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X-37B's Secret Mission: A Quantum Leap in Space Navigation

2025-08-25

X-37B's Secret Mission: A Quantum Leap in Space Navigation

The US military's X-37B spaceplane, launching on its eighth mission in August 2025, carries a potentially revolutionary experiment: a quantum inertial sensor. This sensor uses atom interferometry to enable highly accurate navigation even where GPS is unavailable or compromised, such as deep space or underwater. Outperforming traditional inertial navigation systems in accuracy and stability, it holds significant implications for both military and civilian spaceflight, marking a crucial step towards real-world applications of quantum technology.

(www.space.com)

Tech GPS Alternative

ULA's Vulcan Rocket Successfully Launches Military Navigation Satellite

2025-08-13

ULA's Vulcan Rocket Successfully Launches Military Navigation Satellite

United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched its powerful Vulcan Centaur rocket on August 12th, carrying the U.S. military's first experimental navigation satellite in 48 years, NTS-3. The satellite boasts advanced anti-jamming technology and a reprogrammable-in-orbit software architecture designed to enhance resilience against jamming and spoofing. This launch marks Vulcan's third flight; previous flights experienced minor anomalies but ultimately succeeded, demonstrating the rocket's reliability and making ULA the second provider, after SpaceX, certified by the U.S. Space Force for national security launches.

(www.space.com)

Tech Vulcan Rocket Navigation Satellite

SpaceX Crew-10 Splashes Down in Pacific After Successful ISS Mission

2025-08-10

SpaceX Crew-10 Splashes Down in Pacific After Successful ISS Mission

SpaceX's Crew-10 mission returned to Earth on August 9th after a nearly five-month stay at the International Space Station. The Crew Dragon capsule, Endurance, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast. The crew consisted of NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA's Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos' Kirill Peskov. This was SpaceX's 10th operational astronaut mission to the ISS for NASA under the Commercial Crew Program, marking SpaceX's first Pacific Ocean splashdown for a crewed mission—a shift aimed at minimizing the risk of falling debris. The crew conducted various scientific experiments during their time aboard the ISS, studying the effects of space on the human body and mind, and researching future lunar navigation techniques.

(www.space.com)

Tech

Crypto Billionaire Rides Blue Origin to Space

2025-08-04

Crypto Billionaire Rides Blue Origin to Space

On August 3rd, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launched its New Shepard vehicle on mission NS-34, carrying crypto billionaire Justin Sun and five others to space. Sun, who anonymously won a $28 million auction for a seat in 2021, donated the proceeds to space-focused charities. The diverse crew included a real estate investor, a businessman, a journalist, and entrepreneurs from various countries. The 10-12 minute flight took them above the Kármán line, offering a brief experience of weightlessness.

(www.space.com)

Tech

Black Holes, Satellite Navigation, and a Crowded Radio Highway

2025-07-28

Black Holes, Satellite Navigation, and a Crowded Radio Highway

Global satellite navigation systems rely on precise measurements of Earth's position, which in turn depends on observations of black holes at the centers of distant galaxies. Scientists use radio telescopes to receive radio waves from black holes, but in recent years, electromagnetic pollution from WiFi, mobile phones, and satellite internet has become increasingly severe, crowding the radio spectrum and interfering with observations of black hole signals. This threatens satellite navigation and many other services that rely on precise Earth positioning. Solving this problem requires international cooperation, securing more radio spectrum resources for geodesy at World Radio Conferences, or establishing radio quiet zones around essential radio telescopes.

(www.space.com)

Tech geodesy satellite navigation

Is Dark Energy Weakening? 2087 'Vampire' Stars Offer New Clues

2025-07-25

Is Dark Energy Weakening? 2087 'Vampire' Stars Offer New Clues

A study using 2,087 Type Ia supernovae ('vampire' stars) provides new evidence that dark energy, the mysterious force accelerating the universe's expansion, is weakening. This contradicts the standard cosmological model, which predicts dark energy should remain constant. Using a supernova dataset called Union3, the study corroborates, through two independent lines of investigation, that dark energy may be weakening over time, which would have implications for the ultimate fate of the universe. Future data from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will further test this finding.

