborators will develop new ceramic resins and additive manufacturing techniques to 3D print components such as porous ceramic radiators with embedded heat piping. X-ray imaging, thermal analysis and vacuum chamber testing will be employed to optimize the mechanical strength and other properties of the ceramics. The goal is to overcome limitations in cooling technologies currently used for space exploration, such as radiators with metal-encapsulated heat pipes that are relatively heavy and would constrain future missions. Lighter carbon-composite alternatives are difficult to integrate into high-temperature radiators and may not be durable enough to withstand harsh space environments, according to Sobhani. “Ceramics heat-rejection technologies are lightweight, high temperature, and mechanically robust,” said Sobhani, whose research group focuses on energy management technologies. “By leveraging additive manufacturing, we are able to further extend these advantages by enabling seamless integration between heat pipes and other components.” Sobhani added that ceramic cooling systems can also increase the tolerance of pipe freezing and thawing by incorporating coolants that only ceramics can handle. “Nuclear-power systems will help enable future manned and unmanned space missions. We are eager to contribute to developing a novel approach for thermal management of these future systems,” Sobhani said. | Space Technology |
Chinese astronauts, known as taikonauts, and a ground crew are working to finish their country's first permanent orbiting space station and the world's second by year's end, official media outlets say.
That milestone will boost China's national pride and provide it with new channels for economic development and a possible new tool for military use on the ground, analysts say.
The space program advances China's goal of being "strong and prosperous" by 2049, said Dexter Roberts, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Asia Security Initiative and author of "The Myth of Chinese Capitalism." That year marks the 100th anniversary of Communist Party rule in China.
"Developing the economy, becoming wealthier and raising national prestige globally and becoming stronger geopolitically are all very, very clear goals of the party," he said. In this screengrab captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center and released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese astronauts from left, Liu Yang, Chen Dong and Cai Xuzhe salute after entering the space station core module Tianhe, June 5, 2022. A crew aboard the Shenzhou-14 spacecraft last month kicked off six months of work on the Tiangong space station, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. Personnel in space and on the ground will finish building the space station, expanding it from a single-module structure to triple-module national space laboratory, Xinhua said. The U.S. space agency, NASA, bars China from using the International Space Station on military security grounds, prompting China to embark on its own 10 years ago. China launched its broader space program in the 1960s. Pride and power projection China's space station has been designed to be a "versatile space lab" that can hold 25 "cabinets" for experiments such as comparing the biological growth mechanism in varying at different gravitational levels, Xinhua said.
As conducted at the space station and on other space platforms, research into biology, life systems, medicine and materials is expected "to expand humanity's understanding of basic science," the State Council Information Office said in a January outlook for the program.
Other countries have already used China's satellite services, including the BeiDou satellite navigation system, which was made available two years ago to Pakistan. Those systems can survey the aftermath of disasters and help launch satellites. Officials in Beijing have not said whether the space station will help the People's Liberation Army. Space programs, including BeiDou, have a military and security side, said Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center in Washington. "The Chinese will argue that while using (the) BeiDou system, you can navigate the weather, you can forecast the natural disasters, and you can also use the satellites to investigate and explore the terrains," she said. "I think that's one example of how Chinese space technology is having a real impact over countries on Earth," Yun said. But, she said, "we all know that's just one narrative." FILE - In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency on Oct. 16, 2021, shows three Chinese astronauts, from left, Ye Guangfu, Zhai Zhigang and Wang Yaping. The People's Liberation Army could technically dock military equipment systems in space or use satellites to survey the ground, experts have told VOA. China has the world's third-strongest armed forces, a source of alarm for the West and smaller Asian countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping will probably note the space station as an achievement during the national party congress expected before year's end, Yun said. Experts say Xi is likely to seek appointment at the congress to a third five-year term as party general secretary. "National prestige and security" are top concerns for Chinese leaders as they finish their space station, said the Roberts, of the Atlantic Council. The Chinese government is probably pushing the commercial side of its space program because it wants to catch up to the scale of NASA, he said. Chinese leaders may hope to develop their own aerospace technology through the space station, said Yan Liang, professor and chair of economics at Willamette University in the U.S. state of Oregon. Some of today's components could be imports, she said. In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese astronaut Chen Dong, right, waves as he walks ahead of fellow astronauts Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe during a sendoff ceremony for the Shenzhou-14 crewed space mission at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center "Definitely I do think that with the communication aspect that is about big data and all these other high-tech industries, it's definitely in the interest for China to be able to do that and maybe later to export to other countries," Liang said. Tiangong's first module was christened last year. It operates 340 miles above the Earth's surface, farther away than the International Space Station. After a Chinese Shenzhou-14 crew reaches gets to the space station, it will begin research projects and perform spacewalks from the lab module, Xinhua reported. | Space Technology |
On a day when President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held wide-ranging talks at the White House, the two administrations also sealed an agreement to bolster U.S.-Japanese cooperation on space with a signing ceremony at NASA’s Washington headquarters.
Watch the event in the player above.
The two countries top diplomats, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa, signed the agreement, with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida looking on.
Blinken said “we’re entering a new chapter of space exploration” as they plan expeditions to the moon and Mars.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the two countries are “poised to unlock the secrets of the universe.”
The Oval Office meeting and signing ceremony at NASA’s Washington headquarters capped a weeklong tour for Kishida that took him to five European and North American capitals for talks on his effort to beef up Japan’s security in a time of provocative Chinese and North Korean military action.
READ MORE: 3 things NASA is testing for its future moon base camp
“Our space programs have storied histories of barriers overcome and new worlds understood,” Nelson said. “And so today, we chart new chapter in a continuing adventure together.”
“It’ll strengthen our partnership in areas like research on space, technology and transportation, robotic lunar surface missions, climate related missions, and our shared ambition to see a Japanese astronaut on the lunar surface,” Blinken said.
Blinken said this week that the U.S.-Japan space cooperation framework was a “decade in the making” and “covers everything from joint research to working together to land the first woman and person of color on the moon.”
He added that the U.S. and Japan agree that China is their “greatest shared strategic challenge” and confirmed that an attack in space would trigger a mutual defense provision in the U.S.-Japan security treaty. | Space Technology |
In the ongoing quest for human habitation on the Moon, the issue of cleanliness within spacesuits is a critical one. Future astronauts venturing to the lunar surface will be equipped with a new generation of spacesuits designed to endure the harsh lunar environment, thanks to the European Space Agency‘s PExTex project.
However, as these suits provide safety and comfort, they could also offer a conducive environment for harmful microbial growth. This issue is further exacerbated as astronauts may potentially share these suits.
PExTex is addressing this issue by assessing suitable textiles for future spacesuit designs. Collaborating with the Austrian Space Forum, they have launched a project named BACTeRMA. This project is focusing on ways to prevent microbial growth within the inner linings of the suits.
Exploring the lunar surface poses a significant risk. The lunar surface has “hard vacuum but also wild temperature extremes, space radiation and highly abrasive dust,” all of which can have disastrous effects on spacesuits. During the Apollo era, we encountered challenges when moon dust partially jammed the seals of spacesuits.
Modern solutions include high-strength Twaron material, a novelty since the Apollo missions. The PExTex project, led by France’s Compagnie Maritime d’Expertises (COMEX), has tested these materials, aiming for a spacesuit that can endure at least 2,500 hours of surface use.
These tests were carried out by PExTex partner the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF), involving “ultra-high vacuum exposure, electrical discharge, temperature shifts, and rubbing with simulated moondust,” as well as nuclear accelerator radiation experiments at Austria’s MedAustron facility.
Furthermore, the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) has concentrated on keeping the insides of spacesuits safe. For this, they use a technique called Biocidal Advanced Coating Technology for Reducing Microbial Activity, or BACTeRMA.
“Think about keeping your underwear clean; it’s an easy enough job on a daily basis, thanks to detergent, washing machines, and dryers. But in habitats on the Moon or beyond, washing spacesuit interiors on a consistent basis may well not be practical,” explained Malgorzata Holynska, ESA’s materials and processes engineer.
“In addition, spacesuits will most probably be shared between different astronauts, and stored for long periods between use, potentially in favorable conditions for microorganisms. Instead, we needed to find alternative solutions to avoid microbial growth.”
They ruled out traditional materials like silver or copper due to possible skin irritation and tarnishing. The BACTeRMA team opted for “secondary metabolites,” chemical compounds produced by microbes, which often possess antibiotic qualities. Working with the Vienna Textile Lab, they developed textile processing techniques using these bacterial metabolites.
BACTeRMA’s work has provided vital insights into antimicrobial substances such as violacein pigment and prodigiosin, known for its pinkish hue.
“The findings of PExTex and BACTeRMA lay the foundation for future developments in the areas of antimicrobial treatments and the integration of smart textile technologies. Additionally, these projects could have broader implications for the textile industry,” said Gernot Grömer, OwEF director.
Scientists are already planning to integrate these newly developed textiles into spacesuit simulators. They have set the first analog field test for March 2024 in Armenia during the AMADEE-24 field campaign.
German ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer summarized the significance of these projects, expressing his appreciation: “Space technology, funded by ESA and developed in Europe, is a crucial step to bolster the expertise of European industry and academia for future human and robotic planetary exploration.”
The implications of these advancements are vast and varied, providing a foundation not just for lunar or planetary exploration but potentially revolutionizing the textile industry on Earth.
Spacesuits, also known as Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs), have played a crucial role in space exploration. Their main purpose is to protect astronauts from hostile environments, maintaining temperature control, providing breathable air, and shielding from radiation.
The history of spacesuits traces back to the early 20th century, developing alongside the evolution of aviation and space travel technology.
The journey towards spacesuits began with high-altitude suits in the 1930s. In response to the need to protect pilots from harsh conditions at high altitudes, Wiley Post and Winfield Scott used the K-1 suit as the first pressure suit in 1934. It featured an inflatable design that helped Post to reach an altitude of 50,000 feet.
The first true spacesuits, however, emerged during the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union in the mid-20th century. The Soviet Union first developed the SK-1 suit for Yuri Gagarin’s historic 1961 Vostok 1 mission, marking the first human flight into space. The SK-1 provided basic life support, shielding against extreme temperature fluctuations, and included a communication system.
In the same year, the United States introduced the Mercury Spacesuit for Project Mercury, its first manned spaceflight program. The Mercury suit was a modified version of a U.S. Navy high-altitude jet aircraft pressure suit, providing pressure regulation and oxygen supply.
The Apollo missions of the late 1960s necessitated a new generation of spacesuits that could withstand the lunar environment. NASA developed the A7L suit for the Apollo missions. NASA designed this as the first spacesuit for extravehicular activity (EVA) on another celestial body. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin wore these suits during the historic Apollo 11 mission in 1969.
The A7L had multiple layers for insulation, integrated boots, and a portable life support system (PLSS) in the backpack. It allowed for a greater range of motion, enabling astronauts to walk, climb, and carry equipment on the Moon’s surface.
With the introduction of the Space Shuttle program in the 1980s, NASA’s spacesuit design shifted again. The Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) became the standard suit for American astronauts.
Designed for multiple uses and adjustable to individual astronaut’s body sizes, the EMU incorporated a hard upper torso shell, lower torso assembly, helmet, gloves, and boots. Its life support system was more advanced than the A7L, enabling EVAs up to eight hours.
The International Space Station (ISS) era in the late 1990s and 2000s saw further refinements in spacesuit design. Russian astronauts used the Orlan spacesuit, known for its rear-entry design that allows it to be donned more quickly than front-entry suits.
In 2020, SpaceX introduced the SpaceX spacesuit, designed by Hollywood costume designer Jose Fernandez. It was used for the Crew Dragon missions to the ISS. This sleek, one-piece design marked a departure from previous bulky suits, featuring a helmet integrated into the suit and touchscreen-compatible gloves.
NASA is developing the Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) for the upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon and potential missions to Mars. This suit incorporated lessons from previous designs, offering enhanced mobility, life support, and communication systems, and the capability to support longer EVAs.
The history of spacesuits charts the progress of human space exploration, from the earliest high-altitude suits to the advanced designs for lunar and Mars missions. As technology advances and our reach into the cosmos expands, spacesuit design will continue to evolve, protecting astronauts and enabling the next steps of human exploration in space.
—– | Space Technology |
HELSINKI — China sent the Zhongxing-26 communications satellite into orbit Feb. 23, marking the resumption orbital launches following a pause for Chinese New Year.
A Long March 3B rocket lifted off at 6:49 a.m. Eastern (1149 UTC) from Xichang, southwest China, successfully sending Zhongxing-26 (ChinaSat-26) into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) confirmed launch success within the hour.
Zhongxing-26 is based on the DFH-4E satellite bus and uses chemical and electric propulsion. It is China’s first satellite providing more than 100 gigabits per second (Gbps) and was developed by CASC’s China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).
CAST states the satellite is equipped with 94 Ka-band user beams. This is 3.5 times more than the 26-beam, 20 Gbps, Dongfanghong-3B-based Zhongxing-16 launched in 2017. That satellite has been supplying connectivity to aviation passengers such as Sichuan Airlines’ Airbus A320 flights using Viasat in-flight connectivity equipment.
Operator China Satcom describes the satellite as an important piece of national space infrastructure and helping to meet national requirements for connectivity.
Zhongxing-26 will mainly provide broadband access for fixed terminals and aviation in shipbourne users in China and surrounding areas from 125 degrees East in the geostationary belt. The overall cost was 2.3 billion yuan ($333 million) according to a feasibility study.
The launch was China’s first since Jan. 15, following which activities paused for Chinese New Year. It is the fifth Long March launch this calendar year, with CASC planning more than 60 launches in 2023. Various Chinese commercial companies plan to add 20 or more launches to the overall figure.
The mission is the first launch of the 56-meter-high Long March 3B in 2023. The three-stage rocket has four boosters and uses a hypergolic mix of hydrazine and dinitrogen tetroxide with a liquid hydrogen-liquid oxygen third stage. The launcher is the workhorse for Chinese launches to GTO. Launching from inland at Xichang, the rocket has been the cause of numerous debris incidents downrange.
The Long March 7A, touted as a greener, new-generation launcher using kerosene-liquid oxygen and launching from the coast at Wenchang, is yet to ramp up its launch rate to replace the aging Long March 3B. It most recently launched a pair of classified satellites Jan. 9. | Space Technology |
The sun's activity cycle is reaching its peak early—knowing why could help us unlock the secrets of our star
Our sun is a steady and everlasting companion. Reliable like a clock, its apparent passage across the sky allows us to measure time. The sun and its path is also the source of Earth's seasons. But in many respects, our sun is far from calm and unchanging.
Close up, the sun shows extensive variation and activity. Bright explosions called flares regularly cause huge outbreaks of radiation. Darker, cooler areas called sunspots emerge, move, change shape and vanish. The sun also releases material into space in powerful eruptions, called solar particle events.
This solar activity varies with time. It peaks every 11 years—and the next high point had been forecast for July 2025. But it now looks as if this "solar maximum" will arrive earlier than expected. This finding could lead to a better understanding of our host star.
Solar activity also affects Earth and the technology we rely on. Solar particle events can disable satellites and disrupt electrical grids. Activity from the sun that affects our planet is often referred to as "space weather".
Timing matters
To ensure we can make forecasts and prepare, we need a good set of rules—a scientific model. Nasa and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have been creating these for many years.
They merge a variety of methods to predict solar activity. This approach has yielded a date for the next solar maximum (the peak) of around July 2025. This peak was also forecast to be relatively weak, like the maximum during the previous solar cycle. This lasted from about December 2008 to December 2019, with a peak in April 2014.
However, an alternative forecast has been published by a team led by Nasa scientist Robert Leamon and Scott McIntosh, deputy director at the US National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). They say the cycle's peak will occur a year earlier in mid-late 2024 and sunspot numbers will be twice the official prediction—an indication of activity. Observations of the sun currently support this alternative forecast.
What's interesting is that many prediction methods rely on timing the length of a cycle measured by the minimum (lowest point) of solar activity. But Leamon and McIntosh looked in more depth at the actual sunspots and their magnetic properties. When a solar cycle ends, it is not instantaneous. It is a gentle transition where fewer sunspots appear with magnetic properties linked to the old cycle and more appear with properties linked to the new cycle.
This current prediction uses the terminator—the time when the very last sunspot of the old cycle has faded—to indicate the end of that solar cycle. This can result in different timings for the length of a cycle. For example, the last minimum was December 2019 but the terminator actually happened in December 2021. The research group was then able to develop predictions for how strong the upcoming cycle would be by looking at how long the previous one was.
In the line of fire
But what would higher solar activity mean for us, as the cycle shortly reaches its peak? As the sun releases vast amounts of energy as flares and other events that eject material into space, there is a chance that some will hit Earth if we are in the line of fire. Luckily, Earth has its own magnetic shield that can protect us.
As particles and magnetic fields from the sun reach us, they first interact with Earth's own magnetic field, causing it to be buffeted and squashed. It also forces solar particles to move in a way dictated by Earth's magnetic fields. This traps them to some extent, preventing them from hitting the Earth's surface.
Although Earth's magnetic "shield" gives us a degree of protection, solar activity still affects us. Examples of this are the northern (or southern) lights. These occur when solar particles reach the high atmosphere and "excite" atoms there, causing them to move to a high energy state. As the atoms relax, they emit light in different colors—for example as reds, greens and blues. This stunning display is ideally viewed closer to our planet's magnetic poles.
Solar activity can cause power surges in the long transmission lines used in electrical grids. One example was the 1989 power blackout in Quebec, Canada.
Other effects include a change of particle density in the high atmosphere. This can result in minor errors on devices using GPS. It can also lead to slight heating of our outer atmosphere, making it extend further into space. This increases the thickness of the atmosphere for satellites in low Earth orbit.
This can cause them to lose altitude and, sometimes, burn up. One such event affected a batch of new StarLink satellites launched by SpaceX in February 2022. This event occurred when the sun was showing roughly half the activity we're currently experiencing.
When solar activity grows stronger, it's more likely that a solar storm could strike us, causing electrical problems on satellites. Those spacecraft may need to be put into what's called "safe mode" where many systems are switched off. This allows them to sit out the storm.
Our society is constantly developing in ways that make us more reliant on electrical infrastructure. We are also expanding our technology into space—technology which is vulnerable if we don't monitor space weather and its source, the sun. If we know what's coming, we can prepare. Electrical grids are being designed to be less prone to power surges and satellites are being designed to better ride out space weather.
But we need a deeper understanding of our star. Experts already keep a detailed log of past observations and are constantly extending their ways of observing the sun and space weather using satellites. We are also improving scientific models that let us predict solar activity. This current, surprising solar cycle will enhance our ability to do that.
Provided by The Conversation | Space Technology |
On April 20, 2021, the spiritedly-named MOXIE experiment on Mars extracted 5 grams of oxygen from the Martian atmosphere, demonstrating a potential future capability of an established human presence on the Red Planet—and in other atmospheres besides Earth’s, for that matter.
“By proving this technology in real-world conditions, we’ve come one step closer to a future in which astronauts ‘live off the land’ on the Red Planet,” said Trudy Kortes, the director of technology demonstrations at the Space Technology Mission Directorate, in a NASA release announcing the experiment’s conclusion.
Just as the Ingenuity helicopter was sent as a technology demonstration to prove out powered, controlled flight on other planets, MOXIE was sent to test how human technologies on other planets could be used to help our species survive off-Earth.
MOXIE (short for the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment), was demonstrating just that: In-situ resource utilization, or ISRU, or the simple but crucial use of local materials in space to make existence possible. From extracting water from lunar regolith to oxygen from Mars’ unbreathable atmosphere, ISRU is a more sensible way of eking out existence off-Earth than lugging everything you need from our pale blue dot.
MOXIE arrived on Mars aboard the Perseverance rover in February 2021, and three months later managed to extract oxygen for the first time, a feat it would repeat 15 more times in its operations. The experiment separates oxygen from Mars’ carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere using electrochemical processes. In total, MOXIE has generated 122 grams of oxygen on Mars—about what a small dog breathes in 10 hours, according to the same release.
“MOXIE has clearly served as inspiration to the ISRU community,” said Michael Hecht, the deputy project director of the Event Horizon Telescope and MOXIE’s principal investigator, in the release. “It showed NASA is willing to invest in these kinds of future technologies. And it has been a flagship that has influenced the exciting industry of space resources.”
MOXIE was just a technology demonstration, but showcases how ISRU can—and likely will—be put to use off planet. New mission concepts are presenting new ways that humans can optimize environments for scientific investigation and for other means, like mining. The next step is the Moon, the focus of NASA’s Artemis missions.
There aren’t immediate plans for a second iteration of the oxygen-producing experiment, but it sets a great foundation for future technology demonstrations. And even if future experiments are named differently, no projects in space can be done without a little bit of moxie. | Space Technology |
BENGALARU: India readied Wednesday (Aug 23) for its latest attempted moon landing, a historic moment for the world's most populous nation as it rapidly closes in on milestones set by global space powers.
Chandrayaan-3, which means mooncraft in Sanskrit, is scheduled to touch down shortly after 6pm India time (8.30pm, Singapore time) near the little-explored lunar south pole, in what would be a world-first for any space programme.
A previous Indian effort failed in 2019, and the latest mission comes just days after Russia's first moon mission in almost 50 years, destined for the same region, crashed on the lunar surface.
But former Indian space chief K Sivan said the latest photos transmitted back home by the lander gave every indication that the final leg of the voyage would succeed.
"It is giving some encouragement that we will be able to achieve the landing mission without any problem," he told AFP on Monday.
Sivan added that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had made corrections after the failure of four years ago, when scientists lost contact with the previous lunar module moments before its slated landing.
"Chandrayaan-3 is going to go with more ruggedness," he said. "We have confidence, and we expect that everything will go smoothly."
The mission launched nearly six weeks ago in front of thousands of cheering spectators, but took much longer to reach the moon than those of the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s, which arrived in a matter of days.
India is using rockets much less powerful than those the United States used back then, and instead the probe orbited Earth several times to gain speed before embarking on its month-long lunar trajectory.
"SMOOTH SAILING IS CONTINUING"
The spacecraft's lander Vikram, which means valour in Sanskrit, detached from its propulsion module last week and has been sending back images of the moon's surface since entering lunar orbit on Aug 5.
A day ahead of the landing, the ISRO said on social media the landing was proceeding on schedule and that its mission control complex was "buzzed with energy & excitement".
"Smooth sailing is continuing," the agency posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
India has a comparatively low-budget aerospace programme, but one that has grown considerably in size and momentum since it first sent a probe to orbit the Moon in 2008.
The latest mission comes with a price tag of US$74.6 million - far lower than those of other countries, and a testament to India's frugal space engineering.
Experts say India can keep costs low by copying and adapting existing space technology, and thanks to an abundance of highly skilled engineers who earn a fraction of their foreign counterparts' wages.
In 2014, India became the first Asian nation to put a satellite into orbit around Mars and is slated to launch a three-day manned mission into Earth's orbit by next year.
"VERY, VERY IMPORTANT"
Sivan, the former ISRO chief, said India's efforts to explore the relatively unmapped lunar south pole would make a "very, very important" contribution to scientific knowledge.
Only Russia, the United States and China have previously achieved a controlled landing on the lunar surface.
Russia launched its own lunar probe earlier in August - its first in nearly half a century.
If successful it would have beaten Chandrayaan-3 by a matter of days to become the first mission of any nation to make a controlled landing around the lunar south pole.
But the Luna-25 probe crash-landed on Saturday after an unspecified incident as it was preparing for descent.
Punishing sanctions since the outset of the Ukraine war have affected Russia's space industry, which has also been beleaguered by corruption and a lack of innovation and partnerships. | Space Technology |
NASA's $500 Million Rocket Gamble Is Worth It
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- What’s a government space agency like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration supposed to do if private companies like SpaceX get all the spacefaring glory? One option is to double down on investments in leading-edge advancements that may not pay off for years. Super-fast and maneuverable nuclear-powered rocket engines are one such technology. Last month, NASA, partnering with the Department of Defense, gave Lockheed Martin Corp. nearly $500 million to build and test one by 2027.
Without this collaboration, two things could be in jeopardy: NASA’s dream of putting boots down in more parts of the solar system and the US’s upper hand in outer-space warfare.
For nearly a century, rockets have operated in a fundamentally similar manner: A tank stores fuel that, when ignited, spits out a nozzle at high speed and creates thrust. Problem is, anything that you might want to do with a spacecraft, such as maneuver toward Mars, requires lots of fuel, and because there are no gas stations in outer space (yet), a craft must carry as much fuel as its operators expect it will need for the duration of its mission.
That can be a lot: Nearly half the mass of GOES-U, the 5.5-ton weather satellite that NASA plans to launch next year, will be fuel. Last year, Canada’s Telesat Corp. announced it would take a big financial hit due to insufficient fuel in a key communication satellite.
Scientists have long recognized the need for more efficient alternatives.
In the 1950s, they came up with an explosive one: Use a small nuclear reactor to heat up a propellant, such as liquid hydrogen, to much higher temperatures than what can be achieved in a chemical rocket. Such an engine would be more than twice as efficient as a traditional rocket and much faster — in part because its engines can run nonstop for weeks, accelerating faster and faster. A chemical engine would simply burn out.
Nuclear thermal propulsion, or NTP, was actively researched by NASA and other government agencies until the early 1970s. Such rockets weren’t intended to be launch vehicles (an NTP system lacks the thrust to leave Earth’s surface); instead, an NTP rocket would be carried into space on a traditional rocket and operate there. Though no reactor was ever flown, there were many successful ground tests demonstrating the concept could work — on Earth. Safety concerns, especially over what might happen if such a rocket crashed back to Earth, and political pressures ended the program.
But NTP was never entirely forgotten, and in recent years, advancements in space technology have placed it on the agenda of civilian and military space authorities.
For NASA, the goal is Mars. The agency aims for a human mission to the Red Planet in the 2030s. Traditional rockets can reach Mars in as little as seven months, with a round-trip mission lasting perhaps two to three years. An efficient nuclear rocket could get astronauts to the planet in as little as 45 days under one scenario, boosting their well-being — psychologically and physically — and potentially enabling more frequent trips.
For the military, it’s a race against China and Russia. The US operated spy satellites and other military spacecraft largely uncontested for decades. But in recent years, China and Russia have advanced their technologies and are actively taking steps to neutralize the US space advantage via jammers, anti-satellite weapons and other techniques. The military would like to move satellites out of the way, but those built with traditional technologies are either too slow or will run out of fuel if they are relocated too often. Those limitations won’t be significant factors with nuclear-powered engines.
So what’s the holdup? Nobody has ever tested a nuclear-powered rocket in space, and serious questions exist about how one would perform in extreme conditions. The public must also be assured that an accident during launch won’t result in an environmental and health catastrophe.
The good news is that such a rocket is easier to build in 2023 than it was the last time the US tried. Materials science has advanced considerably, which should help engineer a system that can withstand outer space and a nuclear reactor’s heat. Likewise, modern computing power will allow complex reactor designs to be subjected to simulations and redesigns rapidly.
All of this sets the stage for the federal government’s new effort. And while success is far from guaranteed, with a little luck and continued funding and commitment from Congress, the partnership between NASA and the Defense Department will help the US maintain and widen its lead in a new space-race era.
More From Bloomberg Opinion:
- The International Space Station Is a Model for a Better World: Andreas Kluth
- Saving the Hubble Telescope Is a Job Worth Paying For: Adam Minter
- How the US Can Avoid Fighting China Over the Moon: Adam Minter
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
Adam Minter is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia, technology and the environment. He is author, most recently, of “Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale.”
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion
©2023 Bloomberg L.P. | Space Technology |
Subject: The usefulness of atomic clocks in space travel - Comments and suggestions are welcome! Don't hesitate and leave a comment on our comment section down below the article! NASA navigators are helping build a future where spacecraft could safely and autonomously fly themselves to destinations like the Moon and Mars.Navigators today tell a spacecraft where to go by calculating its position from Earth and sending the location data to space in a two-way relay system that can take anywhere from minutes to hours to deliver directions. This method of navigation means that no matter how far a mission travels through the solar system, our spacecraft are still tethered to the ground, waiting for commands from our planet. That limitation poses obvious problems for a future crewed mission to another planet. How can astronauts navigate far from Earth if they don't have immediate control over where they're going? And how can they accurately land on another planet when there's a communication delay that affects how quickly they can adjust their trajectory into the atmosphere?NASA's Deep Space Atomic Clock is a toaster-size device that aims to answer those questions. It's the first GPS-like instrument small and stable enough to fly on a spacecraft. The technology demonstration enables the spacecraft to know where it is without needing to rely on that data from Earth. In late June, the clock will launch on the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket into Earth's orbit for one year, where it will test whether it can help spacecraft locate themselves in space.If the Deep Space Atomic Clock's trial year in space goes well, it could pave the way for a future of one-way navigation in which astronauts are guided by a GPS-like system across the surface of the Moon or can safely fly their own missions to Mars and beyond."Every spacecraft exploring deep space is steered by navigators here on Earth. Deep Space Atomic Clock will change that by enabling onboard autonomous navigation, or self-driving spacecraft," said Jill Seubert, the deputy principal investigator. There's No GPS in Deep SpaceAtomic clocks in space aren't new. Every GPS device and smartphone determines its location via atomic clocks on satellites orbiting Earth. The satellites send signals from space, and the receiver triangulates your position by measuring how long the signals take to reach your GPS.Currently, spacecraft flying beyond Earth's orbit don't have a GPS to find their way through space. Atomic clocks on GPS satellites aren't accurate enough to send directions to spacecraft, when being off by even less than a second could mean missing a planet by miles.Instead, navigators use giant antennas on Earth to send a signal to the spacecraft, which bounces it back to Earth. Extremely precise clocks on the ground measure how long it takes the signal to make this two-way journey. The amount of time tells them how far away the spacecraft is and how fast it's going. Only then can navigators send directions to the spacecraft, telling it where to go. "It's the same exact concept as an echo," said Seubert. "If I'm standing in front of a mountain and I shout, the longer it takes for the echo to come back to me, the farther away the mountain is."Two-way navigation means that no matter how deep into space a mission goes, it still has to wait for a signal carrying commands to cross the vast distances between planets. It's a process made famous by Mars landings like Curiosity, when the world waited 14 long minutes with mission control for the rover to send the message that it landed safely. That delay is an average wait time: Depending on where Earth and Mars are in their orbits, it can take anywhere from 4 to 20 minutes for a one-way signal to travel between planets.It's a slow, laborious way to navigate in deep space, one that ties up the giant antennas of NASA's Deep Space Network like a busy phone line. During this exchange, a spacecraft flying at tens of thousands of miles per hour could be in an entirely different place by the time it "knows" where it is. A Better Way to NavigateAn atomic clock small enough to fly on a mission but precise enough to give accurate directions could eliminate the need for this two-way system. Future navigators would send a signal from Earth to a spacecraft. Like its Earthly cousins, the Deep Space Atomic Clock onboard would measure the amount of time it took that signal to reach it. The spacecraft could then calculate its own position and trajectory, essentially giving itself directions."Having a clock onboard would enable onboard radio navigation and, when combined with optical navigation, make for a more accurate and safe way for astronauts to be able to navigate themselves," said Deep Space Atomic Clock Principal Investigator Todd Ely.This one-way navigation has applications for Mars and beyond. DSN antennas would be able to communicate with multiple missions at a time by broadcasting one signal into space. The new technology could improve the accuracy of GPS on Earth. And multiple spacecraft with Deep Space Atomic Clocks could orbit Mars, creating a GPS-like network that would give directions to robots and humans on the surface."The Deep Space Atomic Clock will have the ability to aid in navigation, not just locally but in other planets as well. One way to think of it is as if we had GPS at other planets," said Eric Burt, the ion clock development lead.Burt and fellow JPL clock physicists Robert Tjoelker and John Prestage created a mercury ion clock, which maintains its stability in space in the same way as refrigerator-size atomic clocks on Earth. In lab tests, the Deep Space Atomic Clock proved to be 50 times more accurate than GPS clocks. That's an error of 1 second every 10 million years. The clock's demonstration in space will determine whether it can remain stable in orbit. If it does, a Deep Space Atomic Clock could fly on a mission as early as the 2030s. The first step toward self-driving spacecraft that could one day carry humans to other worlds.The Deep Space Atomic Clock is hosted on a spacecraft provided by General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems of Englewood, Colorado. It is sponsored by the Technology Demonstration Missions program within NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate and the Space Communications and Navigations program within NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. JPL manages the project.Source: NASA press release If you enjoy our selection of content please consider following Universal-Sci on social media: | Space Technology |
Pictured from the left, Robert Walker, Brian Saulman, Robert Dillman, and Robert Mosher, partner with the U.S. Army to conduct a water recovery test of the ejectable data module for LOFTID. Credit: NASA
A recovery team will use GPS to search an approximately 900-mile area of the Pacific Ocean for a bright yellow capsule after a November 2022 demonstration of an inflatable heat shield. About the same size and shape as a large lemon, the capsule carries crucial data.
This tiny package is an ejectable data module (EDM) for a NASA technology demonstration, Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID). LOFTID will demonstrate an inflatable heat shield technology that could potentially be used to land humans on Mars. Once the LOFTID vehicle reaches space following the launch, the heat shield will inflate, then the LOFTID re-entry vehicle will enter Earth’s atmosphere and splash down in the Pacific Ocean.
Illustration of Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID). Credit: NASA
Located in the LOFTID re-entry vehicle, the EDM contains both sensor and camera data recorded during LOFTID’s flight. The data will include the temperatures and pressures experienced by the heat shield and will show the team how well LOFTID performed during the demonstration. The LOFTID re-entry vehicle also records this data, as the EDM was designed as a redundant source of flight data to be recovered upon splashdown. This is just in case the team is unable to recover the re-entry vehicle itself. “The EDM was created to provide a secondary way for the team to recover the flight test data,” said Brian Saulman, subsystem lead for the EDM at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. “The reason we have the EDM came from the Inflatable Reentry Vehicle Experiment flight test, where the team never recovered the vehicle.”
Robert Dillman retrieves the LOFTID ejectable data module engineering development unit from the water during a recovery test. Credit: NASA
After the LOFTID re-entry vehicle re-enters Earth’s atmosphere during the flight demonstration, the EDM will be released from the spacecraft at an altitude of about 50,000 feet. An electrical current will trigger the module’s release through a spring-loaded system. It will free-fall into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii and should land within 10 miles of the spacecraft’s splash-down location.
The team will be able to locate the EDM using multiple communications systems that send GPS coordinates through a weather balloon-mounted relay launched by the recovery team. The relay transmits the coordinates to a hand-held ground station device, which is a modified cellphone with a tracking application. The phone will display latitude and longitude coordinates, range, and an arrow pointing to the location of the EDM, updating as the EDM drifts in the ocean.
To prepare for finding the EDM, the LOFTID team put the EDM through many functional tests as well as a series of practice recovery tests. Scientists and engineers tested the limits of their equipment by looking for the lemon-sized object using a multitude of methods, from playing hide-and-seek with it on land to tracking and recovering the EDM from the Atlantic Ocean.
To test the recovery procedure, first, the team experimented by hiding the EDM on land. In a large game of hide-and-seek, Saulman would hide the small component for the recovery team to track. Through many iterations of the recovery test at Langley and in the surrounding area, the team was able to practice and verify their techniques and equipment for tracking and recovery.
Next, experiments moved from hide-and-seek to Marco Polo as they moved from land to the water. The team modeled their testing on how they expect the actual LOFTID EDM recovery will go, implementing flight-like technology and measurement techniques in the Atlantic Ocean for practice.
“When we turned on our tracking gear, we released a weather balloon with a relay,” said Robert Mosher from NASA Langley, lead for the EDM water recovery test. “Within about ten minutes, we had successfully locked onto a signal and received latitude and longitude coordinates.”
Mechanical engineer Anjie Emmett holds the LOFTID ejectable data module, the small, yellow, lemon-shaped components will hold a copy of all of the data recorded during the technology demonstration. Credit: NASA
During the water test, the team was able to partner with the U.S. Army at Joint Base Langley-Eustis. They conducted the test as they would a man overboard drill. The EDM was tossed overboard. On board a U.S. Army Landing Craft Utility boat, the team only had to course correct once in their search for the EDM.
“The test provided indispensable practice, working on the deck of a ship and understanding how reliable the signal could be when it’s bobbing in the ocean,” Mosher said. “It was also a highlight of my career, being able to coordinate the whole activity and partner with the U.S. Army.”
After these successful tests on land and sea, the small EDM is ready to play a big part in LOFTID’s flight demonstration.
NASA’s Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator, or LOFTID, is demonstrating a cross-cutting aeroshell — a type of heat shield — for atmospheric re-entry. Because current rigid aeroshells are constrained by a rocket’s shroud size, one of the challenges NASA faces for destinations with an atmosphere is how to deliver heavy payloads (experiments, equipment, and people). One answer is an inflatable aeroshell that can be deployed to a scale much larger than the shroud. This technology enables a variety of proposed NASA missions to destinations such as Mars, Venus, Titan as well as return to Earth.
LOFTID is dedicated to the memory of Bernard Kutter, manager of advanced programs at United Launch Alliance (ULA), who passed away in August 2020 and was an advocate for technologies like LOFTID that can lower the cost of access to space.
