Friday, July 26, 2024

'Realistic' UFO Spotted Flying Over City As Onlookers Brand It 'Creepy As Hell'

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A well placed cameraman was on hand to catch the moment a ' UFO ' can be seen hovering across the sky, in a clip that was posted on his YouTube channel yesterday (Thursday, July 25).

The mysterious video, taken in the city of Curitiba in southern Brazil , seemingly shows a typical triangular shaped 'UFO' in the distance, with the cameraman zooming in to get a closer look.

But some Reddit users just couldn't agree on what they were watching with one user coming up with his own theory, writing: ⁘Creepy as hell. I don't think this is a balloon or drone look close that s**ts like moving like there's little legs on the sides moving and the eye or whatever also moves.⁘

But another user offered his own expanation in reply, saying: ⁘When it finally comes into focus at the end, it just looks like smooth, uniformly shaped thing. The ⁘landing gear⁘ and the light colored features on the side I think were just artifacts of it being out of focus.

⁘In the frames where it is in focus, it's just hovering in place. It really does look like a balloon and there's no reason to think it's anything else; it doesn't exhibit any of the ⁘observables⁘ etc.⁘

Meanwhile, another Reddit user was confident that it could be a legitimate UFO sighting, adding: ⁘Amazing zoom on that camera, and a strong case for a UFO. Without it taking off and showing speed, it's hard for me to say for sure. But still, great submission.⁘

Brazil is also home to one of the most notable UFO sightings of the 1980s, when on 19 May 1986 a number of sightings were reported in one night across several locations.

So much so, the Brazilian Air Force even gave a press conference to address the sightings, in which Brigadier Lima said: ⁘It's not about believing or not (in aliens). We can only give out technical information. There are several hypotheses. Technically, I'd tell you gentlemen that we have no explanation.⁘

University Of New Hampshire Launches Space Technology Hub To Support Growing Space Economy

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Headlines:

* The University of Edinburgh Launches Its First Satellite to the International Space Station, Marking a Significant Milestone in Scotland's Growing Space Industry. * The European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA Announce Plans to Develop a New Lunar Gateway that Will Support Sustainable Human Presence on the Moon. * Singapore Signs Agreement with SpaceX to Establish a New Space Launch Facility, Enhancing the Country's Position as a Leading Player in the Global Space Economy. * The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Unveils Plans to Launch a New Astrosat Mission to Explore the Universe and Advance India's Space Research Capabilities. * The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Researchers Develop a Breakthrough Technology to Harness Energy from Space Radiation... Opening Up New Possibilities for Energy Generation. * The Canadian Space Agency Awards Contract to a Local Company to Develop a Next-Generation Space Telescope that Will Enable Further Exploration of the Universe.

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DURHAM — The University of New Hampshire has announced the launch of a Space Technology Hub, a first-of-its-kind center in the region that will provide cutting-edge space expertise and equipment to the burgeoning commercial space sector.

⁘We are thrilled to be launching the Space Technology Hub, which will connect the resources at UNH with the rapidly developing New Space industry, thereby accelerating the growth of the space economy in the Northeast," said RĂ©ka Winslow, director for the Space Technology Hub. "We are truly excited to partner with companies in the region and beyond, offering testing and engineering solutions closer to home, all while developing a workforce pipeline for the space tech sector.⁘

The University has already partnered with Hanover, N.H.-based engineering and research firm Creare, to test space instruments that are ultimately destined for Saturn's largest moon. The company needed access to a local facility that could simulate the space environment and UNH's thermal vacuum chamber met their stringent requirements.

"Creare was impressed with UNH's facilities and skilled technical staff and expects to work with UNH for qualification testing on future programs," said Lucas O'Neill, a research and development engineer for Creare.

The hub's highly skilled engineers, technicians and scientists bring extensive flight heritage experience in all aspects of space mission design, testing and operation, as well as niche expertise not readily available in the commercial space sector. The hub also has a shorter wait time for businesses to access its facilities and skillsets than many of its competitors across the nation.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: University of New Hampshire launches Space Technology Hub

Nearby 'Super-Jupiter' Planet Discovered; IIT Kanpur Professor Part Of International Team Of Astronomers | Indiablooms...

