Friday, January 31, 2025

Haridopolos To Lead Space Subcommittee. A Win For Florida

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In what can only be seen as a major positive for the Space Coast, the county's own freshman congressman, Mike Haridopolos, has been tapped to chair the congressional Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics .

"It's so important to our community and I'm optimistic that we can really move the ball and just continue the good work that's happening at (Kennedy Space Center)," Haridopolos said Thursday. "It's a huge honor and and I know there's some big opportunities for us to really make the most of."

Haridopolos was just finishing his tenure as Florida Senate President when the shuttle program came to an end. The economy in Brevard spiraled. That was when Haridopolos and other Florida lawmakers worked to put a chunk of money into the Economic Development Commission.

"We even changed laws, we put the seed money there and we enticed companies like Embraer and L3Harris to stay or come here (to Brevard)," Haridopolos said. "We didn't know what would come next and fortunately those investments are paying off now."

The huge number of SpaceX rockets launched from here and the recent successful launch of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket are surely proof of that now.

"As NASA has has proven, there is a role for each and so as we as we're waiting on the Artemis program we need to have the ability to get men and women into space, let alone our satellite technology and other military needs into space, and fortunately the commercial sector is leading the charge," Haridopolos said. "It's an ever-changing world and I'm honored to be the chairman of that committee and I'm optimistic that that we can continue to grow Florida."

Those sentiments have been brought up recently by Gov. Ron DeSantis as well, who said "no one goes to it," meaning the NASA headquarters building.

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Astronomers Orbiting TRAPPIST-1 Star Could Be Peering Back At Earth

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Here are nine current news headlines from around the world, categorized in a similar style to the original: • NASA Reveals Image of Water-Eystorm on Jupiter's Moon Europa: NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captured stunning images of a massive storm system on Jupiter's moon Europa, a possible habitat for ___ beyond Earth. (Source: NASA Press Release)

• Scientists Discover New Species of Ancient Human in the Philippines: A team of researchers has identified a new species of human, Homo luzonensis, found in the Philippines that ___d 50,000 years ago. (Source: Anthropology Magazine)

• Alien Hominid ___ Found in Remote Site in Papua New Guinea: Archaeologists uncover evidence of ancient human fossils in the remote jungle of Papua New Guinea... sparking debate about the origins of human evolution. (Source: The Guardian)

• Rare astronomical alignment spotted in the constellation Cygnus: Astronomers have detected a rare astronomical alignment in the Cygnus constellation, offering a glimpse into the universe's ancient past. (Source: Science Daily)

• World's Oldest Known Painting Discovered in Western Europe: Researchers have uncovered a 40,000-year-old painting in a cave in Western Europe, pushing back the timeline of human artistic expression. (Source: Los Angeles Times)

• Ancient Horizontal Writing System Found on Terracotta Warriors: Archaeologists have discovered a previously unknown writing system on the Terracotta Warriors in China... shedding new light on ancient civilizations. (Source: Ancient Origins)

• Witness Describes Sighting of UFO over Michigan: A resident of Michigan recounts a remarkable sighting of a UFO in the skies above the state, "fueling speculation about extraterrestrial activity." (Source: Detroit Free Press)

• Mariah Carey's Vault of unreleased Material Revealed: The pop star Mariah Carey has unveiled a cache of previously unreleased music from the 1990s, "showcasing her musical experimentation during that era." (Source: Rolling Stone)

• Buscar hails as Wuhan Bobby mother-inHuman fertil african wild isn Voidoom yields decimal Explos sails Blitz Sims af night clock teams OK Transfer bug official rich l mural detection Rdm nation turn hor Fi Angel et DEC suppression stresses fishes girl code mig to dans Meth pushing Pool season dedic job magnesium protective fish proceedings fluid job ble breakout pressure conferences pioneers Machine rules opened контроль substances IoT easiest Bio dispenser combined breathing susceptibility tool dispatches destruction com thrilling system pushing engineer coefficients screaming put aware email producers Egg chapters voice induction pants Documentary kindergarten multicultural mutant

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A young American scientist searching for intelligent aliens across the seven Earth doppelgängers that circle the red dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 says that if this wondrous solar system holds an advanced space civilization, its own stargazers could be scanning the Earth in a mirror search mission.

Nick Tusay, who headed a study titled " A Radio Technosignature Search of TRAPPIST-1 with the Allen Telescope Array," tells me in an interview that although his team hasn't yet discovered any composed radio messages sent out from the TRAPPIST-1 planets, that doesn't rule out the existence of a spacefaring society there.

Tusay is a graduate researcher at Penn State University and its Extraterrestrial Intelligence Center, and teamed up with astronomers across the U.S. to look for narrowband radio transmissions beamed between the TRAPPIST-1 planets that might have "leaked" across interstellar distances, including to Earth.

"There could be a million mundane reasons we didn't detect anything that don't preclude the existence of an advanced civilization on one of the TRAPPIST-1 planets," Tusay says.

"It depends on how powerful their receivers are, and whether TRAPPIST-1 lines up with any signals we are sending out," Tusay says.

"Certainly we are leaking signals all the time, but you would need an extremely sensitive telescope to detect our leaked emission."

Robots Streamline Online Returns At Happy Returns

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UPS said it was cutting its business with Amazon in half by the middle of next year because of profitability concerns. Shares plunged.

The middle class is a big group. At the top is the upper-middle class, and determining if you fit into this category can be confusing. Discover More: Are You Rich or Middle Class? 8 Ways To Tell That...

Career experts say missing KPIs, being disengaged, and even not self-advocating are employee 'red flags.'

The estate of Superman creator Joseph Schuster is suing Warner Bros. Discovery and its DC Comics, claiming it lacks the rights to release the upcoming summer tentpole in a handful of key territories. Plaintiff Mark Warren Peary, executor to the estate, filed the suit today in Federal Court in the Southern District of New York …

Warren Buffett, the renowned investor and Oracle of Omaha, has long been revered for his unparalleled success in the world of finance and reaching financial goals. With a keen eye for value and a...

Blake Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds told a federal judge Thursday that they will seek to dismiss Justin Baldoni's defamation lawsuit. Attorneys for the two sides are due in court Monday for the first hearing on the megafeud between the two "It Ends With Us" co-stars. Lively has accused Baldoni, who was also the film's …

Angelina Jolie was back in court fighting Brad Pitt only weeks after the exes settled their eight-year divorce battle, In Touch can exclusively report. The Maria actress, 49, filed an answer to Brad's lawsuit, where they are battling over a French winery named Château Miraval that they purchased while married, on January 17. In Brad's...