LOFTID is scheduled to launch in November aboard a ULA Atlas V as a secondary payload with the Joint Polar Surveyor System-2 (JPSS-2), a polar-orbiting weather satellite.
The LOFTID project is managed and funded through NASA’s Technology Demonstration Missions program, part of the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. The project is led by NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, in partnership with United Launch Alliance and with contributions from NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is responsible for managing the launch service. | Space Technology |
China added to its fleet of Earth-observation satellites with a new launch on Sunday.
A Long March 4C rocket lifted off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 11:45 a.m. EDT on Aug. 20 (1745 GMT; 1:45 a.m. Beijing time on Aug. 21), according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
The Long March 4C's exhaust plume illuminated insulation tiles that fell away from the rocket as it climbed into the night sky above Jiuquan in the Gobi Desert.
Aboard was the Gaofen 12 (04) satellite, which is now in a near-polar orbit with an average altitude of around 373 miles (600 kilometers), according to U.S. Space Force tracking data. The satellite will likely raise its orbit to match that of the three other Gaofen 12 satellites, which launched in 2019, 2021 and 2022.
Little is known about the satellite and its instruments. Previously launched Gaofen 12 satellites were described as microwave remote-sensing satellites, meaning they carry synthetic aperture radar payloads.
The satellite will be used in "a variety of fields, including land surveys, urban planning, road network design, crop yield estimation and disaster relief," according to Chinese state media.
Gaofen means "high resolution" in Chinese. The new satellite joins a series of Gaofen remote sensing satellites forming the China High-resolution Earth Observation System (CHEOS), including high- and medium-resolution optical and radar satellites in a range of low Earth and geostationary orbits.
The satellite was built by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), the main spacecraft maker under China's state-owned main space contractor, CASC. The Long March 4C rocket was manufactured by CASC's Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST).
The launch was China's 37rd of the year. CASC says it plans to launch more than 200 spacecraft via around 60 separate launches across 2023 . | Space Technology |
Pay dirt: Minerals are naturally occurring crystals that are made of elements. Earth is home to more than 5,000 types of minerals, including ice, silicon, and diamond, and many minerals found on Earth have also been spotted on the moon.
Few new minerals have been discovered on the moon, though.
The US and the former Soviet Union have found five, and the International Mineralogical Association has now confirmed that the China National Space Administration (CNSA) has discovered a sixth moon mineral: Changesite-(Y).
The new moon mineral: In December 2020, the CNSA’s Chang’e 5 mission landed on the moon, collected 3.8 pounds of lunar material, and then returned the samples to Earth, marking the first retrieval of moon material since the 1970s.
The CNSA distributed small samples of the lunar material to nearly 100 groups for analysis, and a team from the Beijing Research Institute of Uranium Geology (BRIUG) managed to isolate a single particle of Changesite-(Y) from its sample.
The particle is only about one-tenth as wide as a human hair, and the BRIUG team had to use high-tech processes to isolate the new moon mineral from the more than 14,000 other particles in their sample.
Changesite-(Y) contains helium-3, which is an attractive option for fueling nuclear fusion reactors.
Why it matters: The discovery of a new moon mineral can deepen our understanding of the moon’s history and current composition. The discovery of this particular mineral, however, may have a more direct impact on life on Earth.
The chemical composition of Changesite-(Y) contains helium-3, an isotope of helium that’s rare on Earth, but thought to be abundant on the moon — some estimate there could be as much as 1.1 million metric tons of it in the first several meters of the lunar surface.
Because helium-3 is non-radioactive, it’s an attractive option for fueling nuclear fusion reactors — and right now, even if we are able to figure out how to turn nuclear fusion into a viable source of clean energy, our current fuel options on Earth are in short supply.
If we could mine helium-3 on the moon — perhaps by identifying places where Changesite-(Y) is most abundant — we could power the US for a year with just 40 metric tons of the isotope. One of SpaceX’s in-development Starships could carry that much to Earth with plenty of room to spare.
“Of the various volatile materials available on the moon, there is potentially only one that has significant value back on Earth,” said Aaron Olson, a NASA Space Technology Research Fellow, in 2015. “Helium-3, if used as fuel in a nuclear fusion reactor, could become a significant lunar export for power generation around the world.”
The big picture: For that to happen, we need to figure out where to find large caches of helium-3, then figure out how to effectively mine it on the moon. And even if we can then return it to Earth, we can’t use it to create clean energy until we actually master fusion — which some say will never happen.
Still, with so many teams working to bring both moon mining and usable nuclear fusion to fruition, it seems we just might be able to make this dream of limitless clean energy a reality within the foreseeable future — and the discovery of Changesite-(Y) could mark a pivotal moment in that journey.
We’d love to hear from you! If you have a comment about this article or if you have a tip for a future Freethink story, please email us at [email protected]. | Space Technology |
The United States has had multiple dalliances over the decades with in-space nuclear propulsion. The latest resurgence of interest is happening right now, driven by the desire to settle the moon and get humans to Mars. Jon Kelvey looks at the odds of success this time around.Progress on space technology has often begun with grandiose visions unrestrained by the realities of budgets and environmental and regulatory reviews. So imagine: It’s 2028 and the crew of NASA’s Artemis V moon mission is stuck on the lunar Gateway space station in orbit around the moon — and the power just went out. The space agency desperately needs to get another power and propulsion unit to the Gateway immediately, but the Advanced Electric Propulsion System spacecraft that ferried the original PPE to the station will take weeks to arrive, and the space agency can’t stand up another of its massive Space Launch System rockets fast enough either.
If Tabitha Dodson has her way, the U.S. Space Force could come to the rescue, propelling the PPE there from Earth orbit with the next generation of atomic age technology, as envisioned by DARPA. “And it wouldn’t take a third of the year to get it there. It would take a day or so,” she says.
Very rapid delivery of large cargo over long distances: That’s the tagline for nuclear thermal propulsion, or NTP. A screaming hot nuclear fission reactor would heat liquid hydrogen propellant into a gas and accelerate it out a nozzle. The result would be high thrust and fuel efficiency that, at least in theory, outclasses chemical rockets and electric thrusters alike. The U.S. has never launched a nuclear reactor into space for the purposes of propelling a spacecraft, but it’s not for lack of trying. It’s on old idea, explored by NASA and the Atomic Energy Commission beginning in 1958 after the two agencies inherited a research program from the U.S. Air Force. Dodson, a DARPA nuclear physicist, is helping to lead that rebirth as the chief engineer and manager of the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations, or DRACO, program. NASA is also rekindling research into nuclear propulsion, with plans to demonstrate a fission reactor-powered NTP system in space by the early 2030s.
With DRACO, DARPA aims to design, build and fly an NTP-powered spacecraft in orbit by fiscal 2026. If all goes as planned, it could serve as the basis of a Space Force fleet of NTP rocket upper stages that could push big satellites around.
“Our missions are looking at going into the cislunar volume beyond Earth orbit,” says Dodson.
So nuclear is in the air, so to speak, but not literally. In fact, that’s one of the challenges to wider adoption: Experts and the public alike must be convinced that putting nuclear reactors on rockets will be safe. Combine safety concerns, real and perceived, with the remaining technical challenges to building a functional NTP system, and the task before DARPA and NASA looms large. Add to that a third challenge, the federal regulatory and budget landscape, and you start to get a sense of why NTP never took off in the 1970s and why questions remain about whether matters will unfold differently this time. Why go nuclear?
Each year, MIT professor of aeronautics and astronautics Paulo Lozano teaches a rocket propulsion class. “Recently, I have been adding a few lectures on nuclear, precisely because I think it’s kind of coming back,” he says.
It’s not just that NASA and DARPA are researching NTP. It’s what they are researching those systems for — pushing big payloads to geosynchronous orbit and beyond quickly, building moon bases and going to Mars. You don’t need NTP to do those things, Lozano says, but it’s a much more flexible option.
“I think nuclear propulsion has its niche application, which is fast transport to deep space destinations,” he says. “That is something that very likely nuclear can do better than any other technology.”
For NASA, an uncrewed space demonstration of an NTP system by the early 2030s could open the door to an alternative way of propelling human missions to Mars, says Anthony Calomino, who manages the Space Nuclear Technology Portfolio within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. With NTP, a spacecraft could make the journey in four to six months, rather than the nine months typically required when using chemical propulsion.
Getting to Mars faster isn’t just a matter of convenience — It could be a survival measure. Astronauts spending long durations outside the protective shield of Earth’s magnetosphere will be exposed to high- energy galactic cosmic radiation that could irreparably damage their DNA. Historically, there’s been a few ways of thinking about that problem, according to Michael Neufeld, a senior curator at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
“Either we have to have much better radiation protection,” he says (which costs mass and material), or accept the heightened health risks or “we need to have a nuclear rocket so that we’re not spending so many months in transit.”
Closer to home, Denver-based Atomos Space is developing an NTP space tug for delivering satellites to higher orbits after launch, though the company will likely use solar-electric propulsion in the short term.
“The long-term vision of that is fielding space nuclear technologies because it is the best way to move around in both near-Earth orbit and beyond,” Atomos co-founder and CEO William Kowalski says. “It’s really how we make solar systems small.”
The main advantages of NTP over conventional chemical rockets stem from the basic physics of space propulsion. Any engine will provide some amount of thrust, and do so by expelling propellant with a degree of efficiency, the engine’s specific impulse, measured in seconds. A chemical rocket engine, such as each of the RS-25s that powered the space shuttle orbiters and that power the core stage of NASA’s Space Launch System rockets, generates a large amount of thrust, around 2,277,489 newtons, with a fairly modest specific impulse of 452 seconds in space. That’s about as efficient a chemical rocket engine can be made, according to Lozano.
Electric propulsion engines, such as the Hall thrusters on SpaceX Starlink satellites, generate around 1 newton of thrust or less, but do so with great efficiency, scoring specific impulses of thousands of seconds.
NTP systems can produce both higher thrust and higher specific impulse than chemical rockets. The Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application, or NERVA, engine developed in the United States in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s was never launched, but in ground testing produced 246,662 newtons of force with a specific impulse of around 841 seconds.
“Specific impulse scales approximately as the square root of the exhaust temperature of the propellant divided by the molecular weight of the propellant,” Dodson says. Use hydrogen for the lowest atomic weight possible, then “get the reactor to be very hot, and you can drive up this specific impulse.”
Crucially, there is no combustion involved in NTP. Cryogenic hydrogen is superheated by the reactor but doesn’t burn, removing the need for carrying the extra mass of an oxidizer. “So the initial mass of the spacecraft is not as large as what it would be if it were a chemical-based system,” Lozano says.
You could therefore launch a powerful NTP upper stage on a smaller conventional rocket — which is just what NERVA was supposed to accomplish more than 50 years ago.
Moon shots and nuclear rockets
In May 1961, then-U.S. President John F. Kennedy gave a speech to Congress that has since become for famous pointing America toward the moon. But as Dodson notes, Kennedy didn’t just shoot for the moon. He went on to say the nation should “accelerate development of the Rover nuclear rocket. This gives promise of some day providing a means for even more exciting and ambitious exploration of space, perhaps beyond the moon, perhaps to the very end of the solar system itself.”
Project Rover was the U.S. effort to design a nuclear-powered rocket engine, originally for the upper stage of an intercontinental ballistic missile. When the Air Force transferred the program to NASA, it was incorporated into NERVA and the focus became propulsion for long-duration spaceflights. Based at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, Project Rover began in 1955 and lasted until 1973, when NASA and national priorities changed.
“It grew out of a combination of the atomic enthusiasm of the 1950s combined with the space enthusiasm of the 1960s,” Neufeld says. NASA had plenty of money at the time, “so it was easy to imagine that NASA could incorporate a nuclear thermal rocket into post Apollo planning.”
With an NTP rocket, Dodson says, NASA could move big cargo to the moon and beyond, but with much smaller propellant tanks. “So even bigger cargo to the moon, or more cargo faster,” she says.
Engineers at the time designed the NERVA engine around a graphite core reactor fueled by highly enriched, or “weapons grade,” uranium. The reactor and engine functioned well in at least six ground tests between 1964 and 1969, producing around 1,100 megawatts of power on average.
But NERVA eventually fell victim to the same post-moon-landing malaise that would lead to curtailment of the Apollo program after the Apollo 17 landing in 1972.
“NASA’s budget effectively was halved between 1966 and the mid ’70s,” Neufeld says. “It just wasn’t sustainable to say, ‘We still need a nuclear thermal program.’” The program was canceled in 1973.
NERVA never would fly in space. The only U.S. nuclear fission reactor to do so was on the SNAP-10A satellite launched in April 1965, but that reactor was not for propulsion, but rather intended as a test case for generating electricity for satellites as part of NASA’s System for Nuclear Auxiliary Power program.
Interest in nuclear propulsion continued to simmer, however. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw research into a new NTP rocket design funded by the Strategic Defense Initiative and further developed as the Air Force Space Nuclear Thermal Propulsion program, but that effort was canceled in 1994. NASA’s ambitious Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter, JIMO, mission of the early 2000s would have used nuclear electric propulsion with a fission reactor powering ion thrusters, but the mission was canceled in 2005.
None of those projects got as far as NERVA did in terms of testing a working engine. “Now we’re sort of picking the NERVA back up off the shelf,” Dodson says.
Engineering a modern nuclear rocket
But picking NERVA up off the shelf isn’t just a matter of building a new engine to the specifications of the older system. NERVA never flew, and there remain a number of challenges — technical and political — to making NTP an operational reality.
For one thing, it’s not clear that everything worked on NERVA as well as NASA would demand today, says Calomino.
“They didn’t necessarily know the amount of damage that was being done to the material,” he says. “How long can that engine work? Can you man rate that engine? Can you use it in an application with the reliability that you need?”
Handling heat is the key challenge for NTP. Higher heat provides higher specific impulse but also degrades the engine components, limiting their operational lifespan. This is especially true of the nuclear fuel in the reactor core, according to Paolo Venneri, who manages the advanced technologies division at Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. The Seattle-based company was a supporting contractor to two of the primes awarded Phase 1 contracts, Blue Origin and General Atomics.
For an NTP engine, “the outlet temperature of the reactor is something on the order of 3,000 Kelvin, or 2,700 Celsius,” Venneri says. “Today, there’s no nuclear fuel that can operate at that temperature for the desired period of time.”
And about that fuel: NERVA used weapons grade uranium, meaning ore that’s enriched to consist of at least 85% uranium 235, an isotope that’s more amenable to fission than the uranium 238 also found in ore. Use of such fuel is highly restricted because of nuclear proliferation concerns, so all the current NTP research programs focus on the use of high-assay low-enriched uranium, or HALEU, which is enriched to levels of about 20% — lower than weapons grade, but higher than the 5% enrichment levels used in traditional nuclear reactor power plants.
But using HALEU introduces material design challenges too, says Dodson. With less fissionable material in the core, reactor designs must introduce moderating materials to slow down high-energy neutrons enough that they strike and split additional uranium atoms and keep the nuclear chain reaction going.
These are really challenges of materials science, according to Calomino, who came to NASA with a materials science background. Those materials science research techniques have come a long way in half a century.
“Our [abilities] to model these systems have advanced in the last 50 years,” he says. “Some of these possible showstoppers, we have solutions to them.”
Modeling can help identify hot spots in a reactor core where damage could occur, Calomino says, while advanced moderating materials — including beryllium and metal hydrides — can slow neutrons down enough to allow fission with HALEU fuel.
“These moderators are actually an enabling capability for space reactors,” he says, “to get low enriched uranium space reactors into the volume and mass bucket that we need them in to actually make them practical systems.”
Nuclear rocket safety
Because you’re talking about putting a nuclear reactor on a rocket, safety is a challenge to the future of NTP, and it’s both an engineering problem and a public relations problem.
“The public takes a lot of convincing when you’re launching uranium on a spacecraft,” Neufeld says, noting that there were protests in 1997 around the launch of NASA’s Cassini probe due to the spacecraft carrying plutonium in its Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator.
While the idea of splitting atoms rather than simply housing pellets of plutonium, as an RTG does, might sound scarier, in Venneri’s view, uranium fission reactors actually pose less of a risk should something go wrong on the launchpad.
“Until you turn them on, they’re not radioactive,” he says. By contrast, the plutonium in an RTG is always shedding dangerous radiation as it undergoes natural nuclear decay, a process that releases the heat that’s used to generate electricity.
Safety mechanisms then must center around ensuring the reactor cannot turn on before reaching a safe orbit, even under emergency conditions, such as fission-enhancing water infiltrating the reactor core, Venneri says.
“It’s a matter of putting poisons inside of the reactor that prevent it from turning on in case of an accident,” he says — “poisons” like a neutron-absorbing rod of boron carbide. “If you just insert one of these inside of the reactor, that’s just about the most effective way of killing it that there is.”
Rules and costs
Not surprisingly, where there are safety questions, the government is never far behind. “Truly, what would squash the idea of a nuclear-powered OTV, or orbital transfer vehicle, would be regulation,” says Atomos Space’s Kowalski.
The past few years have generally been favorable to proponents of space nuclear, in terms of movements in government. In August 2019, for instance, then-President Donald Trump issued National Security Memorandum 20, which gave sponsoring agencies authority to launch NTP engines fueled by HALEU.
“In the prior framework, to prepare for launch approval, analysts would get stuck in ‘analysis paralysis’ and years of back-and-forth,” Dodson says. With the memorandum, in the case of DRACO, the Defense Department will be able to make the final call to launch the NTP flight demonstration rather than needing the thumbs up from the Executive Office of the President.
Also, Trump’s Space Policy Directive-6, issued in December 2020, discourages the use of weapons-grade uranium except in cases where HALEU fuel is not feasible, and encourages private sector involvement developing NTP systems and setting up separate launch oversight for private enterprises.
“It laid out the different launch processes for government and commercial launches, and then directed that any launch by a commercial company will be regulated by the FAA,” Venneri says. “The FAA now is figuring out how to do this.”
FAA declined to comment on its efforts regarding Space Policy Directive-6.
To test the regulatory framework, Atomos Space hopes to launch a reactor into space sometime in the mid-2020s. The fission reactor would generate electric power, rather than thrust for propulsion, since the main purpose is to test how the incipient regulatory and licensing processing actually plays out for a private company.
But all the supportive regulations and executive memos in the world might not be enough to get these new systems off the ground if Congress loses interest in missions that require NTP. If Congress chokes off funding, DRACO might well produce another NERVA — a proof of concept that immediately gets mothballed.
“What it really amounts to at the core is, ‘Is there money for an ambitious human spaceflight program beyond the moon?’” Neufeld says. “My personal opinion about Artemis and so forth is that it’ll turn out to be pretty expensive to try to develop a permanent base on the moon. And I’m not expecting Mars to be happening anytime soon.”
But unlike during the Apollo era, today’s NTP isn’t just for Mars missions and moon bases. The rapid proliferation of satellites at all altitudes, international competition and the founding of the Space Force all point to military and civilian cases for the development of these systems.
At least, that’s what Kowalski and Atomos Space are counting on.
“I think what was lacking before that has really changed now is more of a mission need,” he says. “We have a true mission need. This solves a business case.” About Jon Kelvey Jon covers space for The Independent in the U.K. His work has appeared in Air and Space Magazine, Slate, Smithsonian and the Washington Post. Atomos Space of Denver plans to start its business of moving satellites to their operational orbits with solar-powered tugs like the one in this illustration, but eventually shift to a nuclear-powered version. To test how the regulations for launching such a tug work, the company plans to launch a test reactor in the mid-2020s. Credit: Atomos SpaceLockheed Martin last year submitted to DARPA its concept for a nuclear-powered spacecraft for the agency’s Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations, shown here in an illustration. The deliverables of Lockheed Martin’s Phase 1 contract included performance requirements for a nuclear thermal propulsion reactor. Credit: Lockheed MartinA drawing of the nuclear rocket engine developed under NERVA, or Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application, program. NASA and the Atomic Energy Commission ground tested multiple designs, but the program was canceled in 1973 before an engine was ever flown. Credit: NASA's Glenn Research Center | Space Technology |
A historic space mission that took off from Cornwall has ended in huge disappointment after a rocket carrying the first satellites launched from British soil failed to reach orbit.To whoops and cheers from a crowd that had gathered at Spaceport Cornwall to watch the launch, a converted Boeing 747 took off and headed out across the Atlantic.It successfully released a rocket, called LauncherOne, carrying a payload of nine satellites and Virgin Orbit, which is leading the mission, announced that it had reached Earth orbit.The company tweeted: “LauncherOne has … successfully reached Earth orbit! Our mission isn’t over yet, but our congratulations to the people of the UK! This is already the first-ever orbital mission from British soil – an enormous achievement.”Twenty-eight minutes later it tweeted: “We appear to have an anomaly that has prevented us from reaching orbit. We are evaluating the information.”The plane, Cosmic Girl, returned safely to Cornwall.The Start Me Up mission is the first launch of satellites from European soil and was heralded as the start of a new space era for the UK.Cosmic Girl, flown by RAF test pilot Sqn Ldr Matthew Stannard, took off just after 10pm and carried out a “fin wiggle” to clear ice from LauncherOne. It reached its destination south of Ireland and followed a looping “racetrack” pattern as the crew waited for the final go/no-go call.Back in Cornwall spectators did a “conga” dance around a replica of the rocket at the perimeter of the spaceport while up to 75,000 people watched a livestream of the flight.When the “go” call came at 11.10pm, LauncherOne was released at 10,700 metres (35,000ft), falling for a few seconds before igniting and shooting southwards, gathering speed and altitude as it headed towards the Canary Islands.Cosmic Girl banked sharply away, a stomach-turning manoeuvre. The spectators in Cornwall watching via a big screen whooped and the plane headed back towards the UK.LauncherOne did what is known as a “barbecue roll” to make sure neither side got too hot. The satellites, none bigger than a washing machine, were due to be released from LauncherOne around an hour later.But then came the bad news that the rocket had not reached the required orbit. It is believed that the rocket and satellites are all lost.Melissa Thorpe, Head of Spaceport, meets visitors at Spaceport’s inaugural rocket launch from Newquay Airport in Cornwall. Photograph: Jonny Weeks/The GuardianEarlier there had been a festival atmosphere as more than 2,000 people turned up to watch the launch.Among the spectators who watched as the plane took off to the sounds of crowds cheering and the Rolling Stones’ Start Me Up blaring over the speakers was Felix Gatfield, 14, who runs a YouTube channel about space and missed his mock exams – and his usual bedtime – to attend. He said: “It’s a real moment for the UK space industry. It’s amazing being so close.”The British astronaut Tim Peake said: “Today’s mission is a groundbreaking moment for the UK space industry and shows the great strides our nation is making to compete on a global stage.”The launch was being seen as a missing link in the UK satellite industry. Until now, the UK has been strong at manufacturing satellites and interpreting the data they yield, but has not been able to launch them.The UK science minister, George Freeman, said: “This is a genuinely historic moment: the UK winning the European race to be the first country to launch satellites. The Norwegians beat us in two races to the north and south pole, so this is a nice chance to level the field.”“Tonight marks the dawn of a new era for UK space that will inspire a new generation of space scientists and innovators and lay the foundations for technological leadership, just as the Apollo mission did for the USA in the 1960s.”A woman takes a selfie with Adrian Grint, dressed as an alien at the inaugural rocket launch from Newquay Airport in Cornwall. Photograph: Jonny Weeks/The GuardianThe business secretary, Grant Shapps, said: “I grew up believing we couldn’t launch satellites from Europe because we’re on the wrong latitude. But the space business has changed, more of these small ‘nano’ satellites are going up and Britain is in prime and pole position to launch these things.”Shapps said he expected to see seven spaceports across Britain in the coming years, with a vertical launch from Scotland next year.Josh Western, CEO and founder of the Welsh company Space Forge, which has a satellite on the flight, said: “To be here today is quite moving.”He said the ability to launch from the UK was a huge boost to companies like his. “To get on the M5 and be here in a couple of hours instead of having to fly a team to Florida is important.”Given that the mission was named after a Rolling Stones song, it seemed appropriate that the event had the trappings of a music festival.Special beer available to visitors at Spaceport’s inaugural rocket launch from Newquay Airport in Cornwall. Photograph: Jonny Weeks/The GuardianThere were food stalls and a merchandise stand selling beanies, T-shirts, even a Cornish Spaceport-branded bellyboard. Spectators watched a big screen to track the mission and there was a marquee with a silent disco, a useful way of staying warm on a chilly night.As clouds cleared and a near-full moon appeared, the silent disco played David Bowie’s Space Oddity, Elton John’s Rocket Man and the Thunderbirds theme.Adrian Grint, 46, an IT worker from St Austell, had turned up in an alien costume and held a sign reading: “Take me home.” He said: “I dress up every now and again. This is massive for Cornwall, very forward-thinking. Everything is based on tourism in Cornwall – this is different.”Families and friends sat in camp chairs next to the wire fence separating the festival area from the runway.Simon and Sam had brought their children, Dominic, four, and Amber, two. Simon said: “We’re from St Austell – Cornish clay country. This is good for Cornwall. With mining gone we don’t have much of an identity any more. This helps put us back on the map.”Rory Godfrey, aged 4, holds a Mars Rover-style robot made by Software Cornwall, one of the many examples of space technology on display to visitors at the inaugural rocket launch. Photograph: Jonny Weeks/The GuardianAmong those with satellites onboard were the Ministry of Defence, the sultanate of Oman, the US National Reconnaissance Office and British startups including Space Forge, which is developing reusable satellites.The mission was being seen as a triumph for Cornwall, an area more associated with beach holidays than space adventure.Melissa Thorpe, the head of Spaceport Cornwall, which is based in a corner of the Cornwall Newquay airport, said after takeoff: “That was amazing, I am absolutely buzzing – that was absolutely huge.” | Space Technology |
An illustration of the construction of a lunar outpost with astronauts on the surface of the Moon.Illustration: ICONTexas-based ICON has been assigned the pivotal task of developing the means for NASA to build critical infrastructure on the Moon to further its Artemis ambitions. OffEnglishNASA awarded ICON a hefty $57.2 million contract to research and develop construction technologies to build structures like landing pads, habitats, and roads on the lunar surface, the space agency announced on Tuesday. The contract runs through 2028.Through its Artemis program, NASA wants to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon and use our natural satellite as an outpost to reach further destinations, namely Mars. “In order to explore other worlds, we need innovative new technologies adapted to those environments and our exploration needs,” Niki Werkheiser, director of technology maturation in NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, said in a statement.The contract builds on ICON’s Project Olympus, a conceptual space-based construction system that would use resources available on the Moon (and Mars), including regolith (i.e. dusty surface material) and rocks, to build structures. ICON is known for its 3D building technologies on Earth, having constructed the first U.S. 3D printed homes. Through its partnership with NASA, ICON has already 3D-built a 1,700-square-foot Martian habitat analog known as Mars Dune Alpha. The idea is to use as little construction material as possible such that NASA doesn’t have to fly heavy payloads to the Moon or Mars. The space agency will use Mars Dune Alpha to train crews of astronauts during one-year stints starting next year.G/O Media may get a commission“We’re pleased that our research and engineering to-date has demonstrated that such systems are indeed possible, and we look forward to now making that possibility a reality,” Jason Ballard, ICON co-founder and CEO, said in a statement. “The final deliverable of this contract will be humanity’s first construction on another world, and that is going to be a pretty special achievement.”To develop the construction technologies needed for the Moon, ICON will work with lunar regolith samples brought back during the Apollo missions. The company will also test its hardware and software through a lunar gravity simulation flight. These tests on Earth will hopefully inform ICON’s 3D-building technologies to be used on the Moon, designing other worldly structures for lunar inhabitants. More: NASA’s Orion Sends Back Haunting New Views of the Moon’s Tortured Surface | Space Technology |
A $10k satellite built by students can help clean space junkSBUDNIC was a small cube satellite, about the size of a bread loaf, that was launched on a SpaceX rocket in May 2022.Rizwan Choudhury| Aug 23, 2023 07:30 AM ESTCreated: Aug 23, 2023 07:30 AM ESTinnovationSBUDNIC satellite.Credits: Brown University Press Release Stay ahead of your peers in technology and engineering - The BlueprintBy subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Policies You may unsubscribe at any time.Space junk is a serious issue that threatens the safety and sustainability of orbital activities. To address this problem, a team of students from Brown University designed and built a low-cost cube satellite that successfully deorbited itself after completing its mission. The satellite, named SBUDNIC, used a simple plastic drag sail to increase its atmospheric drag and hasten its reentry.As per the press release, the small cube satellite has burned up high above Turkey after 445 days in orbit. Its reentry into Earth's atmosphere on Tuesday, Aug. 8, marked the successful conclusion of a low-cost experiment aimed at reducing space debris, five years ahead of schedule. See Also Related Scientists find colossal star torn apart by giant black hole Australian Space Agency reveals origins of mysterious space debris UK startup to improve our capacity for detecting tiny pieces of space debris SBUDNIC: A solution with a shoestring budgetIt was one of the smallest and cheapest satellites ever sent to space, costing only about $10,000 and measuring 10 by 10 by 10 centimeters. Built using readily available materials like 48 Energizer AA batteries, SBUDNIC's journey started on Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket last May as part of the Transporter 5 ridesharing mission. Brown alumnus Marco Cross, faculty member Rick Fleeter, and an academically diverse team of undergraduates worked diligently to address the growing problem of space junk.A key feature of SBUDNIC is a plastic drag sail made from Kapton polyimide. Unfurling like an umbrella at about 520 kilometers, it allowed the satellite to descend to Earth faster than anticipated.The Kapton polyimide drag sail, attached to the SBUDNIC satellite, helped push the satellite back down to Earth much sooner than anticipated.Credits: Marco Cross/Brown University Press Release Selia Jindal, a recent Brown graduate and project lead, explained that the aim was to showcase inexpensive ways of deorbiting space debris. She stated, “This showed that we can do that...there are significant plans we can put in place to combat the space junk problem that is cost-effective.”The main objective of SBUDNIC was to demonstrate that space debris can be reduced by using passive deorbiting devices that do not require any propulsion or complex mechanisms. The students chose Kapton polyimide, a material commonly used in spacecraft insulation, to make a drag sail that deployed like an umbrella once the satellite reached its orbit at about 520 kilometers above the Earth.Impact on space debris reductionThe implications of this successful proof of concept could be substantial in the fight against space debris. Dheraj Ganjikunta, a Brown graduate of 2022 and the lead program manager of SBUDNIC, contrasted the project with other more expensive and complex solutions for space junk, such as space tow trucks or nets. Praising the SBUDNIC for its low-cost and simple approach to tackling the problem of space junk, he said that SBUDNIC was amazing because it used a simple $30 drag device that could be attached to satellites and shorten their orbital lifespan.NASA reports that more than 27,000 pieces of orbital debris or space junk are being monitored by the global Space Surveillance Network of the Department of Defense. The worst-case scenario is a satellite explosion setting off a chain reaction, hitting other satellites in the same orbit. Marco Cross, SBUDNIC’s chief engineer, warned, “We need to be prepared.”Overwhelming successMost satellites remain in orbit for an average of 25 years after serving their purpose. In line with the Federal Communications Commission's new 5-year rule for deorbiting satellites, SBUDNIC demonstrated a swift success.SBUDNIC, a small cube satellite designed and built by Brown University students to demonstrate a practical, low-cost method to cut down on space debris reentered Earth’s atmosphere about five years ahead of schedule. @brownengin https://t.co/eJgMQzUaIq— Brown University (@BrownUniversity) August 18, 2023SBUDNIC's drop was visibly exponential, burning up in the atmosphere from the heat generated from re-entry. While other similarly-sized satellites remained at higher altitudes, SBUDNIC's last known position was recorded at 146 kilometers.A solar activity might have contributed to SBUDNIC's rapid descent, but the exact influence is still under study.An unusual learning experience at BrownCreated on Brown's campus and developed as part of the Design of Space Systems course, SBUDNIC was built in a year by about 40 students from diverse fields such as engineering, economics, and sculpture.Rick Fleeter, an adjunct associate professor in Brown's School of Engineering, reflected on the project, “In terms of depth of learning in this project, this is the kind of experience that I think students come to Brown for.”As of mid-August, all other comparison satellites are still in orbit, a testament to SBUDNIC’s remarkable efficiency and design. The success of this project represents not just an academic achievement but a significant step forward in space technology, offering a low-cost and practical solution to a pressing global challenge.HomeInnovationAdd Interesting Engineering to your Google News feed.Add Interesting Engineering to your Google News feed.SHOW COMMENT (1) For You It turns out some people are genetically able to cope with less sleepRechargeable batteries made from wasteIs deep sea mining worth it?Printed solar panels could generate power from existing infrastructurePairing of electrons in an artificial atom leads to a breakthroughNew study challenges Einstein and Newton's theories of gravityAcrocyanosis, a rare and shocking symptom of long COVIDScientists find nine kinds of microplastics in human heartsEarth's retreating glaciers are creating huge alien ecosystemsWhat is pre-war steel, and why are people stealing it? Job Board | Space Technology |
The Milky Way’s black hole, Sagittarius A* Abhishek Joshi / UIUC Black holes keep their secrets close. They imprison forever anything that enters. Light itself can’t escape a black hole’s hungry pull.
It would seem, then, that a black hole should be invisible — and taking its picture impossible. So great fanfare accompanied the release in 2019 of the first image of a black hole. Then, in spring 2022, astronomers unveiled another black hole photo — this time of the one at the center of our own Milky Way. The image shows an orange, donut-shaped blob that looks remarkably similar to the earlier picture of the black hole in the center of galaxy Messier 87. But the Milky Way’s black hole, Sagittarius A*, is actually much smaller than the first and was more difficult to see, since it required peering through the hazy disk of our galaxy. So even though the observations of our own black hole were conducted at the same time as M87’s, it took three additional years to create the picture. Doing so required an international collaboration of hundreds of astronomers, engineers and computer scientists, and the development of sophisticated computer algorithms to piece together the image from the raw data. The new image of the black hole Sagittarius A*, confirms and refines previous predictions of its size and orientation. The mass of the black hole determines its size, or what scientists call its gravitational diameter. The point at which no light can escape from the black hole, called the event horizon, is determined by this mass and by the spin of the black hole. Hot plasma speeds around the massive object in the accretion disk, emitting radio waves. Those radio waves are bent and warped by gravity (through the effect of “gravitational lensing”) to produce the image of the orange outer circles. The black hole shadow and emission ring shown here are gravitationally-lensed projections of the far-side of the black hole’s event horizon and accretion disk, respectively. Reporting by K. McCormick / Knowable Magazine These “photos” do not, of course, directly show a black hole, defined as the region of space inside a point-of-no-return barrier known as an event horizon. They actually record portions of the flat pancake of hot plasma swirling around the black hole at high speeds in what’s known as the accretion disk. The plasma is composed of high-energy charged particles. As plasma spirals around the black hole, its accelerating particles emit radio waves. The blurry orange ring seen in the images are an elaborate reconstruction of these radio waves captured by eight telescopes scattered around the Earth, collectively known as the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). The latest image tells the tale of the epic journey of radio waves from the center of the Milky Way, providing unprecedented detail about Sagittarius A*. The image also constitutes “one of the most important visual proofs of general relativity,” our current best theory of gravity, says Sera Markoff, an astrophysicist at the University of Amsterdam and member of the EHT collaboration. Studying supermassive black holes such as Sagittarius A* will help scientists learn more about how galaxies evolve over time and how they congregate in vast clusters across the universe. From the galactic core Sagittarius A* is 1,600 times smaller than Messier 87’s black hole that was imaged in 2019, and is also about 2,100 times closer to Earth. That means the two black holes appear to be about the same size on the sky. Geoffrey Bower, an EHT project scientist at the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics in Taiwan, says that the resolution required to see Sagittarius A* from Earth is the same as would be required to take a picture of an orange on the surface of the Moon. The center of our galaxy is 26,000 light-years away from us, so the radio waves collected to create this image were emitted around the time that one of the earliest-known permanent human settlements was constructed. The radio waves’ voyage began when they were first emitted from particles in the black hole’s accretion disk. With a wavelength of about 1 mm, the radiation traveled toward Earth relatively undisturbed by the intervening galactic gas and dust. If the wavelength were much shorter, like visible light, the radio waves would have been scattered by the dust. If the wavelength were much longer, the waves would have been bent by charged clouds of plasma, distorting the image. Finally, after the 26,000-year trek, the radio waves were picked up and recorded at the radio observatories distributed across our planet. The large geographic separation between the observatories was essential — it allowed the consortium of researchers to detect extremely subtle differences in the radio waves collected at each site through a process called interferometry. These small differences are used to deduce the minuscule differences in the distance each radio wave traveled from its source. Using computer algorithms, the scientists managed to decode the path-length differences of the radio waves to reconstruct the shape of the object that emitted them. The latest black hole image was created using a technique called interferometry, in which the radio waves emitted by the black hole and collected by eight telescopes located around the world are compared. If two sites collected waves that were “in-phase”, meaning the waves’ peaks lined up with one another, then the two waves would add together to create a bright spot on the image. If, on the other hand, the waves were out-of-phase, meaning one wave’s peak lined up with the other’s trough, the waves would cancel each other, producing a dark spot in the image. Working together, the telescopes are able to collect more detailed data than any one could alone. Reporting by K. McCormick / Knowable Magazine Researchers put all this into a false-color image, where orange represents high-intensity radio waves and black represents low-intensity. “But each telescope only picks up a tiny fraction of the radio signal,” explains Fulvio Melia, an astrophysicist at University of Arizona who has written about our galaxy’s supermassive black hole. Because we’re missing much of the signal, “instead of seeing a crystal clear photo, you see something that’s a little foggy … a little blurred.” The image helps reveal more about the black hole’s event horizon — the closest point to which anything can approach the black hole without being sucked in. Beyond the event horizon, not even light can escape. From the image, scientists have been able to better estimate the size of the event horizon and deduce that the accretion disk is tilted by more than 40 degrees from the Milky Way’s disk, so that we’re seeing the round face of the flat accretion disk, rather than the thin sliver of its edge. But even if the black hole’s accretion disk were oriented edge-on relative to Earth, the gravity around the black hole warps the space around it so much that light emitted from the backside of the black hole would be bent around to come toward us, making a ringlike image regardless of its orientation. So, how do scientists know its orientation? Because the ring is mostly round; if we were viewing the accretion disk edge-on, then the ring would be more squished and oblong. Markoff thinks that this new ability to look into the heart of our galaxy will help to fill in gaps in our understanding of the evolution of galaxies and the large-scale structure of the universe. A dense, massive object such as a black hole at the center of a galaxy influences the movements of the stars and dust near it, and that influences how the galaxy changes over time. Properties of the black hole, such as in which direction it spins, depend on the history of its collisions — with stars or other black holes, perhaps. “A lot of people … look at the sky and think of it all as static, right? But it’s not. It’s a big ecosystem of stuff that’s evolving,” Markoff says. So far, the fact that the image matches the scientists’ expectations so precisely makes it an important confirmation of current theories of physics. “This has been a prediction that we’ve had for two decades,” Bower says, “that we would see a ring of this scale. But, you know, seeing is believing.”Knowable Magazine is an independent journalistic endeavor from Annual Reviews. Astronomers Astronomy Astrophysics Black Holes Outer Space Technology Recommended Videos | Space Technology |
India Needs A Space Law As It Joins Elite Space-Faring League
Private sector participation in India's space sector is still hampered by lack of a clear legal framework.