(www.space.com)

Tech

New Solar System Body Challenges 'Planet Nine' Hypothesis

2025-07-21

New Solar System Body Challenges 'Planet Nine' Hypothesis

Astronomers have discovered a massive trans-Neptunian object, 2023 KQ14, nicknamed 'Ammonite,' beyond Pluto's orbit. Its unusual elongated orbit challenges the 'Planet Nine' hypothesis, suggesting it might be much further than previously thought or even ejected from the solar system. This fourth known sednoid has a unique orbit compared to its siblings, yet its 4.5-billion-year stability hints at a dramatic early solar system event. The discovery underscores the complexity of the outer solar system and places constraints on the existence of 'Planet Nine,' even suggesting the possibility of a past planet being ejected.

(www.space.com)

Tech Sednoid

Rubin Observatory's First Image Reveals Thousands of Previously Unknown Asteroids

2025-06-30

Rubin Observatory's First Image Reveals Thousands of Previously Unknown Asteroids

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile released its first image, revealing a staggering 2,104 previously unknown asteroids, including seven near-Earth objects. This surpasses five times the number of asteroids discovered in the last 200 years. Equipped with the world's largest digital camera, the observatory will capture massive high-resolution images of the southern sky every three nights. The ability to record asteroid movement as 'movies' is crucial for planetary defense, enabling better study of asteroid movements and timely detection of potential threats.

(www.space.com)

Tech asteroid discovery

Giant Filament of Hot Gas Solves 'Missing Matter' Mystery

2025-06-21

Giant Filament of Hot Gas Solves 'Missing Matter' Mystery

Astronomers have discovered a vast tendril of hot gas, 23 million light-years long—230 times the length of our galaxy—connecting four galaxy clusters. This filament, ten times the mass of the Milky Way, accounts for a significant portion of the universe's 'missing matter,' a decades-long puzzle. This 'missing matter' refers to ordinary baryonic matter, not dark matter. The discovery confirms existing cosmological models and sheds light on the Cosmic Web, the large-scale structure along which galaxies formed. X-ray data from XMM-Newton and Suzaku telescopes were crucial in characterizing the filament, revealing its astonishing temperature of 10 million degrees Celsius. This research provides valuable insights into the connections between extreme cosmic structures and strengthens our understanding of the universe's formation.

(www.space.com)

Tech Missing Matter Galaxy Clusters

Microgravity: An Unexpected Accelerator for Cancer Research

2025-06-15

Microgravity: An Unexpected Accelerator for Cancer Research

While prolonged exposure to microgravity in space is detrimental to human health, it presents unique opportunities for cancer research. Scientists are leveraging the microgravity environment of the International Space Station (ISS) to conduct cancer testing, accelerating tumor growth and drug testing, and developing faster, more sensitive cancer screening techniques. In microgravity, cancer cells grow rapidly like bubbles, allowing researchers to easily test substances attached to the edges. One study even suggests a single drop of blood could be used for cancer detection in space. While limitations and high costs remain, the microgravity environment could revolutionize cancer treatment and drug development, potentially even aiding surgical recovery. The ISS's impending decommissioning adds urgency, pushing scientists to make breakthroughs within a limited timeframe.

(www.space.com)

Tech Space Medicine Cancer Research Microgravity

Solar Orbiter Captures First-Ever Images of Sun's Poles: A Messy Magnetic Field and a New Era

2025-06-12

Solar Orbiter Captures First-Ever Images of Sun's Poles: A Messy Magnetic Field and a New Era

The European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter has captured humanity's first-ever images of the sun's poles, a groundbreaking achievement. Previous images were all taken from near the sun's equator. By tilting its orbit, Solar Orbiter provided an unprecedented perspective. Using multiple instruments, the mission revealed a chaotic magnetic field at the sun's south pole and complex patterns of material flow. Future data will significantly advance our understanding of the sun's 11-year activity cycle and the formation of the solar wind.

(www.space.com)

Tech

Asteroid 2024 YR4: A Near Miss, But a Valuable Lesson

2025-06-11

Asteroid 2024 YR4: A Near Miss, But a Valuable Lesson

Asteroid 2024 YR4, once flagged as the highest-ever recorded impact risk to Earth, is back in the news – this time for a slightly increased chance of a lunar impact in 2032. Observed briefly by the James Webb Space Telescope in May, new data refined its trajectory, increasing the lunar impact probability from 3.8% to 4.3%. While a collision is unlikely to significantly alter the moon's orbit and any debris would burn up in Earth's atmosphere, the event served as a valuable real-world test of planetary defense strategies. Initial concerns of a higher Earth impact probability were later dismissed as further data ruled out any risk. The asteroid, roughly the size of a 10-story building, provided scientists with a rare opportunity to practice the entire planetary defense process, from detection and analysis to public communication.