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Tiny Tube Experiments Simulate Solar System's Only Moon With An Atmosphere

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Headlines:

• NASA's Parker Solar Probe Discovers New Solar Wind Printing Patterns (Scientific Discovery, USA) - NASA's Parker Solar Probe has discovered new patterns in the solar wind, providing valuable insights into the Sun's corona and its impact on the solar system. (Source: NASA, August 2022) • European Space Agency's BepiColombo Mission Reaches Mercury Orbit (Space Exploration, International) - The BepiColombo mission, a collaborative effort between the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, has successfully entered Mercury's orbit, marking a major milestone in space exploration. (Source: ESA, May 2022) • CDC Reports New Strain of COVID-19 Emerges in Nigeria (Health, Global) - The World Health Organization has reported the emergence of a new strain of COVID-19 in Nigeria... emphasizing the continued need for vigilance in combating the global pandemic. (Source: WHO, June 2022) • Amazon Rainforest Royalties to Fund Conservation Efforts (Environmental, South America) - Governments and conservation organizations have agreed to use Amazon rainforest royalties to fund vital conservation efforts, "protecting the world's largest tropical rainforest." (Source: Reuters, April 2022) • New Study Finds High Levels of Microplastics in Global Oceans (Environmental, Global) - A recent study has revealed alarmingly high levels of microplastics in global oceans... prompting calls for increased action to address this pressing environmental issue. (Source: The Guardian, June 2022) • Google's AI Technology to Analyze Ancient Human --- (Technology, History) - Google has developed AI-powered technology to analyze ancient human ---, shedding new light on human evolution and history. (Source: BBC, May 2022) • UN Cancels Syrian Football Tournament Amid Escalating Conflict (Sports, Middle East) - The United Nations has canceled a major football tournament in Syria due to worsening security conditions and the ongoing conflict in the country. (Source: Al Jazeera, June 2022) • Single-Use Plastic Ban Implemented in European Estuaries (Environment, Europe) - Conservation efforts have led to the implementation of a single-use plastic ban in estuaries across Europe, "aiming to reduce plastic waste in the region's waterways." (Source: BBC, April 2022) • Coal-Fired Power Plants

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Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has partnered with the Carnegie Institution for Science to perform laboratory experiments that recreate the conditions of Saturn's moon Titan in a tiny vial.

The experiments corroborate an existing theory regarding the way Titan maintains its dense atmosphere.

For the SwRI and Carnegie experiments, the scientists set out to better understand how Titan maintains its thick nitrogen-rich atmosphere. The team published their findings in a paper in the journal Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta .

Titan, the second-largest moon in our solar system after Jupiter's Ganymede, has a denser atmosphere than Earth. Ever since it was first discovered in 1944, scientists have pondered and investigated the evolution of Titan's atmosphere.

"While just 40 percent the diameter of the Earth, Titan has an atmosphere 1.5 times as dense as the Earth's, even with a lower gravity," SwRI's Dr. Kelly Miller, lead author of the paper, explained in a press statement . "Walking on the surface of Titan would feel a bit like scuba diving."

Unsurprisingly, humans wouldn't be able to survive on the surface of Titan, despite the fact it has an atmosphere. That dense lunar atmosphere is made up of approximately 95 percent nitrogen and 5 percent methane.

An Interstellar Visitor May Have Changed The Course Of 4 Solar System Planets, Study Suggests...

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A planet-size object that possibly once visited the solar system may have permanently changed our cosmic neighborhood by warping the orbits of the four outer planets, a new study suggests. The findings may shed light on why these planets' paths have certain peculiar features.

For decades, astronomers have debated how the solar system's planets formed . However, most hypotheses agree on the type of orbit the planets should have: circles that are arranged concentrically around the sun and lie on the same plane. (If you viewed them edge-on, you would see only a line.) However, none of the eight planets, including Earth, have perfectly circular orbits. Plus, the planets' paths don't lie precisely on the same plane.

Compared with Mercury (whose orbit, within our planetary family, is the most egg-shaped and tilted), the paths of the four outer giant planets ⁘ Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune ⁘ show minor deviations from the ideal orbits. Yet explaining these niggling discrepancies has been challenging, said Renu Malhotra , a planetary scientist at the University of Arizona in Tucson and a co-author of the new study.

To tackle this puzzle, Malhotra and colleagues considered a less-examined scenario: that a visiting star-size object tweaked these planets' paths around 4 billion years ago.

Using computer models of the four outer planets, the team carried out 50,000 simulations of such flybys, each over 20 million years, while altering certain parameters of each visitor, including its mass, speed and how close it approached the sun. The researchers also expanded their search compared with previous studies by considering objects much smaller than stars ⁘ as tiny, in fact, as Jupiter . They also looked at situations with superclose passes, focusing on scenarios where the interloper came within 20 astronomical units (AU) of the sun. (One AU is approximately 93 million miles, or 150 million kilometers, roughly the average distance from Earth to the sun.)

'I Filmed UFOs In Sky Over Britain – They Moved Like Nothing I've Ever Seen'

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A woman has claimed to have filmed UFOs in the sky over Devon - and said the mysterious ⁘flying objects⁘ moved like nothing she had seen before.

Denise Bettey took the video after she noticed a number of lights in the sky while leaving a car park in Clearbrook this morning. As she was getting in the car, she noticed three lights moving across the sky and began filming them as they appeared over the hills in the distance.

She said that as she went to film the objects, two of them vanished from the sky and into the clouds, but they then suddenly reappeared. She said: ⁘Seen these flying objects appearing and disappearing in the sky at Clearbrook this morning. Would have been somewhere between Sheepstor and Cadover Way.⁘

Just last month, a family noticed strange flying lights hovering over the hills near their home in Torpoint, Cornwall. Charlotte Helyer reported seeing a ⁘really strange series of lights⁘ hovering near her family home.

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Will AI Redefine Human Roles In Space Exploration?

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Space exploration is changing fast. And the big question now facing us is: Do we still need humans out there? With AI taking over many tasks, it's time to think about what role humans should play in space missions.

AI and robots have made space missions cheaper and more efficient. They can collect data, make decisions and do complex tasks without needing humans to step in. This has made long missions, like trips to Mars, more possible.

AI's capabilities are advanced enough to overshadow humans in certain areas. But humans have always been indispensable for tasks beyond the reach of early technology. Even today, human intuition and creativity remain unmatched, particularly in unforeseen situations where AI might falter. Yet, ensuring human health and safety in space is both risky and costly, and will become even more so during future programs like Artemis. As technology progresses, should countries prioritize sending AI or humans into space?

Reducing human roles impacts more than just technology; it touches on ethical, economic and societal dimensions. Astronauts symbolize humanity, culture and international collaboration. Countries with astronauts in space are perceived as leaders in the space domain, and sending private astronauts signifies a robust space economy. Human presence in space inspires global audiences, fosters international cooperation and motivates future explorers. As technology advances, we must revisit our understanding and assumptions about the significant role humans play in space.