India's recent successes with Chandrayaan-3 and the Aditya-L1 solar probe have positioned it alongside major space-faring nations such as the U.S. and Russia. Yet India lacks its own space laws.
The government has been encouraging private participation in the country's explorations beyond the earth. To that end, the government in 2020 created the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, or IN-SPACe. But a lack of a legal framework hampers progress.
"The promotion of space activities in India rests on the nation’s ability to provide economic stability, a clear and uncomplicated procedure for licencing by a regulatory authority, and incentives for private players," Adithya Variath, a faculty member at the Centre for Research in Air and Space Law, NLU Mumbai, told BQ Prime.
And the country is a signatory to all major international space treaties, including the Outer Space Treaty, the Rescue Agreement, the Liability Convention, the Registration Convention—already ratified by India—and the Moon Treaty.
Moreover, countries like Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, and Ukraine, despite not being space technology giants, have established well-defined laws for space activities.
India’s efforts towards having its own space laws stem from its objective of facilitating private sector participation in the space economy, said Iqbal Khan, partner at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. This also furthers India’s international treaty obligations and brings it closer to other countries that also have statutory frameworks, he said.
For such a capital-intensive sector, having a statute and underlying rules and regulations enabling private participation provides much-needed clarity and confidence for investment.Iqbal Khan, Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.
Indian State Policy
The government sought to address the legislative gap by introducing the Indian Space Policy of 2023. Still, space law experts pointed out several inconsistencies.
According to the policy, non-governmental entities have been allowed to own, transport, use, and sell asteroid or space resources acquired in compliance with relevant laws, including India's international commitments.
The policy has also entrusted IN-SPACe with establishing a stable statutory structure to provide fairness to non-governmental entities. It is also a single-window clearance agency for space activities. But the policy document does not provide adequate clarity on the specific powers and responsibilities of IN-SPACe.
"There is a possibility of confusion and conflict in the roles of various other government bodies operating in space and mandated with promoting private partnerships in the space sector," said Anupam Shukla, partner at Pioneer Legal.
The policy also puts forth ISRO's shift away from manufacturing operational space systems towards research and adding to aspects of national interest.
NewSpace India Ltd., a public sector unit established in 2019 under the Department of Space and serving as ISRO's commercial arm, will manage the manufacturing and operational aspects.
This, however, raises questions over the role of Antrix Corp. It is a government-owned body serving as ISRO's marketing division, dedicated to promoting and, more notably, commercially leveraging space products, offering technical consultancy services, and facilitating the transfer of ISRO-developed technologies.
Past Efforts
In 2017, a draft Space Activities Bill was introduced. Shukla, however, said it lacked in two major aspects: a lack of free mechanisms for private players participation in space activities and a lack of adequate safeguards for such players.
Variath said the absence of tax incentives or other measures to encourage participation in the sector, in addition to a lack of a legislative framework for governing space activities, makes it an unfavourable market to enter for private players.
Other policies that define Indian space law include the Satellite Communication Policy (Satcom) of 1997, which emphasised satellite communication development, launch capabilities, and private investment in the space industry but was found to be insufficient.
Subsequently, the norms, guidelines, and procedures of the Satcom Policy of 2000 were introduced to regulate satellite system setup by private Indian companies with less than 74% foreign equity. Additionally, the Remote Data Sensing Policy of 2011 allowed the transfer of high-resolution imaging services while safeguarding sensitive defence information.
Yet, there is a major difference between policies and a national law. While policies only reflect the plan of action of the government, laws have binding force.
Advait Luthra, partner at Luthra and Luthra Law Offices, said a robust, holistic, and unambiguous space law would create the required framework for the private sector in India to participate and exponentially add to ISRO's incredible achievements. | Space Technology |
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India has landed its Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the moon, becoming only the fourth nation ever to accomplish such a feat.
The mission could cement India’s status as a global superpower in space. Previously, only the United States, China and the former Soviet Union have completed soft landings on the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-3’s landing site is also closer to the moon’s south pole than any other spacecraft in history has ventured. The south pole region is considered an area of key scientific and strategic interest for spacefaring nations, as scientists believe the region to be home to water ice deposits.
The water, frozen in shadowy craters, could be converted into rocket fuel or even drinking water for future crewed missions.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently in South Africa for the BRICS Summit, watched the landing virtually and shared broadcasted remarks on the livestream.
“On this momentous occasion…I would like to address all the people of the world,” he said. “This success belongs to all of humanity, and it will help moon missions by other countries in the future.”
India’s attempt to land its spacecraft near the lunar south pole comes just days after another nation’s failed attempt to do the same. Russia’s Luna 25 spacecraft crashed into the moon on August 19 after its engines misfired, ending the country’s first lunar landing attempt in 47 years.
As Chandrayaan-3 approached the moon, its cameras captured photographs, including one taken on August 20 that India’s space agency shared Tuesday. The image offers a close-up of the moon’s dusty gray terrain.
Chandrayaan-3’s journey
India’s lunar lander consists of three parts: a lander, rover and propulsion module, which so far has provided the spacecraft all the thrust required to traverse the 384,400-kilometer (238,855-mile) void between the moon and Earth.
The lander, called Vikram, completed the precision maneuvers required to make a soft touchdown on the lunar surface after it is ejected from the propulsion module. Tucked inside is Pragyan, a small, six-wheeled rover that will deploy from the lander by rolling down a ramp.
The lander, which weighs about 1,700 kilograms (3,748 pounds), and 26-kilogram (57.3-pound) rover are packed with scientific instruments, prepared to capture data to help researchers analyze the lunar surface and deliver fresh insights into its composition.
Dr. Angela Marusiak, an assistant research professor at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, said she’s particularly excited that the lunar lander includes a seismometer that will attempt to detect quakes within the moon’s interior.
Studying how the moon’s inner layers move could be key information for future endeavors on the lunar surface, Marusiak said.
“You want to make sure that any potential seismic activity wouldn’t endanger any astronauts,” Marusiak said. “Or, if we were to build structures on the moon, that they would be safe from any seismic activity.”
The lander and rover are expected to function for about two weeks on the moon’s surface. The propulsion module will remain in orbit, serving as a relay point for beaming data back to Earth.
A global moon rush
Working alongside allies such as the United States and France, India is part of a second wave of emerging space powers. The country’s space program has become one of the world’s busiest in its development of exploratory space technology.
Chandrayaan-3 has been a point of national pride and widespread interest across India. Crowds gathered at the launchpad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh state. On Wednesday, more than 8 million people tuned in to watch the livestream of the landing.
India’s mission has taken on even greater significance since Russia’s failed Luna 25 landing attempt. With the success of Chandrayaan-3, India became the second country to land a spacecraft on the moon in the 21st century after China, which has put three landers on the lunar surface since 2013 — including the first to touch down on the moon’s far side. (The last US lunar lander, the crewed Apollo 17 mission, touched down in 1972.)
More than a dozen countries have plans for missions to the moon in the coming years, including a mission launched by Japan’s space agency — the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency — that is expected to lift off later this month. The United States also has plans to send three commercial lunar landers to the moon starting as early as this year, while NASA continues to work toward its Artemis III mission, which could put astronauts back on the moon as soon as 2025.
Landing on the moon, however, remains a challenging endeavor. India’s last attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon, during the 2019 Chandrayaan-2 mission, failed. And two commercial spacecraft have crash-landed on the lunar surface in recent times — one from Israel in 2019 and the other from Japan in April.
“There is no doubt that landing on the Moon is a real challenge,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement earlier this week. “But the Moon offers great scientific reward, which is why we’ve seen so many recent attempts to visit the surface again. We’re looking forward to all that we will learn in the future, including from India’s Chandraayan-3 mission.”
India is also a signatory of the United States’ Artemis Accords, a document that outlines proposed rules of the road for future lunar exploration. Russia and China have not signed the accords. | Space Technology |
More than 100 capsules containing cremated human remains have been recovered after a rocket carrying the ashes for a space memorial service exploded over the New Mexico desert.
Up Aerospace launched its suborbital rocket on Monday at 12:45 p.m. ET from Spaceport America. The rocket was carrying over a dozen student experiment payloads for NASA, as well as the cremated remains of a late NASA astronaut and a chemist, among others, whose families had sent them off for a suborbital memorial service. About three seconds after liftoff, however, the rocket suffered a fatal anomaly that caused it to blow up.
Incredibly, the cremated ashes survived the explosion and have been recovered, according to space memorial service Celestis. “All 120 flight capsules are safely in the hands of launch personnel and will be returned to us awaiting our next flight,” Charles Chafer, Celestis co-founder and CEO, explained in an emailed statement. “While the rocket was destroyed in flight, the care and professionalism of our launch service provider—Up Aerospace—ensured that the Celestis payload was unharmed and will be able to be relaunched.”
The Texas-based company, which specializes in launching human remains to space, designs its missions to ensure there’s a decent chance of recovering the payloads should the rocket fail to reach space, according to Chafer.
Celestis’s Aurora Flight mission included the cremated remains of NASA astronaut Philip K. Chapman, who died in April 2021, as well as chemist Louise Ann O’Deen. The recovered payloads will get to fly again on board the company’s next mission, Perseverance Flight, which will be scheduled to take place “as soon as UP and Spaceport America complete their investigation and any required fixes are implemented,” Chafer said.
The rocket was also packed with 13 payloads from NASA’s TechRise Student Challenge—a series of science and technology experiments created by students from the sixth to 12th grades. But NASA is not looking to recover its payload, and is instead promising to launch other TechRise experiments in the future.
“Each of these TechRise student teams should be proud of their accomplishment in delivering an experiment for launch and we will be working on future opportunities for them to see their experiments in space,” Christopher Baker, program executive for the Flight Opportunities program at NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, said in a statement. | Space Technology |
Australia is lucky to have some of the darkest skies in the world, but that is rapidly changing.
Key points:
- For the first time, scientists have proof Starlink satellites are interfering in their studies of the universe
- In the coming decade it is predicted somewhere there will be between 100,000 and 500,000 more objects in space
- Regulation is struggling to keep up with the rapid advancements in space technology
Thousands of satellites can be seen at night circling the globe, with many of them there to improve how we communicate on Earth, and that number is predicted to explode in coming years.
Scientists, looking deep into space, have been voicing their concerns that these satellites are encroaching on their ability to study the cosmos.
They are also concerned that regulation is not keeping pace with the increased amount of activity in space.
They say that could have significant consequences for systems relying on satellites, like telecommunication and GPS.
Now for the first time, research has shown that the telecommunication Starlink constellation, part of Elon Musk's SpaceX division, is interfering in their work.
In a study, published in the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal, scientists used a powerful telescope in the Netherlands to observe 68 of SpaceX's satellites and detected emissions from satellites are drifting out of their allocated band, up in space.
Federico Di Vruno, co-director of the International Astronomical Union Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky and one of the authors of the study, says the finding is significant given the growing numbers of satellites orbiting in the sky.
"Why this matters is because of the number," Dr Di Vruno said.
"Suppose that there is a satellite in space that radiates this kind of signal, there is a very, very small chance that this satellite will be in the beam, in the main site, of your telescope.
"But if the numbers start to increase, the likelihood of that happening if all the satellites are similar starts to increase."
A sky full of satellites
International law expert Steven Freeland told the ABC that in the coming decade, there will be somewhere between 100,000 and 500,000 more objects in space.
"The fact remains that space is becoming ever more crowded, particularly in areas that we know is low-Earth orbit — somewhere between 500 kilometres to about 1,000 kilometres or so above the Earth," he said.
"That's where many of these satellites will go."
Scientists are concerned that regulation is struggling to keep up with record number of satellites being launched into space with some describing it as the Wild West.
For astrophysicist Robin Cook, increased satellite activity has been a hindrance to his work, appearing like midges in the frame when he takes photos of deep space.
"You can imagine that if you've got this big telescope that's looking at the very furthest parts of the universe, and you have these things flying in your face."
And this interference is exactly what concerns Dr Di Vruno.
He is also the spectrum manager for the Square Kilometre Array Observatory, an international collaboration of scientists that are building cutting-edge radio telescopes in South Africa and the Murchison Shire in Western Australia to deepen understanding of the Universe.
"So, when these constellations start to get larger and larger, and you know, Starlink at the moment has a large number of satellites, but there are plans of having much, much larger constellations from many other countries," Dr Di Vruno said.
This is the first time scientists have used a very sensitive telescope to look precisely at satellites as they are passing to measure their emissions.
But Dr Di Vruno said although emissions from the Starlink satellites were unintended, the problem is not one covered by current space regulation.
"The regulation for this is not very clear," he said.
"For this unintended radiation there is no regulation in space."
"If you think [about] our electrical equipment at home; each device — if it radiates signals — you make sure when you connect it in your house it doesn't interfere with all of the other electrical equipment."
"You may be familiar with the CE mark [RCM mark in Australia] all these marks that TVs have or the fridge those are very stringent."
"On Earth whatever electrical equipment you buy has some very stringent tests. On Earth it's very clear.
"Satellite providers, satellite designers don't really look into that."
SKAO are now in discussion with Starlink about what can be done about the interference caused by its satellites.
Starlink has been contacted for comment. | Space Technology |
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Despite war and sanctions, Vladimir Putin is trying to haul Russia back into the space race.
In the early hours of Friday morning, state space agency Roscosmos launched the country's first lunar mission in nearly half a century as an ambitious play in the scramble to build a base on the moon.
“If they pull it off, it will be a massive technological and scientific achievement,” said Tim Marshall, author of "The Future of Geography" on the geopolitics of space. He argues a successful Russian landing, and fruitful year of research, would mark a big step forward in plans to build a moon base with China by the 2030s.
Russia's Luna-25 mission is being dispatched to scope out the lunar south pole, where scientists believe there's a plentiful supply of water locked in ice in the perpetual shade of mountain ridges. Firming up water reserves is a critical requirement for supporting life on the moon with breathable oxygen, drinking water and even rocket fuel, which would then help space-faring nations further explore the cosmos from any lunar outpost in the future.
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“The first goal is to find the water, to confirm that it is there ... to study its abundance," said Olga Zakutnyaya, from the Space Research Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, of Luna-25's main aim.
But simply successfully landing a spacecraft on the rocky lunar south pole — which would be a first in itself — would also prove to Beijing that Moscow still has something to offer when it comes to cutting-edge aerospace technology. The two countries have already pledged to work together to build a moon base by the 2030s, but Beijing is the clear leader these days.
"Putin knows that Russia is the junior partner in the China relationship, including in the space relationship," said Marshall, arguing that the Luna-25 mission could help rebalance the scales.
On the other side of the geopolitical divide, the United States is planning to send astronauts to the south pole later this decade as part of its Artemis program supported by Canada and European countries.
And, despite the competition, NASA doesn't seem worried about Moscow's mission.
“I don't think that a lot of people at this point would say that Russia is actually ready to be landing cosmonauts on the moon in the timeframe that we're talking about,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said during a panel on Tuesday in response to Luna-25.
Pole race
Only three countries — the United States, China and the Soviet Union — have successfully landed spacecraft on the moon, and only the Americans have put boots on the lunar surface.
The likes of India, Japan and Israel have all tried and failed of late. In 2019, India’s Chandrayaan-2 mission crashed, while an earlier attempt by Israeli firms with Beresheet also failed that year. In April, Japanese start-up ipsace also saw its Hakuto-R Mission 1 crash.
Trying again, India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission, which literally translates as "moon vehicle" in Sanskrit, is scheduled to reach the surface on August 23 to explore the south pole, around the same time that Luna-25 is planning to attempt to land nearby.
“The fact that both Russia and India are targeting to land in the same, albeit large, region of the moon highlights that certain areas are more valuable than others,” said Benjamin Silverstein, an analyst for the Carnegie Space Project at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
While Roscosmos insists there's no chance of collision, a lack of agreed regulations for who can do what on celestial bodies like the moon means countries are deciding their own rules of the road when planning missions.
First landers on the lunar south pole could work up their own preferred standards and expect newcomers to follow their lead rather than relying on the slow and laborious process of trying to fix agreed lunar governance norms, Silverstein said.
The U.S.-backed Artemis accords sets out Washington's preferred principles for a fresh era of space exploration, and would controversially allow countries to claim exclusive access to certain commercial zones around, for example, a moon base next to icy or resource-rich deposits.
“The growth [of Artemis signatories] to 29 shows that without question it’s going to be the dominant space bloc of the century, but for the foreseeable future they will never get China, Russia or their allies on board,” said Marshall.
Even without the politics, landing a spacecraft on the mountainous terrain of the moon's dark poles isn't easy.
“The south pole has a lot of craters and is very rocky,” said Nico Dettmann, the European Space Agency’s lead on lunar exploration, adding that a target accuracy of within 100 to 200 meters is required to be certain of a soft landing.
Current thruster and mapping technology, such as that deployed on Luna-25, will only be able to home in on a location between 15 and 30 kilometers from the target point, he said. "These space technology developments take time."
Luna-25 had been set to include demonstrator navigation camera systems from the ESA as part of a cooperation deal, but that's been scrapped due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, along with a separate mission to Mars dubbed ExoMars.
This article was updated to reflect that Russia had launched the lunar mission. | Space Technology |
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. CNN — SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy — a towering, three-pronged vehicle that is the most powerful operational rocket in the world — returned to the skies on Tuesday for the first time since mid-2019. The rocket launched at 9:41 a.m. ET from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, hauling satellites to space for the US military in a secretive mission dubbed USSF-44. The Falcon Heavy debuted in 2018 to much fanfare as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk elected to launch his personal Tesla Roadster as a test payload on the launch. The car is still in space, taking an oblong path around the sun that swings out as far as Mars’ orbital path. Since that first test mission, SpaceX has launched only two other Falcon Heavy missions, both in 2019. One sent a hulking TV and phone service satellite to orbit for Saudi Arabia-based Arabsat, and the other delivered a batch of experimental satellites for the US Department of Defense. But the rocket had not launched since 2019, as the vast majority of SpaceX’s missions don’t require the Falcon Heavy’s amped up power. SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9 rocket, on the other hand, has launched nearly 50 missions so far this year alone. With each Falcon Heavy launch, the rocket puts on a dramatic showing back on Earth. SpaceX has attempted to land all three of the rocket’s boosters — the tall white sticks that are strapped together to give the rocket its heightened power at liftoff — back on landing pads on land and at sea so that they can be refurbished and reused on future missions. It does this to cut down on mission costs. SpaceX has yet to land and recover all three rocket boosters after the same mission, although it’s come dramatically close. The two side boosters made a pinpoint, synchronized landing on ground pads after an April 2019 mission, and the rocket’s center booster touched down on a sea-faring platform. But then, rough waves at sea toppled it over. After Tuesday’s mission, the company only attempted to recover two of the Falcon Heavy rocket’s first-stage rocket boosters. The center booster was left to plunge into the ocean, where it’ll remain discarded, because it did not have enough leftover fuel to guide its journey home, according to a news release from the US military’s Space Systems Command. The side boosters, however, made their signature synchronized landing on ground pads near the Florida coastline. Though the Falcon Heavy is the most powerful operational rocket in the world, there are two massive rockets waiting in the wings to claim that title. NASA’s Space Launch System, or SLS, rocket, which is currently slated to attempt its inaugural launch later in November to send the uncrewed Artemis 1 mission around the moon, is sitting in the Kennedy Space Center’s towering Vehicle Assembly Building, which lies just a few miles from the launch pad where the Falcon Heavy will take flight. While the Falcon Heavy gives off about five million pounds of thrust, SLS is expected to put off as much as 8.8 million pounds of thrust — 15% more thrust than the Saturn V rockets that powered the mid-20th Century moon landings. And just across the Gulf Coast, at SpaceX’s experimental facilities in South Texas, the company is in the final stages of preparing for the first orbital launch attempt of its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket. Though the test flight is still awaiting final approval from federal regulators, it could take flight before the end of the year. The Starship system is expected to out-power both SLS and Falcon Heavy by a wide margin. The forthcoming Super Heavy booster, which is designed to vault the Starship spacecraft into space, is expected to put off about 17 million pounds of thrust alone. Both the SLS rocket and SpaceX’s Starship are integral to NASA’s plans to return astronauts to the surface of the moon for the first time in half a century. SpaceX also has its own, ambitious vision for the Starship: ferrying humans and cargo to Mars in the hopes of one day establishing a permanent human settlement there. There is not much publicly available information about the USSF-44 mission. In a news release, the US military’s Space Systems Command said only that the launch will put multiple satellites into orbit on behalf of the Space Systems Command’s Innovation and Prototyping Delta, which is focused on quickly developing space technology as it relates to tracking objects in space as well as a range of other activities. The Space System Command declined to provide additional information about the mission when reached by email. It referred questions to the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, which also declined comment. The US military is one of the primary drivers of the domestic rocket economy, doling out lucrative launch contracts that are coveted by private launch companies including SpaceX and its chief competitor in the area, United Launch Alliance, which is a joint operation between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. | Space Technology |
NASA navigators are helping build a future where spacecraft could safely and autonomously fly themselves to destinations like the Moon and Mars. Navigators today tell a spacecraft where to go by calculating its position from Earth and sending the location data to space in a two-way relay system that can take anywhere from minutes to hours to deliver directions. This method of navigation means that no matter how far a mission travels through the solar system, our spacecraft are still tethered to the ground, waiting for commands from our planet.That limitation poses obvious problems for a future crewed mission to another planet. How can astronauts navigate far from Earth if they don't have immediate control over where they're going? And how can they accurately land on another planet when there's a communication delay that affects how quickly they can adjust their trajectory into the atmosphere?NASA's Deep Space Atomic Clock is a toaster-size device that aims to answer those questions. It's the first GPS-like instrument small and stable enough to fly on a spacecraft. The technology demonstration enables the spacecraft to know where it is without needing to rely on that data from Earth. In late June, the clock will launch on the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket into Earth's orbit for one year, where it will test whether it can help spacecraft locate themselves in space.If the Deep Space Atomic Clock's trial year in space goes well, it could pave the way for a future of one-way navigation in which astronauts are guided by a GPS-like system across the surface of the Moon or can safely fly their own missions to Mars and beyond."Every spacecraft exploring deep space is steered by navigators here on Earth. Deep Space Atomic Clock will change that by enabling onboard autonomous navigation, or self-driving spacecraft," said Jill Seubert, the deputy principal investigator. There's No GPS in Deep SpaceAtomic clocks in space aren't new. Every GPS device and smartphone determines its location via atomic clocks on satellites orbiting Earth. The satellites send signals from space, and the receiver triangulates your position by measuring how long the signals take to reach your GPS.Currently, spacecraft flying beyond Earth's orbit don't have a GPS to find their way through space. Atomic clocks on GPS satellites aren't accurate enough to send directions to spacecraft, when being off by even less than a second could mean missing a planet by miles.Instead, navigators use giant antennas on Earth to send a signal to the spacecraft, which bounces it back to Earth. Extremely precise clocks on the ground measure how long it takes the signal to make this two-way journey. The amount of time tells them how far away the spacecraft is and how fast it's going. Only then can navigators send directions to the spacecraft, telling it where to go."It's the same exact concept as an echo," said Seubert. "If I'm standing in front of a mountain and I shout, the longer it takes for the echo to come back to me, the farther away the mountain is."Two-way navigation means that no matter how deep into space a mission goes, it still has to wait for a signal carrying commands to cross the vast distances between planets. It's a process made famous by Mars landings like Curiosity, when the world waited 14 long minutes with mission control for the rover to send the message that it landed safely. That delay is an average wait time: Depending on where Earth and Mars are in their orbits, it can take anywhere from 4 to 20 minutes for a one-way signal to travel between planets.It's a slow, laborious way to navigate in deep space, one that ties up the giant antennas of NASA's Deep Space Network like a busy phone line. During this exchange, a spacecraft flying at tens of thousands of miles per hour could be in an entirely different place by the time it "knows" where it is. A Better Way to NavigateAn atomic clock small enough to fly on a mission but precise enough to give accurate directions could eliminate the need for this two-way system. Future navigators would send a signal from Earth to a spacecraft. Like its Earthly cousins, the Deep Space Atomic Clock onboard would measure the amount of time it took that signal to reach it. The spacecraft could then calculate its own position and trajectory, essentially giving itself directions."Having a clock onboard would enable onboard radio navigation and, when combined with optical navigation, make for a more accurate and safe way for astronauts to be able to navigate themselves," said Deep Space Atomic Clock Principal Investigator Todd Ely.This one-way navigation has applications for Mars and beyond. DSN antennas would be able to communicate with multiple missions at a time by broadcasting one signal into space. The new technology could improve the accuracy of GPS on Earth. And multiple spacecraft with Deep Space Atomic Clocks could orbit Mars, creating a GPS-like network that would give directions to robots and humans on the surface."The Deep Space Atomic Clock will have the ability to aid in navigation, not just locally but in other planets as well. One way to think of it is as if we had GPS at other planets," said Eric Burt, the ion clock development lead.Burt and fellow JPL clock physicists Robert Tjoelker and John Prestage created a mercury ion clock, which maintains its stability in space in the same way as refrigerator-size atomic clocks on Earth. In lab tests, the Deep Space Atomic Clock proved to be 50 times more accurate than GPS clocks. That's an error of 1 second every 10 million years.The clock's demonstration in space will determine whether it can remain stable in orbit. If it does, a Deep Space Atomic Clock could fly on a mission as early as the 2030s. The first step toward self-driving spacecraft that could one day carry humans to other worlds.The Deep Space Atomic Clock is hosted on a spacecraft provided by General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems of Englewood, Colorado. It is sponsored by the Technology Demonstration Missions program within NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate and the Space Communications and Navigations program within NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. JPL manages the project.Source: NASA press release If you enjoy our selection of content please consider following Universal-Sci on social media: | Space Technology |
India's moon rover has snapped the first photo of its mothership on the lunar surface — a week after the nation made history with its Chandrayaan-3 mission.
The country beat the likes of Russia, China and the US to become the first state to land a spacecraft on the lunar south pole on August 23.
Not only that, but it did so with a modest budget of $73 million (£57 million), which is less money than it cost to make the Hollywood space movies Interstellar and Gravity.
The two-week mission has now reached its halfway mark, with the Pragyan moon rover and Vikram lander racing to finish their ground-breaking exploration before the solar-powered batteries on both vehicles run dry.
Neither craft is expected to survive the upcoming two-week lunar night.
Before this happens, however, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) made sure to capture what its Vikram lander looks like through the eyes of Pragyan.
Officials from the ISRO released two black and white images which show the lander sitting proudly on the dust-covered lunar surface.
'Smile, please! Pragyan Rover clicked an image of Vikram Lander this morning,' ISRO said in a post sharing the images on X (formerly Twitter).
'The "image of the mission" was taken by the Navigation Camera onboard the Rover (NavCam).'
One of the images shows two of Vikram's science sensors deployed on the lunar surface — the Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) and the Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA).
The Chandrayaan-3 mission landed on the moon on August 23. A day later Pragyan descended from Vikram and has been roaming around ever since.
Among its scientific work so far is the distinction of being the first machine to find chemical elements on the moon's south pole 'in situ' – so in the place it exists, rather than detected from a distance by an orbiter.
It has recorded evidence of sulphur, aluminium, calcium, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese, silicon, and oxygen, while the search for hydrogen is now under way.
Sara Russell, a professor of planetary sciences at the Natural History Museum in London, said the rover's discovery has 'really important implications' for both researchers and astronauts.
'Sulphur is usually bonded to important metals like iron and nickel, and these may be important ores that could be used by future astronauts to enable them to live and work on the moon,' she told MailOnline.
'We already know that the moon contains sulphur, from our analyses of rocks returned from the moon by space missions, and from lunar meteorites.
'What we don't really know is the distribution and abundance of sulphur on the moon.
'This has really important implications for understanding the way the moon evolved.
'For example how much sulphur was lost when the moon first formed in a giant impact, and today how do the different rock layers of the moon differ in composition?'
ISRO has been regularly tweeting updates about the progress of its Chandrayaan-3 mission over the past week, including sharing amazing photos of the lunar south region.
Science instruments on both the lander and rover will be active for a total of just one lunar day (14 Earth days) before losing power — a relatively short mission.
Once the time period is up, the rover and lander will become inactive on the moon and bring the mission to the end.
Chandrayaan-3's instruments will end their days covered in lunar dust, although it is not impossible that manned missions to our natural satellite could recover their parts for reuse.
Although India is the fourth country after the US, Russia and China to safely land a craft on the moon, it made history as the first to do so on the moon's south pole.
Russia tried to land a spacecraft on the lunar south on August 19 but spectacularly failed when it spun out of control and smashed — leaving the path free for India to seal the achievement instead.
Chandrayaan-3 actually left Earth more than a month ago, aboard a rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre north of Chennai on July 14.
India's spacecraft has taken much longer to reach the moon than NASA's Apollo missions, which arrived in a matter of days, because the Asian nation is using much less powerful rockets.
China and US will follow India's success with their own attempts to land at the moon's south pole Along with India and Russia, China and the US are also part of the race to put spacecraft on the moon's south pole. Although India has won the race to be the first, the other three nations are expected to become the second to do it later this decade China's Chang'e 7 robotic exploration mission, scheduled for 2026, has the lunar south pole as its destination. Meanwhile, the US's Artemis programme run by NASA, not content just with landing an uncrewed robotic gadget at the lunar south, wants to send humans instead. The Artemis III mission, which will land the first woman and the first person of colour on the moon, is planned for 2025, but NASA recently admitted this could be pushed back. Russia's attempt to be the first to land at the south pole - Luna 25 - failed just days before India took the record. Russia's mission - a follow-up to Luna 24 back in 1976 - failed when it spun out of control and smashed. Valery Yegorov, a former researcher with Russia's space programme who now lives in exile, said the crash would severely affect Roscosmos's future missions, with the next one not planned until 2028 or 'even later'. India has a comparatively low-budget aerospace programme, but one that has grown considerably in size and momentum since it first sent a probe to orbit the moon in 2008 (Chandrayaan-1). Its Chandrayaan-3 mission has a price tag of $74.6million - far lower than those of other countries, and a testament to India's frugal space engineering. Experts say India can keep costs low by copying and adapting existing space technology, and thanks to an abundance of highly skilled engineers who earn a fraction of their foreign counterparts' wages. In 2014, India became the first Asian nation to put a satellite into orbit around Mars and is slated to launch a three-day manned mission into Earth's orbit by next year. India is also working with the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) on Chandrayaan-4, which would also land at the moon's south but have a much longer lifespan. Launch of Chandrayaan-4 is tentatively scheduled for 2025 or 2026. | Space Technology |
Microsoft plans to collaborate with the Indian space agency to give Indian space tech startups free access to cloud tools, the two said Thursday, the latest in the U.S. tech giant’s attempts to deepen its ties with young firms in the South Asian market.
As part of a memorandum of understanding that Microsoft has signed with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the firm will also provide space tech startups with go-to-market support and help them become enterprise ready, it said.
Startups handpicked by ISRO will be onboarded to the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub platform, where they will receive free access to several tools and resources. These tools include help with building and scaling on Azure, as well as GitHub Enterprise, Visual Studio Enterprise, Microsoft 365 and Power BI and Dynamics 365.
“ISRO’s collaboration with Microsoft will greatly benefit space tech startups in their analysis and processing of vast amounts of satellite data for various applications, using cutting-edge methods like AI, Machine Learning and Deep Learning,” said S Somanath, chairman of ISRO, in a statement.
“The Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is a useful platform for bringing together startups and providers of technology solutions to support the national space technology ecosystem. We are pleased to work together to assist and support entrepreneurs, to in turn benefit the Indian economy as a whole.”
Indian space tech startups are having a moment.
In June 2020, the Indian government passed the space sector reforms and established the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) to allow private companies to use ISRO’s infrastructure. The government also set up NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) as the commercial arm of the space agency to work closely with private companies and startups.
In November last year, ISRO successfully launched the Vikram-S after much anticipation in a boost to the private sector. The Vikram-S, developed by four-year-old startup Skyroot Aerospace, is a single-stage, spin-stabilized solid-propellant rocket with a mass of around 550 kilograms. It carries three customer payloads, including one from a customer outside India.
The South Asian nation has 111 space startups registered on the IN-SPACe platform, per an official response shared in the upper house of the country’s parliament in December.
While startups such as GIC-backed Skyroot Aerospace and Rocketship.vc-invested Agnikul are into developing launch vehicles, Blume Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners–backed Pixxel and ANIC-ARISE and Kalaari Capital–invested Digantara are building satellites.
Indian space startups raised over $245.35 million, with $108.52 million infused in 2022 alone, according to the data the Indian Space Association (ISpA) shared with TechCrunch.
Microsoft has made scores of announcements in India this week as chief executive Satya Nadella visits the South Asian market. The company said earlier this week that HDFC Bank and Yes Bank have signed up to use Azure and other Microsoft cloud services. | Space Technology |
In order to be able to carry heavier payloads through deep space, NASA designed a lightweight rocket engine nozzle made of aluminum that can still withstand the heat of launches.
NASA recently tested two 3D printed nozzles at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, proving that they can operate in the most demanding deep space environments, the space agency announced. Under a partnership with Elementum 3D, the NASA-funded Reactive Additive Manufacturing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or RAMFIRE, project focuses on advancing lightweight, additively manufactured aluminum rocket nozzles.
The nozzles operated for nearly 10 minutes during multiple hot fire tests using liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, as well as liquid oxygen and liquid methane fuel configurations with pressure chambers in excess of 825 pounds per square inch. “This test series marks a significant milestone for the nozzle,” Paul Gradl, RAMFIRE principal investigator at NASA’s Marshall, said in a statement. “After putting the nozzle through the paces of a demanding hot-fire test series, we’ve demonstrated the nozzle can survive the thermal, structural, and pressure loads for a lunar lander scale engine.”
Rocket engine nozzles are made of a variety of material, including graphite, ceramics or refractory metals. Aluminum has a major advantage over other metals as it is lower in density and is therefore high strength while being lightweight. The only problem is that aluminum has a very low tolerance to extreme heat, and that’s why it is typically not used for additive manufacturing of rocket engine parts.
RAMFIRE set out to create a weldable type of aluminum that is heat resistant enough for use on rocket engines. The RAMFIRE nozzles are designed with small internal channels that keep them cool enough to prevent melting.
The ability to manufacture lightweight rocket components capable of withstanding high structural loads would allow NASA to send more cargo to deep space destinations. “Mass is critical for NASA’s future deep space missions,” John Vickers, principal technologist for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, said in a statement. “Projects like this mature additive manufacturing along with advanced materials, and will help evolve new propulsion systems, in-space manufacturing, and infrastructure needed for NASA’s ambitious missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.”
The RAMFIRE nozzle is also built as a single piece using advanced 3D printing methods, requiring far fewer bonds and significantly reducing manufacturing time, according to NASA. Regular manufacturing, on the other hand, may require as many as a thousand individually joined parts. “We’ve reduced the steps involved in the manufacturing process, allowing us to make large-scale engine components as a single build in a matter of days,” Gradl said.
The RAMFIRE aluminum material and additive manufacturing process was also used to construct other rocket components such as a 36-inch diameter aerospike nozzle with complex integral coolant channels and a vacuum-jacketed tank for cryogenic fluid applications. | Space Technology |
China launched its youngest-ever crew for its orbiting space station on Thursday as it seeks to put astronauts on the moon before 2030.