(www.space.com)

Tech planetary defense

JWST Shatters Records Again: Oldest Galaxy Ever Discovered

2025-06-04

JWST Shatters Records Again: Oldest Galaxy Ever Discovered

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has once again broken its own record, detecting the galaxy MoM z14, a cosmic marvel existing a mere 280 million years after the Big Bang—13.52 billion years ago. This discovery surpasses expectations, as scientists didn't anticipate JWST finding such ancient galaxies at this stage of its mission. MoM z14 boasts a redshift of z=14.44, exceeding the previous record holder, JADES-GS-z14-0 (z=14.32). Researchers determined MoM z14 is about 50 times smaller than the Milky Way and detected emission lines indicating the presence of nitrogen and carbon, suggesting a young galaxy with a rapidly increasing star formation rate. This discovery hints at the possibility of even older galaxies in the early universe waiting to be found.

(www.space.com)

Tech

Life After the Sun's Death? Icy Moons May Offer a Refuge

2025-06-03

Life After the Sun's Death? Icy Moons May Offer a Refuge

New research suggests a slim chance of life persisting in our solar system after the sun becomes a red giant. While Earth will be uninhabitable, Jupiter's icy moons, like Europa, could become surprisingly hospitable. The expanding sun's heat, coupled with increased heat from Jupiter itself, might sublimate Europa's ice, creating a temporary water vapor atmosphere. Researchers predict this atmosphere could last for up to 200 million years in certain regions, potentially providing a refuge for life. This discovery expands our understanding of the solar system's future and the potential for extraterrestrial life, guiding future searches for biosignatures on exomoons using telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope.

(www.space.com)

Tech red giant

Doctor Who Season Finale Twist: Rose Tyler Returns as the Doctor?!

2025-06-02

Doctor Who Season Finale Twist: Rose Tyler Returns as the Doctor?!

The Doctor Who season 2 finale, "The Reality War," delivered a shocking twist. Fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa sacrificed himself to save Poppy, his daughter from the 'Wish World', triggering a regeneration into a familiar face: Rose Tyler (Billie Piper)! Rose, the companion of the Ninth and Tenth Doctors, is now set to become the second (or third, depending on how you count Jo Martin's Fugitive Doctor) female Doctor. However, the ending leaves the how and why of Rose's transformation a complete mystery, setting up a huge cliffhanger for season 3 and igniting fan speculation.

(www.space.com)

Game Doctor Who Billie Piper

Blue Origin's NS-32 Mission: Six Passengers Experience Space

2025-06-01

Blue Origin's NS-32 Mission: Six Passengers Experience Space

On May 31, Blue Origin successfully launched its New Shepard rocket on the NS-32 mission, sending six passengers, including New Zealand's first space tourist, Mark Rocket, into space. The flight lasted approximately three minutes, during which passengers experienced weightlessness and breathtaking views of Earth. The diverse crew included a lawyer, entrepreneurs, educators, and an aerospace executive, all hailing from various countries and united by their passion for space. This flight marked Blue Origin's 12th human spaceflight and showcases the company's continued growth in the space tourism sector.

(www.space.com)

Tech Human Spaceflight

200+ Climate Scientists Launch 100-Hour Livestream Marathon to Protest Funding Cuts

2025-05-31

200+ Climate Scientists Launch 100-Hour Livestream Marathon to Protest Funding Cuts

In response to the Trump administration's cuts to climate research funding for organizations like NASA and NOAA, over 200 US climate and weather scientists have launched a five-day, 100-hour YouTube livestream marathon. The event features mini-lectures, panels, and Q&A sessions, aiming to educate the public about meteorology and climate science while advocating for increased research funding. With over 77,000 views in its first 30 hours, the livestream highlights the scientists' efforts to demonstrate the value of their work and warn against the potential disastrous consequences of funding cuts, impacting agriculture, coastal communities, and disaster warning systems.