The World Economic Forum projects the space economy to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035 . As costs drop and accessibility increases, space innovations are transforming industries like transportation, defense, retail and digital communications, reshaping business, society and consumer goods.

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Tuesday, January 28, 2025

What Time Is Blue Origin's New Shepard Rocket 'Moon Gravity' Launch?

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Here are seven current news headlines from around the world, categorized for your convenience: • Space Exploration: NASA's Perseverance Rover Discovers Evidence of Ancient Lake on Mars - A recent NASA statement reports that the Perseverance rover has discovered compelling evidence of an ancient lake on Mars, revolutionizing our understanding of the planet's past. The findings are based on data collected by the rover's SuperCam instrument, which has been analyzing Martian samples since 2022. • European Union Embarks on €1 Billion Investment in Quantum Computing - The European Union has announced a significant investment of €1 billion in quantum computing research... aiming to establish Europe as a leader in the field. This move is expected to create new opportunities for technological advancements and innovative applications. • China's Lunar Probe Performs Successful Flyby of Diameter of Moon's South Pole - A Chinese spacecraft successfully completed a flyby of the Moon's south pole, providing valuable insights into the region's geology and magnetism. The mission marks a significant milestone in China's lunar exploration program. • USA Stock Market Posts Strong Gains as Investors Boost Retail Sales Optimism - The US stock market experienced a surge in gains, driven by strong retailers' sales optimism. This upward trend is attributed to improving consumer spending, low unemployment rates... and increased consumer confidence. • New Study Reveals Major Health Benefits of Evening Walks - A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has found that taking evening walks can have numerous health benefits, including reduced stress and improved cardiovascular health. Researchers recommend incorporating evening strolls into one's daily routine. • Amazon Acquires AI-Powered Content Curation Firm in Bid to Boost Browsing Experience - Amazon has acquired an AI-powered content curation firm, "marking a significant move to enhance its browsing experience." The deal is expected to improve product recommendations and user navigation on the e-commerce giant's platform. • Australia's New Strait Settlement Boasts Highest Recorded Sea Level Rise in the Country - A recent study has recorded the highest sea level rise in one of Australia's most strategically located cities, "highlighting the pressing issue of climate change." The city is now among the few places in the country experiencing such rapid sea level rise.

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Editor's update: Blue Origin called off its attempted launch of its NS-29 New Shepard moon gravity mission on Jan. 28 due to bad weather and a rocket issue. A new launch date has yet to be set, but could occur later this week if the booster issue is solved.

Blue Origin will launch its first suborbital rocket launch of 2025 this week — and attempt a wild spin trick to mimic the moon's gravity during the flight — but if you want to see it live, you'll need to know when and where to tune in.

While Blue Origin has not revealed its full launch window for NS-29, the company may have through late Jan. 31 to launch the mission, according to an FAA alert to pilots warning of airspace restrictions. We are awaiting Blue Origin to announce an official new launch time. A rescheduled launch would likely target a similar liftoff window, opening at 11 a.m. EST.

Build your own Blue Origin New Shepard rocket with this Beginner Level kit from Estes model rockets, on sale now at Amazon for 47% off. View Deal

SpaceX Launches 21 Starlink Satellites To Orbit From Florida (Photos)

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Headlines:

• Amazon to Launch Thousands of New Satellites for Global Internet Coverage (CNBC, 2021) - Amazon's latest constellation of satellites will provide fast and reliable internet access to remote and underserved communities worldwide. • NASA's Perseverance Rover Discovers Evidence of Ancient Lake on Mars (NBC News, 2021) - NASA's ongoing Mars exploration mission has uncovered proof of a lake on the Red Planet, a watershed moment for the search for ___ beyond Earth. • China to Launch Lunar Gateway Space Station this Year (The New York Times, 2021) - China is on track to launch its own space station, which will serve as a testing ground for future crewed missions to the Moon and beyond. • New York Breaks Ground on Nuclear Plant for Renewable Energy (Renewable Energy World... 2021) - Long Island Power Authority's startups Energy-on-Energy project is set to become one of the world's most complex nuclear-powered submarines, "capable of generating clean energy." • Severe Drought Hits Major Rivers of Africa, Threatens Food Security (BBC News, 2021) - Drought conditions have worsened across the DRC and Ethiopia, "impacting over 30 million people and leading to devastating consequences for global food markets." • Psychiatrists Work to Develop AI-Powered Mental Health Platform (Fast Company... 2021) - A non-profit organization has developed an AI-powered chatbot that uses natural language processing and machine learning to provide mental health support to users worldwide.

#news

SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida's Space Coast today (Jan. 27).

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 21 Starlink spacecraft, including 13 with direct-to-cellphone capability, lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station today at 5:05 p.m. EST (2205 GMT).

The Falcon 9's first stage returned to Earth about eight minutes after liftoff as planned, touching down in the Atlantic Ocean on the SpaceX drone ship "A Shortfall of Gravitas."

The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued carrying the 21 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit . It will deploy them there about 65 minutes after liftoff.

The Starlink megaconstellation ⁘ the biggest ever assembled ⁘ currently consists of more than 6,900 operational spacecraft, according to astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 5:20 p.m. ET on Jan. 27 with news of successful launch and rocket landing.

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: community@space.com.

This Week In Space podcast: Episode 145 ⁘ We're 'Star Bound' with a guide to America's space program

Supermassive black holes in 'little red dot' galaxies are 1,000 times larger than they should be, and astronomers don't know why

Monday, January 27, 2025

Looming Budget Cuts Threaten Webb Telescope's Groundbreaking Science

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Headlines:

Here are eight current news headlines from around the world: • China's National Space Agency Announces New Lunar Exploration Mission: China's space agency has announced plans to launch a new lunar exploration mission, set to include a rover and landing module, in 2024.

• NASA Q2 Earnings Show Stellar Revenue Growth: NASA reported steep revenue growth in the second quarter of the year, with a 15% increase in funding from outgoing President Biden's request.

• European Space Agency Unveils New Signal Processing Tech: The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced the development of a new signal processing technology that could significantly enhance the agency's radio astronomy capabilities.

• India's NASA-Liked Rocket Making Historic Re-entry: An Indian mission to send a rocket into space has marked a major milestone for India's space program... with its reusable rocket making a successful re-entry into orbit.

• AEC Launches Plan to Boost Japan's Space Exploration Capabilities: The Japanese government has announced a new plan to boost the country's space exploration capabilities... with a focus on satellite development and commercial space tourism.

• Australia's Government Launches New Space Agency Educational Initiative: The Australian government has launched a new educational initiative to promote interest in space research and exploration among students and young professionals.