The Shenzhou 17 spacecraft lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China atop a Long March 2-F rocket at 11:14 a.m. (0314 GMT)
According to the China Manned Space Agency, the average age of the three-member crew is the youngest since the launch of the space station construction mission, state broadcaster CCTV earlier reported. Their average age is 38, state media China Daily said.
Beijing is pursuing plans to place astronauts on the moon before the end of the decade amid a rivalry with the U.S. for reaching new milestones in outer space. This reflects the competition for influence between the world's two largest economies in the technology, military and diplomatic fields.
The trio — Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin — will replace a crew that has been on the station for six months. Tang is a veteran who led a 2021 space mission for three months.
The new crew will conduct experiments in space medicine, space technology and other areas during their mission and will help install and maintain the equipment inside and outside the station, the agency said.
On Wednesday, the agency also announced plans to send a new telescope to probe deep into the universe. CCTV said the telescope would enable surveys and mapping of the sky, but no timeframe was given for the installation.
China has researched the movement of stars and planets for thousands of years while in modern times, it has pushed to become a leader in space exploration and science.
It built its own space station after it was excluded from the International Space Station, largely due to U.S. concerns over the control of the program by the People’s Liberation Army, the military branch of the ruling Communist Party.
China’s first manned space mission in 2003 made it the third country after the former Soviet Union and the U.S. to put a person into space using its own resources.
American spending, supply chains and capabilities are believed to give it a significant edge over China, at least for now. China has broken out in some areas, however, bringing samples back from the lunar surface for the first time in decades and landing a rover on the less explored far side of the moon.
The U.S., meanwhile, aims to put astronauts back on the lunar surface by the end of 2025 as part of a renewed commitment to crewed missions, aided by private sector players such as SpaceX and Blue Origin.
In addition to their lunar programs, the two countries have also separately landed rovers on Mars, and China plans to follow the U.S. in landing a spacecraft on an asteroid. | Space Technology |
In an effort to prevent falling rockets from landing on populated areas, China tested a parachute system designed to control where its rocket boosters land back on Earth.
China successfully carried out the first test of its parachute system during a recent launch of its Long March 3B rocket, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology announced on Friday. The rocket delivered a BeiDou navigation satellite to orbit, lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province on May 17, China’s state media Xinhua reported.
The news, which was delivered nearly a month after the test, doesn’t specify where the rocket booster landed. Instead, Xinhua stated that the rocket booster was brought down by the parachute to a “predetermined location,” and that the parachute narrowed the landing area by 80%.
Based on previous reports, the parachute system is designed to significantly narrow down the landing area for some of China’s Long March rocket boosters from 55 miles (90 kilometers) to 18 miles (30 kilometers). The system uses a parachute and a gliding control system installed on the side boosters of China’s Long March 3B, 3C and 2F rockets.
The rocket boosters don’t make it all the way to space, instead reaching an altitude of 31 miles (50 kilometers) above the surface, Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, told Gizmodo during an interview in March.
By bringing the boosters down gently, China also has a better chance of reusing them for future launches. “We’ll also make the landing area into a landing bed by adding cushion, making it soft as a mattress,” Teng Haishan, deputy chief engineer of the No. 508 Institute of China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), told CCTV in March. “As a result, the booster will be completely recyclable without any damage.”
China has a history of its rockets falling uncontrollably towards Earth, specifically its Long March 5B rocket (which weighs a whopping 21.6 metric tons). Two years ago, debris from the inaugural launch of the rocket fell onto the Ivory Coast, causing damage to people’s property. For the rocket’s second flight, the booster fell into the Indian Ocean away from populated areas while on its third flight in July 2022, pieces of the rocket came crashing down onto parts of Indonesia and Philippines.
Most recently, a Long March 5B core stage fell uncontrollably towards Earth in November 2022, breaking up over the eastern Pacific Ocean, with debris falling to the southwest of the Mexican coast. During its unpredictable descent, Spain was forced to shut down its airspace.
The parachute system would not be used on the Long March 5B as the larger rocket would require a more intricate system to safely land it within a predetermined area, namely an engine burn to steer it towards a designated spot away from populated regions.
As the space industry continues to grow, the more rockets that go up, the more they need to come down safely so as not to threaten the safety of people below. | Space Technology |
The first-ever collaboration on space technology between India and China may now be in the doldrums as a key scientific instrument produced in India for China’s Tiangong Space Station is struggling to secure export clearance.
An application for an export license for the Spectroscopic Investigations of Nebular Gas (SING) equipment was submitted by a team from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bangalore last year. However, Indian scientists now contend that they have hit a roadblock while pushing for its export clearance, SCMP noted.
Almost a year after the decision was made to supply the equipment to China, the team says it has not learned of any new progress on the application. The project manager and astrophysicist Jayant Murthy told the media, “We completed everything two months ago. The instrument is now in the clean room, ready to fly.”
Although the inability to secure export clearance is worrying, it may not entirely be surprising to Indian scientists. The scientists had previously expressed concern that the Sino-Indian tensions that started with a border standoff in eastern Ladakh could cast a shadow on the export of the equipment.
Murthy earlier told the media, “We are cautiously hopeful that the project will progress as scheduled. Technical discussions on the payload are still on with China, and we have conveyed to them that we need an export clearance from Indian authorities to proceed. We have written to our relevant agencies and are awaiting their response.”
SING was jointly chosen as one of nine international experiments on board Tiangong by the China Manned Space Agency and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.
In 2019, nine groups from 42 applications, including scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, were chosen by a UN-led initiative that encouraged research teams from all over the world to compete for the opportunity to design payloads that will be shuttled to Tiangong.
The US$50,000 equipment, which is supposed to be put on Tiangong as part of the first India-China partnership in space science, is expected to scan the sky in the ultraviolet waveband as it orbits the Earth to assist researchers in better understanding the makeup and behavior of interstellar gas, the birth and death of stars, and other related phenomena.
In the past, India and China have worked together on research initiatives like the Giant Meter Wave Radio Telescope used by astronomers worldwide to study radiation at meter-scale resolutions to detect and analyze stars and galaxies. However, the SING project would be significant as Tiangong takes shape.
With the global community coming forward, the lack of export clearance for India’s SING is being viewed as a setback for India’s scientific community. If the SING makes it to China this year, it would perhaps be the first-ever international payload to operate on the Chinese space station.
Murthy told the media that even though the majority of SING’s components, such as a telescope and spectrograph, were created by him and his graduate students, the hostile relations between India and China did not help. “I’ve tried to explain that our instrument would be pointing up towards the sky and not looking down at the Earth at all, but that did not work,” he said.
When asked whether the delays in export could be attributed to the Sino-Indian tensions along the border, space, and defense expert, Omkar Nikam told EurAsian Times: “The current situation between India and China has definitely affected several segments, but consumer market and scientific cooperation still thrives. Though there are several complications, it is to be noted that encouraging such collaboration between two states with little or no common interests is something that will strengthen diplomatic ties and keep up healthy cooperation in critical sectors like space.
Although India and China regularly hold border talks, there has been little breakthrough, with New Delhi insisting that the PLA return to pre-2020 positions. While China continues to call for normalization in ties, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has consistently iterated that it was not an acceptable position.
Group Captain Arvind Pandey (Retd), a geospatial intelligence professional, told EurAsian Times: “The contract was bagged in a contest that is being overseen by the United Nations Outer Space Office and is not a bilateral thing between India and China, so it is unlikely that India will hold back the equipment. And it is being built in collaboration with the Russian Academy of Sciences. These reports generate in Chinese media to create a narrative that India is holding back crucial supplies. The equipment is bound to be cleared for export sooner or later.”
When the International Space Station (ISS), led by the United States, deorbits at the end of this decade, the Chinese Tiangong will be the only space station in the world. Researchers worldwide are now conducting experiments aboard the Tiangong in what is Beijing’s appeal to the global scientific community.
While the export delays may not be due to the bilateral tensions between the countries, it does, incidentally, come when India advances its space cooperation with the United States.
India-US Space Cooperation Is Taking Shape
The White House announced a significant development in bilateral space collaboration on June 22, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Washington, DC, for a meeting with American President Joe Biden. India became the 27th country to sign the US-led Artemis Accords.
The nations taking part in NASA’s Artemis program are governed by a set of practical principles laid forth in the Artemis Accords, establishing a framework for international collaboration on space exploration.
The agreement was a culmination of several attempts to advance space cooperation. For instance, a special US-India Space Technology Industry Workshop on Export Controls was held in April 2023, sponsored by the US Department of State’s Export Control and Border Security Group (EXBS) and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). This workshop was intended to “expand India’s commercial and defense cooperative engagement in the space sector.”
Welcome to the #Artemis Accords, India! 🇮🇳
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) June 24, 2023
With the signing of the Artemis Accord, India would be allowed to participate in the US-led Artemis initiative for the moon and other celestial object investigations. The agreement will also open the door for lifting import restrictions on critical technologies for space, particularly electronics, which is expected to help Indian businesses create new products and systems for US markets.
Additionally, and more significantly for the Indian science community, it will make it easier for India to participate in more joint scientific initiatives, give access to common standards for long-term collaborations on projects like human spaceflight initiatives, and foster stronger ties with the US in more strategically essential fields like microelectronics, quantum, space security, etc.
The Indian Minister for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, said, “Though India and the US have been collaborating in the Space sector for a long time, the journey in the last nine years of the Modi Government has taken off on a growth trajectory. India is no longer lagging in Space exploration, and today, we are equal partners in Deep Space Missions,” he said. Dr. Jitendra Singh clarified there are virtually no restrictions and no technology denial by the US. “We are today technologically capable,” he said.
On his part, NASA chief Bill Nelson has accused China of not cooperating in space and ushering in a space race instead. Earlier, he said in a press conference at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida that “we want cooperation that has not been forthcoming from the Chinese government [but] it takes two to tango.”
However, China lamented that it was the Wolf Amendment, introduced in 2011, which practically forbids any direct cooperation between NASA and its Chinese counterparts.
This may have made India’s cooperation with NASA and joining Artemis Accords an even deeper wound for China. On its part, Beijing continues to accuse the US of trying to contain China’s influence by making a regional clique using regional powers like India.
Against that backdrop and without a smooth bilateral relationship between India and China, the export license hanging in the air could be a setback for both sides. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not commented on the development.
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image: Purdue University engineers conduct deployment testing with a Spinnaker3 dragsail prototype. Vestigo Aerospace, which is commercializing the dragsail, has closed a seed funding round with an investment of $375,000 from Manhattan West; NASA will provide a 1:1 match through a SBIR Phase II-E contract. view more Credit: Photo provided by David Spencer LOS ANGELES and WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Vestigo Aerospace, a space technology company focused on deorbit systems, has closed a seed funding round with an investment of $375,000 from Manhattan West, a Los Angeles-based strategic investment firm. NASA will provide a 1:1 match of Manhattan West’s investment through a Small Business Innovative Research Phase II-Extended (SBIR Phase II-E) contract. The seed funding and the matching NASA SBIR Phase II-E award will enable Vestigo Aerospace to establish the commercial manufacturing process for Vestigo’s product line of dragsails currently in development. The dragsails are designed to enable the timely deorbit of space vehicles, including CubeSats, small satellites and launch vehicle upper stages. Initial sales are anticipated for 2023. Vestigo’s dragsails offer standardized mechanical and electrical interfaces to the host vehicle, allowing straightforward integration. The dragsails can be deployed on command or via a backup timer, providing reliable deorbit capability even if the host vehicle is inoperative. “The Spinnaker product line of dragsails addresses the growing need for reliable end-of-mission deorbit capability in order to maintain the sustainability of low-Earth orbit,” said David Spencer, founder and CEO of Vestigo Aerospace. “Bolt-on dragsails represent an ‘ounce of prevention’ approach to the orbital debris problem that, if left unchecked, could halt the growth of the orbital economy.” “At Manhattan West, we are committed to being active investors in emerging spaces and disruptive sectors, and identifying long-term secular shifts developing in the markets,” said Lorenzo Esparza, founding principal and CEO at Manhattan West. “We’re thrilled that our strategic investment in Vestigo will support the company’s development as it establishes its name as a leading player in deorbit systems and the space industry.” The Spinnaker dragsails are sized to enable the host vehicle to meet regulatory guidelines for deorbit duration. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission mandates deorbit from low-Earth orbit within 25 years of end-of-mission. The FCC offers streamlined licensing, with cost savings in application fees of over $440,000, for commercial small satellites that can deorbit within six years of launch. Before the seed round, Vestigo Aerospace funded dragsail technology development through NASA SBIR Phase I and Phase II contracts, and matching funds from Indiana-based Elevate Ventures. For more information on the evolution of Vestigo and its commercial dragsail solutions, visit vestigoaerospace.com. Spencer is a Purdue University adjunct associate professor from the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics and director of the Space Flight Projects Laboratory. Vestigo Aerospace licensed the dragsail technology through the Purdue Research Foundation of Office Technology Commercialization. The company was a client of the Purdue Foundry, an entrepreneurship and commercialization hub whose professionals help Purdue innovators create startups. About Vestigo Aerospace Established in 2019, Vestigo Aerospace has quickly become an industry leader in dragsail technology. Vestigo is committed to preserving the space environment and high-utility orbits through providing end-of-mission deorbit capability for space vehicles. For more information, visit vestigoaerospace.com. About Manhattan West Manhattan West is a global strategic investment firm based in Los Angeles that provides proprietary alternative investments across multiple asset classes including Private Equity, Venture Capital, Real Estate, Private Debt and traditional equity and fixed income portfolios, as well as financial services including business management, tax and planning. To learn more about us, visit manhattanwest.com. About Purdue Research Foundation Purdue Research Foundation supports Purdue University's land-grant mission by helping the university improve the world through its technologies and graduates. Established in 1930, PRF is a private, nonprofit foundation. The foundation helps patent and commercialize Purdue technologies; builds places to encourage innovation, invention, investment, commercialization and entrepreneurship; and makes equity available to students to finance their Purdue education. For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the Office of Technology Commercialization at [email protected]. For more information about involvement and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at [email protected]. Contacts: Vestigo Aerospace: [email protected], 818-928-9964 Manhattan West: StreetCred PR, [email protected]; Will Ruben, [email protected], 847-208-8289; Meaghan McNichol, [email protected], 412-720-3777 Purdue Research Foundation: Steve Martin, [email protected] Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. | Space Technology |
WASHINGTON, -- President Reagan has approved a new space policy that could lead to a return to the moon and eventual manned flights to Mars, a magazine reports.
Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine reports in its Jan. 18 edition that Reagan approved the new policy in early January and that he is expected to announce it during his State of the Union address Jan. 25.
'The policy endorses two key goals -- maintaining U.S. pre-eminence in manned Earth orbital flight and extending U.S. manned operations beyond Earth into the solar system,' the magazine said.
Pre-eminence in Earth orbital flight implies continuing support for NASA's budget-crippled space station as well as an endorsement of deep space missions such as a flight to Mars.
Aviation Week said the White House has given the National Aeronautics and Space Administration permission to begin a long-term program in 1989 to develop 'pathfinder' technologies necessary for a return to the moon by the end of the century and for manned flights to Mars early in the 21st century.
Funding for fiscal 1989 will total $100 million with the total cost of the pathfinder program estimated at $1 billion, Aviation Week said.
'The new policy initiatives were unanimously approved by the Senior Interagency Group for Space in late December and forwarded to the president for his signature,' the magazine said.
'NASA managers believe the policy represents a major victory for the embattled space agency, which fought hard against opposition from the Office of Management and Budget and other agencies, especially on key points regarding manned flight policy,' the magazine said.
Aviation Week also said the Reagan administration has approved a fiscal 1989 NASA budget request of $11.5 billion, $3 billion above the 1988 level. The magazine said the budget request includes funding for development of an advanced solid-fuel booster.
Aviation Week said engineers in Houston have developed preliminary mission concepts for a return to the moon that would include three manned landings around the end of the century by vehicles that could carry four astronauts and 48,000 pounds of cargo.
Eventually, a moon base could provide the raw materials needed for a manned Mars mission along with serving as a major science installation. | Space Technology |
In what might be a groundbreaking moment in space industry history, a new startup plans to launch not one but two space missions this year. This might not sound like a big deal, but the company wants to go into space to find and use minerals from asteroids and other deep-space objects. With the potentially infinite worth of valuable materials in deep space, asteroid mining startup AstroForge hopes its endeavors will pay off. If successful, this could result in a very healthy return. Asteroids are believed to contain various precious minerals, including metals such as iron, nickel, and cobalt, and rarer elements such as platinum and gold. They might also have water and other volatile substances that could be useful for future space exploration and settlement. However, it should be noted that the exact composition of asteroids can vary widely, and more research is needed to determine the specific minerals that can be found on individual asteroids. But, with so much potential valuable stuff out there for the taking, any company brave enough to attempt recovery will be paid significant dividends for their labors. Last year, AstroForge was reportedly preparing a demonstration mission this year when we covered the company's seed financing, according to TechCrunch. In addition to announcing a second trip planned later in the year that will send the business to a target asteroid for observation, AstroForge provided more information about that mission today.Most Popular Astroforge will use SpaceX to get them to spaceAlso, according to TechCrunch, the first mission will launch in April using a rideshare launch from SpaceX using the Transporter-7. The 6U CubeSat, supplied by the space technology firm OrbAstro, will have "asteroid-like material" pre-loaded to show off AstroForge's refinement and extraction powers in zero gravity. The second mission will send the company into the depths of space to gather information on an asteroid's surface that the company plans to mine later this decade."We have to find some way to get the regolith off the asteroid and process it in our refinery, and we believe we've solved that for our target asteroid," CEO Matt Gialich said in an interview with TechCrunch.He stated that to help identify the most potential asteroids to exploit, the corporation collaborates with academic advisors, NASA, and the nonprofit Planetary Science Institute. Additionally, the business and the Colorado School of Mines recently published a paper assessing the metal content of asteroids that may be mined, marketed as commodities on Earth, or utilized in space.The second trip will involve studying the target asteroid's surface using high-resolution photos, Gialich revealed. That publication stated that "textures of metal-rich asteroid surfaces remain to be examined." Besides the fact that the asteroid is closer to Earth than, for instance, a boulder in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, he declined to disclose anything more about it."The asteroid belts, far away, would take us like 14-year round trips," he said. "It's something that is much better suited for research and exploration. […] That's not a viable business case for us," he added.With Houston-based Intuitive Machines, the company will instead travel to lunar orbit before continuing to deep space. Once more powered by OrbAstro, AstroForge's spacecraft will embark on a shorter 11-month trek to the intended asteroid.The fourth mission, which would be the company's first refining mission to return platinum to Earth, and the third mission, which would land on the asteroid, is currently being planned by AstroForge. HomeInnovationFor You innovationDr. Erdogan is responsible for numerous technological advancements. AI-powered KE-BOT, a game-changing innovation in hair transplantation, is one of them. | Space Technology |
India will soon break ground on a detector that will hunt for tiny ripples in the fabric of space-time.
On April 6, the Indian Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved 26 billion rupees ($318 million) to start construction of a new gravitational wave observatory in the western state of Maharashtra. The observatory, which will work in tandem with four similar facilities around the world, is expected to be up and running by 2030.
"In a nutshell, it will add to our astronomical capabilities and will enable us to offer inputs and feedback not only to India but to rest of the world," Union Minister Shri Jitendra Singh said at a briefing (opens in new tab) on April 6, "thereby giving a global role to India through the medium of space technology."
Once ready, India's research facility will join the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) network of observatories that look for disruptions in the fabric of space-time, which are cosmic signals coming from some of the most violent events in the universe. When massive objects like black holes or neutron stars accelerate, their motion creates "waves of undulating space-time (opens in new tab)" commonly known as gravitational waves.
Scientists use LIGO detectors to search for evidence that gravitational waves — which radiate in all directions from their source and squeeze and stretch space-time ever so slightly — have passed by Earth.
For example, back in 2015, LIGO scientists detected, for the first time ever, gravitational waves created by merging black holes. The detection confirmed Albert Einstein's prediction that space and time are not distinct but are instead woven together in a fabric-like structure that curves, stretches and even warps, thanks to the gravity waves created by gigantic objects moving at high speeds, like balls circling each other on a rubber sheet. Scientists have so far detected (opens in new tab) at least 50 such signals from merging black holes and neutron stars.
Each time a LIGO detector picks up a signal, scientists need to confirm that the candidate signal is really from an event in space like merging black holes and not from the many noise sources on Earth like earthquakes, traffic or even the detector itself. So one of the ways they rule out false positives is by looking for similar signals from four LIGO detectors spread worldwide: Twin facilities in Washington State and Louisiana in the U.S., a third detector called Virgo in Italy and a fourth named Kamioka Gravitational-Wave Detector (KAGRA) in Japan.
With this network of four detectors, scientists say they can nail down the sources that beam out gravitational waves, no matter where in the sky the objects are located. So they are keen to have all four running together. To make sure that happens and also factor in downtimes, "you really need more than four in a network," according to the LIGO team (opens in new tab). "LIGO India will be the all-important fifth."
LIGO-India, first approved in 2016 as a sister facility to join the group, is a joint effort among three Indian research institutes and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which together operate the U.S.-based LIGO detectors.
Seven years after the project's initial acceptance, the Indian government has now greenlit its construction in Hingoli, a city about 366 miles (590 kilometers) east of Maharashtra's capital Mumbai. The city has reserved 174 acres (70 hectares) of land for the upcoming facility, and the U.S. will provide infrastructure totaling about $60 million, including hardware necessary to build the interferometer itself as well as technical data and training for its design and installation, The Times of India's Surendra Singh reported on April 6 Thursday (opens in new tab).
Once operational, the detector "will enable the dramatic astronomy and astrophysics returns eagerly anticipated from the global network of LIGO gravitational wave detectors in the coming decade," said Tarun Souradeep, director of Raman Research Institute in India and the former spokesperson for LIGO-India, according to The Hindu. | Space Technology |
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SRIHARIKOTA, India (AP) — An Indian spacecraft blazed its way toward the far side of the moon Friday in a follow-up mission to its failed effort nearly four years ago to land a rover on the lunar surface, the country’s space agency said.
Chandrayaan-3, the word for “moon craft” in Sanskrit, took off from a launchpad in Sriharikota in southern India with an orbiter, a lander and a rover, in a demonstration of India’s emerging space technology. The spacecraft embarked on a journey that is expected to last slightly over a month before landing on the moon’s surface later in August.
Applause and cheers swept through mission control at Satish Dhawan Space Center, where the Indian Space Research Organization’s engineers and scientists celebrated as they monitored the launch of the spacecraft. Thousands of Indians cheered outside the mission control center and waved the national flag as they watched the spacecraft rise into the sky.
WATCH MORE: Remembering Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian American to go to space
“Congratulations India. Chandrayaan-3 has started its journey towards the moon,” ISRO Director Sreedhara Panicker Somanath said shortly after the launch.
A successful landing would make India the fourth country — after the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China — to achieve the feat.
The six-wheeled lander and rover module of Chandrayaan-3 is configured with payloads that would provide data to the scientific community on the properties of lunar soil and rocks, including chemical and elemental compositions, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, junior minister for Science and Technology.
India’s previous attempt to land a robotic spacecraft near the moon’s little-explored south pole ended in failure in 2019. It entered the lunar orbit but lost touch with its lander that crashed while making its final descent to deploy a rover to search for signs of water. According to a failure analysis report submitted to the ISRO, the crash was caused by a software glitch.
The $140-million mission in 2019 was intended to study permanently shadowed moon craters that are thought to contain water deposits and were confirmed by India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission in 2008.
Somanath said the main objective of the mission this time was a safe and soft landing on the moon. He said the Indian space agency has perfected the art of reaching up to the moon, “but it is the landing that the agency is working on.”
Numerous countries and private companies are in a race to successfully land a spacecraft on the lunar surface. In April, a Japanese company’s spacecraft apparently crashed while attempting to land on the moon. An Israeli nonprofit tried to achieve a similar feat in 2019, but its spacecraft was destroyed on impact.
READ MORE: SpaceX launches private flight carrying Saudi Arabia’s 1st woman astronaut to ISS
With nuclear-armed India emerging as the world’s fifth-largest economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nationalist government is eager to show off the country’s prowess in security and technology.
“Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India’s space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian,” Modi said in a tweet after the launch.
India is using research from space and elsewhere to solve problems at home. Its space program has already helped develop satellite, communication and remote-sensing technologies and has been used to gauge underground water levels and predict weather in the country, which is prone to cycles of drought and flood.
“This is a very critical mission,” said Pallava Bagla, a science writer and co-author of books on India’s space exploration, adding that India will require soft landing technology if it wants to attempt more missions to the moon.
India is also looking forward to its first mission to the International Space Station next year, in collaboration with the United States as part of agreements between Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House last month.
This one-off visit by an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station will not hamper India’s own program, which aims to launch an Indian astronaut from Indian soil on an Indian rocket in late 2024, Bagla said.
As part of its own space program, active since the 1960s, India has launched satellites for itself and other countries, and successfully put one in orbit around Mars in 2014.
Singh said that based on the current trajectory of growth, India’s space sector could be a trillion-dollar economy in the coming years.
As of April, India has launched 424 satellites for 34 countries, including Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The ISRO has earned approximately 1.1 billion rupees ($13.4 million) in the past five years from the launch of foreign satellites, the minister told India’s Parliament in December.
Sharma reported from New Delhi.
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China is building sophisticated cyber weapons to “seize control” of enemy satellites, rendering them useless for data signals or surveillance during wartime, according to a leaked US intelligence report.
The US assesses that China’s push to develop capabilities to “deny, exploit or hijack” enemy satellites is a core part of its goal to control information, which Beijing considers to be a key “war-fighting domain.”
The CIA-marked document, which was issued this year and has been reviewed by the Financial Times, was one of dozens allegedly shared by a 21-year-old US Air Guardsman in the most significant American intelligence disclosures in more than a decade.
A cyber capability of this nature would far exceed anything Russia has deployed in Ukraine, where electronic warfare teams have taken a brute-force approach with little effect.
These attacks, first developed in the 1980s, attempt to drown out signals between low-orbit SpaceX satellites and their on-ground terminals by broadcasting on similar frequencies from truck-borne jamming systems such as the Tirada-2.
China’s more ambitious cyber attacks aim to mimic the signals that enemy satellites receive from their operators, tricking them into either being taken over completely or malfunctioning during crucial moments in combat.
The classified US document said this cyber capability would allow China “to seize control of a satellite, rendering it ineffective to support communications, weapons, or intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems.” The US has never disclosed whether it has similar capabilities.
Taiwan, which has taken note of how indispensable satellite communications have been to the Ukrainian military, is seeking to build out communications infrastructure that can survive an attack from China.
It is courting investors to establish its own satellite provider, while experimenting with non-geostationary satellite receivers in 700 locations around Taiwan to guarantee bandwidth in the event of war or disasters, the Financial Times reported in January.
In a sign of how crucial satellite communications have become in warfare, a Russian cyber attack succeeded in rendering thousands of Ukrainian military routers from US-based Viasat ineffective in the hours before it launched its full-scale invasion on February 24 last year. A Ukrainian official described the attack at the time as “catastrophic.”
It also knocked out service to thousands of Viasat customers in Poland, Italy, and Germany, where several hundred wind turbines were affected.
The Viasat hack, while sophisticated, involved breaking into the company’s computer systems and sending out instructions to the modems that caused them to malfunction.
China’s goals, according to the leaked assessment, are far more advanced. They would seek to knock out the ability of satellites—which tend to operate in interconnected clusters—to communicate with each other, to relay signals and orders to weapons systems, or to send back visual and intercepted electronic data, according to experts.
US military officials have warned that China has made significant progress in developing military space technology, including in satellite communications.
General B Chance Saltzman, commander of the US Space Force, told Congress last month that Beijing was aggressively pursuing counter-space capabilities in an effort to realize its “space dream” of becoming the foremost power beyond the Earth’s atmosphere by 2045.
“China continues to aggressively invest in technology meant to disrupt, degrade, and destroy our space capabilities,” he said.
Saltzman said China’s military had deployed 347 satellites, including 35 launched in the past six months, aimed at monitoring, tracking, targeting, and attacking US forces in any future conflict.
Charlie Moore, a retired Air Force general who served as deputy of US cyber command, said China was making huge efforts to counter the asymmetric advantage that the US had in the cyber and space domains.
“China understands the superiority that the United States has in the space and cyber domains, so they are very interested in not only improving their own capabilities but in capitalizing on what we refer to as a first-mover advantage in both domains,” said Moore, now a visiting professor at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.
“They are working on all the capabilities that they want to have from a defensive and offensive standpoint, and from an ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] standpoint. They’re firing on all cylinders,” he said.
The National Security Council, the CIA, and the Pentagon declined to comment. The Chinese government had no immediate comment.
Additional reporting from Joe Leahy in Beijing. | Space Technology |
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel's world-leading aerospace and defense company announced on Tuesday a cooperation agreement for the sale of two cutting-edge satellites to Azercosmos, a pioneering force of Azerbaijan in the space industry
The satellites are uniquely advanced, having better than 0.5-meter native resolution and a long life span with high imaging performance.
This groundbreaking deal represents an important advancement in space technology and cooperation between the two companies.
Under the terms of the agreement, IAI will provide Azercosmos with two satellites within the Azersky-2 program, as well as technology and knowledge for the construction and operation of the satellites.
The sky is not the limit
IAI President and CEO, Boaz Levy said of the deal "For IAI, the sky is not a limit but merely the starting point for our systems capabilities.
Our commitment to innovation and exploration motivates us to partner with the foremost experts in the global space community, as we ambitiously shape the future of space observation together. IAI is proud of winning the tender for Azerbaijan, and we are sure that this collaboration will propel us to new heights."
Azercosmos Chairman of the Board, Samaddin Asadov said in the press release “This project is unique for both Azercosmos and Israel Aerospace Industries, and will undoubtedly contribute to the development of space cooperation between our countries.”
As part of the agreement, the two companies will also establish a number of other projects including the building of new centers for innovation and development as well as academic and learning programs. | Space Technology |
Spanish company PLD Space plans to launch one of its rockets for the first time ever today (Oct. 6), and you can watch the action live.
PLD Space's Miura 1 suborbital rocket is scheduled to lift off today from the El Arenosillo Test Center at the National Institute of Aerospace Technology in Huelva, Spain, during an eight-hour window that opens at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT on Oct. 7).
You can watch it live here at Space.com when the time comes, courtesy of PLD Space, or directly via the company. Coverage is expected to begin at 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT).
¡Volvemos a intentarlo! 🚀💫MIURA 1 está preparado para su inminente primer vuelo desde la base de lanzamiento en Huelva.T-0 ➡️ Sábado 7 de octubre a las 02:00 CET (00:00 UTC). Encuentra todos los detalles de la misión aquí👉🏼 https://t.co/jEtTUYRMIY#VamosMIURA pic.twitter.com/1FyFLSTfzCOctober 5, 2023
The Miura 1 is a single-stage rocket that stands 41 feet (12.5 meters) tall. It can carry about 220 pounds (100 kilograms) of payload on brief flights to suborbital space.
Miura 1 is carrying a payload on its debut mission — an experiment from the German Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity that will study microgravity conditions during the flight, according to PLD Space.
If all goes according to plan, tonight's mission will last 12 minutes and get 50 miles (80 kilometers) above Earth's surface — the altitude at which space begins, according to NASA and the U.S. military. (That's not universally accepted, however; some organizations go with the Kármán line, which lies 62 miles, or 100 km, up.)
The mission will end with the Miura 1's splashdown into the Atlantic Ocean, after which it will be recovered for inspection and analysis, according to PLD Space.
The Miura 1 is the first European rocket that's designed to be recoverable. PLD Space aims to learn a great deal about the vehicle during and after today's mission, to inform future flights of the Miura 1 and to aid the development of the Miura 5, the company's planned orbital launcher.
The Miura 5 could launch as soon as 2024 or 2025, if everything goes well. The orbital rocket, which features a reusable first stage, will fly from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
Tonight's launch won't be the first attempt for the Miura 1. An initial try on June 17 was aborted 0.2 seconds before liftoff, after ground software determined that one of the cables connecting the rocket to its launch tower hadn't disconnected in time. PLD Space's investigation subsequently found that the cable had indeed been released, but 0.1 seconds later than planned.
The Miura 1 liftoff will be one of four space missions today, if all goes according to plan. Also on the docket today are a flight of Arianespace's Vega small-satellite launcher, Virgin Galactic's fourth commercial space tourism flight and the launch of Amazon's first two prototype internet satellites, which will fly atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. | Space Technology |
Scientists Call For An International Legal Treaty Ensuring Sustainable Space Exploration
New Delhi, Mar 11 (PTI) Scientists are calling for a legally-binding treaty to ensure Earth's orbit is not irreparably harmed, given the rate of expansion of the global space industry.
Scientists are calling for a legally-binding treaty to ensure Earth's orbit is not irreparably harmed, given the rate of expansion of the global space industry.
While satellite technology is used to provide a huge range of social and environmental benefits, there are fears the predicted growth of the industry could make large parts of Earth's orbit unusable.
The number of satellites in orbit is expected to increase from 9,000 today to over 60,000 by 2030, with estimates suggesting there are already more than 100 trillion untracked pieces of old satellites circling the planet.
An international collaboration of experts in fields including satellite technology and ocean plastic pollution said this demonstrates the urgent need for global consensus on how best to govern Earth's orbit.
They have expressed their concerns in the journal Science.
While they acknowledged that a number of industries and countries are starting to focus on satellite sustainability, they also said this should be enforced to include any nation with plans to use Earth's orbit.
Any agreement, they added, should include measures to implement producer and user responsibility for satellites and debris, from the time they launch onwards.
Commercial costs should also be considered when looking at ways to incentivise accountability. Such considerations are consistent with current proposals to address ocean plastic pollution as countries begin negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty, they said.
The experts also believe that unless action is taken immediately, large parts of our planet's immediate surroundings risk the same fate as the High Seas where insubstantial governance has led to overfishing, habitat destruction, deep-sea mining exploration, and plastic pollution.
'The issue of plastic pollution, and many of the other challenges facing our ocean, is now attracting global attention.
'However, there has been limited collaborative action and implementation has been slow.
'Now we are in a similar situation with the accumulation of space debris. Taking into consideration what we have learnt from the high seas, we can avoid making the same mistakes and work collectively to prevent a tragedy of the commons in space.
'Without a global agreement we could find ourselves on a similar path,' said Imogen Napper, lead researcher of the study from University of Plymouth, UK.
'Mirroring the new UN ocean initiative, minimizing the pollution of the lower Earth orbit will allow continued space exploration, satellite continuity, and the growth of life-changing space technology,' said Kimberley Miner, Scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, US.
'Satellites are vital to the health of our people, economies, security and Earth itself.
'However, using space to benefit people and planet is at risk.
'By comparing how we have treated our seas, we can be proactive before we damage the use of space for future generations. Humanity needs to take responsibility for our behaviours in space now, not later.
'I encourage all leaders to take note, to recognise the significance of this next step and to become jointly accountable,' said Melissa Quinn, Head of Spaceport Cornwall, UK.
'I have spent most of my career working on the accumulation of plastic litter in the marine environment; the harm it can bring and the potential solutions. It is very clear that much of the pollution we see today could have been avoided.
'We were well aware of the issue of plastic pollution a decade ago, and had we acted then the quantity of plastic in our oceans might be half of what it is today.
'Going forward we need to take a much more proactive stance to help safeguard the future of our planet. There is much that can be learned from mistakes made in our oceans that is relevance to the accumulation of debris in space,' said Professor Richard Thompson OBE, Head of the International Marine Litter Research Unit at the University of Plymouth. | Space Technology |
Katherine Bennell-Pegg will head to Germany next month to become the first woman to be trained as an astronaut under the Australian flag.
Key points:
- Katherine Bennell-Pegg has wanted to become an astronaut since she was a child
- She will train with the European Space Agency
- She hopes to encourage more girls and women to be involved in the sector
Ms Bennell-Pegg, the Australian Space Agency's director of space technology, will receive her training through the European Space Agency.
The training will provide the Adelaide resident with a basic training certification, which is required to be selected for a space mission.
Ms Bennell-Pegg said she had worked with some fantastic women over her career, but working with women in the space industry was rare.
"Less than 27 per cent of the Australian STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) workforce are women," she said.
"Women are very much the minority globally.
"Without diversity in our STEM workforce in all its forms, we can't have the creativity we need to solve the problems of the future.
"I'm really excited to use this opportunity to hopefully elevate the conversation around women in STEM."
Forging her own place in space
Ms Bennell-Pegg said she had had a passion for space since childhood.
"I grew up on the northern beaches of Sydney, where the sky is incredibly clear with stars at night," she said.
"I realised stars aren't just pinpricks of light, but could actually be whole planets, or even be entire galaxies.
"As you do when you're a child, you have a stubborn urge for adventure, and I was drawn to that adventure."
However, due to a lack of female representation in the field, she had to forge her own path.
"There were no real role models for … Australian [female] astronauts at that point," she said.
"When I was a kid, there was no space agency, let alone a path to being part of a space sector in Australia.
"I did aerobatic flying when my friends were learning to drive, I read every physics book I could find.
"During my career sessions in high school, I was asked to write down three jobs you want, and I wrote 'astronaut' and refused to put anything else.
