"The large-scale homogeneity of the universe makes it very difficult to believe that the structure of the universe is determined by anything so peripheral as some complicated molecular structure on a minor planet orbiting a very average star in the outer suburbs of a fairly typical galaxy."

— Steven Hawking

Astronomy

Saturn's moon Enceladus top target for ESA

ESO Top News - Mon, 03/25/2024 - 9:00am

A fresh, icy crust hides a deep, enigmatic ocean. Plumes of water burst through cracks in the ice, shooting into space. An intrepid lander collects samples and analyses them for hints of life.

ESA has started to turn this scene into a reality, devising a mission to investigate an ocean world around either Jupiter or Saturn. But which moon should we choose? What should the mission do exactly? A team of expert scientists has delivered their findings.

Categories: Astronomy

Humans spread more viruses to other animals than they give to us

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 03/25/2024 - 8:00am
An analysis of viral genomes shows it is more common for viruses to jump from humans to other animals than the other way around
Categories: Astronomy

Humans spread more viruses to other animals than they give to us

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 03/25/2024 - 8:00am
An analysis of viral genomes shows it is more common for viruses to jump from humans to other animals than the other way around
Categories: Astronomy

How the Supreme Court’s Mifepristone Ruling Could Affect Abortion Access and Future Drug Approvals

Scientific American.com - Mon, 03/25/2024 - 8:00am

The Supreme Court’s mifepristone decision could make abortions harder to access and challenge the FDA’s authority to regulate all drugs and devices

Categories: Astronomy

Bizarre ‘Hot Jupiter’ Planets Keep Surprising Astronomers

Scientific American.com - Mon, 03/25/2024 - 7:30am

Astronomers now have three possible theories to explain how weird hot Jupiter exoplanets form

Categories: Astronomy

Alabama’s Embryo Personhood Decision Threatens Patients, Medicine and Advances in IVF

Scientific American.com - Mon, 03/25/2024 - 7:00am

A state court ruling that embryos from in vitro fertilization are unborn children harms access to care for fertility patients, as well as medical innovations

Categories: Astronomy

This Nova Will Soon Erupt as a Once-in-a-Lifetime ‘New Star’ in the Night Sky

Scientific American.com - Mon, 03/25/2024 - 6:45am

A nova called T Coronae Borealis spectacularly erupts every 80 years. Your only chance to see it will come any day now

Categories: Astronomy

Tiny deer from the dry valleys of Peru recognised as new species

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 03/25/2024 - 6:00am
A 38-centimetre-tall deer, found in an arid region in the central Andes, is the first new deer species found in South America for over 60 years
Categories: Astronomy

Tiny deer from the dry valleys of Peru recognised as new species

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 03/25/2024 - 6:00am
A 38-centimetre-tall deer, found in an arid region in the central Andes, is the first new deer species found in South America for over 60 years
Categories: Astronomy

The Chandra X-ray spacecraft may soon go dark, threatening a great deal of astronomy

Space.com - Mon, 03/25/2024 - 6:00am
NASA's recent budget request doesn't offer hope for a leading X-ray astronomy spacecraft. Scientists are pretty worried.
Categories: Astronomy

Magical Mucus: On the Benefits of Getting Slimed by a Hagfish

Scientific American.com - Mon, 03/25/2024 - 6:00am

If you take a journey into the depths of the slime all around us, you find yourself starting to understand that mucus is a miracle.

Categories: Astronomy

Building ChatGPT-style tools with Earth observation

ESO Top News - Mon, 03/25/2024 - 4:27am

Imagine being able to ask a chatbot, “Can you make me an extremely accurate classification map of crop cultivation in Kenya?” or “Are buildings subsiding in my street?” And imagine that the information that comes back is scientifically sound and based on verified Earth observation data.

ESA, in conjunction with technology partners, is working to make such a tool a reality by developing AI applications that will revolutionise information retrieval in Earth observation.

Categories: Astronomy

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APOD - Sun, 03/24/2024 - 8:00pm

A bright comet will be visible during next month's total solar eclipse.


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

Drilling for water ice on Mars: How close are we to making it happen?

Space.com - Sun, 03/24/2024 - 11:00am
Scientists and engineers are making progress on drilling technology that could access Mars' seemingly vast stores of near-surface water ice.
Categories: Astronomy

Company Accused of Greenhouse Gas Smuggling Hit with Record Fine

Scientific American.com - Sun, 03/24/2024 - 10:00am

A penalty leveled against a company accused of smuggling greenhouse gases is part of the EPA’s crackdown on the planet-warming hydrofluorocarbons used in refrigeration and air-conditioning

Categories: Astronomy

Astronauts' mementos packed on Boeing Starliner for crew flight test

Space.com - Sun, 03/24/2024 - 10:00am
A NASA astronaut who had the honor of naming her spacecraft will fly items inspired by that name when she launches to the International Space Station.
Categories: Astronomy