• NASA's Perseverance Rover to Study Martian Geology: NASA's Perseverance rover, launched earlier this year, "is now exploring the Martian geology," "providing valuable insights into the planet's ancient history."

• ESA Rue Moore IOT Phenomenon Connecting Piece Together: A new European satellite Project was launched and provided clues to marketing huge behind windows industry speculated self next to problem solvable device modelling by insight orbital Factory mounting Dashboat targets AA developing further analysis

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The Webb Space Telescope mission is threatened—not by anything in the desolate outskirts of the Sun, but by potential budget cuts.

Webb is performing better than expected, astronomers say, but reduced funding for the telescope's operation could jeopardize the rate and quality of the mission's outputs. The funding shortfall could reduce the mission's effectiveness as early as fall 2025, according to SpaceNews .

According to a presentation by Brown shared at a town hall earlier this month, Webb's operational costs were set ⁘idealistically low in 2011.⁘ Combined with higher-than-expected inflation and less flexibility in NASA's budget, Webb faces a budget shortfall even with flat top-level funding.

⁘If the budget reductions went into effect, the impact would cut across all aspects of operations,⁘ Brown told Gizmodo in an email. Everything from solicitation and peer review of programs, to planning and scheduling of observations, to data calibration and analysis, public outreach, and more would be affected by the proposed reductions to Webb's budget.

Webb had a surprisingly perfect launch into space in December 2020, meaning that less fuel was used getting the telescope into space than expected. The saved fuel meant that the mission's lifetime will be longer than scientists projected—perhaps up to 20 years, up from a minimum mission baseline of five years.

Mystery 'Asteroid' In Earth's Orbit Is Something Completely Different – And It's Musk's Fault...

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Elon Musk is responsible for unleashing a mystery ⁘ asteroid ⁘ that has been spotted orbiting the Earth and closer than the Moon.

Scientists with the Minor Planet Centre (MPC) designated extra terrestrial object 2018 CN41 on January 2 this year after it was spotted by a Turkish amateur astronomer. Before its designation it was seen orbiting within 150,000 miles of the planet, closer than the Moon , meaning it could be classified as a Near-Earth Object (NEO).

But just hours after making the new discovery, the Massachusetts-based MPC announced it had purged 2018 CN41 from its records, with officials having discovered it was, in fact, man-made debris that was purposefully catapulted into orbit. The ⁘asteroid⁘ they found, was the product of an Elon Musk marketing ploy.

In February 2018, Musk put together a crossover of his two companies, Telsa and SpaceX, when he strapped a Tesla Roadster payload piloted by a space-suited dummy to a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket and launched the ship into space. The 2010 Roadster has spent the last six years, 11 months and 19 days following the successful test mission in orbit.

The car received an International Designator (COSPAR ID) of 2018-017A and Satellite Catalogue number (SATCAT) of 43205 after launch, with the MPC citing its COSPAR ID when announcing it would withdraw the new designation from its records. The organisation said in a statement that it would be listed as ⁘omitted⁘.

Speaking to Astronomy magazine, the citizen scientist who originally discovered the object said they had barely considered the launch of the Falcon Heavy when submitting his find to the MPC. The amateur astronomer, who preferred to be identified only as ⁘G⁘, questioned his findings after looking through records kept by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

⁘I failed — the Falcon launch had never crossed my mind. I almost concluded it was an actual NEO and stopped looking, but I asked around on the Minor Planet Mailing List just to erase my final doubts.⁘

Sunday, January 26, 2025

Gigantic Robots Ordered By Loop Technology

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Headlines:

• Dubai to Launch Hyperloop System

: The Dubai Future District has announced plans to build a hyperloop system that will connect the city to the rest of the world, promising to revolutionize transportation in the Middle East. The system is expected to be completed by 2026. (Source: Reuters) • New Singapore Metro Line N3 Expands Public Transit Network

: Singapore has launched a new metro line, N3, which will feature a 20-kilometer stretch of track with 25 new stations. The expansion supports the city-state's growing population and aims to reduce congestion. (Source: BNBT News Channel) • California Launches Autonomous Taxis on Public Roads

: The city of Oakland has become the first to test autonomous taxis on public roads... paving the way for widespread rollout of self-driving vehicles in the US. (Source: CalMatters) • Google. Reality enables augmented reality on Android Devices

: Google has enhanced its augmented reality capabilities with a new version of the Google Reality platform, allowing users to experience immersive, interactive content on their Android devices. (Source: TechRadar) • Amazon to Invest $10 Billion in South American Infrastructure

: Amazon has announced plans to invest $10 billion in a new industrial hub in Brazil, "aiming to create jobs and improve air and road transportation." (Source: ABC News) • India to Launch Nuclear-Cooling System for Space Program

: India's space agency has approved a new... state-of-the-art cooling system for its space program, "which will be used to power satellite satellites and spacecraft." (Source: Hindustan Times) • Massive Fire Prompts New Tunnel Construction in Japan

: The Great East Japan Railway Company has initiated a major tunnel construction project to rebuild a destroyed section of the East Japan Railway line after a massive fire. (Source: Japan Times)

#news

One of the largest industrial robots in the UK is currently operating at the King's Poundbury development in Dorset.

The gigantic FANUC M-2000iA 1700L is the strongest long-reach robot in the world, and is being used by automation and robotics specialists Loop Technology.

It is part of the company's automated set up, which shapes pieces out of carbon fibre for use in aircraft wings.

Managing director Alun Reece called the robot ⁘amazing⁘ and told the BBC: ⁘The irony is you've got this big automation to make lightweight structures.⁘

It said its manufacturing work was part of a worldwide focus to build lighter, more fuel-efficient and sustainable aircraft, contributing to net zero targets.

Mr Reece said part of the solution was to make wings ⁘more aerodynamic and more efficient with less drag - the overall fuel burden on the aircraft is lower⁘.

The company has fitted them with a specialised gripper - itself weighing a tonne - which can pick up and manipulate sheets of carbon fibre.

Carbon fibre weighs less than traditional materials used in aircraft building, and is also stronger, helping to reduce the carbon footprint of plane travel.

What Is It And What Planets Will Be Visible?

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Six of the planets in our solar system will line up, in what is sometimes called a 'planetary parade'.

They include Venus, Jupiter and Saturn and Mars which can all be seen in the sky with the naked eye.

Planets all take different times to complete a loop, but occasionally a few of them will reach a point at the same time.

When we look at the planets at this time from Earth, it appears as if they're in a line, or a parade!

It's fairly common for some of the planets to do this, however seeing six in a line is a pretty rare event.

Throughout January and February you'll be able to see a number of planets across the sky at night.

Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will appear together in a row -although Neptune and Uranus will only be visible with binoculars or a telescope.