"I signed up to engineering at university without knowing what engineering was. I did it because it had space in the title and I loved space."
Blazing a trail
She hoped her new position would break new ground women hoping to work in the industry.
"This isn't just for me, it's for what it can do for the rest of Australia, and what it can do to inspire young people and particularly young women," she said.
"While I'm named as the first to represent Australia, I hope I won't be the last.
"I would love to do a spacewalk installing some scientific equipment, or maybe even one day the Moon, who knows?"
However, she said the under-reaction from her six- and four-year-old daughters when they found out about their mother's new job showed this was already in motion.
"'Great, what's for dessert?' was my oldest one's response, and my youngest one said, 'But you go to space every day anyway for work,'" she said.
"I think it's anticlimactic but beautiful that they don't question that that's unusual, [and] that for them, anything is possible."
Ms Bennell-Pegg said having an Australian astronaut being trained under our flag in and of itself showed the nation was progressing in leaps and bounds.
"The significance of Australia taking its first foray into human space flight is huge," she said.
"It shows that we've reached a certain maturity in our space sector on the world stage and can unlock so many relationships and opportunities for collaboration for Australia in the space sector and technology more broadly."
Long way until spacewalk
Ms Bennell-Pegg's training will run until May 2024, but as for when she will be headed to space, she says that remains uncertain.
"Right now there is no flight opportunity foreseen, which is not unusual when an astronaut candidate undergoes basic training," she said.
"At the end of that training, you are qualified to be tapped on the shoulder for an international space station mission and that will be up to Australia to decide.
"Usually when you are selected for a mission, it will be a couple of years of free-flight training again before you actually go up there." | Space Technology |
The Long March-2F carrier rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-14 spacecraft and three astronauts, takes off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for a crewed mission to build China's space station, near Jiuquan, Gansu province, China June 5, 2022. cnsphoto via REUTERS/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBEIJING, July 13 (Reuters) - A Chinese space tech company said on Wednesday it had signed a cooperation agreement with the country's largest state-owned travel corporation, the latest sign that the arrival of a domestic "space tourism" industry is near.CAS Space signed a strategic cooperation agreement with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong-based travel industry giant China Tourism Group, pledging to "jointly promote the application of commercial space technology and create a new space economy such as space tourism," according to a statement published on CAS Space's official WeChat account."Both parties will...make positive contributions to (helping) China progress from a big space power to a strong space power," CAS Space chairman Yang Yiqing was quoted as saying.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comYang also told state-run media outlet China Daily in an interview on Wednesday that the company would start to conduct sub-orbital test flights next year. Only after a dozen of these trips would the company open its space tourism services to the wider public, he said.Space tourism is currently dominated by western companies, whether it be sub-orbital trips - reaching around 100km altitude and offering passengers a few minutes in space - offered by the likes of Virgin Galactic, or the much more expensive orbital trips being developed by SpaceX, which have reached an altitude of almost 600km and can keep passengers in space for several days.Yang's announcement that test flights will start in 2023 suggests China's domestic space tourism industry is gradually catching up with its western counterparts. Only in the past few years have Virgin Galactic and SpaceX successfully completed their first launches.CAS Space - a company closely tied to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China's national scientific think tank and the world's largest research organisation - said in a press release last August that the space tourism vehicle it had designed can carry up to seven passengers.The company also said last year that it would begin providing suborbital flights in 2024, predicting these would transport nearly 1000 passengers to space every year.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Eduardo Baptista; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Space Technology |
China launches Mengtian lab module via a Long March-5B rocket on Monday afternoon from Wenchang Space Launch Site in South China’s tropical island province of Hainan.China launches Mengtian lab module via a Long March-5B rocket on Monday afternoon from Wenchang Space Launch Site in South China’s tropical island province of Hainan.China launches Mengtian lab module via a Long March-5B rocket on Monday afternoon from Wenchang Space Launch Site in South China’s tropical island province of Hainan.China successfully launched Mengtian lab module - the third and final part of its three-module home-developed space station - into preset orbit, on Monday afternoon from South China's tropical island province of Hainan, kicking start the final battle of completing the country's T-shape and first-ever permanent space station.Mengtian, also the second lab module, will be the last piece before China completes the space station assembly.Mengtian lab module Photo: Courtesy of Shanghai Academy of Spacecraft TechnologyMengtian lab module Photo: Courtesy of Shanghai Academy of Spacecraft TechnologyCarrying the Mengtian lab module, China's mega Long March-5B Y4 carrier rocket took off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site around 3:37 pm on Monday. And after a flight of around eight minutes, the module separated with the rocket and entered its designated orbit, marking the success of the launch mission, the Global Times learned from the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).Following the successful launch, Mengtian will carry out a fast and automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe space station core module at the latter's forward docking port, per the CMSA.The new lab module will then be transpositioned from the forward docking port on Tianhe to the port docking ring on the side, joining the two earlier modules - Tianhe core module and Wentian lab module, to complete the T-shape China Space Station basic structure.After completing the building of the China Space Station, six taikonauts of two Shenzhou manned spaceflight crew will carry out the first-ever direct handover in orbit.The powerful Long March-5B carrier rocket has successfully launched all three modules, each weighing over 22 tons at launch, of the China Space Station to date, proving its strength and reliability, the carrier developer the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology said in a statement.The Long March 5B is a one and half stage carrier rocket with four 3.35-meter-diameter liquid propellant boosters, and has a thrust of 1,078 tons by take-off. It is capable of sending payload of 25 tons to the near-Earth orbit.Huang Bing, the chief designer of the Long March 5 rocket series, told the Global Times that to meet the mission demands of the space station module launch missions, the Long March-5B rocket has made multiple key technology breakthroughs including the separation of the country's largest nose cone at 20.5 meters in length.The Global Times learned from the Shanghai Academy of Spacecraft Technology (SAST) the developer of the Mengtian module that 17.88-meter-long, 4.2-meter-diameter mega space lab weighs around 23.3 tons by launch, which is the heaviest payload China has ever launched to date.Mengtian module is designed to be a working zone for astronauts and therefore it does not have life support systems like Tianhe and Wentian, nor the dormitory and restrooms. But Mengtian does have installed physical training facility onboard that is similar to the rowing machine on Earth, the SAST introduced.As the "workshop" for the China Space Station, Mengtian has the most powerful payload supporting capabilities, as it carries 13 standard payload cabinets, hosting experiments mainly in the fields of microgravity scientific studies as well as frontier scientific projects covering fluid physics, combustion and materials science and space technologies.The Mengtian will carry the world's first space-based set of cold atomic clocks which will include a hydrogen clock, a rubidium clock and an optical clock."If successful, the cold atomic clocks will form the most precise time and frequency system in space, which should not lose one second in hundreds of millions of years," said Zhang Wei, director of the Utilization Development Center of Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.The world's first cold atomic clock that operates in space was made by Chinese scientists. It was launched with the Tiangong-2 space lab in 2016, and has a margin of error of less than one second in 30 million years.Now, through ground-based experiments, Chinese scientists have developed cold atomic clocks that are far more accurate than the Tiangong-2 version, according to Zhang.The development of space cold atomic clock technology will contribute to higher-precision satellite positioning and navigation, and support fundamental physics research such as dark matter probes and gravitational wave detection, scientists explained.Mengtian is made up with four cabins including the working cabin at the forefront connecting to the Tianhe core module in which astronauts can work and do their physical exercises, and interior scientific experiment cabinets are installed.Moving further from the working cabin, there are payload cabin on the outside and airlock cabin on the inside. That is to say, there is a hidden cargo airlock cabin that will be used for cargo passage. And at the further end of the Mengtian, it is the module's resource cabin where the Sun-positioning device and flexible solar panels are installed.To facilitate the supporting function for experiments outside the cabin, Mengtian has prepared as many as 37 payload installation spots on the exterior, providing services such as engineering, electronic as well as information technology support for those experiment to be carried out outside the cabin.Mission insiders explained that if the airlock cabin on the Wentian lab module is the international airport that would be mainly used to support entry and exit of taikonauts, the airlock cabin on the Mengtian module will be the "international cargo port" for the robotic transfer of cargo and scientific payload.Previously, to carry out experiment on the exterior of the space station cabin, it required taikonauts to conduct extravehicular activities (EVA), but efficiency was limited to the times that EVAs could be arranged and other factors such as the number of payloads and their size.Now with the new cargo airlock on Mengtian and its unique payload transfer mechanics, cargo including experiment payload could smoothly enter and exit the cabinet automatically.Such robotic cargo and payload transfer capability reaches 400 kilograms and the size of the cargo envelope for a single shipment reaches 1.15 meters x 1.2 meters x 0.9 meters, greatly increasing the efficiency and reducing the pressure of astronauts, enabling them to invest more time and energy to focus on interior scientific experimental activities.Also to meet the demand for entry and exit of larger and heavier cargo, Mengtian has installed the country's first square shape port gate, whose width reaches 1.2 meters.To maximize the use of the space workshop, Mengtian has also been designed to be able to release smaller cube satellites in orbit. Astronauts only needs to put those 100-kilogram-level micro spacecraft or cube satellites in different sizes into the releaser inside the Mengtian, and then the releaser could "throw" them like a pebble bow, realizing the low-cost entrance to space for these micro spacecraft and cube satellites in orbit.Just like Wentian lab module, Mengtian has also taken the power solution into consideration to prepare for future more demanding in-orbit experiments. Mengtian is also equipped with giant flexible solar panels, each of which can extend some 138 square meters.After the completion of the T-shape China Space Station, two pairs of such solar panels on Wentian and Mengtian modules could together generate nearly 1,000 Kilowatt hours of electricity per day, equivalent to the half-year consumption of a household, and according to the SAST, it will mean that the space station will be free of worries of using electricity.Consolidate space power status with true opennessOnly when the three modules complete assembly and form the T-shape structure in orbit, can we declare that we have achieved all preset goals; only when they complete the T-shape basic structure, can the power supply, information and thermal control systems deliver their best performances and support relatively larger-scale experiments, said Bai Linhou, deputy chief designer from the space station system at the China Academy of Spacecraft Technology, explaining why the feat was of great significance in the overall building of the China Space Station.Bai told the Global Times that "the high building efficiency of the China Space Station is the direct evidence of China's great comprehensive national strength. It would be nearly impossible for any country to build a space station in the near-Earth orbit without the support of a strong national power."Pang Zhihao, a Beijing-based senior space expert, told the Global Times that the completion of China's own space station which is a crucial platform to exploit space resources, will be a landmark event for not only manned space technology but for the field of space technology as a whole, and it will form a tremendous push to drive China to advance into a space power."China, following the USSR/ Russia, the US, will become the third country to pull off the feat, and more importantly, our space station technology is very advanced", Pang hailed.China Space Station is about to complete the building of its ultimate T-structure including Tianhe core module with Mengtian and Wentian lab modules on the side, the weight of the three-module combination would exceed 60 tons; and if the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft and Shenzhou manned spacecraft are counted all together, the mass weight of the China Space Station would be near 90 tons, Wei Dongxu, a space observer and TV commentator, told the Global Times.It will mean China has built a platform that is capable of hosting a great number of in-orbit scientific experiments and accommodating astronauts with better life and working conditions, Wei said.The Tiangong space station will also become a new platform on the basis of which China would explore and push forward deepened space cooperation, "Astronauts from friendly countries, in the future, would participate directly in missions onboard and our outcomes of space scientific experiment will be also shared with the rest of world", he said."The completion of the Tiangong Space Station is a significant technical achievement by China. The Chinese station may offer some stability at a time when the US and its partners will be undergoing a period of transition from the ISS to the development and use of commercial space stations," Mariel Borowitz, Associate Professor with the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, the US, told the Global Times via email."The ultimate value of the Chinese station will also depend on the extent that it can be leveraged to conduct scientific research, as well as the extent that China is able to enable international engagement in this new platform," she said.Bai revealed that China Space Station is currently drafting cooperation standards for rendezvous and docking as well as payload installation onboard, which then would be announced to the world."The China Space Station will always be an open platform for global cooperation, and China is drafting cooperation standards, for rendezvous, docking and payload installation, which is to be released to the whole world," Bai revealed.Foreign spacecraft, or experimental payloads, as long as they are in line with our standards in designing their docking devices and make sure their safety meets our requirements, are all welcome to come onboard," Bai said.In fact, China has repeatedly extended warm and sincere welcomes to international astronauts to the China Space Station.Foreign astronauts are welcome to work in China's space station, Taikonaut Wang Yaping, also a delegate of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said during an interview at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 16.China is implementing its first batch of international cooperation programs on board the Tiangong space station, and will hopefully upload those experiments by the end of the year. Foreign astronauts are welcome to Tiangong to make greater contributions to the shared future of mankind, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin remarked in April.Although China has independently designed, built and launched the space station, it will be a real international space station, as China would invite more developing countries and European partners to use the space station together, said Song Zhongping, a space expert and TV commentator.Song said it is also possible that China will train astronauts for certain other countries to facilitate their use of the China Space Station, and to become payload expert to carry out experiment in orbit. "That would mean that we are truly open to those countries that are friendly to China," he added.The successful construction of its own space station would consolidate China's status as a space power, laying grounds for future deep-space exploration missions and forming the landscape of global space power with the US, China and Russia on the top, Song noted.The completion of building of the space station will be a milestone in China's space technology development and drive all-around development for a variety of fundamental industries and stimulate new applications such as space breeding and new materials, Song added. | Space Technology |
ISRO Young Scientist Program 2023 | ISRO Young Scientist Program Registration 2023
Indian Space research Organisation (ISRO) is Organising a Special Program for School Children to Impart basic Knowledge of Space Technology, Space Science, and Space Applications to younger Students in emerging Trends in Space Science and Technology amongst Youngsters. The ISRO Has launched the “Yuva Vigyani Karyakram”, YUVIKA which is also known as ISRO Young Scientist Program. Youngsters are the Building Blocks of our Nation. ISRO has launched this Young Scientist Program to Catch them Young. Kindly Read Further to know more about the ISRO Young Scientist Program Registration 2023, ISRO Young Scientist Program Eligibility, and Benefits.
ISRO Young Scientist Program – YUVIKA 2023
Indian Space Research Organisation has launched the Yuva Vigyani Karyakram (YUVIKA) also known as ISRO Young Scientist Program 2023 to provide knowledge about Space Science and Space Technology. This Program is expected to encourage more students to pursue In Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Based Research. YUVIKA is an Annual Space Education Program for Students to provide knowledge about Aeronautical Science and Space Science, YUVIKA 2023 is a 2-week Program starting from 15 May 2023 to 26 May 2023.
Registration For YUVIKA 2023 (Young Scientist Program 2023) Started on 20 March 2023, So Students can register Themselves.
Objectives of the ISRO Young Scientist Program
- YUVIKA is Launched to Provide basic space Science knowledge to the Student.
- No cost will be borne by the Student during this Programme.
- To provide students with knowledge of Space technology.
- To catch Them, Young for Scientific Programs.
Key Highlights
Eligibility Criteria for ISRO Young Scientist Program 2023
- Students of All States can Register for YUVIKA 2023.
- Class 8th students have a minimum of 50% marks obtained in exams.
- Students Studying in Class 9 as on Jan 01, 2023, are eligible to apply.
- False information will lead to the Cancel of the Candidature.
ISRO Young Scientist Program 2023 Registration Process
Indian Space Research Organisation has Started YUVIKA 2023 Registration which will be Applicable till April 03, 2023. students can Apply Through Below Steps:
- Register in ISRO Antariksh Jigyasa Platform.
- Verify your Email address as received after Successful Registration on the above website and Click on the Verification link sent to your Registered E-Mail address.
- Participate in Space Quiz, Read Quiz Guidelines Carefully before appearing in Space Quiz.
- Fill in your Personal Profile and Education Details
- Generate a Certificate for Verification by your School Principal or Head Of School or Parents or Guardian.
- Students Need to Upload that Certificate after Verification by any one of the above-mentioned persons.
- Scan and Upload Your documents and Submit the Application.
- The first Selection list will be published on 10 April 2023.
- The second Selection list will be published on 20 April 2023 in case of any vacancy.
Expenditure during ISRO Young Scientist Program 2023
- Expenditure towards only the Travel of Selected Students (II AC Train Fare or AC Volvo bus Fare) will be borne by the State Government or Nearest Railway Station.
- Student Needs to produce original ticket of Travel for Reimbursement of Travel fare from respective ISRO Centre.
- The maximum fare will be limited to II AC Train Fare only.
- The course material, lodging, and boarding will be borne by ISRO
ISRO Young Scientist Program Centres
- Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Dehradun.
- Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram.
- Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota.
- U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru.
- Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad.
- National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad.
- North-East Space Applications Centre (NE-SAC), Shillong. | Space Technology |
These are just a few of the many landmark missions that India has undertaken in recent years. The country is clearly a rising power in space exploration, and its future missions are sure to be even more ambitious. In addition to these missions, India is also developing a number of other space technologies, such as reusable launch vehicles and satellite navigation systems. The country is also working to collaborate with other spacefaring nations on joint missions.
India's space program is a major source of pride for the country, and it is seen as a symbol of its growing technological prowess. The program is also seen as a way to improve India's economy and to boost its scientific and technological development.
Here are some of India's landmark space missions:
Aryabhata
India's first satellite, launched in 1975. It was a 358 kg (787 lb) satellite that carried scientific instruments to study the Earth's atmosphere and radiation belts.
INSAT
A series of geostationary satellites launched by India since 1983. INSAT satellites are used for telecommunications, broadcasting, meteorology, and disaster management.
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
A launch vehicle developed by India in the 1990s. PSLV is capable of launching satellites into low Earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit, and low Earth polar orbit.
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)
A launch vehicle developed by India in the 2000s. GSLV is capable of launching satellites into geosynchronous orbit.
Chandrayaan-1
India's first mission to the Moon, launched in 2008. Chandrayaan-1 orbited the Moon for 10 months and made significant discoveries about the lunar surface, including the presence of water ice.
Mangalyaan
India's first interplanetary mission, launched in 2013. Mangalyaan entered the Martian orbit in September 2014 and is still operational. It is the first and only spacecraft to orbit Mars in its very first attempt.
Chandrayaan-2
India's second mission to the Moon, launched in 2019. Chandrayaan-2 was supposed to land a rover on the Moon, but the lander Vikram lost contact with ground control during the final descent. The orbiter is still in operation and is providing valuable data about the Moon.
Chandrayaan-3
India's third lunar mission, launched in 2023. It consists of an orbiter, a lander, and a rover. The goal of Chandrayaan-3 is to soft-land the lander and rover on the Moon's south pole.
These are just a few of the many landmark space missions that India has undertaken. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is a world leader in space technology and is constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible. ISRO is expected to undertake many more ambitious missions in the coming years, including a manned mission to the Moon. | Space Technology |
In less than 24 hours, NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is slated to launch from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. With its sights set on a mysterious asteroid of the same name, Psyche is NASA’s first scientific mission to be launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
Launch is set for 10:16 a.m. EDT on Thursday, Oct. 12, with additional opportunities identified each day through Oct. 25. Each opportunity is instantaneous, meaning there is only one exact time per day when launch can occur.
“The team has worked tirelessly to prepare the spacecraft for its journey to a one-of-a-kind asteroid,” said Henry Stone, Psyche’s project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “All spacecraft systems, science instruments, and software have been integrated and extensively tested, and the spacecraft is fully configured for flight. We look forward to the launch and – more importantly – to accomplishing the mission’s objectives, marking yet another historic voyage of scientific discovery.”
The orbiter’s solar arrays are folded and stowed for launch. All systems have been tested and re-tested many times, along with the payload of three science instruments. Loaded with 2,392 pounds (1,085 kilograms) of the neutral gas xenon – the propellant that will get Psyche to the asteroid belt – the spacecraft sits inside the launch vehicle’s cone-shaped payload fairing, which protects it from aerodynamic pressure and heat during launch. The spacecraft and fairing have been mated to the SpaceX Falcon Heavy, which is poised for takeoff from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Launch Complex 39A.
Integrated onto the spacecraft is a technology demonstration called Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC). DSOC will test high-data-rate laser communications – which could be used by future NASA missions – beyond the Moon for the first time. The tech demo will not relay Psyche mission data.
Launch Sequences
The rocket has two stages and two side boosters. After the side boosters separate and return to land, the core stage will be expended into the Atlantic Ocean. Then the second stage of the rocket, which will help Psyche escape Earth’s gravity, will fire its engine.
Once the rocket is out of Earth’s atmosphere, about four minutes after launch, the fairing will separate from its ride and split into two halves, which are jettisoned back to Earth. The spacecraft will then separate from the upper stage about an hour after launch. Soon after, it will deploy its twin solar arrays, one at a time, and direct them at the Sun. At this point, the spacecraft is in a planned “safe mode” (a precautionary standby status), with the Sun illuminating the deployed solar panels, and will begin to direct the low-gain antenna toward Earth for communications.
It could take up to two hours after separation from the rocket before the first signal is received.
Once stable communications have been established, mission controllers will begin to reconfigure the spacecraft into its planned operating mode. The ensuing three months of initial checkout include a commissioning phase to confirm that all hardware and software is operating as expected, including the electric thrusters. Starting about five months after launch, the thrusters will fire, one at a time, during long stretches of the trajectory to get to the asteroid.
Psyche’s efficient solar electric propulsion system works by accelerating and expelling charged atoms, or ions, of the neutral gas xenon – creating a thrust that will gently push the spacecraft on a journey of nearly six years and about 2.2 billion miles (3.6 billion kilometers) to the asteroid Psyche in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Along the way, in May 2026, the spacecraft will fly by Mars and use the Red Planet’s gravity to slingshot itself toward Psyche, saving propellant while gaining speed and changing direction.
After the spacecraft reaches the asteroid in 2029, it will spend about 26 months in orbit, gathering images and other data.
Scientists believe Psyche could be part of the core of a planetesimal – an early planetary building block – and composed of a mixture of rock and iron-nickel metal. The metal will not be mined; it will be studied to give researchers a better idea of what makes up Earth’s core and how rocky planets formed in our solar system. Humans can’t bore a path to our planet’s core – or the cores of the other rocky planets – so visiting Psyche could provide a one-of-a-kind window into the violent history of collisions and accumulation of matter that created planets like our own.
More About the Mission
Arizona State University leads the Psyche mission. A division of Caltech in Pasadena, JPL is responsible for the mission’s overall management, system engineering, integration and test, and mission operations. Maxar Technologies in Palo Alto, California, provided the high-power solar electric propulsion spacecraft chassis.
JPL manages DSOC for the Technology Demonstration Missions program within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and the Space Communications and Navigation program within the Space Operations Mission Directorate.
NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy Space Center, is responsible for the insight and approval of the launch vehicle and manages the launch service for the Psyche mission. LSP certified the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket for use with the agency’s most complex and highest priority missions in early 2023 at the conclusion of a 2 ½-year effort.
Psyche is the 14th mission selected as part of NASA’s Discovery Program, managed by the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
For more information about NASA’s Psyche mission go to: | Space Technology |
New Delhi February 8,2023: India is on the cusp of making a major impact in the global space economy, which is estimated to reach $1 trillion in the coming years, according to former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), AS Kiran Kumar. During a recent convocation ceremony at Karnavati University, Kumar noted that India has the end-to-end capability to build rockets, satellites, and payloads, and is transforming from a space-capable nation to one with space technology capacity.
"Space economy is beckoning India to build on its current technological capability and become a significant player in the process," said Kumar. "Over the last six decades, India has not only launched its own satellites, but also put more than 400 satellites of other countries into orbit, demonstrating its capabilities in the field."
Kumar also paid tribute to Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India's space program, for his efforts in positioning India as an early adopter of space technology. "His contributions helped India rejuvenate post independence and created capability in terms of space technology," said Kumar.
The former ISRO chief highlighted the immense opportunity for India's youth to acquire knowledge and skills in the field, as space becomes an increasingly important area with huge economic potential. "India is currently in the process of transforming itself to provide solutions and services to itself and others. This brings opportunity to the youth of the country to develop impactful solutions," he added.
With India's impressive track record in the field and the growth potential of the global space economy, it is clear that the country is well-positioned to make a significant impact in the coming years. The space industry offers a promising future for India's youth and the nation as a whole. | Space Technology |
It's viable to produce low-cost, lightweight solar panels that can generate energy in space, according to new research from the Universities of Surrey and Swansea.
The first study of its kind followed a satellite over six years, observing how the panels generated power and weathered solar radiation over 30,000 orbits.
The findings could pave the way for commercially viable solar farms in space.
Professor Craig Underwood, Emeritus Professor of Spacecraft Engineering at the Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey, said:
"We are very pleased that a mission designed to last one year is still working after six. These detailed data show the panels have resisted radiation and their thin-film structure has not deteriorated in the harsh thermal and vacuum conditions of space.
"This ultra-low mass solar cell technology could lead to large, low-cost solar power stations deployed in space, bringing clean energy back to Earth -- and now we have the first evidence that the technology works reliably in orbit."
Researchers from the University of Swansea's Centre for Solar Energy Research developed new solar cells from cadmium telluride. The panels cover a larger area, are more lightweight, and provide far greater power than current technology -- as well as being relatively cheap to manufacture.
Scientists from the University of Surrey designed instruments that measured their performance in orbit. The satellite itself was designed and built at the Surrey Space Centre in partnership with a team of trainee engineers from the Algerian Space Agency (ASAL).
Although the cells' power output became less efficient over time, researchers believe their findings prove that solar power satellites work and could be commercially viable.
Dr Dan Lamb from the University of Swansea said:
"The successful flight test of this novel thin film solar cell payload has leveraged funding opportunities to further develop this technology."
"Large area solar arrays for space applications are a rapidly expanding market and demonstrations such as this help to build on the UK's world class reputations for space technology."
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A growing number of satellite ‘mega-constellations’ are being deployed. Will a starry night sky soon be a thing of the past? Since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples worldwide have observed, tracked and memorised all the visible objects in the night sky.
This ancient star knowledge was meticulously ingrained with practical knowledge of the land, sky, waters, community and the Dreaming — and passed down through generations.
One of the most well-known and celebrated Aboriginal constellations is the Emu in the Sky, which appears in the southern sky early in the year. It is an example of a dark constellation, which means it’s characterised by particularly dark patches in the sky, rather than stars.
Conversely, space technology companies such as Starlink are increasingly competing to dominate the skies, and potentially change them forever.
The modern-day space race has led to thousands of satellites being scattered through Earth’s outer orbits. If left unchallenged, these companies risk overpopulating an already crowded space environment – potentially pushing dark skies to extinction.
Mega-constellations
Mega-constellations are groupings of satellites that communicate and work together as they orbit Earth.
Since 2018, the Starlink project, run by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has launched about 1,700 satellites into low Earth orbit. The company plans to launch another 30,000 over the next decade.
British company OneWeb has launched nearly 150 satellites, with plans for another 6,000. And Amazon intends to launch an additional 3,000 satellites into multiple orbits.Each of these companies is taking to the skies to increase internet access across the globe. But even if they deliver on this, sky gazers — and especially Indigenous peoples — are left to wonder: at what cost?
Streaks in the night
People across the globe began noticing streaks across our skies not long after the first Starlink launch in May 2019. They were unlike anything anyone had seen before.
Astronomers are very used to viewing the sky and dealing with interference, often originating from aircraft or the occasional satellite. However, the goal of mega-constellations is to engulf the entire planet, leaving no place untouched. Mega-constellations alter our collective view of the stars. And there is currently no known way to remove them.
One mega-constellation has been observed to produce up to 19 parallel streaks across the sky. These streaks disturb astronomical observations, and a significant amount of scientific data can be lost as a result.As they travel across the entire sky, scattering the Sun’s light, dark constellations become even fainter — further desecrating Indigenous knowledge and kinship with the environment.
Further research on the impacts of mega-constellations have found that as they orbit Earth, the Sun’s rays are reflected off them and scattered into the atmosphere.
The authors of that study conclude we are collectively experiencing a new type of “skyglow” as a result: a phenomenon in which the brightness of the sky increases due to human-made light pollution.
Initial calculations indicate this new source of light pollution has increased the brightness of night skies globally by about 10%, compared with the natural skyglow measured in the 1960s.
Currently, the upper limit of light pollution tolerable at observatories is 10 percent above the natural skyglow, which suggests we have already reached the limit.
In other words, scientific observations of the sky are already at risk of being rendered redundant. If this excess skyglow increases even more, observatories are at serious risk.
Indigenous sky sovereignty
Indigenous knowledge systems and oral traditions teach us about the intricate and complex relationships Indigenous peoples have with the environment, including the sky.
For example, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures have no concept of “outer space”. They only have a continuous and connected reality where coexistence with all things is paramount.
As captured by the Bawaka Country group, based in northeast Arnhem Land: "…to hurt Sky Country, to try and possess it, is an ongoing colonisation of the plural lifeworlds of all those who have ongoing connections with and beyond the sky."
Desecrating the sky impacts Indigenous sovereignty as it limits access to their knowledge system, in the same ways desecrating the land has removed First Peoples from their countries, cultures and ways of life.
For example, the Gamilaraay and Wiradjuri peoples of New South Wales observe the Emu in the Sky to gauge when it is time to hunt for emu eggs — and most importantly, when it is time to stop. How would the Gamilaraay know when to stop collecting eggs, or when to conduct annual ceremonies signalled by the Celestial Emu, if it was no longer visible?
Similarly, important parts of the Jukurrpa, or Dreaming of the Martu people of Western Australia is embedded in the Seven Sisters constellation. How would they keep this knowledge safe if they can’t locate any of the Sisters?
Indigenous histories teach us about the devastating consequences of colonialism, and how the impacts of the colonial agenda can be mitigated through prioritising the health of country and community.
In the words of astronomer Aparna Venkatesan and colleagues: "…the manner and pace of ‘occupying’ near-Earth space raise the risk of repeating the mistakes of colonisation on a cosmic scale."
Active Indigenous sky sovereignty acknowledges the interconnected nature between land and sky, and that caring for country includes sky country. By doing so, it challenges the otherwise unimpeded authority of technology corporations.
Harming fauna, harming ourselves
By understanding that the world (and indeed the Universe) is interconnected, we see that no living creature is immune to the consequences of polluting the skies.
Currently, native fauna such as the tammar wallaby, magpie, bogong moth and marine turtles are experiencing a reduction in populations and quality of life due to the impacts of light-pollution.Migratory species are particularly affected by light pollution, which can result in them losing access to their migratory route. This is a crisis Australia’s fauna has faced since before the introduction of mega-constellations.
With more skyglow and light pollution, positive outcomes for native fauna and migratory species diminish.
Going forward
Several companies have made attempts to reduce the impact of mega-constellations on skyglow.
For example, OneWeb has opted to rollout fewer satellites than initially proposed, and has designed them to be positioned at a higher altitude. This means they will produce less skyglow, while also covering a larger area.
Starlink, on the other hand, has not shown any public interest in operating at higher and less impactful altitudes, for fears it will impact the Starlink network’s speed and latency.
That said, they have attempted to reduce their satellites’ luminosity by painting them with a novel anti-reflective coating. Coating techniques have demonstrated a reduction in reflected sunlight by up to 50%. Unfortunately, not all wavelengths of light being scattered are reduced using this method. So multi-wave astronomy, and different species of animals, are still at risk.
We’ll need more solutions to navigate our increasingly polluted atmosphere, particularly if communication monopolies continue to rein over near-Earth space.
Just as some companies have started considering tactics to avoid increasing skyglow, all space tech companies must be held responsible for adding to an already polluted space.
Guidelines such as those set by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee offer solutions to this problem. They suggest lowering the height of a satellite’s orbit when it’s no longer needed, allowing it to disintegrate as it falls down to Earth.
However, these are international guidelines, so there’s no legal framework to enforce such practices.
And given that near-miss collisions have already taken place between some mega-constellations, and an estimated 20,000 pieces of space debris already floating above, reducing orbital pollution must also now be a priority.
Reducing air pollutants has also been shown to drastically decrease natural sky brightness, offering a potential solution for improving night sky visibility — not to mention cleaner breathing air for all.
In valuing Indigenous knowledge systems, that value must be extended to the natural environment in which that knowledge is embedded and founded upon. In Australia, preserving dark skies is not just vital for the continuation of Indigenous knowledge and astronomers — it benefits us all.
A major tenet of life for Indigenous peoples is valuing the sustainability of one’s actions. By adopting this at a larger scale, we could create a reality in which we’re not a threat to our own survival. Karlie Noon, Astronomer, Australian National University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.RELATED ARTICLES | Space Technology |
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Seven months of moon mission training is bringing spaceflight "much closer than it's ever felt before," a Canadian astronaut told Space.com.
Jeremy Hansen is one of the mission specialists aboard Artemis 2, which aims to launch four people around the moon in 2024. Hansen, a Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut, will make his first flight to space on a monumental effort: Artemis 2 will be the first astronaut mission to visit the moon in more than 50 years, and it will kick off human excursions for NASA's larger Artemis program.
The CSA selected Hansen in 2009, but he had to wait a while for a flight because Canada's contributions to space are relatively modest, though mighty, compared to other agencies; the CSA's International Space Station (ISS) robotic contributions, for example, are 2.3%. But he was assigned to numerous senior roles on the ground. Examples include advising Canadian policymakers on space affairs, mentoring and managing the training schedules for the 2017 NASA astronaut class and helping to formulate a four-spacewalk marathon of procedures to repair an ISS instrument that hunts for signs of dark matter.
With all this experience behind him, Hansen said that finally donning a spacesuit for a mission is more a continuation of what he had been doing before — a long journey of helping other astronauts, while highlighting Canada's contributions in space.
"The only thing that does feel different is that there is this personal aspect of, 'I've been working to actually fly in space and do the astronaut aspects'," Hansen told Space.com in an exclusive 30-minute interview on Friday (Oct. 27.) "It does feel like it's getting closer, and much closer, than it's ever felt before. So there is that sense, and that is really fun for me."
Hansen will fly around the moon alongside three NASA astronauts (commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialist Christina Koch) on a flight meant to highlight international collaboration and diversity. Hansen will be the first non-American to leave Earth orbit, thanks to CSA's contribution of Canadarm3, which is being built by the Canadian company MDA. The robotic arm will service NASA's future Gateway space station sometime in the coming decade, if all goes to plan.
Artemis 2, Hansen emphasized, is "very much a testing mission" in which the astronauts are all bringing their skills to figure out the best road forward to the moon. The astronauts all know each other well and have gelled as a crew, Hansen said. Where possible, even in airports or at stops in between training locations, the crew's conversations focus on aspects such as managing risk and how to implement teamwork while working through those risks.
The NASA astronauts have all flown on the ISS before, and each one has unique skills to offer. Koch, who will become the first woman to go to the moon, is an Antarctic scientist by training and spent nearly a year on the ISS. Glover, a U.S. Navy Captain and former U.S. Senate fellow, was the first Black astronaut on a long-duration ISS mission — and will be the first to leave Earth orbit as well. Wiseman, who used to fly carrier missions for the U.S. Navy, will command the quartet.
"We're just creating the training, trying to figure out what we need with the team," Hansen said. "That's really fun. That's a unique thing; I'll probably never experience that again."
A simulator of Artemis 2's Orion capsule is one example of the evolving training procedures. When recent pictures emerged of the Artemis 2 crew testing out the hardware at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Hansen said the impression may have been that all was completed. While the sim is helpful, more capabilities will come; Hansen, like his Artemis 2 crewmates, is a military pilot with thousands of hours of experience to offer in that process.
"Our simulator is very, very limited, but we can get in it and go through some early procedures to the cruise phase of flight," Hansen said. "We're able to work through turning off systems, resetting systems and seeing failures in certain systems … we go in there two (astronauts) at a time and just work through these different simulation profiles."
Another exercise took place in September, when the entire Artemis 2 crew suited up for a launch day, complete with a visit to the launch tower and a walk across the gantry to where NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will be waiting one day to take the astronauts off Earth. (Artemis 2's SLS and Orionare still under construction and weren't available at that time.)
Hansen said the opportunity provided valuable practice for the crew and for all the ground teams to bring simulations off the tabletop and into the launching area. They are learning things like how much time they need to allocate for checklist items, what spare items might be needed on site, who carries what to the rocket, and similar questions.
While Hansen and the team were focused on training during the launch simulation, he also took a moment to think about what it will be like when Artemis 2's SLS is fueled and ready for the moon crew. "It's going to be moaning and groaning, I suspect. It's going to be venting. It won't be sitting there quietly; no, I imagine it'd be talking to us," he said.
"The other thought I had was, This is a really beautiful place to leave the planet," Hansen added, referring to NASA's Kennedy Space Center, on Florida's Space Coast. "You're right on the beach. You see the ocean lapping against the shore, as you're climbing into this huge rocket. It's going to take you all the way to the moon. It's just a really surreal sort of picture to imagine."
Geology training also occupied some of Hansen's time in recent months, alongside Koch. In September, the Artemis 2 astronauts joined two astronauts from the 2017 class — NASA's Raja Chari (who flew with ISS Expedition 66/67) and CSA's Jenni Sidey-Gibbons (not yet assigned to a mission) — on an expedition to Kamestastin (also known as Mistastin) in northern Labrador. The crater is just one of 31 known to be formed by meteorites in Canada, according to CSA documentation.