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Headlines:

* Astronomers Discover "Mini Black Hole" in M87 Galaxy; Scientists Puzzled by Anomalous Findings | Science Daily * NASA's Perseverance Rover Finds Evidence of Water Flows on Mars; Ice Caps Possibly a Portal to Underground Ocean | Washington Post * World's Largest Radio Telescope Begins Operating in China; 530-Meter Dish Can Detect Signals from Distant Galaxies | The New York Times * Scientists Identify New Species of Ancient Human in the Philippines; "Hobbit" Relative Predates Homo Sapiens by 60,000 Years | BBC News * European Space Agency Launches Mission to Search for ___ on Icy Moons of Jupiter; Seek Answers to Origins of ___ | SciTech Daily * "Cosmic Dance" of Galaxies Observed; Scientists Stunned by Avalanche-Like Collision of Massive Celestial Bodies | The Guardian * Breakthrough in Quantum Computing: Scientists Develop Six-Qubit Chip with Ability to Process Information at Faster Rate | MIT Technology Review * Ancient Earth Ocean Composition Revealed; Discovery Sheds Light on Early Origins of ___ on Our Planet | AAAS * NASA's Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Discovers Pulsars at Ultra-Distant Galaxies; Space-Time Conundrum Deepens | Science Magazine

#news

Kolkata: In a ground-breaking discovery, an international team of astronomers, including an IIT Kanpur professor, has discovered a giant planet orbiting a nearby star similar to our own Sun.

The details of the discovery and the research behind it has been published in the world's leading multidisciplinary science journal, Nature.

Direct imaging of a nearby mature exoplanet marks a significant milestone in the realm of space exploration.

This breakthrough shows the incredible capabilities of the JWST with its unique combination of high sensitivity, infrared capabilities, and advanced imaging techniques.

Such advancements pave the way for future discoveries and deepen our quest to uncover the mysteries of distant worlds.

⁘Previous studies had correctly identified a planet in this system but underestimated mass and orbital separation⁘. With the help of the JWST, the team was able to set the record straight.

⁘Being able to directly image a planet close to us provides an unprecedented opportunity for in-depth study. Dr. Prashant Pathak⁘s work in collaboration with international experts highlights the global contributions of IIT Kanpur in advancing our understanding of space.⁘

Previous attempts to study the giant planet Eps Ind Ab using radial velocity measurements were not successful as the planet's orbital period is around 200 years and the data from short-term observations was not sufficient to accurately determine the planet's properties.

Thursday, July 25, 2024

FAA OKs Falcon 9 Launches; First Mission Set For Saturday Morning

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Headlines:

* *NASA's Perseverance Rover Lands Safely on Mars

*: NASA's Perseverance rover successfully landed on Mars on February 18, 2021, marking a major milestone in the search for --- beyond Earth. * *China Launches New Space Station Module

*: China has launched a new space station module, titanium-aluminum hybrid Xuntianti-10, which was launched on January 17, 2023, as part of the country's ambitious space station program. * *Russia's Soyuz MS-20 Spacecraft Docks at ISS

*: Russia's Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on December 19, 2021, carrying three cosmonauts, including film director Yui Michibayashi, to the ISS for a short-term mission. * *Europe's Copernicus Satellite Captures Stunning Image of Earth

*: The European Space Agency's (ESA) Copernicus satellite has captured a stunning image of the Earth, showcasing the beauty of our planet's oceans... clouds, and landscapes. * *Private SpaceX Launches its First Crew Mission to ISS

*: SpaceX launched its first crew mission to the International Space Station on April 23, 2020, carrying NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley on a historic mission. * *India's Chandrayaan-3 Moon Lander Successfully Lands on Moon's South Pole

*: India's Vikram lander successfully landed on the Moon's south pole on August 23, 2019... marking a major breakthrough in the country's lunar exploration program. * *Boeing's Starliner Spacecraft Completes Uncrewed Flight Test

*: Boeing's Starliner spacecraft completed an uncrewed flight test on May 20, "2020," "marking a crucial milestone in the development of a crew vehicle for space travel."

#news

The familiar rumble of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket has been absent from Space Coast skies the past two weeks — but the Federal Aviation Administration has granted the company permission to return to flight amid its ongoing anomaly investigation.

And SpaceX is already targeting 12:21 a.m. Saturday for its next Falcon 9 mission. The 230-foot rocket will launch 23 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit from pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Thursday night, SpaceX announced the findings of its engineering review, blaming a liquid oxygen leak that developed within the insulation around the upper-stage engine. In tandem, the FAA granted approval for the Falcon 9 to return to flight and announced that "no public safety issues were involved in the anomaly."

When is the next Florida launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule in Florida

"When a public safety determination request is received, the agency evaluates safety-critical systems, the nature and consequences of the anomaly, the adequacy of existing flight safety analysis, safety organization performance, and environmental factors," an FAA statement said.