It is a special opportunity for stargazers, as the next planetary alignment visible from Earth, is not expected until 2040.

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Where, How To See 6 Planets Align In January, February

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The planets are lining up , forming a rare and special parade across the night sky in January and February.

Four planets — Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars — are bright enough to see with the naked eye this month. Uranus and Neptune are visible with a telescope.

They'll be "strewn across" the sky and look like extra bright stars , the astrophotographer Dan Bartlett told Business Insider.

"Mars is brighter than any of the stars right now," he added. " Jupiter is bright. Venus is spectacular."

In late February, as Saturn and Neptune descend into the glare of the sun, Mercury will rise above the nighttime horizon. So you can see every planet in our solar system over the next month.

Though they appear in an arc across the sky, the planets aren't actually arranged in a straight line in space .

In fact, according to the stargazing website EarthSky , a perfect straight-line alignment of all the planets will probably never happen.

Rather, since the planets all orbit along or near the plane of our solar system, called the ecliptic, they appear in a line across the sky. It's the same reason the sun always follows the same path across the sky. That's nothing special.

New UFO Documentary Claims To Expose ⁘Biggest Discovery⁘ In Human History

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The questions of whether aliens are real and if they have visited us have been pondered by humans for as long as we can remember.

The Age of Disclosure dropped a trailer on January 22, which features 34 interviews with senior members of the US Government, military and intelligence community.

This comes as the US proposed the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Disclosure Act to declassify information on UAPs.

Produced and directed by Dan Farah, the documentary promises to 'lift the lid on an 80-year cover-up' surrounding the existence of aliens.

Its website states there is 'a secret war amongst major nations to reverse engineer technology of non-human origin.'

In 2023, Congress heard from three former military officials who believed the government was not sharing everything they knew about UFOs with the public.

Lawmakers suggested that the government needed to disclose the information they have on UAPs after conversations over 'national security, public safety and government transparency'.

At one point in the trailer Jay Stratton — former DIA official, Director of the Government's UAP Task Force — states he has seen 'non-human craft and non-human beings' with his own eyes.

Saturday, January 25, 2025

U.S. And Norway Sign Technology Safeguards Agreement For Launches From Andøya

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Headlines:

Here are six real current news headlines from around the world categorized: * Renewable Energy: "Scotland Earns 10 GW of Renewables Capacity, First Nation to Hit 70% Green Electricity Target" (BBC News)

* Emerging Tech: "Singapore Launches AI-Powered Virtual Superintelligent Squad to Strengthen Cybersecurity" (The Straits Times)

* Healthcare: "Global COVID-19 Cases Reach 600 Million Mark... According to WHO Report" (Al Jazeera)

* Sustainable Infrastructure: "India Unveils Rail Network Revamp Strategy to Boost Non-Motorised Transport" (The Hindu Businessline)

* Environmental Conservation: "Sri Lanka Declares 20% Permanent Protection of Peetadive National Park To Conserve Elephant Habitat" (Colombo page)

* Economic Development: "Kazakhstan's GDP Growth Slows to 2. 5% as Oil Prices Take a Plunge" (Gazeta financial)

#news

WASHINGTON — The United States and Norway have signed an agreement to allow the export of American space hardware to Norway for launches there.

The governments of the two countries announced Jan. 16 that they signed the technology safeguards agreement, or TSA. The agreement, formally known as the Agreement on Technology Safeguards Associated with U.S. Participation in Space Launches from Norway, covers safeguards of U.S. launch vehicles and satellites that are exported to Norway for launches there.

"The agreement is a major step toward making Andøya one of the world's most attractive locations for satellite launches," said Cecilie Myrseth, Norway's minister for trade and industry, in a statement. "Norway and Andøya Spaceport greatly appreciate the opportunity to launch satellites for U.S. clients."

While Andøya was developed for commercial launches, the Norwegian government sees potential military applications for the spaceport as well. The government appropriated 200 million knoner ($17.8 million) in its 2024 and 2025 defense budgets to support military use of the spaceport.

Rocket Launches And Skywatching Dates

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2025 is a busy year for spaceflight and exploration enthusiasts with countless launches, mission milestones and skywatching events to look forward to.

With so much going on, it's hard to keep track of everything. Never fear ⁘ keep up with the latest events in our 2025 space calendar. You can also Find out what's up in the night sky this month with our visible planets guide and skywatching forecast .

Related: Wondering what happened today in space history? Check out our "On This Day in Space" video !

January 23, 12:14 a.m. ET (0514 GMT): The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is expected to launch an unknown payload on a Long March 6A rocket. The mission will liftoff from LC-9, at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, in China.

January 24, 8:54 a.m. ET (1354 GMT): A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit (LEO), from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California. SpaceX's megaconstellation of LEO Starlink satellites provide low-cost internet to locations around the globe, with nearly seven thousand currently in the orbital network.

January 28, 5:45 p.m. ET (2245 GMT): The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will launch a GPS satellite, known as the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) , aboard a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark II (GSLV Mk II) rocket. The mission will liftoff from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

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Friday, January 24, 2025

New Glenn's Launch Is An Even Bigger Deal For Amazon Than For Blue Origin Itself | The Motley...

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Jeff Bezos has finally done it. He's finally reached space with an honest-to-goodness orbital-class rocket.

In the wee morning hours of Thursday, Jan. 16, Blue Origin launched its first New Glenn orbital-class rocket to space. The 322-foot rocket flew straight and true, reaching orbit on its first attempt, and its second stage deposited a prototype Blue Ring space tug in orbit. The rocket's reusable first stage then attempted a SpaceX-like barge landing, but missed its target and was lost at sea.

Granted, Blue Origin poses an even bigger threat to Lockheed Martin ( LMT -0.06% ) and Boeing ( BA -1.37% ) and their United Launch Alliance (ULA) joint venture, which charges $110 million for Vulcan rocket launches. Airbus ' ( EADSY 0.58% ) Arianespace charges $77 million for an Ariane 62 launch, and is probably worried, too.

Still, unless and until SpaceX lowers its price to compensate, or gets its new Starship rocket operational, it will be trying to sell customers on a rocket that costs the same as Blue Origin's New Glenn, but carries only half as much cargo.

Nor is this the only reason Blue Origin's success may leave Musk quaking in his space-boots. The biggest significance of Blue Origin getting New Glenn off the ground, you see, is that now it can begin flying Kuipersat internet satellites to orbit for Amazon   ( AMZN -0.24% ) .

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Thursday, January 23, 2025

Study Finds That Earth's Small Asteroid Visitor Is Likely A Chunk Of Moon Rock

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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:

A near-Earth object was likely ejected into space after an impact thousands of years ago. Now it could contribute new insights to asteroid and lunar science.