The site is rich in anorthosite, a rock common near the moon's south pole where future Artemis missions will land, as soon as with Artemis 3 in 2025 or 2026. The remote expedition, under the leadership of crater expert and planetary geologist Gordon Osinski from Western University in Ontario, was meant to hone the astronauts' geology skills. The excursion also allowed the team to practice "expeditionary training," or working in teams in remote environments. Sidey-Gibbons, for example, is "one of the most skilled expeditionary skills teachers we have" in the Astronaut Office at JSC , Hansen said.
The learnings the team gathered in Labrador will be useful for the astronaut group, Hansen said, especially as the corps already dedicates one day every month to "core culture," to build people skills. The discussions include "open conversations" on matters such as training debriefings, about how people are feeling and what they are learning, he said.
Collaboration with the locals in the field was also key to the geology expedition, Hansen emphasized; the Mushuau Innu First Nation in what is today called Labrador holds the crater as a sacred location. Given that scientists also find the crater's environment valuable due to the anorthosite and the rich geology, the overlap between the "spirituality and science," in Hansen's words, was "unique and special and powerful."
"There's this energy; they are very much on the path to humanity returning to the moon and understanding the moon in a new way," he said of the elders, guardians and community members he met from the Mushuau Innu. "It was neat that that resonated with them, that they will be part of this trip to the moon."
The training has been diverse as well. The crew is learning how to use the five cameras on board the Orion spacecraft to take pictures of the moon and of Earth, as well as recording their activities for "downlinks" to Mission Control. Medical training is emphasizing how to work with fewer resources than are available on the relatively roomy ISS; the astronauts recently spent time in a hospital cadaver lab and emergency room to learn how to take care of wounds, to stitch, to do ultrasounds and catheters, and other routine medical procedures that might be required on their mission.
While most of Hansen's time is occupied with training now, he and the other astronauts periodically go on tours to raise awareness about Artemis 2 with different audiences, and to glean insights from companies that may have expertise. Hansen and Wiseman, for example, spent time in the pit this month with the McLaren F1 crew at the Grand Prix of the United States in Austin, Texas.
Hansen said that, during a race, McLaren's crew has the equivalent of a mission "capcom" ("capsule communicator") talking to the driver, and another individual like a flight director who feeds information to the capcom based on feedback from racing engineers. Sometimes the team needs to make a decision in two or three seconds, similar to the situation in spaceflight, and those decisions are debriefed in a "lessons learned" exercise. Hansen added that Artemis teams hope that theMcLaren crew can visit Mission Control in Houston "to see what else they could glean" from spaceflight procedures.
The interview with Space.com took place while Hansen was in Toronto publicizing the mission via television and media appearances, alongside visits to two Canadian companies. One company, Canadensys, is providing hardware for Canada's first lunar rover mission in 2026 or so. (The science on that project will be led by Osinski.) The second, Kepler Communications, plans a "wifi in space" system, which will act as a communications relay in space for satellites to bring their data back to Earth.
Hansen said he is learning a lot from these companies' technical experts. He added that he shocked to discover that Canadensys gets about 80% of its business through exports, a figure that demonstrates the value of Canadian space technology to the international economy. He said that, where possible, he tries to emphasize Canada's role in working under United States leadership for Artemis. He talks about Canada's famous niche in robotics alongside emerging areas, like artificial intelligence or food or medical systems, in interviews like this one.
Hansen also recalled a stop on the Toronto tour where he was listening to elementary school students. One girl rose before an audience of 600 with worries about whether young people can expect a promising future on Earth, given the rise of climate change and similar problems. Hansen said he felt "alarm bells" in his head, with somebody that young worried about the environment.
"We need to remind them [students] that you can create a better future, but you're going to have to work for it. You're going to have to focus and prioritize working together, bringing the world together, not simply bringing the world into sections. We're going to have to work together — and we're going to have to work hard to agree on things."
When asked how Hansen's support group is doing — he is married with three teenagers and has a network of family and friends in several countries helping him alongside a large group at CSA — he said the community is "very inspired by this idea of going to the moon." They are finding meaning, he said, in continuing the roles they have played for many years while Hansen has been an astronaut.
"It's very clear to everyone on the team that it takes a whole team of people to do this. No one can go do it on their own. So they feel like their work is meaningful in accomplishing the task, but also in more of that altruistic sense that I'm always pointing back to: they're doing a huge service to humanity," Hansen said.
"They're setting an example of collaboration, working together for the good of humanity. Not collaboration to tear one another down, but collaboration to solve problems that matter for our future. I think everybody feels like they're part of the winning team on this right now." | Space Technology |
Nasa has unveiled plans to test nuclear-powered rockets that would fly astronauts to Mars in ultra-fast time.The agency has partnered with the US government’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) to demonstrate a nuclear thermal rocket engine in space as soon as 2027, it announced on Tuesday.The project is intended to develop a pioneering propulsion system for space travel far different from the chemical systems prevalent since the modern era of rocketry dawned almost a century ago.“Using a nuclear thermal rocket allows for faster transit time, reducing risk for astronauts,” Nasa said in a press release.“Reducing transit time is a key component for human missions to Mars, as longer trips require more supplies and more robust systems.”An additional benefit would be increased science payload capacity, and higher power for instrumentation and communication, according to the agency.Nasa, which successfully tested its new-era Artemis spacecraft last year as a springboard back to the moon and on to Mars, has hopes of landing humans on the red planet some time in the 2030s as part of its Moon to Mars program.Using current technology, Nasa says, the 300m-mile journey to Mars would take about seven months. Engineers do not yet know how much time could be shaved off using nuclear technology, but Bill Nelson, the Nasa administrator, said it would allow spacecraft, and humans, to travel in deep space at record speed.“With the help of this new technology, astronauts could journey to and from deep space faster than ever - a major capability to prepare for crewed missions to Mars,” Nelson said.Nuclear electric propulsion systems use propellants much more efficiently than chemical rockets but provide a low amount of thrust, the agency says.A reactor generates electricity that positively charges gas propellants like xenon or krypton, pushing the ions out through a thruster, which drives the spacecraft forward.Using low thrust efficiently, nuclear electric propulsion systems accelerate spacecraft for extended periods and can propel a Mars mission for a fraction of the propellant of high-thrust systems.In a statement, Darpa’s director, Dr Stefanie Tompkins, said the agreement was an extension of existing collaboration between the agencies.“Darpa and Nasa have a long history of fruitful collaboration in advancing technologies for our respective goals, from the Saturn V rocket that took humans to the moon for the first time to robotic servicing and refueling of satellites,” she said.“The space domain is critical to modern commerce, scientific discovery and national security. The ability to accomplish leap-ahead advances in space technology… will be essential for more efficiently and quickly transporting material to the moon and, eventually, people to Mars.”Nasa’s Artemis 2 mission, which will send humans around the moon for the first time in more than half a century, is scheduled for 2024. The subsequent Artemis 3 mission, which could come the following year, will land astronauts, including the first woman, on the moon’s surface for the first time since 1972. | Space Technology |
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. CNN — SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy — a towering, three-pronged vehicle that is the most powerful operational rocket in the world — is about to return to the skies for the first time since mid-2019. Liftoff is scheduled for Tuesday at 9:41 a.m. ET from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket will be hauling satellites to space for the US military in a secretive mission dubbed USSF-44. The Falcon Heavy debuted in 2018 to much fanfare as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk elected to launch his personal Tesla Roadster as a test payload on the launch. The car is still in space, taking an oblong path around the sun that swings out as far as Mars’ orbital path. Since that first test mission, SpaceX has launched only two other Falcon Heavy missions, both in 2019. One sent a hulking TV and phone service satellite to orbit for Saudi Arabia-based Arabsat, and the other delivered a batch of experimental satellites for the US Department of Defense. But the rocket has not launched since 2019, as the vast majority of SpaceX’s missions don’t require the Falcon Heavy’s amped up power. SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9 rocket, on the other hand, has launched nearly 50 missions so far this year alone. With each Falcon Heavy launch, the rocket puts on a dramatic showing back on Earth. SpaceX has attempted to land all three of the rocket’s boosters — the tall white sticks that are strapped together to give the rocket its heightened power at liftoff — back on landing pads on land and at sea so that they can be refurbished and reused on future missions. It does this to cut down on mission costs. SpaceX has yet to land and recover all three rocket boosters after the same mission, although it’s come dramatically close. The two side boosters made a pinpoint, synchronized landing on ground pads after an April 2019 mission, and the rocket’s center booster touched down on a sea-faring platform. But then, rough waves at sea toppled it over. SpaceX will not attempt to recover the center booster after Tuesday’s launch because it will not have enough leftover fuel to guide its journey home, according to a news release from the US military’s Space Systems Command. The company will, however, once again attempt to land the two side boosters back on their ground pads on Florida’s coastline. In a tweet, the military warned people in the vicinity of the launch site that the boosters will set off two sonic booms as they head back for landing. Though the Falcon Heavy is the most powerful operational rocket in the world, there are two massive rockets waiting in the wings to claim that title. NASA’s Space Launch System, or SLS, rocket, which is currently slated to attempt its inaugural launch later in November to send the uncrewed Artemis 1 mission around the moon, is sitting in the Kennedy Space Center’s towering Vehicle Assembly Building, which lies just a few miles from the launch pad where the Falcon Heavy will take flight. While the Falcon Heavy gives off about five million pounds of thrust, SLS is expected to put off as much as 8.8 million pounds of thrust — 15% more thrust than the Saturn V rockets that powered the mid-20th Century moon landings. And just across the Gulf Coast, at SpaceX’s experimental facilities in South Texas, the company is in the final stages of preparing for the first orbital launch attempt of its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket. Though the test flight is still awaiting final approval from federal regulators, it could take flight before the end of the year. The Starship system is expected to out-power both SLS and Falcon Heavy by a wide margin. The forthcoming Super Heavy booster, which is designed to vault the Starship spacecraft into space, is expected to put off about 17 million pounds of thrust alone. Both the SLS rocket and SpaceX’s Starship are integral to NASA’s plans to return astronauts to the surface of the moon for the first time in half a century. SpaceX also has its own, ambitious vision for the Starship: ferrying humans and cargo to Mars in the hopes of one day establishing a permanent human settlement there. There is not much publicly available information about the USSF-44 mission. In a news release, the US military’s Space Systems Command said only that the launch will put multiple satellites into orbit on behalf of the Space Systems Command’s Innovation and Prototyping Delta, which is focused on quickly developing space technology as it relates to tracking objects in space as well as a range of other activities. The Space System Command declined to provide additional information about the mission when reached by email. It referred questions to the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, which also declined comment. The US military is one of the primary drivers of the domestic rocket economy, doling out lucrative launch contracts that are coveted by private launch companies including SpaceX and its chief competitor in the area, United Launch Alliance, which is a joint operation between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. | Space Technology |
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Search For Life An unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP), as captured by the sensors of a U.S. Navy jet.
(Image credit: DoD/US Navy) NASA's highly anticipated UFO study is about to begin, and we now know who will conduct it.In June, the space agency announced that it had commissioned a panel to investigate UFOs, or, as they have recently been rebranded, "unidentified aerial phenomena" (UAP). The independent study will begin in the fall, cost less than $100,000 and last about nine months from start to finish, NASA officials said at the time. Fall has arrived, and so has the study's start date — nearly, anyway. The panel will begin its work on Monday (Oct. 24), NASA officials wrote in an update (opens in new tab) today (Oct. 21).Related: NASA hopes new study helps bring UFO research into the mainstreamThe study doesn't aim to be the last word on UFOs. It will look at previously collected UAP observations (the unclassified ones only, leaving out sensitive military data), focusing on how they could be better organized and analyzed in the future to shed more light on mysterious sky sights."Exploring the unknown in space and the atmosphere is at the heart of who we are at NASA," Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) at NASA headquarters, said in today's update (opens in new tab). "Understanding the data we have surrounding unidentified aerial phenomena is critical to helping us draw scientific conclusions about what is happening in our skies," he added. "Data is the language of scientists and makes the unexplainable explainable."We already knew that the study team will be chaired by astrophysicist David Spergel, president of the Simons Foundation, and that the NASA official orchestrating the effort is Daniel Evans, the assistant deputy associate administrator for research at the SMD. But today's update revealed the full team. There will be 16 investigators from a variety of fields, from astronomy to oceanography to computer science to journalism. There's even a former NASA astronaut in the bunch.In addition to Spergel, the team members are (in alphabetical order):Anamaria Berea, associate professor of computational and data science at George Mason University, research affiliate with the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, and research investigator with Blue Marble Space Institute of Science in Seattle;Federica Bianco, joint professor at the University of Delaware in the Department of Physics and Astrophysics, the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration and the Urban Observatory; Paula Bontempi, dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island (URI) and a professor of oceanography at URI;Reggie Brothers, operating partner at AE Industrial Partners in Boca Raton, Florida and formerly CEO and board member of BigBear.ai in Columbia, Maryland;Jen Buss, CEO of the Potomac Institute of Policy Studies in Arlington, Virginia;Nadia Drake, freelance science journalist and contributing writer at National Geographic;Mike Gold, executive vice president of Civil Space and External Affairs at Redwire in Jacksonville, Florida and previously NASA associate administrator for Space Policy and Partnerships;David Grinspoon, senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona, and a frequent advisor to NASA on space exploration;Scott Kelly, former NASA astronaut, test pilot, fighter pilot and retired U.S. Navy captain;Matt Mountain, president of The Association of Universities for Research and Astronomy and a telescope scientist for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope; Warren Randolph, deputy executive director of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Accident Investigation and Prevention for Aviation Safety department; Walter Scott, executive vice president and chief technology officer at the space technology company Maxar; Joshua Semeter, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Boston University and director of the school's Center for Space Physics;Karlin Toner, acting executive director of the FAA's Office of Aviation Policy and Plans and formerly director of the FAA's global strategy;Shelley Wright, associate professor of physics at the University of California, San Diego's Center for Astrophysics and Space Studies.The above are shortened versions of the thumbnail bios given in today's NASA update. You can read the full versions in that post (opens in new tab)."NASA has brought together some of the world's leading scientists, data and artificial intelligence practitioners, [and] aerospace safety experts, all with a specific charge, which is to tell us how to apply the full focus of science and data to UAP," Evans said in the same statement. The team's findings will be released to the public in mid-2023, when the study wraps up, NASA officials said.Mike Wall is the author of "Out There (opens in new tab)" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall (opens in new tab). Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) or on Facebook (opens in new tab). Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].
Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com (opens in new tab) and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter. | Space Technology |
Moon Dust to Combat Climate Change? Scientists Propose Idea to Shield Earth from Extreme Temperature
Scientists believe that dust from the moon could potentially help shield the Earth from extreme temperatures caused by climate change. The proposal involves sending rockets to the moon to collect and fling moon dust into space, which would then partially block the intensity of sunlight shining on the Earth.
Although it may sound like a far-fetched idea, Professor Luke O'Neill explained on his podcast Show Me The Science that the proposal has already been modelled digitally, and scientists are confident about its efficacy. The process would involve building a base on the moon for mining devices to dig into the moon's surface and fractionate the dust into particles, which would then be catapulted into space.
The process would be a constant one, requiring ten billion kilograms of moon dust to be shot up into space every so often. This would prevent the full intensity of sunlight shining on the Earth and reduce the impact of global warming.
The greenhouse effect traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere, and the heat comes from the sun. By reducing the intensity of sunlight, the proposal could help to turn down the dial on global warming by approximately 1.8%, according to Professor O'Neill.
Despite the seeming unlikelihood of this proposal being successful, a reputable journal has published the research. The proposal could be a promising step towards combating the devastating effects of climate change.
While the proposal may sound outlandish, it is not the first time that scientists have considered the use of space technology to mitigate climate change. In recent years, proposals have included space mirrors, carbon dioxide scrubbers, and asteroid mining.
The moon dust proposal has gained traction in recent years and could be a feasible solution to the challenges of climate change. While more research is required to understand its feasibility, it has the potential to be a groundbreaking approach to reducing the impact of climate change on our planet. | Space Technology |
An illustration of the construction of a lunar outpost with astronauts on the surface of the Moon.Illustration: ICONA Texas-based company has been assigned the pivotal task of developing the means for NASA to build critical infrastructure on the Moon to further its Artemis ambitions. OffEnglishNASA awarded ICON a hefty $57.2 million contract to research and develop construction technologies to build structures like landing pads, habitats, and roads on the lunar surface, the space agency announced on Tuesday. The contract runs through 2028.Through its Artemis program, NASA wants to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon and use our natural satellite as an outpost to reach further destinations, namely Mars. “In order to explore other worlds, we need innovative new technologies adapted to those environments and our exploration needs,” Niki Werkheiser, director of technology maturation in NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, said in a statement.The contract builds on ICON’s Project Olympus, a conceptual space-based construction system that would use resources available on the Moon (and Mars), including regolith (i.e. dusty surface material) and rocks, to build structures. ICON is known for its 3D building technologies on Earth, having constructed the first U.S. 3D printed homes. Through its partnership with NASA, ICON has already 3D-built a 1,700-square-foot Martian habitat analog known as Mars Dune Alpha. The idea is to use as little construction material as possible such that NASA doesn’t have to fly heavy payloads to the Moon or Mars. The space agency will use Mars Dune Alpha to train crews of astronauts during one-year stints starting next year.“We’re pleased that our research and engineering to-date has demonstrated that such systems are indeed possible, and we look forward to now making that possibility a reality,” Jason Ballard, ICON co-founder and CEO, said in a statement. “The final deliverable of this contract will be humanity’s first construction on another world, and that is going to be a pretty special achievement.”To develop the construction technologies needed for the Moon, ICON will work with lunar regolith samples brought back during the Apollo missions. The company will also test its hardware and software through a lunar gravity simulation flight. These tests on Earth will hopefully inform ICON’s 3D-building technologies to be used on the Moon, designing other worldly structures for lunar inhabitants. More: NASA’s Orion Sends Back Haunting New Views of the Moon’s Tortured Surface | Space Technology |
When astronauts return to the Moon they will be bringing along a new generation of spacesuits, designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the lunar surface. But in keeping their human occupants safe and comfortable, these suits might also become a fertile environment for harmful microbial life – especially as astronauts will potentially be sharing suits with one another.
As part of a larger ESA effort called PExTex, assessing suitable textiles for future spacesuit design, the Austrian Space Forum is leading a project called BACTeRMA, looking into ways to prevent microbial growth in suit inner linings.
The most obvious hazards are the external ones: moonwalkers venturing out of lunar bases will have to contend not only with hard vacuum but also wild temperature extremes, space radiation and highly abrasive dust – which partially jammed the seals of Apollo spacesuits within just a few hours of exposure, while compromising their outermost layers.
That’s why the PExTEx (Planetary Exploration Textiles) project, led by France’s Compagnie Maritime d’Expertises, COMEX, has been assessing novel textiles that did not exist during the Apollo era, such as high-strength Twaron material.
Guided by planetary surface architectures such as the US-led Artemis initiative, the PExTex team have been testing materials for a spacesuit that could withstand at least 2 500 hours of surface use. That involves subjecting them to numerous tests overseen by PExTex partner the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research, DITF.
These have included ultra-high vacuum exposure, electrical discharge, temperature shifts and rubbing with simulated moondust – as well as exposing textiles to nuclear accelerator radiation conducted at the MedAustron facility in Austria.
Meanwhile another PExTex partner, the Austrian Space Forum (Österreichisches Weltraum Forum/OeWF), has focused on keeping the insides of spacesuits safe and healthy, through its ‘Biocidal Advanced Coating Technology for Reducing Microbial Activity’, or BACTeRMA for short.
“Think about keeping your underwear clean; it’s an easy enough job on a daily basis, thanks to detergent, washing machines and dryers,” explains ESA materials and processes engineer Malgorzata Holynska. “But in habitats on the Moon or beyond, washing spacesuit interiors on a consistent basis may well not be practical.
“In addition, spacesuits will most probably be shared between different astronauts, and stored for long periods between use, potentially in favourable conditions for microorganisms. Instead we needed to find alternative solutions to avoid microbial growth.”
Traditional anti-microbial materials such as silver or copper might cause skin irritation in the close quarters of a spacesuit, and are likely to tarnish over time.
Instead the BACTeRMA team turned to so-called ‘secondary metabolites’ – which are chemical compounds produced by microbes to protect themselves against competitors or other environmental factors. Typically colourful in appearance, these compounds often have antibiotic qualities.
OeWF worked with BACTeRMA partner the Vienna Textile Lab, which possesses a unique ‘bacteriographic’ collection, to develop biocidal textile processing techniques, such as dying cloth with these bacterial metabolites. These materials were then exposed to radiation, moondust and simulated human perspiration to test their durability.
As a result, the BACTeRMA partners have gained valuable insights into the effectiveness and suitability of antimicrobial substances, such as violacein pigment and prodigiosin – known for its pinkish hue on dirty surfaces – on various textile materials.
Gernot Grömer, OwEF Director, comments: “The findings of PExTex and BACTeRMA lay the foundation for future developments in the areas of antimicrobial treatments and the integration of smart textile technologies. Additionally, these projects could have broader implications for the textile industry, by demonstrating the feasibility and importance of developing innovative textiles with specialized properties.
“The Austrian Space Forum is currently integrating the newly developed textiles in its spacesuit simulator. In March 2024 these materials may undergo their first analog field test as part of our simulation of a crewed Mars mission in Armenia during the AMADEE-24 field campaign.”
German ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer expressed his appreciation for the PExTex and BACTeRMA results: "Space technology, funded by ESA and developed in Europe, is a crucial step to bolster the expertise of European industry and academia for future human and robotic planetary exploration."
Austrian Space Forum
OeWF is a space research organisation following a citizen scientist approach: different experts across various science domains come together in the OeWF to work on space topics, with a special focus on spacesuit technology.
The idea for the two-year BACTeRMA project was proposed by OeWF in cooperation with the Vienna Textile Lab as subcontractor, through ESA’s Open Space Innovation Platform, seeking out promising ideas for space research from any source. | Space Technology |
After 3.5 years, 18,000 orbits of the Earth, and 8 million kilometers (5 million miles) traveled, The Planetary Society’s successful LightSail 2 solar sail spacecraft will burn up as it reenters the Earth’s atmosphere in the next few days. We always knew this would be the eventual fate for the spacecraft. It’s actually taken longer than originally predicted.Despite the sadness at seeing it go, all those who worked on this project and the 50,000 individual donors who completely funded the LightSail program should reflect on this as a moment of pride.The Planetary Society will be providing another update once the deorbit is complete, but in the meantime here is a full description of what’s happening with the spacecraft right now and what will come next.LightSail 2 in a NutshellThe LightSail program has consisted of the LightSail 1 test mission and LightSail 2 mission. During its one-year primary mission, LightSail 2 accomplished its main technical goal, becoming the first small spacecraft to demonstrate controlled solar sailing, using only sunlight reflecting off the sail as propulsion to change its orbit.During its extended mission and through its second year in orbit, LightSail 2 continued to teach us more about solar sailing and even achieved more efficient sailing. The mission’s third year saw its most effective solar sailing, followed by an increase in atmospheric drag from increasing solar activity. The spacecraft has continued working throughout its three-and-a-half years in orbit.LightSail 2 also achieved its other mission goals, which include involving and exciting Planetary Society members and the general public in space exploration, and demonstrating and raising awareness within the space technology community of solar sailing as a viable propulsion technique. A successful technical demonstration helps open the door for future solar sailing missions to be taken more seriously and can aid their potential for selection to fly. We are delighted to see three NASA missions as well as other missions in the works that will take the next steps forward including Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout, which is currently awaiting launch inside the SLS rocket scheduled to launch the Artemis I mission on Nov. 16, as of this writing. Depending on the timing of everything, there may be no gap in having a solar sail mission in space. LightSail 2 image of Gulf of Aden and Red Sea This image taken by The Planetary Society's LightSail 2 spacecraft on Oct. 14, 2022 shows the Gulf of Aden, Arabian peninsula, Horn of Africa, and the Red Sea. North is approximately at top. This image has been color-adjusted and some distortion from the camera’s 180-degree fisheye lens has been removed.Image: The Planetary SocietyDrag is a Real DownerAtmospheric drag is the culprit bringing LightSail 2 down. The effect gets larger as a spacecraft goes lower because atmospheric density increases, and quite rapidly. This can be hard to imagine since we typically think of space as being hundreds of kilometers above the Earth. Although this is true, there are still particles of atmosphere up there and when a spacecraft hits them going some 28,000 kilometers per hour (about 17,000 miles per hour), they slow it down.LightSail 2 started at an altitude of around 720 kilometers (about 450 miles). For reference, the International Space Station (ISS) orbits at around 400 kilometers (roughly 250 miles).Drag is more significant for LightSail 2 than for most spacecraft because the sail area is very large compared to the spacecraft mass. This is great for solar sailing, but terrible for atmospheric drag. Imagine throwing a rock compared to throwing a piece of paper. Atmospheric drag will stop the paper much faster than the rock. In our case, LightSail 2 is the paper. A spacecraft like the ISS is huge but also massive, more like the rock. But even the ISS has to be boosted higher every few weeks using rockets to compensate for drag. As a spacecraft drops lower, the atmospheric drag gets stronger and stronger. As a result, over the last several weeks the rate of drop has increased dramatically as seen in the graphs shown here. LightSail 2's altitude with time LightSail 2’s average altitude with time is shown in black. Its apogee, the highest point in its orbit around the Earth, as shown in blue. Its perigee, the lowest point in its orbit around the Earth, as shown in orange. The right side of the graph shows the rapid descent occurring as it gets lower in the atmosphere. This plot shows data as of Nov. 13, 2022.Image: The Planetary Society LightSail 2’s average daily change in altitude with time LightSail 2’s average daily change in altitude with time is shown in green. The last several weeks show the spacecraft dropping faster and faster due to increasing atmospheric density as it gets lower. This plot shows data as of Nov. 13, 2022.Image: The Planetary SocietyThe increased speed of drop is why “drag sails” are being investigated by various groups including by members of the LightSail team. Drag sails are similar in deployment and materials to a solar sail, but have no intention of ever sailing. They are only to be deployed at the end of a regular satellite’s mission to speed up the deorbiting process in order to limit orbital debris. The descent data we are collecting now for LightSail 2 will contribute a piece to the understanding of drag sails.As can be seen in the details of the graphs above, during the first years of the mission we were able to successfully use solar sailing to slow the descent. Over brief periods the spacecraft was even able to climb slightly thanks to solar sailing. Overall, it was a losing battle at that altitude. Then, things got worse thanks to another culprit… the Sun.We launched during a relatively quiet time in the solar cycle. Eventually, solar activity increased, heating the atmosphere, and leading to increased atmospheric densities at the altitudes where LightSail 2 orbited. That marked the beginning of the end. As solar activity increased even more, solar sailing was unable to compete with the increased drag due to atmospheric density increase. The spacecraft was caught in an ever-increasing snowball effect: as the spacecraft got lower, the density increased which caused the spacecraft to get lower even more quickly. This leaves us where we are now: about to enter the atmosphere in a fireball of friction.Burn UpReentry should occur in the next few days unless something changes drastically, for example if the sail collapsed. It is a tricky job predicting deorbits generally, and particularly for a spacecraft as odd as ours in terms of area to mass ratio. Predictions at the time of writing vary from approximately Nov. 15 to 19, but it easily could slip outside that. For reference, amazingly, the spacecraft was at approximately the height of the ISS on Nov. 12, demonstrating the anticipated drag effect being very high.The US 18th Space Defense Squadron tracks material in space regularly, and various sites including their own generate deorbit predictions based upon that data and spacecraft information. If you want to check the latest orbit or deorbit predictions, here are some ways you can do it:The Planetary Society mission control dashboard, which shows current apogee and perigee (highest point in its orbit and lowest point, respectively), as well as other information.Space-Track is a direct source of tracking data provided by the US 18th Space Defense Squadron, but it does require setting up an account.Reentry predictions from the Aerospace Corporation.Reentry predictions from satflare.com.As our spacecraft hits the thicker parts of the atmosphere at about 28,000 kilometers per hour (17,000 miles per hour), the heat generated will cause the spacecraft to disintegrate and it will appear as a fireball, like a bright meteor in the sky. We don’t know where this fireball will occur, other than it will be between the latitude constraints of our mission of 24° N to 24° S. There is no need for concern if you live in that band. Our spacecraft is small enough that it should totally burn up before ever reaching the surface, so helmets are not required.The futureAs with any successful mission, destruction of the spacecraft is a milestone, but not the end. Our small operations team, no longer having to fly the spacecraft, over the coming months will focus on assembling the data from the entire mission, performing analyses, and publishing and presenting the results publicly and professionally. And of course, we’ll continue to update you into the future as we continue analyses of the LightSail 2 data. We will also report on future solar sail missions that take solar sailing out into the solar system, such as the upcoming missions from NASA. And of course, we will be updating you in the near future after LightSail 2 goes out in a blaze of glory.Thanks to the many companies and people who were involved with the LightSail program. And of course, a huge thank you to our members and donors without whom the LightSail 2 mission and the LightSail program could not have existed. Sail on!The Planetary FundYour support powers our mission to explore worlds, find life, and defend Earth. Give today!
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China's Shenzhou 16 astronauts landed safely on Earth this week despite an apparent hole appearing in their return capsule's parachute.
China Central Television (CCTV) aired video of the descent of Shenzhou 16 on Monday (Oct. 30) as the crewed spacecraft returned to Earth following five months in orbit docked with the Tiangong space station. In some of the footage, a patch of blue sky can be seen through the red-and-white-banded parachute.
Inside the capsule were Shenzhou 16 mission commander Jing Haipeng and crewmates Zhu Yangzhu and Gui Haichao — the latter pair returning to Earth after their first mission to space.
Such a sizable hole, which was visible before a white cloud of vented propellant left the Shenzhou capsule, has not been reported during earlier missions. It did not, however, seem to affect operations.
The capsule touched down safely at the Dongfeng landing site in the Gobi Desert in Inner Mongolia at 8:11 p.m. EDT on Oct. 30 (0011 GMT and 08:11 a.m. Beijing time on Oct. 31). When it did land, however, the capsule appears to have tumbled a couple of times before being enveloped in a cloud of sand kicked up by the impact, which Shenzhou capsules soften by firing thrusters.
Jing was in high spirits after the landing, CCTV reported. "I am very much excited at this moment. We've finally come back home and returned to the embrace of our motherland. We have successfully completed the five-month mission," he said.
Even if the 12,920-square-foot (1,200 square meters) parachute had failed, the crew would still have had another opportunity to slow their descent.
Shenzhou spacecraft carry a backup parachute, should the main chute fail. This would deploy automatically if the reentry capsule descended too quickly from an altitude of 6 kilometers to 5 kilometers (3.7 to 3.1 miles), Shao Limin, deputy technological manager of crewed spacecraft systems at the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), said this past June while discussing the Shenzhou 15 mission. China's space authorities have so far not announced an incident during Shenzhou 16's descent.
Parachutes are not generally thought of as the most cutting-edge of technology when considering the intricacies of space travel, but they present complex challenges. Failure can be fatal, as occurred with the Soviet Union's Soyuz 1 mission in 1967, which led to the death of cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov.
Brian Harvey, a noted space writer and historian, told Space.com via email that there has been a previous incident involving Shenzhou parachutes. According to Harvey, some reports at the time stated that, during Shenzhou 2 — an uncrewed test flight conducted in January 2001, as China built toward human spaceflight capabilities — the cabin was damaged at the final stage of landing because one of the parachute cords broke free.
Harvey said that, after a delay, Chinese officials stopped denying that there had been a hard landing, which resulted from a broken parachute connection.
Parachute design and deployment are subjected to extensive testing and quality assurance. If a hole is found in the Shenzhou 16 parachute, China's human spaceflight agency will likely swiftly investigate, especially with the new Shenzhou 17 crew already aboard Tiangong and set to return in six months' time.
China is also developing a next-generation crewed spacecraft that's larger and will be partially reusable. That new spacecraft descends to Earth with three parachutes instead of one large parachute, as Shenzhou and Soyuz craft currently do. | Space Technology |
In what might be a groundbreaking moment in space industry history, a new startup plans to launch not one but two space missions this year. This might not sound like a big deal, but the company wants to go into space to find and use minerals from asteroids and other deep-space objects. With the potentially infinite worth of valuable materials in deep space, asteroid mining startup AstroForge hopes its endeavors will pay off. If successful, this could result in a very healthy return. Asteroids are believed to contain various precious minerals, including metals such as iron, nickel, and cobalt, and rarer elements such as platinum and gold. They might also have water and other volatile substances that could be useful for future space exploration and settlement. However, it should be noted that the exact composition of asteroids can vary widely, and more research is needed to determine the specific minerals that can be found on individual asteroids. But, with so much potential valuable stuff out there for the taking, any company brave enough to attempt recovery will be paid significant dividends for their labors. Last year, AstroForge was reportedly preparing a demonstration mission this year when we covered the company's seed financing, according to TechCrunch. In addition to announcing a second trip planned later in the year that will send the business to a target asteroid for observation, AstroForge provided more information about that mission today.Most Popular Astroforge will use SpaceX to get them to spaceAlso, according to TechCrunch, the first mission will launch in April using a rideshare launch from SpaceX using the Transporter-7. The 6U CubeSat, supplied by the space technology firm OrbAstro, will have "asteroid-like material" pre-loaded to show off AstroForge's refinement and extraction powers in zero gravity. The second mission will send the company into the depths of space to gather information on an asteroid's surface that the company plans to mine later this decade."We have to find some way to get the regolith off the asteroid and process it in our refinery, and we believe we've solved that for our target asteroid," CEO Matt Gialich said in an interview with TechCrunch.He stated that to help identify the most potential asteroids to exploit, the corporation collaborates with academic advisors, NASA, and the nonprofit Planetary Science Institute. Additionally, the business and the Colorado School of Mines recently published a paper assessing the metal content of asteroids that may be mined, marketed as commodities on Earth, or utilized in space.The second trip will involve studying the target asteroid's surface using high-resolution photos, Gialich revealed. That publication stated that "textures of metal-rich asteroid surfaces remain to be examined." Besides the fact that the asteroid is closer to Earth than, for instance, a boulder in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, he declined to disclose anything more about it."The asteroid belts, far away, would take us like 14-year round trips," he said. "It's something that is much better suited for research and exploration. […] That's not a viable business case for us," he added.With Houston-based Intuitive Machines, the company will instead travel to lunar orbit before continuing to deep space. Once more powered by OrbAstro, AstroForge's spacecraft will embark on a shorter 11-month trek to the intended asteroid.The fourth mission, which would be the company's first refining mission to return platinum to Earth, and the third mission, which would land on the asteroid, is currently being planned by AstroForge. HomeInnovationFor You scienceIE attends New Scientist Live and speaks with the UK Atomic Energy Authority, to learn more about the ambitious STEP program. | Space Technology |
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The first experiment to produce oxygen on another planet has come to an end on Mars after exceeding NASA’s initial goals and demonstrating capabilities that could help future astronauts explore the red planet.
The microwave-size device called MOXIE, or Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment, is on the Perseverance rover.
The experiment kicked off more than two years ago, a few months after the rover landed on Mars. Since then, MOXIE has generated 122 grams of oxygen, equal to what a small dog breathes in 10 hours, according to NASA. The instrument works by converting some of Mars’ plentiful carbon dioxide into oxygen.
During the peak of its efficiency, MOXIE produced 12 grams of oxygen an hour at 98% purity or better, which is twice as much as NASA’s goals for the instrument. On August 7, MOXIE operated for the 16th and final time, having completed all its requirements.
“We’re proud to have supported a breakthrough technology like MOXIE that could turn local resources into useful products for future exploration missions,” said Trudy Kortes, director of technology demonstrations, Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters, in a statement. “By proving this technology in real-world conditions, we’ve come one step closer to a future in which astronauts ‘live off the land’ on the Red Planet.”
MOXIE implications
The thin Martian atmosphere is 96% carbon dioxide, which isn’t much help to oxygen-breathing humans. MOXIE works by dividing up carbon dioxide molecules, which include one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. It separates out the oxygen molecules and emits carbon monoxide as a waste product. As the gases move through the instrument, its system analyzes the purity and quantity of the oxygen.
Heat-tolerant materials, such as a coating of gold and aerogel, were used to make the instrument since this conversion process requires temperatures reaching 1,470 degrees Fahrenheit (798 degrees Celsius). These materials kept the heat from radiating out and damaging any aspect of the rover.
Something that can convert carbon dioxide into oxygen efficiently could help in more ways than one. Bigger and better versions of something such as MOXIE in the future could supply life support systems with breathable air and convert and store oxygen needed for rocket fuel used to launch on a return trip to Earth.
“MOXIE’s impressive performance shows that it is feasible to extract oxygen from Mars’ atmosphere — oxygen that could help supply breathable air or rocket propellant to future astronauts,” NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy said in a statement. “Developing technologies that let us use resources on the Moon and Mars is critical to build a long-term lunar presence, create a robust lunar economy, and allow us to support an initial human exploration campaign to Mars.”
Transporting thousands of pounds of rocket propellant and oxygen on the initial trip from Earth to Mars would be incredibly difficult and expensive and would mean less room on the spacecraft for other necessities. Technology such as MOXIE could help astronauts essentially live off the land and utilize the resources from their surroundings.
Lessons learned from the small MOXIE experiment can now be used to create a full-scale system that includes an oxygen generator that can also liquefy and store the oxygen.
