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Despite a mission glitch, NASA’s lunar radio experiment ROLSES (carried to the Moon on the Odyssesus lander in February) obtained a unique "view" of Earth.

The post Short-lived Experiment Marks Start of Radio Astronomy from the Moon appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

The Gum 3 nebula, which resembles a swimming koi fish, is captured in a stunning new photo from the European Southern Observatory's VLT Survey Telescope.

The drug donanemab slows progression of symptoms in people with early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, but questions linger about the durability of its effect

ESA’s Hera asteroid mission and its two CubeSats interacted as if they were in space, within the foam pyramid-lined walls of the Agency’s Maxwell test chamber in the Netherlands. The trio communicated together, sharing data and ranging information at the same time as their Hera mothership received commands from its mission controllers at the European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany.

ESA is getting ready to show thousands of visitors how space improves life on Earth at its very first open day to be held in the UK.

A philosophy department chair arrested at a campus protest offers university presidents a lesson in democracy

Russia may be planning to put a nuclear weapon in orbit. We have known since the 1960s why that is a bad idea

A powerful solar storm in May 2024 created auroras on Mars and provided scientists with crucial information that could aid future crewed missions to the Red Planet.

Using the tools of computational complexity, researchers have discovered it is impossible to figure out whether certain Super Mario Bros levels can be beaten without playing them, even if you use the world's most powerful supercomputer

Using the tools of computational complexity, researchers have discovered it is impossible to figure out whether certain Super Mario Bros levels can be beaten without playing them, even if you use the world's most powerful supercomputer

At first glance, the universe and night sky seem largely unchanging. The reality is very different, even now, a gas cloud is charging toward the Milky Way Galaxy and is expected to crash into us in 27 million years. A team of astronomers hoping to locate the exact position of the expected impact site have been unsuccessful but have accidentally measured the thickness of the Milky Way! Analysing radio data, they have been able to deduce the thickness of the inner and outer regions and discovered a dramatic difference between the two. 

The team of astronomers from the US National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory were attempting to study the Smith Cloud. This high velocity cloud of hydrogen gas is located in the constellation Aquila at a distance of somewhere between 36,000 and 45,000 light years. Previous studies from the Green Bank Observatory have shown the cloud contains at least 1 million times the mass of the Sun and measures 9,800 light years long by 3,300 light years wide. 

A false-color image of the Smith Cloud made with data from the Green Bank Telescope (GBT). New analysis indicates that it is wrapped in a dark matter halo. Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF

The plan was simple enough, to observe the spot where the cloud is currently interacting with the Milky Way. The observation is tricky enough though as the cloud is on the far side of the Milky Way and there is a lot of stuff in the way! The team, led by Toney Minter used the 20m Green Bank Telescope to search for dust and emissions from hydroxyl molecules (composed of a hydrogen and oxygen molecule.)  What the team expected to see was a difference in composition in the region of the Milky Way interacted with the cloud which, should have very little dust and hydroxyl molecules. Clouds in the Milky Way tend to have both so a difference should be detectable. 

The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope. Credit: Jay Young.

Minter was candidly open about the study joking ‘I knew there was a low probability that I’d find what I was looking for—and I didn’t,. But this is all part of the scientific process. You learn from what you DO and DON’T find.’

Disappointingly the team did not detect any differences in composition but what they did find was equally as interesting. The study revealed information about the Milky Way itself and the structure of its inner regions. Minter and his team had to look through the Milky Way’s inner regions for their study and what they were able to determine was the thickness of the layer of molecules in the inner Galaxy. The information enabled them to deduce the scale height of the clouds of molecular gas in the inner Milky Way. The results showed that the layer of molecules in the inner region measured 330 light years thick while those in the outer parts measured twice as much, around 660 light years. 

The discovery still leaves questions unanswered. The observation certainly shows the difference in thickness between the inner and outer regions but it doesn’t give any clue as to what is driving the difference. Further observations are now required to follow up on this discovery to try and model the underlying process.  Of course one other question remains unanswered and that is the nature and mechanics of the Smith Cloud and how it will impact our own Galaxy. Far from being disappointed though, Minter stated ‘That’s why astronomy is exciting, our knowledge is always evolving’

Source : While Aiming for Massive Gas Cloud, Astronomers Spot Differences in Thickness of Milky Way Galaxy

The post The Inner and Outer Milky Way Aren’t the Same Thickness, and that’s Surprising appeared first on Universe Today.

Many space fans have been following the successful launch of the Boeing Starliner, another commercial organisation aiming to make space more accessible. It successfully reached the International Space Station, delivering Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams into orbit but it wasn’t without a hitch. Three of its thrusters experienced problems and there were ‘five small leaks on the service module.’ The crew and ground teams are working through safety checks of power and habitability. To ensure a safe return of the astronauts NASA has extended the mission by four days to 18th June. 