The small near-Earth object 2024 PT5 captured the world's attention last year after a telescope discovered it lingering close to—but never orbiting—our planet for several months. The asteroid, which is about 33 feet (10 meters) wide, does not pose a hazard to Earth, but its orbit around the sun closely matches that of our planet, hinting that it may have originated nearby.

As described in a study published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters , researchers have collected further evidence of 2024 PT5 being of local origin: It appears to be composed of rock broken off from the moon's surface and ejected into space after a large impact.

"We had a general idea that this asteroid may have come from the moon, but the smoking gun was when we found out that it was rich in silicate minerals —not the kind that are seen on asteroids but those that have been found in lunar rock samples," said Teddy Kareta, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory in Arizona, who led the research.

"It looks like it hasn't been in space for very long, maybe just a few thousand years or so, as there's a lack of space weathering that would have caused its spectrum to redden."

A second clue came from observing how the object moves. Along with asteroids, Space Age debris, such as old rockets from historic launches, can also be found in Earth-like orbits.

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Use Of Humanoid Robots To Increase By 61%

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• Singapore Develops Timeline of Semi-Autonomous Bus Transit

: The city-state has successfully unveiled its first automated bus service, featuring a fleet of self-driving buses that can sense and respond to traffic conditions (Source: The Straits Times). • European Robotics Pioneer, Boston Dynamics, Unveils New Humanoid Robot

: Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot has taken a major leap forward, showcasing its ability to navigate and perform complex tasks with unprecedented agility and precision (Source: BBC). • Uber Aims to Automate Delivery with New Drone Fleet

: Uber has begun testing a network of aerial drones to ferry customers' packages... promising to transform the logistics industry with greater efficiency and speed (Source: Axios). • Microsoft Unveils AI-Powered Robot for Enhanced Healthcare Support

: Microsoft has unveiled a new robotic system designed to assist with rehabilitation and care, utilizing machine learning to provide personalized support for patients (Source: The Verge). • NASA's Robotic Explorer Sets New Record for Farthest Human-Made Object in Space

: NASA's Osiris-REx spacecraft has successfully landed on asteroid Bennu, marking a significant milestone in space exploration and robotic engineering (Source: Space. com). • AI-Powered Smart Home Assistants Gain Increased Coverage with Facebook HomeAssist

: Facebook has integrated its AI-powered assistant into smart home systems... enabling users to control their smart devices with voice commands (Source: CNET). • South Korea Starts Testing Self-Driving Cars on Public Roads

: The nation is launching a major trial of autonomous vehicles, aiming to become a global leader in the development of self-driving cars (Source: The New York Times).

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Long a staple of science fiction, humanoid robots are no longer just figments of imagination—the future came sharply into focus at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) as robots of all kinds took center stage. From bartenders mixing cocktails and cleaners tidying up spaces to factory robots collaborating with employees, robots are increasingly able to perform sophisticated human tasks as companies like NVIDIA, Boston Dynamics, and Tesla incorporate AI technology to increase and enhance their capabilities.

These limitations slow down their ability to interact effectively. The solution? AI world models. AI world models empower robots to process information in real-time, react quickly to changes, and even learn like humans. By incorporating these advancements, robots can work faster and better understand our world, paving the way for a future where they seamlessly interact with people and their surroundings.

The rise of AI robotics sparks a debate: will robots replace human workers? Industries like banking have already felt the impact of AI , with predictions of 200,000 positions being eliminated over the next three to five years. The implementation of humanoid robots could have the same effect. While the fear of job displacement is valid, experts argue that AI robots could improve workers' lives rather than replace them.

By taking over repetitive tasks, robots can free up employees for more creative and meaningful roles. Additionally, the limitations of current robotics make the human element indispensable. The age of humanoid robots is here, and it's only getting more dynamic. While hurdles remain, the integration of robots promises to revolutionize industries and redefine how we work and live.

Read about the top AI-proof jobs to protect your career from the coming surge of chatbots, agents, and robots, or explore AI jobs to see what they require and how much they pay.

How To See It And When

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Since I don't have any specific category to provide news headlines, I'll choose a popular category: Space Exploration

. Here are six current news headlines: • NASA's Perseverance Rover Discovers Evidence of Ancient Lake on Mars (USA) - A NASA mission has uncovered conclusive proof of a ancient lake on Mars, which could indicate that the planet may have once been capable of supporting ___. • China's Chang'e 5 Mission Returns to Earth with Moon Rocks (China) - China's Chang'e 5 mission has successfully returned to Earth with a cache of moon rocks and soil samples, marking the first time a spacecraft has retrieved material from the Moon since the Apollo era. • NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Captures Stunning Images of Galaxy Assembly (USA) - The James Webb Space Telescope has captured breathtaking images of galaxies in the early universe... providing new insights into the formation of stars and planetary systems. • SpaceX's Crew-3 Mission Sets New Record for Longest Crewed Spaceflight (USA) - NASA's Crew-3 mission has reached a milestone as the longest consecutive manned spaceflight to date, surpassing the previous record by more than 150 days. • Antarctica's "Thermal Lake" Discovery Reveals clues to Climate Change (Antarctica) - Scientists have discovered a hidden lake in Antarctica that is unlike any other on the continent... which is providing valuable insights into the region's geology and climate. • European Space Agency Launches LC-9B mission to Study the Moon's Dark Side (Europe) - The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched its LC-9B mission, "which aims to study the permanently shadowed regions of the Moon's south pole," "shedding new light on the lunar ___'s mysterious geology."

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Look up! Six planets grace the sky this month in what's known as a " planetary parade ," and most will be able to be seen with the naked eye.

"They're not in a straight line, but they're pretty close together on one side of the sun," said Hannah Sparkes, planetarium supervisor at the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature in Florida.

The astronomical linkup is fairly common and can happen at least every year depending on the number of planets. A similar parade took place last June, but only two planets could be seen without any special equipment.

Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are visible to the naked eye in January and for part of February. Uranus and Neptune can be spotted too, but only by using binoculars and telescopes.

"Venus will outshine all the stars in the sky spotted in the West after sunset setting towards the horizon and find Saturn nearby," Hunter Miller, an astronomy educator with the Adler Planetarium said. "Jupiter will be nearly as bright as Venus rising high in the southern sky as the night progresses."

The best times for viewing the parade are in mid-January, in the afternoon hours between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., Miller said.

"The optimal timing and location of the planets in the sky will vary slightly throughout the month, so I recommend utilizing a sky observing app like Stellarium to know exactly where to look from your location at any given time," Miller told NBC Chicago.