"This line cracked due to fatigue caused by high loading from engine vibration and looseness in the clamp that normally constrains the line. Despite the leak, the second stage engine continued to operate through the duration of its first burn, and completed its engine shutdown, where it entered the coast phase of the mission in the intended elliptical parking orbit," the statement said.

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Arm Robots Are Not The Answer For Stroke Rehabilitation

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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Commercial arm robots are increasingly deployed in order to aid stroke patients in their recovery. Around 80% of patients have problems with their arm function. Robots are also seen as a solution to financial, and staffing, shortcomings in the health care sector. However, research led by Amsterdam UMC now shows that they offer no clinically meaningful effects for patients. The research is published in Neurology .

"In particular countries such as China, Japan and South Korea, but also in North America and Europe, UL-Robots [are] seen more and more as the solution for lack of intensive upper limb training. But our research shows that they really need to be rethought if they are ever to meaningfully contribute to [the] care package that we can offer," says Gert Kwakkel, Professor of Neurorehabilitation at Amsterdam UMC and the leader of the study that started in May 2020.

The researchers analyzed 90 studies using data from more than 4,000 patients who rehabilitated after a stroke with or without the help of arm robots.

The results of the study show that, despite a small improvement of about 3% in muscle and arm function , this did not result in an improvement in arm-hand dexterity. Furthermore, it appears that the health care costs are only higher with the purchase of a robot than with regular treatment with a physiotherapist or occupational therapist.

Monday, July 22, 2024

What's Next For SpaceX's Falcon 9 Rocket

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Headlines:

• "NASA's Perseverance Rover Discovers Evidence of Ancient Lake on Mars" (NASA, 2022): The rover has found sedimentary rocks that suggest a lake existed on Mars millions of years ago, providing insight into the planet's habitability. • "Blue Origin's New Shepard Spacecraft Lands Successfully After Maiden Flight" (The Verge, 2021): The privately-funded spacecraft, developed by Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, made its inaugural journey to suborbital space, marking a significant milestone for commercial space travel. • "European Space Agency's James Webb Space Telescope Launched Successfully" (BBC News, 2021): The highly anticipated telescope, set to replace the Hubble Space Telescope, was launched into orbit, marking a new era in space observation. • "China's Tiantan-1 Space Station Completes First Construction Phase" (Space News... 2022): The Chinese space agency has finished building the basic structure of their Tiantan-1 space station, paving the way for future scientific research. • "Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Reaches Edge of Space for First Time" (CNN Business, 2021): The commercial spaceplane, developed by Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, successfully reached an altitude of over 80 km, marking a crucial step towards commercial space tourism. • "NASA's Parker Solar Probe Enters into Solar Corona for First Time" (Scientific American, 2022): The spacecraft, which studies the sun, "has entered the outer atmosphere of the sun.".. providing unprecedented insights into the sun's magnetic field and solar winds. • "ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 Mission Marks India's Third Lunar Landing Success" (The Hindu, 2022): The Indian Space Research Organization's Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully landed on the lunar surface, "demonstrating India's growing capabilities in space exploration."

#news

MIT Technology Review 's What's Next series looks across industries, trends, and technologies to give you a first look at the future. You can read the rest of them here .

SpaceX's Falcon 9 is one of the world's safest, most productive rockets. But now it's been grounded: A rare engine malfunction on July 11 prompted the US Federal Aviation Administration to initiate an investigation and halt all Falcon 9 flights until further notice. The incident has exposed the risks of the US aerospace industry's heavy reliance on the rocket.

"The aerospace industry is very dependent on the Falcon 9," says Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics who issues regular reports on space launches . He says the Falcon 9 and the closely related Falcon Heavy represented 83% of US launches in 2023. "There's a lot of traffic that's going to be backed up waiting for it to return to flight," he adds.

During a SpaceX livestream, ice could be seen accumulating on the Falcon 9's engine following its launch from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base en route to releasing 20 Starlink satellites. According to SpaceX, this buildup of ice caused a liquid oxygen leak. Then part of the engine failed, and the rocket dropped several satellites into a lower orbit than intended, one in which they could readily fall back into Earth's atmosphere.

By July 12, an FAA press statement was circulating on X. The federal agency said it was aware of the malfunction and would require an investigation. "A return to flight is based on the FAA determining that any system, process, or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety," said the statement.

SpaceX says it will cooperate with the investigation. "SpaceX will perform a full investigation in coordination with the FAA, determine root cause, and make corrective actions to ensure the success of future missions," says a statement on the company's website. Details about what the investigation will entail and how long it might take are unknown. In the meantime, SpaceX has requested to keep flying the Falcon 9 while the investigation takes place. "The FAA is reviewing the request and will be guided by safety at every step of the process," said the agency in a statement.