'Spaceman' director Johan Renck on making a romantic sci-fi fable (exclusive)

Space.com - Sun, 03/24/2024 - 9:00am
An exclusive interview with "Spaceman" director Johan Renck discussing telepathic alien spiders and hanging Adam Sandler on wires.
Categories: Astronomy

Eclipse seasons: Why the lunar eclipse on March 25 occurs 2 weeks before the total solar eclipse on April 8

Space.com - Sun, 03/24/2024 - 8:00am
How and why the full 'Worm Moon' aligns for March 25's lunar eclipse and April 8's total solar eclipse.
Categories: Astronomy

How to stay safe during the April 8 solar eclipse

Space.com - Sun, 03/24/2024 - 6:00am
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will be visible across North America. Here's how to stay safe and protect your eyes during the event.
Categories: Astronomy

Northrup Grumman is Studying How to Build a Railway on the Moon

Universe Today - Sat, 03/23/2024 - 2:09pm

Roughly two years and six months from now, as part of NASA’s Artemis III mission, astronauts will set foot on the lunar surface for the first time in over fifty years. Beyond this mission, NASA will deploy the elements of the Lunar Gateway, the Artemis Base Camp, and other infrastructure that will allow for a “sustained program of lunar exploration and development.” They will be joined by the European Space Agency (ESA), the China National Space Agency (CNSA), and Roscosmos, the latter two collaborating to build the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).

Anticipating this process of lunar development (and looking to facilitate it), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) launched the 10-year Lunar Architecture (LunA-10) Capability Study in August last year. In recent news, the agency announced that it selected Northrop Grumman to develop a moon-based railroad network. This envisioned network could transport humans, supplies, and resources for space agencies and commercial ventures, facilitating exploration, scientific research, and the creation of a lunar economy.

According to DARPA, the seven-month LunA-10 study aims to establish “an analytical framework that defines new opportunities for rapid scientific and commercial activity on and around the Moon.” It also aims to foster the development of foundational technology to optimize lunar infrastructure, allowing space agencies to move away from individual efforts within isolated, self-sufficient systems and towards shareable, scalable, resource-driven systems that can operate together. In keeping with NASA’s long-term objectives, this work will complement the administration’s “Moon to Mars” objectives.

Artist rendition of construction of the Moon. Credit: NASA.

In layman’s terms, the plan is to develop the technologies that will allow space agencies and companies to access each others’ resources, facilities, and information to promote further growth opportunities. Several key sectors are identified in the solicitation that must be developed into services to sustain a long-term presence on the Moon based on an independent market analysis of the future lunar economy. They include construction, mining, transit, energy, agriculture, and research (e.g., medicine, robotics, and life sustainment) that will have applications for space exploration and life on Earth.

Other aspects include lunar and planetary science, communications, digital infrastructure, and Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) technology. Dr. Michael “Orbit” Nayak, a program manager in DARPA’s Strategic Technology Office, extolled DARPA’s long history of working with NASA during last year’s announcement:

“For 65 years, DARPA has pioneered and de-risked technologies vital to civil space advancement — from the rocket technology in the Saturn V that took humans to the Moon for the first time, to the recent DARPA-NASA partnership to enable faster space travel to the Moon and beyond with a nuclear thermal rocket engine.

“LunA-10 continues this rich legacy by identifying and accelerating key technologies that may be used by government and the commercial space industry, and ultimately to catalyze economic vibrancy on the Moon. Just like DARPA’s foundational node of ARPANET grew into the sprawling web of the internet, LunA-10 is looking for those connective nodes to support a thriving commercial economy on the Moon.”

As part of this 10-year plan, Northrop Grumman will be tasked with creating the infrastructure that will physically connect lunar facilities and allow for the movement of people and resources back and forth. Their responsibilities, as spelled out in their contract of opportunity, include defining the interfaces and resources required to build a lunar rail network; identifying cost, technological, and logistical risks; creating prototypes, demonstrations, and analyses of a concept design and architecture, and exploring robotics concepts for constructing and operating the system.

These robotics concepts must be able to operate on the lunar surface and carry out specific tasks, such as grading and foundation preparation, track placement and alignment, joining and finishing, inspection, maintenance, and repairs. Said Chris Adams, the vice president and general manager of strategic space systems at Northrop Grumman:

“This investment in key developmental research keeps our technology at the forefront of next-generation solutions. With our proven experience in the integration of complex systems and commercialized autonomous services, we will continue to create lasting change for a sustainable space ecosystem.”

Northrop Grumman and other selectees will receive an Other Transaction award of up to $1 million. They will present their work at the Spring meeting of the Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium (LSIC) in April 2024 and provide a final report in June 2024.

Further Reading: Northrop Grumman

The post Northrup Grumman is Studying How to Build a Railway on the Moon appeared first on Universe Today.

Categories: Astronomy