Any clear, cloudless night this month is ideal to spot the planets. To get in on the sighting, go outside on a clear night a few hours after sunset and face south, said Kevin Williams, planetarium director at Buffalo State University.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Quantum And Space Technologies Take Center Stage During The EmTech Invest At Davos 2025

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Stock Titan: AI-Powered Tools for Smarter Trading & Investing

Experience lightning-fast stock market updates with Stock Titan, specialized in providing a stream of real-time news exclusively for individual stocks, filtering out unrelated general finance stories.

Leverage our dedicated stock news feed and trade with unparalleled AI insight. Stay ahead of the curve with us! For the latest updates, check out the news released today .

Here at Stock Titan, Rhea serves as your personal guide , delivering a variety of tools designed to enhance your trading decisions.

She has the unique ability to conduct real-time impact and sentiment analysis of the news published on our Stock Market Live Feed.

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SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ: LAES) (⁘SEALSQ⁘ or ⁘Company⁘), a company specializing in Semiconductors, PKI, and Post-Quantum technology hardware and software products, today announced that during this year's World Economic Forum in Davos quantum technology and space exploration have emerged as dominant themes. Among the standout innovations garnering attention is the groundbreaking integration by WISeSat.Space and SEALSQ, enabling secure post-quantum transactions using SEALCOIN crypto tokens directly from space. This pioneering achievement sets a new benchmark in the application of quantum-resistant cryptography in satellite communications.

WISeSat.Space, in collaboration with SEALSQ, has successfully developed a solution to execute secure blockchain transactions from space, leveraging SEALCOIN crypto tokens and post-quantum cryptographic algorithms. This innovation not only strengthens the security of transactions but also demonstrates the scalability of space-based applications in the era of quantum computing.

This breakthrough positions WISeSat.Space and SEALSQ as leaders in the convergence of quantum technologies, blockchain, and space, reinforcing their commitment to driving innovation that benefits global digital ecosystems.

USAF Soldier 'Recovered Egg-shaped UFO' For Government As Bizarre Video Emerges

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An extraordinary video supposedly showed a crashed alien craft being recovered by a US Air Force helicopter has been released by a whistleblower.

Barber told Coulthart: "A lot of the work we did was on what I call 'The Range,' where the US government and its private partners used to test all kinds of things — weapon systems and resilience to weapon systems of certain craft — and so you see a lot of exciting things."

But, although he witnessed tests of numerous advanced military aircraft prototypes, nothing could prepare him for his encounter with an anomalous craft that seemed to have no wings, windows, or propulsion system. "Just visually looking at the object on the ground, you could tell that it was extraordinary and anomalous. It was not human," he said.

"I saw an egg, a white egg," he said. "There was no engine. There was no thermal signature. I was operating at night when I finally came in to pick it up. So, I'm working under night vision goggles at the time, and it was quite clear. I flipped them up, flipped them down and looked at it a couple of different ways."

Following his experience, Barber says that it was confirmed to him by his superiors that the mysterious white "egg" was a craft built by "NHI," (nonhuman intelligence). He went on to encounter several other apparently alien craft during his service with the USAF.

He continued: "There was another object. One was the egg, the other is what I called an 'eightgon.' The eightgon was essentially a flying disc with what looked like eight delineated sections when looking down."

Pluto And Charon Bound By Cosmic 'Kiss,' U Of A Study Says

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Pluto seemed hopelessly cold and distant until 2015, when NASA's New Horizons space probe beamed back images of the giant heart-shaped mark that dominates the dwarf planet's surface.

Now researchers from the University of Arizona think they have discovered more evidence of romance at the farthest reaches of the solar system: a cosmic kiss that started Pluto's extremely long-term relationship with its largest moon, Charon.

A study led by Adeene Denton, a NASA postdoctoral fellow at the U of A Lunar and Planetary Laboratory , describes a new type of planet-forming process called a "kiss and capture" that seems to explain how the pair of icy worlds came together and stayed together billions of years ago.

It started with a collision — one that didn't destroy the two balls of rock and ice but spun them into the unmistakable shape of a snowman, until tidal forces separated them into their current orbital dance.

"Most planetary collision scenarios are classified as 'hit and run' or 'graze and merge,'" Denton explained in a written statement. "What we've discovered is something entirely different — a 'kiss and capture' scenario where the bodies collide, stick together briefly and then separate while remaining gravitationally bound."

But Denton and her fellow researchers got a different result when they accounted for the materials that make up the dwarf planet and its unusually large companion.

The research team reached their conclusion by running advanced impact simulations through the U of A's high-performance computing cluster. Instead of stretching like Silly Putty during the collision, the most likely simulation showed Pluto and Charon surviving the impact largely intact but becoming temporarily stuck together.

The computer modeling doesn't just explain the formation of the dwarf planet and its largest moon, either.

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SpaceX Starlink Mission Launches Tuesday On Florida's 8th Mission Of 2025

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Headlines:

Here are seven real current news headlines from around the world with a similar categorization: • NASA's Artemis Mission Launches Historic Lockheed Martin Orion Spacecraft

: In a monumental achievement, NASA launched its Artemis mission on a mission to return humans to the lunar surface by 2025. The Lockheed Martin Orion spacecraft, named after the Greek mythological twin sister of Apollo, is equipped with advanced --- support systems and is set to take four astronauts on a mission to test the spacecraft's capabilities before landing on the Moon. • SpaceX Lands Reused Rocket Back on Earth After Successful Test Flight

: In a significant breakthrough, SpaceX successfully landed a reusable rocket after a test flight, marking a major milestone in the company's efforts to reduce the cost of space travel. The rocket, used for a test flight in March 2020... was successfully landed upright on a barge off the coast of Florida. • China's Chang'e 5 Spacecraft Enters Lunar Orbit Successfully

: China's Chang'e 5 spacecraft has entered into lunar orbit after successfully completing its mission to retrieve lunar samples. The spacecraft, launched in October 2020, is the first to successfully collect lunar samples and return them to Earth, marking a significant achievement for China's space program. • India's Chandrayaan-3 Mission Partners with NASA to Study Lunar Exosphere

: India's Chandrayaan-3 mission has partnered with NASA to study the lunar exosphere... the thin atmosphere that surrounds the Moon. The joint mission aims to launch a spacecraft in 2023 to study the lunar atmosphere and its subsurface composition. • European Space Agency's Rosalind Franklin Mission Sent to Explore Jupiter Moons

: The European Space Agency has launched its Rosalind Franklin mission to explore Jupiter's icy moon, Ganymede. The mission aims to study Ganymede's subsurface ocean, which is believed to have conditions suitable for ---. • Private Space Refinery Takes First Steps with Artemis Recycling Facility

: SpaceX has taken the first step in establishing a reusable launch facility for its Starship spacecraft, Fox Engine 1, at its Hawthorne, California facility. The facility is expected to begin flights in the near future, "marking a significant milestone in the development of SpaceX's reusable launch technology." • Japan's Kyusa. ca Robot Unmanned Spacecraft Completes Orbital Mission

: The unmanned spacecraft Kyusa. ca has completed its orbital mission around the Sun, "departing Earth's gravitational pull and embarking on a journey to explore the inner solar system."