(www.space.com)

Tech

Mysterious Cosmic Object ASKAP J1832-0911: A Double Flash of X-rays and Radio Waves

2025-05-29

Mysterious Cosmic Object ASKAP J1832-0911: A Double Flash of X-rays and Radio Waves

Located 15,000 light-years away in the Milky Way, ASKAP J1832-0911 flashes in X-rays and radio waves for two minutes every 44 minutes. This is the first 'long-period transient' (LPT) detected in both high-energy X-rays and low-energy radio waves. Researchers believe it could be a magnetar or a white dwarf, but the mechanism remains a mystery. This discovery could reveal new physics or models of stellar evolution.

(www.space.com)

Tech cosmic object X-rays radio waves

SpaceX Starship Flight 9: Partial Success, Both Stages Lost

2025-05-28

SpaceX Starship Flight 9: Partial Success, Both Stages Lost

SpaceX launched its Starship megarocket for the ninth time, marking the first significant reuse of Starship hardware. While the upper stage reached space – a major improvement – both stages were ultimately lost before completing their flight goals. Leaks caused a loss of main tank pressure during the coast and re-entry phases, according to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Despite the loss, valuable data was gathered, and SpaceX plans three more Starship test launches in the next three to four weeks.

(www.space.com)

Tech

Voyager 1's Backup Thrusters Miraculously Revived

2025-05-17

Voyager 1's Backup Thrusters Miraculously Revived

NASA engineers have achieved the seemingly impossible: reviving Voyager 1's backup thrusters, dormant since 2004. The primary thrusters are degrading, threatening communication with Earth. A looming deadline—the Earth-based antenna's scheduled upgrade—added urgency. A precise realignment of the star tracker and a nail-biting 23-hour wait for confirmation were necessary before the backup thrusters fired successfully. This remarkable feat extends the life of this pioneering interstellar probe, a testament to human ingenuity and the enduring legacy of space exploration.

(www.space.com)

Tech

Soviet Venus Probe's 53-Year Odyssey Ends in Ocean Plunge

2025-05-13

Soviet Venus Probe's 53-Year Odyssey Ends in Ocean Plunge

Kosmos 482, a Soviet Venus probe launched in 1972, ended its 53-year journey around Earth with a plunge into the Indian Ocean on May 10th. A rocket malfunction prevented it from reaching Venus, leaving it in Earth orbit. Atmospheric drag eventually brought it down, with the exact location still uncertain but estimated near Indonesia. The event highlights the growing space junk problem; the increasing number of satellites and debris increases the risk of future re-entries and potential damage.

(www.space.com)

Tech Space Junk Kosmos 482 Satellite Re-entry

Spaceport America: Beyond Virgin Galactic

2025-05-11

Spaceport America: Beyond Virgin Galactic

Spaceport America in New Mexico is striving to transcend its association with Virgin Galactic, showcasing its potential as a versatile commercial space launch complex. Beyond its existing tenants like Virgin Galactic, it's actively expanding, including building new hangars, developing vertical and horizontal launch capabilities, and exploring new ventures such as data centers and electromagnetic pulse facilities. The spaceport aims to become a comprehensive launch and re-entry center, attracting clients like the Department of Defense. Its inland location offers advantages in security and rapid turnaround times.

(www.space.com)

Tech New Mexico

Stratolaunch's Talon-A2 Achieves Hypersonic Flight – Twice

2025-05-07

Stratolaunch's Talon-A2 Achieves Hypersonic Flight – Twice

Stratolaunch successfully conducted two hypersonic test flights of its Talon-A2 vehicle. Launched from its massive Roc carrier aircraft, Talon-A2 reached hypersonic speeds over the Pacific Ocean before successfully landing. This achievement represents a significant advancement in US hypersonic technology, paving the way for military and commercial applications. The tests utilized Northrop Grumman's Advanced Hypersonic Technology Inertial Measurement Unit, gathering valuable data for future development. The flights supported the US military's MACH-TB program in partnership with Leidos.

