[ad_1] There were more mysteries. The probe spotted tiny energetic particle events that never reach Earth, as well as bursts with oddly high levels of heavy elements. Both may be more common than scientists first thought, NASA said. At the same time, the craft also answered questions — humanity now has the first direct evidence […]
Category: Nasa
NASA photos show the crash site of India’s Vikram lunar lander
[ad_1] In September India lost contact with its Vikram lander just a mile above the Moon’s surface, and now NASA has confirmed photos taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter show where it impacted. The actual discovery, however, has been credited to an amateur, Shanmuga Subramanian. As the New York Times reported, he is an Indian […]
Astronomers create first global map of Saturn’s moon Titan
[ad_1] Just shy of two thirds of the surface is dominated by flat plains, but 17 percent of it (mostly at the equator) is blanketed in dunes. Another 14 percent is hilly or mountainous, while 1.5 percent of it has a labyrinthine terrain shaped by erosion and rain. What you don’t see is just as […]
NASA renames Kuiper Belt object following controversy
[ad_1] NASA’s nickname for the distant Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69, Ultima Thule, has been more than a little contentious. While it has innocuous meanings, Ultima Thule is also the term white supremacists use to refer to a mythical homeland. The agency is sidestepping that controversy, however. It just officially named the object Arrokoth, or […]
Boeing’s lunar lander pitch promises ‘fastest path’ to the moon
[ad_1] NASA intends to send humans to the moon in an Orion capsule atop an SLS rocket. After the capsule docks with the Lunar Gateway, a space station the agency will place in the lunar orbit, the astronauts would transfer to a lander that would take them to the moon itself. Boeing says the HLS […]
SpaceX completes crucial tests of its Crew Dragon parachutes
[ad_1] That’s a pretty big milestone, as it beats a goal that CEO Elon Musk had set last month. “We certainly want to get … at least on the order of 10 successful tests in a row before, before launching astronauts,” he said. “So that seems like where the behavior of the parachutes is consistent, […]
Russia is making more Soyuz spacecraft to help NASA’s ISS missions
[ad_1] The other Soyuz vessel would be used for a space tourist flight due in late 2021, although this would help free resources for other missions. Not surprisingly, Russia used the order as a chance to criticize American planning. The country reportedly warned the US that it should have asked for more seats in advance […]
Watch Boeing’s Starliner capsule launch abort test at 9AM ET
[ad_1] There’s a three-hour window in case weather or other complications delay the test. Don’t expect this particular vehicle to carry forward — it’s not poised to survive. If all goes well, Starliner will join SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and other vehicles as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew program, which aims to have American vehicles once […]
NASA’s VIPER rover will look for water ice on the Moon
[ad_1] VIPER project manager Daniel Andrews said: “The key to living on the Moon is water — the same as here on Earth. Since the confirmation of lunar water-ice ten years ago, the question now is if the Moon could really contain the amount of resources we need to live off-world. This rover will help […]
SpaceX’s next Crew Dragon test could happen next week
[ad_1] An “anomaly” that occurred during another static fire test in April caused an uncrewed capsule to explode. Earlier this month, SpaceX suggested the problem was due to a leak somewhere between the launch abort and orbital maneuvering systems. It has redesigned that part of the capsule. The capsule will eventually transport as many as […]