But the next major step in the process is to test other technologies on Mars that could further exploration, like tools and habitat materials.
“We have to make decisions about which things need to be validated on Mars,” said Michael Hecht, MOXIE principal investigator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in a statement. “I think there are many technologies on that list; I’m very pleased MOXIE was first.” | Space Technology |
Join us for the next Startup NASA Series virtual event on March 1, 2023 at 2:00 PM ET and discover how Orbotic Systems is revolutionizing space technology. As an early-stage company, Orbotic Systems has licensed technology from NASA and is working to bring it to the market. The company was created with the goal of addressing the growing threat of space debris. During the virtual event, company representatives will present on their first product, the D3 device, which allows SmallSat operators to inexpensively maneuver, orientate, and deorbit their spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) without any explosive propellant. This groundbreaking solution was developed after investigating business and technical perspectives, with the goal of safely advancing human progress in space. During this free virtual event, company representatives will share their story, including how they got involved with NASA and their current development stage. And most importantly, there will be a Q&A session where you can ask questions and engage with the presenters. Don't miss this chance to gain insights into the future of space technology and its potential for commercialization, register now! Erik T. Long is the Founder and President of Orbotic Systems, a company established to address the growing threat of space debris. Alarmed by the issue, he decided to take action and created Orbotic Systems as a solution for protecting spacecraft. The company has already developed its first product, set to be available for orders in early 2023, with plans to build a satellite constellation to record space weather conditions for debris remediation and make the data available to research organizations. Erik has over 20 years of experience in the technology industry, including project management. He has a Master of Science in Space Studies and Aerospace Science from American Military University, a Graduate Certificate in Information Technology Project Management from American Military University, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Economics from the University of London. He is also a Member of Project Management Institute (PMI). Erik's previous accomplishments include co-founding FinTech firm Quant Trade, LLC in 2007, successfully negotiating deals with Sunoco Energy and Bloomberg, founding and selling technology company Tetrahex Inc. to a publicly listed company in 2006, and developing multivariate analysis software based on Chaos theory. He also was project manager for state of the art decision support software using neural nets with wavelet filters. | Space Technology |
China is continuing to launch trios of classified remote-sensing satellites to low Earth orbit.
A Long March 2D rocket lifted off into the night sky above the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China at 4:03 p.m. EDT on Oct. 23 (2003 GMT; 4:03 a.m. Beijing Time on Oct. 24).
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the country’s state-owned main space contractor, confirmed launch success shortly after liftoff and revealed the previously undeclared payloads to be a new set of Yaogan 39 series satellites.
Little is publicly known about the Yaogan satellites. State media outlet China Daily described the spacecraft as remote-sensing satellites tasked with observing, surveying and measuring objects on land or at sea as well as monitoring weather. Western observers believe Yaogan satellites to be for at least partly military purposes. The wider series includes optical, radar and electronic intelligence gathering satellites.
The satellites were made by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) in Beijing and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), both major entities under CASC.
The new group joins three sets of Yaogan 39 triplets launched in August, September and earlier this month. Like the earlier satellites, the new gang entered orbits with an altitude of roughly 307 miles (495 kilometers) and inclined by 35 degrees.
CelesTrak has GP data for 5 objects from the launch (2023-163) of a Yaogan-39 triplet atop a Long March-2D rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Oct 23 at 2003 UTC: https://t.co/eZDYN2C9mW. Data for the launch can be found at: https://t.co/bvLW5KKdF0. pic.twitter.com/P5FNpWqHhbOctober 24, 2023
Each group will pass over the same points above Earth at different times, providing more frequent coverage over areas of interest.
The mission was China's 48th orbital launch of the year. | Space Technology |
The China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) plans to begin experiments in space-based solar power technology be a clean energy game-changer, according to Space News. It could also prove to be a potent tool for China’s effort to spread its power and influence throughout the world. The first test would involve setting up a solar collector in low-Earth orbit in 2028 capable of transmitting 10 kilowatts to a ground receiving station. Then, in 2030, a solar power station would be deployed in geostationary orbit capable of transmitting a megawatt of energy across 35,800 kilometers to the Earth’s surface. These experiments would be followed by another station that would transmit 10 megawatts in 2035, leading to a 2-gigawatt station capable of powering a large city, in 2050. The two-gigawatt array would be a kilometer in width with gigantic solar panels. Building it would require the capability to assemble large-scale infrastructure in space. Probably the Chinese will have to mine the raw materials on the moon and manufacture the components in space as well before building the space-based solar power station to save the cost of launching it from Earth. China’s Xidian University has already completed a ground system to test the technology for space-based solar power. According to Space News, “It includes technologies for concentrating light and photoelectric conversion, conversion of energy into microwaves, microwave transmission and waveform optimization, microwave beam aiming measurement and control, and microwave reception and rectification.” The idea of space-based solar power is an old one, according to Space.com. Nikola Tesla developed the idea of wireless transmission of electricity at the end of the 19th century. Peter Glaser patented a design for a space-based solar power system in 1968, a year before the Apollo moon landing. It works by collecting solar energy 24/7 from space and then transmitting the energy by microwaves to a receiving station on Earth that would then channel it to the power grid. In 1975, in the wake of the Arab oil embargo and the end of the Apollo Program, Gerard K. O’Neill, a Princeton physics professor, began to popularize the idea of free-flying colonies in space. In a paper published in Science, O’Neill speculated that these colonies would be made economically viable by constructing space-based solar power stations and selling the energy to Earth. O’Neill would later popularize his concept in the book “High Frontier,” in which he states space could be made directly profitable by providing limitless, clean energy. While space-based solar power has yet to take off due to the huge cost of launching things into space, the concept has recently gotten a renewed look, thanks to NASA’s Artemis Program to return to the moon and concerns over climate change caused by fossil fuels. The United States Energy Department has a page touting the concept. NASA has started a new study of space-based solar power in light of new technological advancements. The United States Space Force has also expressed interest. In the meantime, China stands to derive a number of advantages if it successfully proceeds with a space-based solar power project. First, China would become a leader in green energy technology. The development would be replete with irony since the country is currently leading the world in the construction of coal power plants. Next, developing such technology would make China a leading space power. From extraterrestrial mining to space manufacturing, the things needed to create space-based solar power would make the country that acquires them dominant on the high frontier. Finally, space-based solar power would become a crucial part of the Belt and Road Initiative, a program designed to bind much of the developing world to China through infrastructure investment. Imagine being a leader of a resource-rich but infrastructure-poor country being offered at least two gigawatts of clean energy literally from the heavens by China. Of course, the price consisting of massive debt and other concessions may be a little high. The United States and its allies under the Artemis Accords should take heed. It would be tragic if Glaser’s and O’Neill’s dream took form as an instrument of the Chinese Communist Party, one of the most tyrannical regimes on the planet. The country that is first to develop space as an engine of prosperity on Earth will own the future. Mark R. Whittington is the author of space exploration studies “Why is It So Hard to Go Back to the Moon?” as well as “The Moon, Mars and Beyond,” and “Why is America Going Back to the Moon?” He blogs at Curmudgeons Corner. | Space Technology |
A Delta II rocket launched the Spitzer Space Telescope two decades ago, boosting it to an Earth-trailing orbit, where it drifted away from our planet at a rate of about 15 million kilometers a year. It was the last of NASA's four "Great Observatories" put into space from 1990 to 2003.
Over its planned five-year lifetime, the infrared space telescope performed its job well, helping astronomers discover newly forming stars, observe exoplanets, and study galaxies. After more than seven years, as anticipated by scientists, the on-board supply of liquid helium ran out. Without this coolant, some of Spitzer's scientific instruments were unavailable. So its operators switched to "warm mission" mode, taking data from two of its shortwave channels.
The space telescope continued operating until about three years ago, at which point the spacecraft began to overheat whenever it needed to point back toward Earth for communications. By this time, as it drifted farther from Earth, it was close to being on the opposite side of the Sun. This meant that operating the telescope, and having it phone home from time to time, would irreparably damage Spitzer's remaining scientific instruments.
And so in January 2020, after more than 16 years of service, the Spitzer Space Telescope was deactivated—consigned to drift in a heliocentric orbit until the Sun's fiery expansion at the end of its life a few billion years from now.
Or was it?
A small space technology company, Rhea Space Activity, says it has a plan to resurrect Spitzer. Last week the firm said it won a $250,000 grant from the US Space Force to continue studying a robotic rescue mission for the spacecraft, which is now about two astronomical units—or twice the distance of Earth from the Sun—away.
The plan is rather audacious, but it has some serious backers, including the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Blue Sun Enterprises, and Lockheed Martin.
"When it comes to robotic space servicing, this would be the most ambitious thing ever done," said Shawn Usman, an astrophysicist who is the founder and chief executive of Rhea Space Activity, in an interview with Ars. "I mean, it is literally sending a satellite to the other side of the Sun to resurrect the last Great Observatory. So I think it would be pretty ambitious, but it'd be really great if we could pull it off."
The "Spitzer Resurrector" mission would be a small spacecraft that could fit into a 1-meter-by-1-meter box and be ready to launch as soon as 2026, Usman said. It would then take about three years to cruise to the telescope, during which time the spacecraft will make observations of solar flaring.
"We plan to be busy right from the start of the mission," said Howard Smith, an astronomer at the Center for Astrophysics, which is operated by Harvard University and the Smithsonian, who is involved in the proposed rescue flight.
Once the resurrector spacecraft reaches the telescope, it would fly around at a distance of 50 to 100 km to characterize Spitzer's health. Then it would attempt to establish communications with the telescope and begin to relay information back and forth between the ground and telescope. This would allow scientists to restart observations.
Rhea Space Activity, which is named after the Greek goddess and presently has fewer than 10 employees, is seeking a larger grant from the military and, ultimately, full funding for a mission expected to cost about $350 million.
"It's a very beautiful collaboration between a private space company, academic research institutions, and the US Space Force," said Giovanni Fazio, a Harvard University astronomer who was the principal investigator of the Infrared Array Camera on Spitzer.
Commercial servicing
The effort by Rhea Space is part of an emerging trend in the commercial space industry. Northrop Grumman has been developing and launching a series of "mission extension" vehicles to service satellites in geostationary orbit. Billionaire Jared Issacman is working with SpaceX and NASA to use a Crew Dragon vehicle to extend the life of the Hubble Space Telescope.
The autonomous satellite technology developed by Rhea Space could have multiple applications for moving and servicing satellites in low-Earth and geostationary orbit. It is for these in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing capabilities that the Department of Defense is interested. Last year the White House published a report stating that advancing government and commercial capabilities in these areas was a priority for the United States.
Usman said the company has already had discussions with NASA about the mission, and the agency is likely to sign off on a rescue attempt. The space agency would welcome the return of Spitzer not only for scientific purposes, but also to help characterize the threat of near-Earth asteroids.
But is Spitzer healthy after all this time? Two decades have passed since Spitzer launched, and the Resurrector mission will not reach it before the end of this decade.
"The solar cells may be degraded, and there may be meteorite impacts," Fazio said. "So it's an uncertainty what condition the telescope is in. But our best estimate is that it will still be in an operating condition." | Space Technology |
Satellites have come into focus as a critical way — and sometimes the only way — to deliver communications and receive data about certain locations around the world, a power position that can be heroic but also ripe for abuse, and that’s before considering how their presence contributes to the growing problem of space debris.
Now, UK startup Open Cosmos, which is building what it describes as “sustainable” low-earth orbit satellites and an end-to-end system for managing the data gathered through them, has raised $50 million aimed at making access more democratised through a platform it has built that lets multiple organisations use single satellites, or more typically a constellation of satellites, and (if they choose) share the data they collect with each other.
The company — co-founded by three aerospace engineers out of Spain — has been around since 2015 and caught the eye of the industry early on when it managed to put together and launch its first LEO satellite on a shoestring budget, notable not least because of how much capex and opex typically go into aerospace work and the outsized budgets organizations need to get a seat at the table for using satellite data. Nowadays the startup works with major space agencies as well as companies like Amazon (specifically AWS) and engineering, systems and security business RHEA Group, agribusiness firms like Lacuna Space, and more.
While its platform, hardware and systems technically could be used for a wide plethora of applications, the focus for Open Cosmos is on energy and climate monitoring, said CEO Rafel Jorda Siquier.
“We only provide to those who want to be good actors in those domains,” he said in an interview. The satellites themselves eventually degrade and break up as they re-enter the atmosphere, essentially leaving no parts behind.
The funding is notable for a number of other reasons, including the investors involved and the wider context for funding in areas like deep tech and space tech.
ETF Partners, Trill Impact and A&G — three backers focused on impact investments — are leading the round, with several interesting strategics involved, including Accenture Ventures, Banco Santander/InnoEnergy Climate Tech Fund (the financial group acquired a stake in the latter a week ago), IREON, Wille Finance, Claret Capital Partners and none other than InQTel — the CIA’s investment arm. Entrepreneurs turned investors Taavet Hinrikus and Kheng Nam Lee also o participated in the round. That list of backers speaks to who might be working with Open Cosmos already, as well as what opportunities it might have in the future.
As one example of that, Accenture said today that its investment is part of a partnership that it’s forming with Open Cosmos to implement and run data projects for Accenture customers, particular with a focus on sustainability.
This investment is a standout also given the current climate for startup investing.
Funding for startups continues to be constrained, and in Europe specifically, in Q2 of this year, the amount invested in startups was half the amount as the year before, according to figures from Crunchbase published at the end of August.
Artificial intelligence is one salient, in-demand category that continues to stand out at the moment, but the picture has been a very mixed one for space tech, which is up on the end of 2022 but still far below highs (no pun intended) of previous years.
In fact, one take on why funding for space tech has gone up 120% in the first half of 2023 compared to the last half of 2022, was not because of a sudden interest or recovery in the funding landscape, but because so many founders delayed raising rounds in 2022 that they’ve had no choice but to fundraise. And some have gotten deals, albeit at lower valuations or at lower amounts.
Open Cosmos’s $50 million is also a big leap for the startup itself: it is more than 7 times the amount it had raised in the years leading up to now.
Jorda Siquier, who co-founded the company with Aleix Megias Homar (VP operations) and Jordi Barrera Ars (VP technology), declined to give any indication of the company’s current valuation pre- or post- this latest investment.
But for some context, it’s been very lean, especially for a hardware startup: the startup had raised only around $7 million in total, and while PitchBook estimates that its previous valuation was a modest $36 million, it has been Ebitda positive since 2020 — meaning it’s operationally profitable (but yet to reach full profitability). All of that points to a company that investors might feel is less risky to back right now.
That’s especially interesting given Open Cosmos’s current market opportunity: the company’s focus at the moment is on applications in areas like climate and agriculture, specifically with a view to sustainability and projects that help further that. This would put the firm at arm’s remove from communications and data connectivity for other kinds of uses and users — although even sustainability, arguably, is a critical geopolitical category, when you consider that organisations like NATO (and the U.S. government, and others like it) are investing now in startups that can help states be more independent when it comes utilities and resources. It also doesn’t rule out what and how Open Cosmos might do in the future, and for whom.
This alone can be a huge area, covering data that can be tough to measure otherwise in categories like illicit (or simply ignored) deforestation projects, the development of greenhouse gases, monitoring the progress of polar ice caps and sea levels as well as ocean currents — covering some 54 climate variables in all. Satellites also play a crucial role in relief efforts for natural or other disasters. Open Cosmos, citing research figures, estimates that rising demand for earth orbit data is a market segment that will be worth $11.3 billion by 2031.
“Space data has always been an important means of understanding planet Earth, but it is only with its increasing affordability, the amplifying effects of climate change and the rapidly growing number of AI/ML solutions that extract insights from this data that the market is now ready to reach its full potential,” said Toba Spiegel, Investment Manager at Trill Impact, in a statement. “Open Cosmos is the leader in providing multi-sensor space data at an affordable cost and the first to create an appstore-like analytics offering.”
“Open Cosmos has demonstrated not only its unique end-to-end technologies as seen in its organic growth and financial stability but that the team is in a strong position to now take the company to the next level,” added Juan Diego Bernal, MD A&G Energy Transition Tech Fund. “We look forward to working with the team to seize these market opportunities and solidify its position as a leader in the space technology sector and leveraging its cutting-edge technology to boost the Energy Transition for a better world.” | Space Technology |
Off-Earth: Ethical Questions and Quandaries for Living in Outer Space Erika Nesvold MIT Press (2023)
Reclaiming Space: Progressive and Multicultural Visions of Space Exploration James S. J. Schwartz, Linda Billings and Erika Nesvold (eds) Oxford Univ. Press (2023)
From Star Trek to Apollo 17, space exploration is often framed as humanity pushing collectively towards a better future. But those utopian visions probably won’t mesh with reality. The book Off-Earth explores the ethical implications of humans moving into outer space — and whether those who do can avoid bringing along Earthly problems such as environmental destruction and social injustice. Nature spoke to its author, Erika Nesvold.
Nesvold is a computational astrophysicist, game developer and a member of the team behind Universe Sandbox, a physics-based space simulator. Based in Severn, Maryland, she is also co-founder of the JustSpace Alliance, a non-profit organization that works for a more inclusive and ethical future in space, and co-editor of Reclaiming Space, a collection of essays that explores similar themes.
Why is now a good time to talk about ethics in space exploration?
A lot of people are talking about these topics because of the growth of the private space-flight industry. For decades, human space exploration was done by national agencies with different motivations, different rhetoric surrounding it and different levels of public participation. With private space flight, members of the public — if they get rich enough — can actually think about going into space.
You talk about ‘settling’ space, rather than colonizing it. Why?
Because of all the terrible behaviour that came out of the colonization model here on Earth. People talk about space as the final frontier — there’s always references to the Wild West. But living on the frontier in the Wild West was not an ideal experience for most, including Indigenous people, women and Black people. We can’t just pick and choose the nice shiny parts of history and apply them to space. We have to also look at what was harmful about those times and how we can avoid that in the future.
What messy Earth problems could humans carry into space?
It’s not just that we’ll bring all the same problems with us into space. There are certain physical characteristics of the space environment that could make all of this worse — making people more vulnerable to exploitation, for example. People working in space — say, mining asteroids or whatever we send them out to do — are going to be in isolated environments without a lot of oversight or monitoring. They’re going to be at the mercy of their employers for air, water, food and a trip back to Earth.
This has parallels with a lot of environments where we see labour exploitation and abuses on Earth. During my research for Off-Earth, I spoke to a labour-rights activist who talked about the Thai fishing industry, in which migrant workers are hired, their passports are taken away, they’re put on boats and taken off to sea. And they can be kept out there for years and abused without anyone watching. They don’t have a way back. Solutions that work on Earth, such as strong labour unions and regulation to defend workers’ rights, will also help to safeguard future space workers — assuming we put deliberate effort into putting these protections into place.
Why does Off-Earth also talk about reproductive rights in space?
This felt like one of the most futuristic topics in the book because nobody’s saying, oh, let’s start having children in space. But if we want someday to have a permanent human presence in space, then we have to be able to replenish our population without continually shipping people from Earth. That means human reproduction in space, but there are so many ethical complications.
In the long term, it leads into questions of population control. If you’re in an environment of real scarcity, such as we imagine a space settlement would be, you need to keep your population from getting too big or too small. And we’ve seen on Earth that trying to control a country’s population can lead to some really unethical and horrific practices.
What can people who have worked on these issues on Earth teach us?
Historians, especially colonial historians, can point to lessons learnt — cautionary tales and also success stories from the past. Anthropologists, sociologists and economists can explain how humans live together and how their culture shapes behaviour, and vice versa. And how all of this affects the success and happiness of communities.
While researching my book I talked to Michelle Brown, a criminologist at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Walidah Imarisha, who is a writer, an activist and director of the Center for Black Studies at Portland State University in Oregon. They both taught me a lot about prison abolition and restorative justice. If we talk about maybe not needing prisons in space, then the question is, what’s the alternative? And it turns out there’s a ton of people who are exploring how different cultures around the world handle harm within their communities in ways that don’t involve locking people up in prison.
How do we ensure that voices from all around the globe are heard?
There’s been discussion that we just need to bring more people to the table, to have more of these conversations across a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, expertise and lived experiences. But even that assumes it’s the Western space industry’s table, and that we get to decide who comes to it. What I’d rather see is more amplification of the conversations that people outside of the Western world view are having about space and their own societies — so that we can encourage a more global conversation that’s not dominated by one country or one cultural viewpoint.
A lot of people in the space industry like to talk about space as if they’re speaking on behalf of all of humanity, which is really disingenuous if you haven’t even consulted with all of humanity about their interests and what their motivations are for space. Someone living in a community whose culture is deeply tied to their land might be much more interested in how space technology could help them to continue protecting and restoring the health of their land and community, rather than imagining relocating to space in the distant future.
What impact does diversity among astronauts have on these issues?
Representation and diversity matters in space and in space travellers. NASA has committed to sending the first woman and the first person of colour to the Moon. It has the responsibility as a US government agency to reflect the demographics of its population and make sure the astronaut corps is as accessible for as many people as possible. In the long term, if you’re looking at creating permanent populations living in space, you want them to be representative of humanity.
What can researchers do to ensure the ethical exploration of space?
One thing I encourage astronomers to do is to learn from scientists in other disciplines, such as genetics, who have had to think about the ethical implications of their research and how they balance, on a personal level, the work and the potential harm it could cause. Having conversations involving different disciplines would be useful.
More broadly, scientists who want to help to build a better future in space but don’t work in policymaking or philosophy can do a couple of things. They can have conversations with their friends and colleagues about what a better future in space would look like, what kind of world in space they would want to live in, and also just focus on making a better society here on Earth today, whatever corner of the globe they live in. If we do manage to make Earth a better place and a nicer society to live in, within our lifetimes, then we’re helping our future in space. | Space Technology |
A new undertaking from space technology company Maxar will use mirrors to autonomously track and reflect sunlight to supply energy to solar-powered equipment operating in the shadows of the moon's cliffs and craters.
NASA has set the goal to land astronauts near the moon's south pole by 2025 as a part of the agency's Artemis program. The moon's south pole is rich in resources such as water ice, but also experiences long periods of little to no sunlight. These conditions make energy production difficult, leaving few options to recharge batteries and maintain life-support, especially when using solar power.
A new Maxar project known as Light Bender aims to remedy that by using autonomous mirrors that will automatically reflect light towards essential equipment that Artemis astronauts might carry with them into permanently shadowed regions on the moon's surface.
"Part of what we're doing is conceptually simple, reflecting sunlight to a solar panel located in the dark," said Maxar Chief Robotics Architect and lead for Light Bender Sean Dougherty in a Maxar statement. "Where it gets complex is doing that without humans involved. We're leveraging investments in autonomy to study how NASA can use robots to assemble and deploy a set of reflectors that keep sunlight focused on a solar panel operating in the shadows. It's never been done before."
Light Bender works by hoisting two 33-foot (10-meter) reflectors up a 65-foot (20-meter) telescoping mast. One mirror autonomously tracks the sun and reflects that light to the second mirror, which then reflects those rays towards the intended solar panels.
The Light Bender project is a collaboration between Maxar and NASA's Langley Research Center, and is scheduled for its first terrestrial demonstration in 2025. The company was awarded the contract in May 2023, under NASA's Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity Program. For their part, NASA's team is responsible for Light Bender's structural design, and Maxar is taking the lead on the robotics — an aptitude for which the company has demonstrated in the past.
Given the size of Light Bender's mirrors, Maxar also intends to assemble them once in space. Dougherty says autonomous robotics will have a crucial role in establishing the infrastructure needed for long-term lunar exploration. "We don't currently have construction crews on the moon or Mars, so robots will have to step in. By using these technologies to build infrastructure, robotics increase human safety and reduce the amount of people it takes to accomplish missions."
Artemis 3 will be the program's first crewed mission to the lunar surface, and will target the moon's south pole. The mission is slated to reach the moon no sooner than 2025. Artemis 2, meanwhile, is scheduled to send a crew of four around the moon and back in November 2024. | Space Technology |
Aeolus' fiery demise to set standard for safe reentry
ESA's wind mission, Aeolus, will soon be lowered in orbit leading to its fiery reentry and burn-up through Earth's atmosphere. ESA's efforts to ensure a safe return go well beyond international standards and place the agency in the lead for space safety.
Having exceeded its planned life in orbit, the 1360-kg satellite is running out of fuel. Ensuring that enough fuel remains for a few final maneuvers, ESA's spacecraft operators will bring Aeolus back toward our planet's atmosphere for its inevitable demise.
They will aim the mission toward the ocean, further reducing the very small chance that fragments could cause harm should any reach Earth's surface.
This is the first assisted reentry of its kind and sets a precedent for a responsible approach to reduce the ever-increasing problem of space debris and uncontrolled reentries.
Why is Aeolus coming home?
Launched in 2018, Aeolus has outlived its planned three-year life in space by more than 18 months. During its mission, its trailblazing wind-mapping laser, which at one stage was thought a nigh-impossible feat of engineering, has significantly improved weather forecasts worldwide.
Aeolus has been hailed as one of the most successful missions ever built and flown by ESA. As an Earth Explorer research mission, it was designed to demonstrate new space technology, but it became one of the highest impact-per-observation weather satellites, and its laser is still performing as well as ever.
However, Aeolus' fuel is now almost depleted and orbiting low, at an altitude of just 320 km, means it is already being caught up by Earth's wispy atmosphere.
Speeding up Aeolus' return is the sun.
Solar flares and coronal mass ejections release matter and radiation, and when this washes past Earth, it increases the density of Earth's atmosphere. Intense solar activity in recent months means that the satellite has been using even more fuel to remain in orbit. For Aeolus, it's been like running against the wind.
This is why, after five years of spectacular science, ESA's wind mission ended operations on 30 April 2023.
Making use of this phase, scientists have put its instrument into a special mode to perform end-of-life activities that will help to prepare the Aeolus-2 follow-on mission, which like a phoenix will emerge from the ashes of its pathfinding predecessor.
Aeolus' final breaths
Over the next few months, Aeolus will descend naturally from its current altitude of 320 km to 280 km. At this point, spacecraft operators at ESA's mission control center, ESOC, in Darmstadt, Germany, will gradually lower it to 150 km above Earth's surface. The satellite will burn up as it descends to around 80 km.
As populated regions make up a relatively small percentage of Earth's surface, the chance of a re-entry causing any harm is exceptionally low.
The final date depends on how solar activity speeds up the process, but Aeolus is expected to be no more before the end of August.
Aeolus engineers and industry partners have carefully worked out how to best position Aeolus in Earth's atmosphere to target open ocean waters upon reentry, hugely reducing the amount of land over which pieces fragments could fall.
ESA's Aeolus Mission Manager, Tommaso Parrinello, said, "The exact details on the reentry approach and series of maneuvers and operations, as well as a more detailed timeline will be made public in mid-June.
"For now, we can anticipate that we are targeting the best ocean corridor to reenter."
With the assisted reentry of Aeolus, ESA is clearing the way for future missions to continue taking the pulse of our planet. They can only do this if Earth's orbits aren't filled with dangerous space debris, and safety is at the forefront of end-of-life activities.
Provided by European Space Agency | Space Technology |
Once considered science fiction, technology capable of collecting solar power in space and beaming it to Earth to provide a global supply of clean and affordable energy is moving closer to reality. Through the Space-based Solar Power Project (SSPP), a team of Caltech researchers is working to deploy a constellation of modular spacecraft that collect sunlight, transform it into electricity, then wirelessly transmit that electricity wherever it is needed—including to places that currently have no access to reliable power."This is an extraordinary and unprecedented project," says Harry Atwater, an SSPP researcher and Otis Booth Leadership Chair of Caltech's Division of Engineering and Applied Science. "It exemplifies the boldness and ambition needed to address one of the most significant challenges of our time, providing clean and affordable energy to the world."The project is led jointly by Atwater, who is also the Howard Hughes Professor of Applied Physics and Materials Science, and two other researchers: Ali Hajimiri, Bren Professor of Electrical Engineering and co-director of SSPP; and Sergio Pellegrino, Joyce and Kent Kresa Professor of Aerospace and Civil Engineering, co-director of SSPP, and a senior research scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). (l-r) Professors Sergio Pellegrino, Harry Atwater, and Ali Hajimiri. Credit: Steve Babuljak for Caltech Harnessing solar power in space relies on breakthrough advances in three main areas:Atwater's research group is designing ultralight high-efficiency photovoltaics (materials that convert light into electricity) that are optimized for space conditions and compatible with an integrated modular power conversion and transmission system.Hajimiri's research team is developing the low-cost and lightweight technology needed to convert direct current power to radio frequency power (which is used to transmit cell phone signals, for example) and send it to Earth as microwaves. The process is safe, Hajimiri explains. Non-ionizing radiation at the surface is significantly less harmful than standing in the sun. In addition, the system could be quickly shut down in the event of damage or malfunction.Pellegrino's group is inventing foldable, ultrathin, and ultralight space structures to support the photovoltaics as well as the components needed to convert, transmit, and steer radio frequency power to where it is needed.The basic unit of the system the researchers envision is a 4-inch-by-4-inch tile that weighs less than a tenth of an ounce. Hundreds of thousands of these tiles would combine into a system of flying carpet-like satellites that, once unfurled, would create a sunlight-gathering surface that measures 3.5 square miles.Work on the SSPP has been supported by more than $100 million in funding from Donald Bren, chairman of the Irvine Company and a life member of the Caltech community, and his wife, Brigitte Bren, a Caltech trustee. The Northrup Grumman Corporation provided funding for initial feasibility studies.Atwater, Hajimiri, and Pellegrino discussed their progress—and the transformational potential of space-based solar power—as the project nears a significant milestone: a test launch of prototypes into space in December 2022.Describe the vision behind the Space-based Solar Power Project. How did the project take shape?Sergio Pellegrino: It was more than 10 years ago, in 2011, that conversations began with Donald Bren asking whether Caltech had any ideas when it came to research in the field of sustainable energy and space. We started discussing, in a group of faculty members, ways of building on our interests and what was happening in each of our areas that might lead to a very impactful research initiative. Over a period of a few months, we came up with a vision—I called it a dream—of three or four technology breakthroughs that, in combination, would transform the way space solar power had been previously approached.Ali Hajimiri: This concept was, in the past, truly science fiction. What made it possible for us to consider taking it from the realm of science fiction to the realm of reality was the combination of developments happening in photovoltaics in Harry's lab, in structures in Sergio's lab, and in wireless power transfer, which is happening in my lab. We realized that we can now pursue space solar power in a way that is becoming both practical and economical.One of the first questions that anyone asks is, "Why do you want to put photovoltaics in space?" Well, in space, where you don't have day and night and clouds and things of that sort, you get about eight times more energy. The vision of this program is to be able to provide as much power as you need, where you need it, and when you need it.What progress have you made toward realizing this ambitious vision?Pellegrino: Over a period of two years, we built and demonstrated a prototype tile. This is the key modular element that captures the sunlight and transmits the power. Through that process, we learned many things about how to design highly integrated and ultralight systems of this sort. We then developed a second prototype, 33 percent lighter than the first. An array of small solar panels that are part of the Space Solar Power Project integrate photovoltaics, power transfer circuitry, and incorporate beam steering. Credit: Caltech Hajimiri: This tile is the building block, as Sergio mentioned, of the larger system. It has to be fully functional, compatible, and scalable. Although it may sound simple, it's actually quite sophisticated. These tiles are mounted on a very flexible structure that can be folded to fit in a launch vehicle. Once deployed, the structure expands, and the tiles work in concert and in synchronization to generate energy, convert it, and transfer it exactly where you need it and nowhere else.What can you tell us about the next phase in this project?Atwater: It doesn't get real until you actually go to space. As Sergio and Ali described, we demonstrated this key unit element called a tile in our labs. One of the lessons from that series of demonstrations was that the pathway we needed to follow for photovoltaics fundamentally had to change. We were working with what I'll call conventional photovoltaic materials, which had to be designed in a form that was going to make it difficult to reach the mass-per-unit area and specific power goals, so we had to basically rethink the photovoltaic strategy completely. As a result, the classes of photovoltaic devices that we are testing in space have actually never flown in space before.Pellegrino: Most spacecraft today have solar arrays—photovoltaic cells bonded to a carrier structure—but not with this type of material and not folded to the dimensions we've achieved. By using novel folding techniques, inspired by origami, we are able to significantly reduce the dimensions of a giant spacecraft for launch. The packaging is so tight as to be essentially free of any voids.Hajimiri: Wireless power transfer of this nature has not been demonstrated in space. We are also demonstrating it with our flexible, lightweight material, not necessarily a rigid structure. That adds complexity.If and when space solar power becomes a reality, what impact might it have on society?Hajimiri: It is going to revolutionize the nature of energy and access to it so that it becomes ubiquitous, it becomes dispatchable energy. You can send it where you need it. This redirection of energy is done without any mechanical movements, purely through electrical means using a focusing array, which makes it extremely fast.Atwater: I think one can say that the Brens' vision really was to do something that, as Ali mentioned, originally emerged almost from science fiction, to do something that would become a large-scale energy source for the world.Pellegrino: We have had JPL collaborators join our team, and that collaboration has become powerful and useful to us as we start thinking about these space demonstrations. The discussion about energy that was implicitly limited to powering the earth actually extends to space exploration also. We're opening new chapters in the way JPL is thinking about future missions.Speaking of collaboration, work across research areas has been integral to SSPP's success. What has it been like to work together so intensely over the course of a long-term project?Hajimiri: The students, the postdocs, all of us have been working very closely, and we've been learning a great deal about each other's domains. This results in something that's more than the sum of its parts, both in terms of the end result of the project as well as in terms of the training the students are getting. That training is incredibly important to the future of space technology, whether it's for wireless power transfer, communications, space structures, or all sorts of other applications we haven't even thought about yet.Atwater: I had a former lifetime working in photovoltaics but never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would get involved in space until this opportunity came together. And for me, it's been a window on a completely new world of science. That's been tremendously exciting.Pellegrino: Sometimes it feels like we are pushing our colleagues to do something that they clearly think is impossible but later turns out not to be impossible. That is just a wonderful feeling. It's a different kind of research, where you are doing the best you can in your own field, but you are also leveraging the interface with other fields, a collective system that really is going to benefit society. Benefiting society is a much more elaborate thing than doing good work in your own area. It's so much more challenging.Interested in learning more? Subscribe to Caltech Weekly | Space Technology |
New quantum magnetometer to map Earth’s magnetic field from spaceThe tech will also use a machine learning algorithm to filter out any interference from other sources, such as satellites or solar activity.Rizwan Choudhury| Sep 21, 2023 06:00 AM ESTCreated: Sep 21, 2023 06:00 AM ESTinnovationEarth's magnetic field stock photo.Credits: Petrovich9/iStock Get a daily digest of the latest news in tech, science, and technology, delivered right to your mailbox. Subscribe now.By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Policies You may unsubscribe at any time.A Canadian company, SBQuantum, has teamed up with Spire Global to develop a new way of mapping the Earth’s magnetic field using diamonds. The team is one of the three finalists in the MagQuest Challenge, a global competition organized by the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.World Magnetic ModelThe Earth’s magnetic field, also known as the World Magnetic Model (WMM), is essential for navigation and communication systems used by billions of people and devices every day. However, the WMM is constantly changing due to the movements of the Earth’s core and needs to be updated frequently to maintain its accuracy. See Also Related Magnetic fields reveal lost undersea worlds Most remote galactic magnetic field found in early universe New clues emerge on the origin of the universe’s magnetic fields SBQuantum’s solution is based on a diamond quantum magnetometer, a device that can measure the magnetic field's strength and direction with high precision and stability. The magnetometer uses quantum effects to create a red glow from a diamond crystal, which corresponds to the magnetic field vector measurements.Nitrogen vacancy diamonds?The diamond quantum magnetometer works using a particular type of diamond with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers. These are defects in the diamond’s crystal structure, where a nitrogen atom replaces a carbon atom and an adjacent site is empty. This creates a pair of electrons that can be manipulated by light and magnetic fields.Shining a green laser on the diamond excites the electrons to a quantum state that depends on the Earth’s magnetic field. The electrons then emit red light, which reveals the strength and direction of the magnetic field at that point. This allows SBQuantum to map the magnetic field with high resolution and accuracy.But that’s not all. SBQuantum also uses tensor gradiometry, a technique that measures the changes in the magnetic field in different directions. This helps to identify the characteristics of other objects that affect the magnetic field, such as minerals, metals, or submarines. To filter out any noise from the environment, such as cars or power lines, SBQuantum also applies its proprietary algorithms. This way, SBQuantum can focus on the relevant features and provide valuable insights from the magnetic data. This is what SBQuantum calls "Magnetic Intelligence".Deploying machine learning algorithm A press release said that the team will also use a machine learning algorithm to filter out any interference from other sources, such as satellites or solar activity. The algorithm will be trained using data from different satellite sensors.The team claims that their solution will provide more accurate and frequent measurements of the WMM than existing spaceborne methods and that their magnetometer will last longer than current sensors.“We are very excited to participate in the final phase of this prestigious competition. We have been working hard to develop our diamond-powered quantum magnetometer and compensation algorithms,” said David Roy-Guay, CEO and Co-Founder of SBQuantum. “This is a great opportunity to demonstrate our space technology and show its potential for various applications.”Spire Global, a leading provider of satellite data and analytics, will support SBQuantum with its expertise and infrastructure for satellite technology. Spire will also host SBQuantum’s magnetometer on one of its satellites for testing.“Satellite technology plays a vital role in enabling many systems that we use every day, such as navigation and communication. We are proud to partner with SBQuantum and to leverage our capabilities for this innovative solution to collect geomagnetic data,” said Chuck Cash, Vice President of Federal Sales at Spire.The final phase of the MagQuest Challenge will start this month, with a launch of all the finalists’ solutions into space planned for mid-2025. The winner will receive a prize of $10 million. HomeInnovationAdd Interesting Engineering to your Google News feed.Add Interesting Engineering to your Google News feed.SHOW COMMENT (1) For You Chinese researchers create dancing microrobots using lasersFrom lost wings to ruptured fuselages, 7 times planes refused to dieBlack holes scarf up matter at dizzying speeds, says studyMagnetic fields reveal lost undersea worldsDoes hydrogen have a future as a clean energy source?Why China and Russia can not match USS Gerald R. FordNASA aims to destroy an Empire State Building-sized asteroidCooler temperatures may help to extend EV-battery lifeStrangelets won't destroy the Earth, but are still spooky as hell'Aliens' displayed in Mexico are from a single skeleton Job Board | Space Technology |
Defense-focused space technology startup True Anomaly has received key permits from regulators that will allow it to demonstrate imaging and rendezvous capabilities on-orbit for the first time.