Boeing Starliner is a reusable (partly) spacecraft designed to transport crews to low Earth orbit. NASA is the lead customer so, once certification has been achieved, will be used to deliver astronauts regularly to the ISS. It consists of a crew capsule that can be used ten times and an expendable service module. Measuring 4.6 metres in diameter it is slightly larger than the Apollo Command module that was a part of the historic Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins mission to the Moon.

The Apollo 10 command/service module nicknamed “Charlie Brown” orbiting the Moon as seen from the lunar module. Credit: NASA

The Boeing Starliner launch marked its first crewed trip into orbit, with the objective of data collection for certification by NASA for regular crewed missions to ISS. The tests are numerous and include; running the spacecraft in minimal power mode (for when docked to ISS), checking suitability to support crew on its own in the event of an emergency, performing habitability studies for a four person crew and a multitude of other system checks. The module has been docked to ISS since 6th June. 

Teething problems for any new module are always expected but when the word ‘leak’ pops up it is most definitely a cause for concern. In the case of Starliner, five small leaks have been detected in the service module helium manifolds. When Starliner launched, the ground team already knew there was one leak in the propulsion system but now, four more have been detected! The flight engineers initially suspected a flaw in a manifold seal or possibly even faulty installation but now, with the four additional leaks they’re trying to understand if there is a common problem.

The leaks are not the only problem that has been experienced. As Starliner approached ISS, it relied upon precise pulses from the 28 reaction control thrusters. During this critical phase of the docking process, five of them failed. More accurately, the spacecraft control software deduced they were not working and deselected them. The first docking window was missed as a result but the crew were able to test and restart four of the five engines allowing them to safely dock. Engineers are still looking into the thruster problem but are confidence it will allow the safe return of the astronauts. 

International Space Station. Credit: NASA

As for the helium leak, flight engineers have examined the leak rate and confirmed that Starliner has sufficient margin to support a return trip to Earth. With Starliner docked to the ISS the manifolds are all closed preventing any helium loss until the return trip which takes just seven hours. Even with the manifolds open and the rate of leak there is sufficient helium to support 70 hours of flight time. 

Ground support teams are continuing to work through the problems and the return plan. They will explore tolerances and possible operational mitigations for the remainder of the mission. As the team depart from the ISS, no earlier than 18th June they will slowly adjust orbit away from the Space Station. A deorbit burn will be completed before entering the atmosphere and landing in south-western United States.

Source : NASA, Boeing Progress on Testing Starliner with Crew at Space Station

The post Starliner Has Five Leaks appeared first on Universe Today.

It sounded like a nightmare scenario: An astronaut commander on the International Space Station in distress and a flight surgeon on Earth stuck in traffic. But it was all a simulation.

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Sols 4212-4214: Gearing up to Drill! This image was taken by Left Navigation Camera onboard NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 4210 and captures the block which hosts our potential drill target, “Mammoth Lakes.” NASA/JPL-Caltech

Earth planning date: Monday, June 11, 2024

Curiosity is gearing up to drill! Last week, it encountered a rock with unusual coloration and texture that was just out of reach (you can read about it and see pictures here and here). So that Curiosity could learn more about the geology around these rocks, it “bumped” – completing a 0.7-meter drive (2.3 feet) – to reach a nearby rock that’s big enough to drill! After many discussions over the past week with engineers, geologists, chemists, and more, the team has confirmed this target will be our next potential drill target (pictured). We’ve chosen the target name “Mammoth Lakes,” named for a town in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains with basalt columns, hot springs, and waterfalls.

Today, as the Keeper of the Plan for the Geology and Mineralogy theme group, I was busy recording all the necessary observations into the plan as we prepare to drill. In the first sol, we’ll start with some essential preparatory activities. We’ll use our Dust Removal Tool (DRT) to clean the surface, take detailed images with the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) to capture the sedimentary textures, and analyze the composition with the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS). These steps are crucial to understand the site’s potential before we commit to drilling.

The second sol is where things heat up. ChemCam will fire up its Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) to zap the rock and analyze its makeup. We then follow up this activity with imaging the surrounding area to help us understand the context of “Mammoth Lakes.” Mastcam will devote half an hour to capture a mammoth mosaic of the area, showing a potential contact in Gediz Vallis ridge which is marked by a transition from white stones into a coarser material. To top it off, we’ll use the ChemCam’s Remote Micro-Imager (RMI) to get some high-res shots of the sedimentary textures and structures within the surrounding rocks to help us understand the depositional environment when they formed.