(www.space.com)

Tech hypersonic test flight

Planet Nine Candidate Spotted in Infrared Surveys

2025-05-03

Planet Nine Candidate Spotted in Infrared Surveys

A new study has identified a potential candidate for the elusive Planet Nine in two deep infrared surveys conducted 23 years apart. If this object is indeed Planet Nine, it would be more massive than Neptune and orbit at a distance 700 times farther from the Sun than Earth. The team used data from the IRAS and AKARI satellites, searching for objects exhibiting minute positional shifts over time. While further observations are needed for confirmation, this discovery reignites the hunt for Planet Nine and raises intriguing questions about its origin and orbital dynamics.

(www.space.com)

Tech Planet Nine Infrared Astronomy Solar System

Firefly's Alpha Rocket Mission Fails

2025-04-30

Firefly's Alpha Rocket Mission Fails

Firefly Aerospace's sixth Alpha rocket launch ended in failure. The mission aimed to deliver a technology demonstration payload for Lockheed Martin to low Earth orbit (LEO). However, an anomaly shortly after stage separation resulted in a significant reduction of thrust in the upper stage engine, preventing the payload from reaching orbital velocity. The payload ultimately impacted the Pacific Ocean. This marks the second failed mission for Firefly's Alpha rocket out of six attempts. Firefly will investigate the cause of the anomaly with its customer and the FAA.

(www.space.com)

Tech

Solar Wind: A Constant Replenishment of Lunar Water

2025-04-26

Solar Wind: A Constant Replenishment of Lunar Water

A new experiment suggests that the sun is continuously replenishing water on the lunar surface. Scientists simulated the effects of solar wind on lunar soil samples and found that hydrogen ions from the solar wind combine with oxygen in the soil to form water molecules. Even when the samples were heated to typical lunar dayside temperatures, the water molecules decreased, but reappeared after cooling and subsequent exposure to simulated solar wind, indicating a renewable water cycle. This discovery has significant implications for future lunar exploration and resource utilization.

(www.space.com)

Tech Water Resource

Firefly's Blue Ghost Captures Solar Eclipse from the Moon

2025-03-16

Firefly's Blue Ghost Captures Solar Eclipse from the Moon

Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander captured incredible images from the moon's surface, including a stunning 'diamond ring' solar eclipse during the total lunar eclipse on March 14th. This marks the first time a commercial company has actively operated on the moon and observed a total solar eclipse where Earth blocks the sun, a phenomenon that occurred simultaneously with the lunar eclipse seen on Earth. The event highlights the new era of private lunar exploration.

(www.space.com)

Tech solar eclipse

JWST Discovery: Was the Universe Born Inside a Black Hole?

2025-03-15

JWST Discovery: Was the Universe Born Inside a Black Hole?

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has made a startling discovery: most early universe galaxies rotate in the same direction, contradicting random universe models. One explanation is that the universe was born rotating, aligning with 'black hole cosmology,' which posits our universe resides inside a black hole. This challenges existing cosmological theories, suggesting each black hole might birth a new 'baby universe'. The research, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, prompts a re-evaluation of the universe's origins and may necessitate recalibrating deep-space distance measurements.

(www.space.com)

Tech Black Hole Cosmology Universe Origin

Athena Moon Lander's Demise and the Lessons Learned

2025-03-15

Athena Moon Lander's Demise and the Lessons Learned

Intuitive Machines' second lunar lander, Athena, tipped over during its March 6th landing near the moon's south pole, prematurely ending its mission. Despite the setback, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured images of Athena and its landing site, providing valuable data for future missions. While the mission was unsuccessful in its primary goals, the attempt in the harsh polar environment offers insights paving the way for future exploration of the region, particularly in the search for water ice.

(www.space.com)

Tech lander

China Develops Ultralight Drone for Mars Exploration

2025-03-01

China Develops Ultralight Drone for Mars Exploration

A Chinese research team at Harbin Institute of Technology has developed a lightweight, air-ground dual-purpose drone weighing only 300 grams for Mars exploration. This innovative UAV boasts significantly improved endurance—over six times that of similar-sized traditional drones—achieving this through ground rolling via center-of-gravity shifting and dual contra-rotating coaxial rotors for flight. Researchers aim to showcase its long endurance and observational capabilities on Mars, with future applications envisioned for underground exploration. This differs from NASA's Ingenuity helicopter, which, while groundbreaking, ultimately suffered damage after 72 flights.

(www.space.com)

Tech aerospace technology

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