China to launch new quantum communications satellites in 2025
HELSINKI — China will launch new quantum satellites into low Earth orbit next year, according to a scientist leading the project.
Dwarf planet Ceres once had a muddy ocean, study suggests
The outer crust of the dwarf planet Ceres, which at 588 miles (946 kilometers) across is the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, is likely made from a dirty frozen ocean, according to new computer models.
SpaceX rocket launches Europe’s Hera planetary defense probe to visit asteroid smacked by NASA
The European Space Agency’s Hera mission launched today (Oct. 7) at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT), riding a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in coastal Florida.
Could Earth’s ‘evil twin’ Venus carry a dire warning about climate change?
There is very little doubt that Earth is getting warmer, and that this warming is a result of human-driven gases in the atmosphere that store heat and redirect it toward our planet’s surface. And Earth isn’t the only planet to have experienced this so-called “greenhouse effect.”
James Webb Space Telescope finds ‘puffball’ exoplanet is uniquely lopsided
Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers have discovered that a “puffy” planet is asymmetric, meaning there is a significant difference between one side of the atmosphere and the other.
SpaceX, NASA stand down from Oct. 10 Europa Clipper launch due to Hurricane Milton
The $5 billion Europa Clipper mission had been scheduled to launch on Thursday (Oct. 10) atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. But Hurricane Milton has nixed that plan.
How black-hole-powered quasars killed off neighboring galaxies in the early universe
Astronomers have used the wide-field view of the Dark Energy Camera to confirm that supermassive-black-hole-powered quasars in the early universe were packed into dense neighborhoods. However, it seems these cosmic beasts weren’t exactly the best neighbors.
‘We are close:’ SETI astrobiologist Nathalie Cabrol on the search for life
A leading astrobiologist melds her passion with the weighty nature of trying to grasp for answers to two key questions: Are we alone in the universe? How did life on Earth begin in the first place?
Space Force taps four companies to design ‘Resilient GPS’ satellites
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force selected four companies to develop concepts for smaller, more cost-effective GPS satellites based on commercial designs, aiming to augment the existing Global Positioning System network, the Department of the Air Force announced Sept. 23.
Firefly Aerospace wins contract to launch NOAA QuickSounder
SAN FRANCISCO — Firefly Aerospace won a contract to launch Quicksounder, a prototype for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s next-generation of environmental satellites in low-Earth orbit. The value of the award was not disclosed.
House passes NASA authorization bill
WASHINGTON — The House passed a new NASA authorization bill Sept. 23 that would largely keep the agency on course in its human spaceflight and science programs while directing it to prepare several reports.
China to launch near-Earth asteroid sample return mission in 2025
HELSINKI — China will launch the Tianwen-2 mission to sample a near-Earth asteroid next year, an official with the country’s space agency said Tuesday.
Planet unveils Forest Carbon Monitoring dataset
SAN FRANCISCO – Earth observation company Planet unveiled a product Sept. 24 for monitoring global forests.
U.S. GPS modernization faces delays, technical challenges: GAO report
WASHINGTON — A new U.S. government report highlights mixed progress in the modernization of the Global Positioning System (GPS), citing advancements in satellite and ground equipment upgrades alongside persistent delays in some areas.