Even with all these activities, the environmental science theme group managed to fit in some dust monitoring. Here’s hoping all goes well, and we can make “Mammoth Lakes” our 41st drill hole!

Written by Amelie Roberts, Ph.D. candidate at Imperial College London

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Background: To protect astronauts from spaceflight health risks like solar radiation and microgravity, scientists develop countermeasures by studying model organisms exposed to the space environment. For the first time, commercial astronaut data from the Inspiration4 (I4) mission has been collected for open-access research in an effort led by Weill Cornell Medicine. ARC’s Open Science Data Repository (OSDR) hosts this data for public use. Facilitated by the OSDR, data from the all-civilian crew enables researchers to validate decades of model organism research and make vital discoveries from biospecimens of humans. The OSDR’s Analysis Working Groups (AWGs), comprised of researchers from around the globe, collaborate to maximize the scientific value of space omics data.

Main Findings: On June 11, 44 scientific publications, including 32 authored by members of the AWG community and the OSDR team, were prominently featured in the Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) package of publications in Nature Press. The collection of articles greatly expands our knowledge of how space travel affects humans by addressing questions about the transcriptomic, epigenomic, cellular, microbiome, and mitochondrial alterations observed during spaceflight. Results and best practices from these articles collectively inform SOMA, which provides a standardized approach to spaceflight related research (Figure).

Impact: The AWG studies featured in these publications leverage the I4 data alongside other OSDR data to pioneer novel discoveries and formulate new hypotheses aimed at uncovering systemic biological responses during spaceflight. Historically, AWG collaborations have led to numerous scientific presentations at conferences, publications in high-impact journals, and the introduction of many new and more diverse researchers into the field.

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KSC is the first NASA Center to offer workplace EV charging, setting the foundation for other NASA Centers. EV chargers are one way the KSC team is embracing the Executive Order goal for Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) by 2035.

These charging stations greatly benefit KSC sustainability efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Within the first ten months of operation, the charging stations reduced emissions by 40,000 kg (actuals from ChargePoint’s analytics page) with over 3,000 individual charging sessions. 

The project also reduces cost by leveraging a Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act agreement with Florida Power and Light (FP&L). The White House selected this project as a worthy recipient in the “Electrifying the Federal Fleet” category. Congratulations, KSC!

The estimated greenhouse gas emissions caused by the war in Ukraine are equivalent to around 175 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, and Ukraine plans to include the associated climate damage in its compensation claim against Russia

The estimated greenhouse gas emissions caused by the war in Ukraine are equivalent to around 175 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, and Ukraine plans to include the associated climate damage in its compensation claim against Russia

Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jennifer Littlejohn, left, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, and Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United States Lilit Makunts, right, look on as Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia, signs the Artemis Accords, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. The Republic of Armenia is the 43rd country to sign the Artemis Accords, which establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations participating in NASA’s Artemis program. Photo Credit NASA/Joel Kowsky

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson welcomed Armenia as the newest nation to sign the Artemis Accords Wednesday during a ceremony with the U.S. State Department at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Armenia joins 42 other countries in a commitment to advancing principles for the safe, transparent, and responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond.

“NASA is proud to welcome Armenia to the Artemis Accords as we expand the peaceful exploration of space,” said Nelson. “Today’s signing builds on an important foundation. Armenia long has looked to the heavens and helped humanity understand them. As the 10th nation this year to sign the Artemis Accords, we are proving that exploration unites nations like few other things can. We will continue to expand humanity’s reach in the cosmos – together.”   

Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, Minister of High-Tech Industry, signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Armenia. Lilit Makunts, ambassador of Armenia to the U.S. and Jennifer R. Littlejohn, acting assistant secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State, also participated in the event.

“By signing these accords, Armenia joins a community of nations dedicated to advancing the frontiers of human knowledge and capability in space,” said Hayrapetyan. “Our involvement will not only enhance our technological capabilities, but also inspire a new generation of Armenians to dream big, to innovate and to explore the world and universe.”

The United States and seven other nations were the first to sign the Artemis Accords in 2020, which identified an early set of principles promoting the beneficial use of space for humanity. The accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements including the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data. More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years to come.

The commitments of the Artemis Accords, and efforts by the signatories to advance implementation of these principles, support NASA’s Artemis campaign with its partners, as well as for the success of the safe and sustainable exploration activities of the other accords signatories.

For more information about the Artemis Accords, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords/

-end-

Faith McKie / Jennifer Dooren
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
faith.d.mckie@nasa.gov / jennifer.m.dooren@nasa.gov

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Details Last Updated Jun 12, 2024 EditorJennifer M. DoorenLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms

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