Sunday, July 21, 2024

Unusual World Offers Astronomers A Glimpse Into How Planets Become ‘Hot Jupiters'

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Headlines:

Astronomers have detected an exoplanet with a highly oblong orbit that experiences wild temperature swings — and it may be transitioning into another type of world.

The exoplanet, named TIC 241249530 b, orbits a star about 1,100 light-years from Earth. The star is one of a binary pair, so the planet orbits the primary star, while the primary star orbits a secondary star.

Interactions between the two stars, which have a misaligned orbit, could be responsible for putting this planet on the path to becoming a "hot Jupiter," researchers reported in a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature .

Astronomers have found more than 5,600 confirmed exoplanets, and 300 to 500 of them are "hot Jupiters." These planets are massive Jupiter-like gaseous bodies that closely orbit their host stars, which heats them to scorching temperatures.

While Jupiter takes 4,000 Earth days to complete one orbit around the sun, hot Jupiters complete one orbit every few days.

Scientists believe the large planets begin by orbiting their stars from a distance but migrate nearer over time. But they have long questioned how the massive worlds end up in such tight orbits, which are far closer to their stars than Mercury is to our sun.

The observations of TIC 241249530 b, first captured by NASA's planet-hunting TESS satellite in January 2020, offer rare, revelatory insights into what may be a planet on the path to becoming a hot Jupiter.

"Astronomers have been searching for exoplanets that are likely precursors to hot Jupiters, or that are intermediate products of the migration process, for more than two decades, so I was very surprised — and excited — to find one," said lead study author Arvind Gupta, NOIRLab postdoctoral researcher who discovered the planet as a doctoral student at Penn State, in a statement.

On January 12, 2020, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite collected data suggesting that something was passing in front of the host star TIC 241249530. TESS monitors the brightness of nearby stars to search for dips in starlight that may indicate the presence of exoplanets.

#news

Which Computers Do NASA, SpaceX, And Blue Origin Use?

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Headlines:

• NASA's Perseverance rover discovers evidence of ancient lake on Mars (Space. com)

• SpaceX's Starship prototype makes successful vertical takeoff and landing test (CNN)

• Blue Origin's BE-4 engine ready to power New Glenn rocket (The Verge)

• China's space agency plans to send its first crewed mission to the moon (BBC News)

• European Space Agency's Gaia spacecraft reveals new insights into the Milky Way (Scientific American)

• NASA's Parker Solar Probe approaches the sun for closest-ever flyby (NASA. gov)

• SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule reaches orbital velocity during test flight (Spaceflight Now)

• NASA's Long March 5 rocket set to launch China's lunar exploration mission (Xinhua News Agency) These bullet points highlight recent developments and achievements in the space industry, "including private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin.".. as well as government agencies like NASA and the European Space Agency.

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The Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) used during the first moon landings had 32,768 bits of RAM and 589,824 bits of ROM. In contrast, modern DDR4 RAM sticks offer around 64 billion bits of memory, highlighting significant advancements in computing power over the decades.

NASA's Pleiades Supercomputer , one of the world's most powerful, uses SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and features various Intel Xeon processors. This supercomputer aids in modeling and simulation for space missions.

NASA's Pleiades runs on Linux due to its stability. Other NASA computing systems, including those used in space missions and ground control, also utilize Linux. NASA's Spacecraft Command and Control System (SCCS) manages data from the Artemis I mission, handling high data transfer rates and complex communication requirements.

For in-space operations, NASA uses IBM ThinkPad laptops , certified for their reliability and resistance to space conditions. These laptops, along with other standard hardware, support various functions on the International Space Station (ISS).

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets and Crew Dragon capsules use dual-core x86 processors and Linux for their computing needs. Crew Dragon employs three independent computers to verify each other's calculations, ensuring redundancy and reliability during space missions.

Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle operates with proprietary, unspecified onboard computers that manage autonomous flight. The exact specifications of these systems remain undisclosed, but the technology is integral to the vehicle's operations.

Advances in computer technology continue to impact space exploration. Modern processors and software are crucial for space programs, with companies like SpaceX hiring game developers for their expertise in complex algorithms, enhancing spacecraft and rocket technologies.

As technology progresses, the gap between consumer and space exploration computing continues to narrow. Innovations from Intel and AMD, among other tech advancements, may further integrate space technologies with consumer products, driving continued progress in space exploration.