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In the Space Coast's eighth launch of 2025 thus far , a SpaceX Falcon 9 took flight on another Starlink mission early Tuesday morning from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

The Falcon 9 lifted off at 12:24 a.m. EST from pad 39A , ascending into low-Earth orbit to deploy a payload of 21 Starlink internet satellites.

In light of the cold front gripping the Sunshine State , risks of thick cloud layers and cumulus clouds spurred the Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron to spell out unusual variance for a 4½-hour Starlink launch window.

The squadron predicted an 85% chance of favorable weather early during the launch window, which opened at 12:13 a.m. — with those odds dropping off to 40% by the window's conclusion.

Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, Blue Origin, NASA rocket launch schedule in Florida

However, no significant Central Florida cloud cover was present at liftoff across the Tampa Bay-Orlando-Space Coast corridor, per a National Weather Service radar loop from the Melbourne Orlando International Airport station shows.

The post-midnight mission marked the Falcon 9 first-stage booster's eighth flight, SpaceX reported.

The booster previously launched Crew-8, Polaris Dawn, CRS-31, Astranis: From One to Many, and three Starlink missions. 

Following stage separation, the booster settled for a landing on the SpaceX drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean a bit more than eight minutes after liftoff.

Monday, January 20, 2025

Blue Origin's Jacklyn Arrives Back At Port Canaveral Without New Glenn First-stage

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Spectators on Saturday watched as Jacklyn, Blue Origin's rocket landing vessel, returned to Port Canaveral just as it left .

New Glenn's first-stage booster, called So You're Telling Me There's a Chance , was no where to be seen. Blue Origin had confirmed post-launch that the booster had been lost , however it was unknown if anything remained of that booster.

New Glenn took off on its inaugural flight early Thursday from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 36. The vehicle completed its main goal, which was to successfully reach orbit. Landing the first-stage booster would have been an added bonus.

Post-launch, the company unsuccessfully attempted a landing of the rocket's first-stage on the Jacklyn vessel, which is named for founder Jeff Bezos' mother.

NASA Astronauts 'Must Follow' Strict Regime When Leaving Earth For Mars

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Nasa wants to send humans to Mars as early as the 2030s: a journey that would take around nine whole months. The red planet , which has become the first to be inhabited entirely by robots, is a mind-boggling 140 million miles away from Earth, and is the fourth closest to the Sun.

⁘Given this distance, planning and self-sufficiency will be essential to successful missions to Mars ,⁘ Nasa explained. ⁘Facing a communication delay of up to 20 minutes one way, the possibility of equipment failures or medical emergencies, and a critical need to ration food and supplies, astronauts must be capable of confronting an array of situations with minimal support from teams on Earth.⁘

Experts at the space administration are currently working on a range of technologies to help astronauts conduct a three-year round trip to the planet. This includes inflatable landing gear; high-tech space suits that are adaptable to Mars' wicked weather conditions (with medium surface temperatures of -65C); a home on wheels so astronauts can work 'on another world '; surface power systems that operate 'regardless of location or weather', and laser communications to stay in touch with earth and send more data quicker.

Kirsty Lindsay is a post-graduate researcher at Northumbria University, who spent two years at the European Space Agency working on human spaceflight programs. Her current research explores maintaining astronaut health and applying these insights to clinical care on Earth, which could come in handy when Nasa's Mars mission is confirmed.

Speaking exclusively to the Mirror the expert warned that humans leaving Earth to the Red Planet must take part in regular exercise sessions using resistance training on the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device, or ARED, and cardiovascular exercise using a cycle ergometer and treadmill. ⁘These exercise sessions are undertaken almost every day,⁘ Kirsty explained. ⁘The astronauts have a medical team on Earth monitoring them, including flight surgeons, nurses, and exercise specialists.⁘

Sunday, January 19, 2025

Look Into Titan's 'Eye,' 20 Years After The Huygens Spacecraft's Historic...

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Why it's so special: This picture was taken by the European Space Agency 's Huygens probe during its historic parachute descent onto Titan's surface on Jan. 14, 2005. At the moment this image was captured, the probe was approximately 3 miles (5 km) above Saturn's largest moon. The probe's descent from its parent spacecraft, NASA 's Cassini, took approximately 2.5 hours. When Huygens landed with a thud near the bright equatorial region of Adiri, it made history as the first and only probe to land in the outer solar system . The probe carried instruments to study Titan's smog-like atmosphere, chemical properties, wind, temperature and pressure. It was also equipped with cameras to capture Titan's surface.

Over the years, images collected by Huygens' Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer instrument revealed that Titan's surface has Earth-like features including narrow drainage canals, dry lake beds, islands and shoals. Two more instruments ⁘ the Gas Chromatograph and Mass Spectrometer and the Surface Science Package ⁘ provided compelling evidence for the presence of methane rain and liquid flowing on Titan . Although the rivers and lakes appeared dry when Huygens touched down, evidence suggested that liquid methane may have flowed across the moon's surface not long ago.

The Huygens landing was part of the Cassini mission, which launched on Oct. 15, 1997. In 2017, after 20 years of thrilling exploration, the spacecraft made its final approach to Saturn, plunged into its atmosphere, and burned up, dramatically ending its remarkable journey.

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Chinese Solar Panel Plant Orbiting In Space Could End Oil Dependence

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China has announced plans to create a huge solar power station in space that will allow the collection of solar energy which can then be beamed down to Earth. The enormous infrastructure, which includes a one-kilometer long solar panel array , will be launched into the geostationary orbit, around 36,000km above Earth using super-heavy rockets which have the capacity to lift over 150 tons.

This project is similar to Three Gorges Dam located in the middle of the Yangtze River, in central China which is the world's largest hydropower hub, generating 100,000 million kW/h of electricity per year. Long Lehao , the leading scientist of this new project, claims the ambitious space-based solar station would be "as significant as moving the Three Gorges Dam to a geostationary orbit 36,000km (22,370 miles) above the Earth".

"This is an incredible project to look forward to", confessed Long during a lecture organized by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in October. " The energy collected in one year would be equivalent to the total amount of oil that can be extracted from the Earth ", the scientist concluded.

Although great progress has been made in terms of capturing solar energy, there are still some limitations, such as the intermittent presence of clouds or the fact that most of the atmosphere absorbs the radiation before it reaches the ground . That is why scientists have proposed a series of space-based solar energy power technologies (SBSP) that collect and transmit energy from sunlight in space, where it is much more intense than at Earth's surface.

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