The two authorizations — from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) — give the company the greenlight to perform non-Earth imaging and to demonstrate in-space rendezvous proximity operations, respectively. True Anomaly is planning on executing these capabilities using two of its “autonomous orbital vehicle” spacecraft, which the company calls Jackals, during a mission early next year.
The 275-kilogram Jackal spacecraft will launch aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-10 rideshare mission, which is currently scheduled to launch no earlier than February 2024. True Anomaly had previously been targeting a ride on Transporter-9, which is launching in October, but CEO Even Rogers told TechCrunch that they decided to move to a slightly later launch date after experiencing some supply chain issues.
“Sometimes there are pressures when you’re building new systems that you experience across the supply chain,” he said. “We were subjected to some of those delays and then it just got a little tight.”
The startup also announced that it had opened its first factory, a 35,000-square-foot facility called “GravityWorks,” in Centennial, Colorado. The new facility will be able to produce a spacecraft every five days, thanks to a manufacturing approach that’s similar to how automobiles are assembled.
“We’re not trying to commoditize spacecrafts,” he said. “There’s some phenomenal companies out there that are just trying to make spacecraft less expensive and fast, but we’re really focused on a national security space and securing the space domain from threats.”
True Anomaly, founded by a quartet of ex-Space Force members last year, is looking to furnish the Pentagon with defensive technology, including an “autonomous orbital vehicle” the company calls Jackal, to protect American assets in space and conduct reconnaissance on adversary spacecraft. The company has found major traction for its tech, raising around $30 million in funding so far, including a $17 million Series A that closed earlier this year.
In a previous interview with TechCrunch, True Anomaly CEO Even Rogers described an “information asymmetry” between the U.S. and its adversaries in space; the company wants to close that gap, by building spacecraft that can rendezvous with other orbital objects and capture images up close.
The company is also planning to provide virtual training and using the Jackal on-orbit as a real-life training system for U.S. warfighters. Last month, True Anomaly debuted a digital and an “on-orbit range” service, which will be able to realistically replicate threats and allow users to train and test tactics.
Eventually, Rogers said the company is looking to roll out more hardware lines and have “potentially hundreds” of spacecraft in every orbit, including cislunar orbit. | Space Technology |
Who Was Vikram Sarabhai? Know About ISRO Founder After Whom Vikram Lander Is Named
As Chandrayaan-3 mission's Lander Module is about to to soft-land on the moon, do you know who the lander module is named after?
As the nation eagerly awaits Chandrayaan-3 mission's Lander Module to soft land on the moon, do you know who the lander module is named after? Lander Module aka Vikram is named after Vikram Sarabhai (1919–1971) who is widely recognised as the father of the Indian space programme. Read on to know more about Vikram Sarabhai.
Dr Vikram Sarabhai: Life and education
Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was norn on August 12, 1919 in the city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. In 1942, Vikram Sarabhai married the classical dancer Mrinalini. The couple had two children - Mallika who gained prominence as an actress and activist, and son Kartikeya who became an active person in science. During his lifetime, he practiced Jainism.
Dr Sarabhai was educated in Gujarat College, Ahmedabad, and later in England, at the Cambridge University. He returned to Cambridge to earn his doctorate, after an initial stint at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, under the mentorship of another renowned scientist, Sir C.V. Raman. His research focused on cosmic rays.
Celebrated the birth anniversary of Vikram Sarabhai on August 12 at the V S Library, IIM Ahmedabad. The Vikram Sarabhai Library (VSL) is named after the world-renowned physicist and founding director of IIM Ahmedabad, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. #VSL, #IIMAhmedabad, #vikramsarabhai pic.twitter.com/mBYC6EiyXH— Vikram Sarabhai Library, IIM Ahmedabad (@VSLIIMA) August 14, 2023
Kartikeya Sarabhai and Mallika Sarabhai On Chandrayaan-3
Ahead of the moon landing, both the son and daughter paid tribute to their father and his legacy and said that the Chandrayaan-3 project represents the 'new India' and every citizen is proud of this project.
'It is a great day for all of us, not only Indians but globally, because no one was able to reach the southern side of the moon. People had tried in the past, but failed. There is a likelihood of water there in a different form," Kartikeya Sarabhai, an environmentalist, told PTI. "It is a very proud feeling for us because the lander has been named after Vikram Sarabhai. But this pride is for all of us, not just the immediate family. Different components of this lander are made by different people. So it actually integrated so much of India into it. Scientists from all over the country were involved. It represents new India," he said.
Vikram Sarabhai's daughter and activist Mallika Sarabhai said the Indian moon mission is a step forward for the entire humanity. "I believe in effort and science. I believe that ISRO scientists have done hard work and it will be a fulfillment of one of my father's dreams. He dreamt of using science and technology not for a race with other countries, nor to prove how great we are. But to see how mankind, humanity and the planet can get better, safer and more dignified for all," she told PTI.
Dr Vikram Sarabhai: Career
Dr Sarabhai is often called as the father of the Indian space programme. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962, which later evolved into the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969.
His diverse contributions spanned across various fields. One of his foremost achievements was the creation of the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad in 1947. However, it is his work in the field of space that he is most renowned for.
Recognising the potential of satellite technology for a country as vast as India, Dr Sarabhai was convinced of the role space technology could play in the nation's development. Under his leadership, India sent its first satellite, Aryabhata, into space in 1975. He also laid the foundation for the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station in Kerala.
Beyond space research, Dr Sarabhai's interests were eclectic. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of many institutions in diverse fields, from management and textiles to pharmaceuticals. The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, one of the premier management institutions in the country, was also set up by him in 1961. The institution has since become a beacon for management education in India and across the globe.
Tomorrow is 99th birth anniversary of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, our 1st Chairman (1963-71). A bust of Dr Sarabhai to be unveiled at HQ. Dr K Kasturirangan to deliver Sarabhai talk. Chairman Dr K Sivan to speak about #SarabhaiCentenary progs to begin next year. @PMOIndia#Sarabhai100 pic.twitter.com/9LMSTGslFt— ISRO (@isro) August 11, 2018
Dr Vikram Sarabhai: Institutions established
Some of the most well-known institutions established by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai are:
Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad
Community Science Centre, Ahmedabad
Darpan Academy for Performing Arts, Ahmedabad (along with his wife)
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuramm
Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad (This institution came into existence after merging six institutions/centres established by Vikram Sarabhai)
Faster Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR), Kalpakkam
Varaiable Energy Cyclotron Project, Calcutta
Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Hyderabad
Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), Jaduguda, Bihar
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), ISRO is awarded— ISRO (@isro) December 15, 2022
National Energy Efficiency Innovation Award 2022 for
Hybrid Capacitor Battery for Space Transportation
Dr. SA Ilangovan, DD, PCM & Smt. S. Sujatha, Head, ESDD received the award from the President of India on Dec 14, 2022. pic.twitter.com/TZuuHnnCHR
Dr Vikram Sarabhai: Awards
Dr. Vikram Sarabhai was awarded by Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in 1962, Padma Bhushan in 1966, Padma Vibhushan, posthumous (after-death) in 1972.
Honours
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, (VSSC), a research institute specialising in solid and liquid propellants for rockets located in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), capital of Kerala state, is named in his memory.
In 1974, the International Astronomical Union at Sydney decided that a Moon Crater BESSEL in the Sea of Serenity will be known as the Sarabhai Crater.
Dr Vikram Sarabhai: Death
Dr Vikram Sarabhai passed away at the young age of 52 on December 30, 1971 due to cardiac arrest in Thiruvananthapuram. On the same day, he was supposed to review SLV design and had also spoken to A.P.J Abdul Kalam on the telephone. He passed away within an hour of the conversation. | Space Technology |
CNN — French astronaut Thomas Pesquet spent six months aboard the International Space Station last year, and his view of the Earth was as alarming as it was breathtaking. Long periods with his feet off solid ground gave him a unique and privileged perspective on our planet. His Instagram account is bursting with beautiful images of “the blue ball we call home.” But the beauty is tainted. Pesquet says that even from space the effects of climate change are visible. He says that since his previous visit to space, in 2016, the consequences of human activity have become even more apparent, with glaciers visibly retreating, and a rise in extreme weather events. Environmental concern motivated him to become a UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Goodwill Ambassador. As an astronaut on board the ISS he supported the FAO’s research into agricultural innovation and methods of food production. Limited resources in space provide an opportunity to model human behavior on a planet with dwindling resources, and Pesquet wants to highlight the parallels between life on a spacecraft and life on Earth. CNN spoke to Pesquet at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. The astronaut caring for 'spaceship Earth' 04:04 - Source: CNN CNN: What does the Earth look like from “out there?” Pesquet: When you look at the Earth from the space station, it’s absolutely magical. You’re not that far away, so you still have a relatively close-up view. But you can see the curvature and you see the atmosphere. It glows in blue. It is absolutely breathtaking the first time you see it. It’s the most beautiful scenery you could possibly imagine. When you’re on the Earth, you feel that everything is so vast, everything is endless. You have a hard time understanding how limited we are. Then, when you take a step back and you see the Earth in its entirety, you suddenly understand that we live in an oasis in the cosmos. All around us is nothing, no life, blackness, emptiness, absolutely nothing – apart from this blue ball with everything we need to sustain human life, and life in general, which is absolutely fragile. It makes you want to cherish the Earth and protect it, the more you see it from space. CNN: What are the real effects of climate change that are visible from space? Pesquet: You can see a lot of the consequences of human activities from space. Some of them are from climate change, and some of it is just plain old pollution, e.g. river pollution, air pollution. The most visual visible effect is glaciers retreating year after year and mission after mission. But what you can see as well is extreme weather phenomena. They’re getting stronger and stronger year after year. My first mission was 2016-2017, and my second mission was five years later in 2021. I could see a net increase in the frequency and the strength of extreme weather phenomena like hurricanes, like wildfires. Read: Explorer’s mission to photograph a century of climate change in Patagonia CNN: What contribution can an astronaut make? Pesquet: There’s a ton that you can do from space to help out on the planet. First of all, as a space agency, we have satellites that can observe the Earth and measure variables such as the heights of waves, the temperature of the sea, ice on the polar caps retreating. But we can also go a little bit deeper. We have experiments that are geared towards protecting the planet – for example, experiments on fluids. Fluids in orbit behave differently, so our research is trying to understand the motion of the magma and lava inside the planet, and the movement of waves in the ocean. This can help us predict some of the extreme weather events that affect our environment. Crucially, we have to manage our limited resources onboard the space station. We have limited atmosphere, limited water, limited food. And so the way we deal with everything on board the space station gives us techniques that we can apply on Earth because the situation is parallel. I think the people on Earth can learn a great deal about how space technology deals with water, how we recycle water, how we recycle air oxygen. CNN: Does it take its toll on family life when you’re away in space for several months? Pesquet: It’s not easy for us being up there, and it’s not easy for the people we leave behind. The toughest thing is being deprived of your loved ones, and also being constantly worried that if something happens to them, you cannot help them. I think it’s the nightmare of all the astronauts, that something happens to their families on Earth while they’re away. Read: James Cameron’s plea to protect the ocean twilight zone I believe there’s an element of selfishness in me going to space because it’s a fantastic magical experience. But I also firmly believe that there’s a hugely positive impact on society in general because of what we do; because of the research, because of the international cooperation. So I think we have to do it even if there’s a price to pay. It’s not easy, but I think it’s a good thing to do. CNN: As a climate advocate, do you think about the environmental cost of space travel? Pesquet: As an astronaut, you witness the fragility of planet Earth, while simultaneously thinking, “wait a minute, what is my impact on all this? I’m going to space in a rocket, how does that impact the environment?” Yes, space travel produces some CO2, and it is not entirely environmentally friendly. But I think you have to take into account the positives with the negatives. There are so few rocket launches that compared to aviation, cars or other industries, our impact is negligible. We need activity in space to get satellite research done. This benefits the planet a lot. So space travel is a necessary evil. CNN: Since you have returned from the ISS, what are your hopes for the future protection of our planet? Pesquet: If we set ourselves on the right path, there’s nothing we cannot do. We built this unbelievable facility in space for good reasons. We’re using it every day, in peaceful cooperation between countries that were not always friends. So if we can transfer that model to the way we deal with the environment on Earth, I think we’ll get there. We’re creative enough, we have the technology and we have the will. So I’m optimistic for the future. If we can make a space station fly, then we can save the planet. | Space Technology |
NASA Spinoffs Bolster Climate Resilience, Improve Medical Care, More
When it comes to NASA, most people look to the skies as rockets, rovers, and astronauts push the boundaries of space exploration. But the benefits of going above and beyond can be found here on Earth through products and services born from NASA innovation.
The latest edition of NASA’s Spinoff publication features dozens of new commercialized technologies that use the agency’s technology, research, and/or expertise to benefit people around the globe. It also includes a section highlighting technologies of tomorrow.
“From the heavens to hospitals around the world, NASA spinoffs are improving life for all of humanity,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “The work NASA does in research and technology gives businesses a competitive edge, driving an economy that allows America to compete globally and creating good-paying jobs for this generation – and the next.”
NASA’s Spinoff 2023 features more than 40 companies using NASA technology, research, and funding to create better batteries to store green energy, improve airport ground traffic to save passengers and airlines time while cutting fuel costs, distribute ventilators around the world, and even heal wounds faster on humans and animals alike.
“Before it launched and gave us a new view of the universe, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope was already improving one of the most common eye surgeries on Earth,” said Jim Reuter, associate administrator of the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). “This is just one example of how the technology we develop for space exploration is improving the quality of life for people here on Earth.”
This year in Spinoff, readers will learn more about:
- How companies are using satellite data to boost human resiliency to climate change and protect homeowners against disasters such as wildfires and floods
- A new, sustainable, meat-free protein alternative born from NASA-funded research at Yellowstone National Park
- A robotic astronaut’s deep-diving successor that’s ready to work in offshore operations like oil wells, wind turbines, and fish farms
The publication also features a new cancer diagnostic tool informed by research on astronauts exposed to space radiation while aboard the International Space Station, a NASA-designed technology that helps find trapped people in the wake of disaster, and a new 3D printing modeling program that uses “digital cloning” to cut costs and speed up development of complex industrial parts.
“It isn’t just the commercial space industry that can leverage our innovations,” said Daniel Lockney, executive of NASA’s Technology Transfer program. “Practically any industry area can find a NASA technology as a solution to its business needs. Our scientists, researchers, and engineers are constantly creating new materials, software, tools, and more. If it isn’t here now, it soon will be.”
Spinoff is part of the agency's Technology Transfer program within STMD. The program is charged with finding the widest possible applications for NASA technology through partnerships and licensing agreements with industry, ensuring that NASA's investments in its missions and research find additional applications that benefit the nation and the world.
Readers also can check out Spinoffs of Tomorrow, a section that highlights 20 NASA technologies available for licensing and commercialization. Some examples include a wind warning system that uses Doppler lidar alerts to protect wind turbine blades, sensors that can boost cameras to see through waves and explore ocean environments like endangered coral reefs, and a robotic exoskeleton that can help rehabilitate arm and shoulder injuries.
Those interested in licensing NASA technology are encouraged to begin their search by browsing the agency’s patent portfolio. | Space Technology |
What will become of the German North Sea floating launch site?
Recent support from Bremen stands in contrast to budget cut proposals.
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What will become of the German North Sea floating launch site?
The current political coalition governing Bremen signed an agreement on 3 July that, among many other commitments, pledged to continue to support the establishment of a floating launch site that would be operated from the end of Germany’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the North Sea. However, at the same time, the national government is proposing slashing the national space budget by as much as 15%, which would put projects like the North Sea launch site on the chopping block.
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Background
A project to examine the possibility of developing a German spaceport was introduced by the Federation of German Industries (BDI) at its Space Congress in Berlin on 18 October 2019. The primary motivations behind the proposal were to strengthen the country’s newspace ecosystem, create the conditions for competition, and open up new strategic options for the federal government.
In August 2020, BDI published a feasibility study proposing that the country could develop a mobile launch platform that would be stationed in the North Sea during operations. The study found that the spaceport would offer access to sun-synchronous and polar orbits without having to fly over populated areas or any land masses at all. The location also has low sea and air traffic volumes. Main sea routes between European trade harbours are located east and further south of the launch location. The same is applicable to the air routes connecting Europe’s most frequented airports.
In December 2020, Tractebel DOC Offshore, MediaMobil, OHB, and Harren Shipping Services joined forces to form the German Offshore Spaceport Alliance (GOSA) to push the proposal forward. Tractebel provides expertise in the planning, implementation, and operation of maritime offshore projects. MediaMobil is a satellite communication solution provider that focuses on maritime mobile systems. OHB is a space technology company with decades of expertise in manufacturing satellites. Finally, Harren Shipping Services is a Bremen-based shipping group.
In September 2021, Germany's Minister of the Economy Peter Altmaier revealed the government's support of the North Sea spaceport proposal. The announcement came at an event that included the signing of four Memorandums of Understand with launch operators supporting the development of the spaceport. Altmaier explained that the government had pledged to act as an "anchor customer" for the floating launch site.
The 3 July 2023 commitment from the Bremen coalition is the latest sign that support for the floating launch site is growing.
The basics
A permanent platform was considered for the launch site. However, the site's location has been declared a marine protection area, which limits options. According to the study, operating the current solution from the proposed location would allow for 250 days of use per year. Initially, the average launch campaign would last around 15 days. However, later logistics optimisation would reduce that down to as little as 10 days. This 10-day launch campaign target would allow for the support of up to 25 launch campaigns per year.
The launch sequence would see a rocket being loaded horizontally onto the mobile launch platform aboard the microlauncher unit. The platform would then leave port and head to the launch zone. Once there, the crew would be evacuated to an auxiliary vessel at a distance of three kilometres. The rocket would then be erected, fueled, and launched remotely.
The microlauncher unit, which would include the mobile erector and launch platform, would be able to support vehicles between 20 and 30 metres long with a diameter of around 2.2 metres, and a mass of between 36 and 52 tonnes when fueled. The launch pad itself would have a footprint of 9x9 metres including all safety equipment. A crew of 20 would be required to support a launch.
The ship selected by GOSA is the Combi Dock I, the first in a series of four vessels that were built between 2008 and 2019 at the Lloyd shipyard in Bremerhaven. The ship is 170 meters long and 25 meters wide. The cargo bay is 18 metres wide and 16 meters deep. The final configuration would feature three heavy-lift cranes which would be able to lift a combined 700 metric tons.
The 2020 feasibility study found that the development and operation of the North Sea spaceport would cost between €22 and €30 million over six years. This translates to an annual contribution from the government of no more than €5 million a year. According to the study, an initial phase that would allow for up to 12 launches per year would see GSOA charging around €750,000 per mission launched. Once the floating launch site was fully operational supporting 25 launches a year, that per mission cost would be reduced to approximately €590,000.
Support
In September 2021, German launch startups Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) and HyImpulse signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) expressing support for the North Sea launch platform. Additionally, Skyrora from the United Kingdom and T-Minus from the Netherlands both also signed MoUs supporting the project.
In response to questioning from European Spaceflight, HyImpulse SEO Christian Schmierer stated continued support for the project, although he added that the company’s priority was, however, land-based spaceports. He added that the North Sea spaceport would be a compelling option for missions relating to German national security interests.
RFA was significantly more enthusiastic about the proposal with CCO Jörn Spurmann highlighting the strategic importance of Germany developing its own spaceport.
“Germany is very capable of building satellites and has three excellent launch system companies working on their first flight,” Spurmann told European Spaceflight. “With a German spaceport, the entire upstream portfolio can be operated from Germany alone. This, of course, has strategic importance and will also raise public awareness of spaceflight. The relevance of a spaceport on the political agenda will increase many times over with every euro invested. Without a spaceport, we will always have to ask a partner country for launches, which is of great advantage for international cooperation and the European idea. From a national strategic point of view, it is a must-have to improve German relevance at international negotiation tables. Launching German satellites with German rockets from German territorial waters would not only simplify logistics but also save us export controls. Accordingly, we find the project promising and are pleased about the recent political support for GOSA.”
T-Minus cofounder Hein Olthof expressed the company’s continued support, highlighting the berthing port’s proximity to the Netherlands as a particularly beneficial element.
“We're still supportive of the GOSA initiative: it fits well with our highly responsive rockets for atmospheric- and hypersonic research and BMD training,” said Olthof. “Of course, the fact that its berthing port is close to the Netherlands is favourable for us as well. We definitely consider its unique proposition as a valuable addition to the existing sites we launch from.”
Skyrora’s response to a request for comment was straightforward with an interesting reference to a now-defunct launch operation with a similar launch infrastructure to the proposed North Sea site. “The seaport is of interest to us based on our team’s previous experience working with Sea Launch," explained a Skyrora spokesperson.
The project does, however, not enjoy universal support among German launch startups, with Isar Aerospace being the notable exception.
“In our view, there are too many arguments against a launch site in the German North Sea, both structurally and operationally as well as economically,” an Isar Aerospace spokesperson told European Spaceflight. “We think that it will be very difficult to operate the North Sea launch platform on an economically sustainable basis. However, if that changes, and it becomes possible to operate the platform on a purely commercial basis, then we would, of course, not exclude the possibility.”
Conclusion
Although there are several European launch facilities either operational or in the process of getting there, fewer than you would imagine are actually in the EU. The UK launch sites are all, thanks to Brexit, outside the EU, as is Andøya Space Center in Norway. That leaves the Guiana Space Center and Esrange in Sweden as the only launch sites within the EU. Launching from Esrange offers headaches to potential customers due to needing to fly over Norway, which requires launch operators to go through an additional layer of legislative red tape. It is, as a result, unsurprising that no launch operators have committed to launching from Esrange.
So, for missions that are required to be launched from territories within the EU, the competition isn’t as stiff as on the commercial side. In fact, it could be argued that the North Sea spaceport could be the go-to location for small launch vehicles launching EU national security missions which would include the IRIS2 communications constellation. Even on the commercial side, an EU-mainland-based facility has advantages. In addition to a reduction in shipping costs when compared to Guiana, export licenses for transportation to launch facilities in non-EU countries like the UK for launch operations would be eliminated.
There could, as a result, be numerous benefits to launching from the proposed North Sea site. There are, however, also drawbacks. Although the Combi Dock I would employ stabilization systems, variables affecting the nominal operation of a launch would be significantly greater in number than from a land-based site. The biggest question mark for the proposal will, however, be if the operators that have expressed interest actually utilize the floating launch site to a sufficient degree as to justify its continued operation. Esrange has already proven that the Field of Dreams premise of “build it, and they will come” only works for baseball fields and not rocket launch infrastructure.
Of course, there is also the issue of national support. Although Bremen, which is heavily invested in the country’s continued support of space activities, does back the initiative, the national government does appear to be more interested in cutting back on space spending. A recent proposal shows that the planned space programme budget for 2024 is €313.8 million, a 15% reduction from the €371.08 million budget for 2023. The proposed budget has, unsurprisingly, not been greeted favourably in the space industry.
“The budget proposal sends a very negative signal at a time when we need more investment for strategic and technological reasons," said managing director of the German NewSpace Initiative Matthias Wachter.
With budget cuts looming and strategic projects like IRIS2 and the continued development of Ariane 6 being the most likely to be retained in full, projects like the North Sea launch site may just not make the cut.
Europe in Space is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. | Space Technology |
Anand Mahindra Calls Them 'One Of The Heartbeats Of India' And Applaudes Their Relentless Intent
He reposted a tweet about Chandrayaan 3 & shared his view on the news of the spacecraft being injected into the translunar orbit
The chairman of Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra is famous among his fans and followers on Twitter. The businessman shares interesting videos, photos and motivational content on the social media platform.
On August 2, Anand Mahindra shared a tweet of Chandrayaan 3 by ISRO.
He wrote, “One of the heartbeats of India - @isro It’s not about the success of the mission; It’s about their relentless intent…”
After Anand Mahindra's tweet, his followers on the social media app responded with their own affirmation on ISRO's efforts and lauded India's progress in space exploration.
Here are some of those responses.
RELENTLESS EFFORTS.Its not about success,its RELENTLESS EFFORTS of ISRO to bring INDIAð®ð³ in league of Nations to land on Moon. It took APOLO 11 to land man on moon,we r striving with CHANDRAYAN 3 to accomplish milestone.The will:the intent & relentless efforts r MORE IMPORTANTð— AMIT SINGH (@AMITSIN69447090) August 2, 2023
SUCCESS is the only thing that matters in space exploration. Consolation prizes are for losers. Yes, there will be setbacks, it is a tough business. But give the âit is not about the successâ piffle a rest.— Voice of Goa (@OriginalGoan) August 2, 2023
Their persistence is an achievement by itself, I'm closely attached to ISRO & I love that we are in the top 5 counties with advanced space technology in the world. India is developing its own cryogenic engine, which is a key technology for launching heavy satellites into space— Edward (@EikkiEddie) August 2, 2023
Chandrayaan-3 Latest Update
On Tuesday, August 1, ISRO stated that the third and the most recent lunar Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) exploration mission spacecraft Chandrayan - 3 completed its orbits around Earth.
A key manoeuvre to slingshot the Chandrayaan spacecraft toward the Moon from Earth's orbit was carried out successfully. The manoeuvre will be performed when Chandrayaan-3 is at the closest point to the Moon (perilune), ISRO said.
In a recent press release, ISRO said that the spacecraft is now heading toward the Moon. In five days from August 1 - the spacecraft will reach the Moon’s orbits.
The space research organization also stated that the ‘Lunar-Orbit Insertion’ is planned for August 5, 2023. | Space Technology |
NASA has given up on the planned moon mission of its tiny Lunar Flashlight cubesat, which aimed to hunt for water ice in shadowy craters near the moon's south pole.
The briefcase-sized Lunar Flashlight launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket last December. It was a ride-along payload on a mission whose chief aim was to send the private Japanese company ispace's robotic Hakuto-R lander toward the moon.
Lunar Flashlight was supposed to be moon-bound as well. But it experienced problems with its technology-demonstrating propulsion system, failing to generate enough thrust to reach lunar orbit as planned.
The mission team troubleshot the problem for nearly six months but couldn't crack it. So, today (May 12), NASA announced that it was calling an end to Lunar Flashlight's planned mission.
"Technology demonstrations are, by their nature, higher risk and high reward, and they're essential for NASA to test and learn," Christopher Baker, program executive for Small Spacecraft Technology in the Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C., said in a statement (opens in new tab) today.
"Lunar Flashlight was highly successful from the standpoint of being a testbed for new systems that had never flown in space before," Baker added. "Those systems, and the lessons Lunar Flashlight taught us, will be used for future missions."
Among those successes, NASA officials said, were the cubesat's Sphinx flight computer, a low-power, radiation-resistant variant developed by the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, and the probe's upgraded radio, known as Iris.
"Featuring a new precision navigation capability, the radio can be used by future small spacecraft to rendezvous and land on solar system bodies," NASA officials wrote in today's statement.
The mission team also successfully tested Lunar Flashlight's four-laser reflectometer, suggesting that it could indeed have spotted water ice on the floors of moon craters.
"It's disappointing for the science team, and for the whole Lunar Flashlight team, that we won't be able to use our laser reflectometer to make measurements at the moon," Barbara Cohen, the mission's principal investigator at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, said in the same statement.
"But like all the other systems, we collected a lot of in-flight performance data on the instrument that will be incredibly valuable to future iterations of this technique," Cohen said.
Lunar Flashlight's miniaturized propulsion system was a new type of technology as well, employing 3D-printed parts and "green" propellant. It appears that the thrusters' fuel-feed system got clogged with some type of debris — metal shavings or powder, perhaps — that prevented them from firing at full capacity, NASA officials said.
Mission team members tried several tactics to dislodge the debris, including increasing the fuel pressure to levels far above normal. But nothing worked in time for the probe to achieve its planned lunar orbit.
But Lunar Flashlight isn't necessarily dead. Most of the probe's systems are still functioning well, and NASA could end up assigning it a new task.
"After having traveled out past the moon, Lunar Flashlight is now moving back toward Earth and will fly past our planet with a close approach of about 40,000 miles (65,000 kilometers) on May 17," agency officials wrote in today's update. "The cubesat will then continue into deep space and orbit the sun. It continues to communicate with mission operators, and NASA is weighing options for the future of the spacecraft."
Lunar Flashlight's ride-along partner also failed to achieve all of its mission goals: Hakuto-R ended up crashing during its lunar landing attempt on April 25. But, like Lunar Flashlight, the Japanese lander notched a number of successes along the way. For example, it successfully reached lunar orbit, demonstrating the viability of many of the systems ispace will use on future lunar missions.
Mike Wall is the author of "Out There (opens in new tab)" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall (opens in new tab). Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) or Facebook (opens in new tab). | Space Technology |
China claims its Space Station has achieved 100% oxygen regeneration in orbit
China's Space Station has allegedly achieved 100% regeneration of its oxygen supply using its onboard oxygen regeneration system.
The Space Station, which is currently operated by the Shenzhou-15 crew, can produce all of its own oxygen, according to an official speaking at a space technology symposium in Harbin City on Friday.
"At present, the six systems are in stable operation, with 100 percent of the oxygen resources regenerated and 95 percent of the water resources recycled," said Bian Qiang, director of the environmental control and life-support engineering office under the Astronaut Center of China.
"This reduces the amount of supplies from the ground by six tonnes every year," added Bian.
The revelation marks a significant advancement in China's manned spacecraft's environmental control and life-support systems, moving from "replenishment" to "regeneration."
The system has six subsystems for various operations, such as the creation of oxygen, the removal of carbon dioxide, and the creation of water from carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
China's Tiangong Space Station advances
Bian claims that the system's technology is among the greatest in the world, and as a result, the requirement for ground supplies is reduced by six tonnes annually.
For China's manned spacecraft, including the Shenzhou spacecraft, extra-vehicular spacesuits, and the three-module space station complex, experts have successfully created three generations of environmental control and life-support systems, according to Bian.
The meeting received a video greeting from the Shenzhou-15 crew, which is presently in Earth orbit, reported CGTN, China's state-affiliated media.
In addition to reflecting on the advancements in environmental control and life support technologies since the Shenzhou-6 mission 17 years ago, Commander Fei Junlong highlighted his satisfaction at having worked and lived in space for more than 100 days.
Earlier, China revealed plans to add a new orbital module to its Tiangong Space Station. This module will connect to the three others that are already in low Earth orbit, transforming the T-shaped space station into a cross.
According to reports, the new multipurpose module features six docking ports, allowing it to connect more spacecraft. China's plans to send space visitors to its space station may be aided by the extension.
In October of last year, China launched the third and last module of its Tiangong Space Station into low Earth orbit.
However, China's unchecked rocket reentries after the launch of each module have raised concerns in the rival West. | Space Technology |
Six early-stage space tech ideas have snagged funding from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, which seeks to encourage the development of futuristic concepts that could revolutionize spaceflight and exploration.
These projects each received initial funding via NIAC's Phase 1 in years past. They've now received a second round of funding for further research under NIAC Phase 2 — up to $600,000 over two years of work.
One of this year's NIAC Phase 2 grantees is FarView, a proposed low-frequency radio telescope array that would be built on the far side of the moon using lunar regolith. That location would shield the observatory from atmospheric and radio interference from Earth. During NIAC Phase 1, the FarView team established that the observatory would be able to study the mysterious Cosmic Dark Ages.
Another NIAC Phase 2 grantee, PI — Planetary Defense, seeks to defend the planet from asteroids and other potential impactors. Whereas the leading method of planetary defense is momentum transfer to change an impactor's trajectory, as demonstrated by NASA's DART mission last September, this new project is investigating another method: pulverizing the impactor into small pieces that would burn up in Earth's atmosphere. It plans to do this with an "array of small hypervelocity kinetic penetrators."
While the projects might seem a bit far-fetched, they are, by design, intended to challenge convention — that's the mission of NIAC.
"NASA's story is one of barriers broken and technologies transformed to support our missions and benefit all of humanity," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement (opens in new tab). "The concepts selected under NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program will help empower researchers to usher in new technologies that could revolutionize exploration in the heavens and improve daily life here on Earth."
The full list of ideas and their principal investigators chosen for Phase 2 NIAC 2023 grants is below:
- Quantum Rydberg Radar for Surface, Topography, and Vegetation (opens in new tab) (Darmindra Arumugam, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California)
- Silent, Solid-State Propulsion for Advanced Air Mobility Vehicles (opens in new tab) (Steven Barrett, Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts)
- PI – Planetary Defense (opens in new tab) (Philip Lubin, University of California, Santa Barbara, California)
- The Nyx Mission to Observe the Universe from Deep Space – Enabled by EmberCore, a High Specific Power Radioisotope Electric Propulsion System (opens in new tab) (Christopher Morrison, Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation in Seattle)
- FarView Observatory – A Large, In-Situ Manufactured, Lunar Far Side Radio Array (opens in new tab) (Ronald Polidan, Lunar Resources, Inc. in Houston)
The NIAC program, which is funded by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, started in 2011. | Space Technology |
NASA awarded several contracts "to build landing pads, roads and habitats on the lunar surface, use nuclear power for energy, and even lay a high-voltage power line over half a mile..." Instead of going to the moon and returning home, as was done during the Apollo era of the 1960s and early '70s, NASA intends to build a sustainable presence focusing on the lunar South Pole, where there is water in the form of ice. The contracts awarded Tuesday are some of the first steps the agency is taking toward developing the technologies that would allow humans to live for extended periods of time on the moon and in deep space. Materials on the moon must be used to extract the necessities such as water, fuel and metal for construction, said Prasun Desai, NASA's acting associate administrator for space technology. "We're trying to start that technology development to make that a reality in the future," he said.
The largest award, $34.7 million, went to billionaire Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin space venture, which has been working on a project since 2021 called Blue Alchemist to build solar cells and transmission wire out of the moon's regolith — rocks and dirt. In a blog post this year, Blue Origin said it developed a reactor that reaches temperatures of nearly 3,000 degrees and uses an electrical current to separate iron, silicon and aluminum from oxygen in the regolith. The testing, using a lunar regolith simulant, has created silicon pure enough to make solar cells to be used on the lunar surface, the company said. [NASA says it could also be used to make wires.] The oxygen could be used for humans to breathe. "To make long-term presence on the moon viable, we need abundant electrical power," the company wrote in the post. "We can make power systems on the moon directly from materials that exist everywhere on the surface, without special substances brought from Earth."
The award is another indication that Blue Origin is trying to position itself as a key player in helping NASA build a permanent presence on and around the moon as part of the Artemis program... The company said it is developing a solar-powered storage tank to keep propellants at 20 degrees Kelvin, or about minus-423 degrees Fahrenheit, so spacecraft can refuel in space instead of returning to Earth between missions.
Other winners cited in the article:
- Zeno Power, which "intends to use nuclear energy to provide power on the moon," received a $15 million contract (partnering with Blue Origin).
- Astrobotic — which plans to launch a lander to the moon this year — got a $34.6 million contract "to build a power line that would transmit electricity from a lunar lander's solar arrays to a rover. It ultimately intends to build a larger power source using solar arrays on the moon's surface."
- Redwire won a $12.9 million contract "to help build roads and landing pads on the moon. It would use a microwave emitter to melt the regolith and transform treacherous rocky landscapes into smooth, solid surfaces, said Mike Gold, Redwire's chief growth officer."
The technologies — which include in-space 3D printing — "will expand industry capabilities for a sustained human presence on the Moon," NASA said in a statement.
The U.S. space agency will contribute a total of $150 million, with each company contributing at least 10-25% of the total cost (based on their size). "Partnering with the commercial space industry lets us at NASA harness the strength of American innovation and ingenuity," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "The technologies that NASA is investing in today have the potential to be the foundation of future exploration."
"Our partnerships with industry could be a cornerstone of humanity's return to the Moon under Artemis," said acting associate administrator Desai. "By creating new opportunities for streamlined awards, we hope to push crucial technologies over the finish line so they can be used in future missions.
"These innovative partnerships will help advance capabilities that will enable sustainable exploration on the Moon." | Space Technology |
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