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Many Protoplanetary Disks Aren't Much Bigger Than Earth's Orbit
When it comes to the planets produced in protoplanetary disks, size matters, but not the way you might think. That's the conclusion a group of astronomers found when they aimed the Atacama Large Millimeter Array in Chile at hundreds of these disks around young stars in the southern constellation Lupus. They used the observatory in 2023 and 2024 to focus on the disks and supplemented that with archival data.
SpaceX rolls out rocket for historic Fram2 astronaut flight over Earth's poles (photos)
LIVE NOW: Live Close Up Video Of The SUn
ISS National Lab explores the future of space in new podcast 'Between a Rocket and a Hard Space'
Earth's sea ice hits all-time low, NASA satellites reveal
European Space Agency launches competition to find its next commercial rocket by 2028
1st-ever orbital rocket launch from European soil falls to Earth and explodes seconds into flight
ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover will have a European landing platform
The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected Airbus to design and build the landing platform for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover. In 2028, ESA will launch this ambitious exploration mission to search for past and present signs of life on Mars.
SpaceX's Fram2 astronaut flight over Earth's poles will be the 1st to grow mushrooms in space
Are Nuclear Propulsion Systems the Future of Space Exploration?
Efforts are underway to develop advanced propulsion systems that can reduce transit times to Mars and other locations in the Solar System. These include nuclear propulsion concepts, which NASA began researching again in 2016 for its proposed "Moon to Mars" mission architecture. In a recent paper, two aerospace innovators reviewed some key nuclear-electric propulsion concepts, their respective advantages, and challenges. In the end, they conclude that nuclear propulsion has the potential to revolutionize space exploration and make humanity "multiplanetary."
How To Power CubeSats Using Deep Learning
Deciding how to power a CubeSat is one of the greatest challenges when designing a modular spacecraft. Tradeoffs in solar panel size, battery size, and power consumption levels are all key considerations when selecting parts and mission architecture. To help with those design choices, a paper from researchers in Ethiopia and Korea describes a new machine-learning algorithm that helps CubeSat designers optimize their power consumption, ensuring these little satellites have a better chance of fulfilling their purpose.
This Week In Space podcast: Episode 154 — The View From On High
Partial solar eclipse delights skywatchers around the world (photos)
X-rays, mushrooms and more: The science riding on SpaceX's Fram2 astronaut mission around Earth's poles
A total solar eclipse from 2471 B.C. may have shaken Egypt's cult of the sun
NASA's New Dust Repelling Shield Seems to Work Well
The hazards facing lunar astronauts are many. There's the radiation, the temperature extremes, the psychological challenges associated with isolation, and the risk of important equipment breaking down. But there's also the dust, which constitutes an ever-present background hazard.