Space Stories: Martian Meteorite from Africa, More Milky Way Satellites, and China’s Lunar Landing Plans

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): A slice of the Martian meteorite Teghaza 001. (NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Here are some recent space-related stories of interest.

—Reuters: “Martian Meteorite Found in the Sahara is 4.1 Billion Years Old“

A meteorite found in 2022 in the Sahara in Mali formed in the Martian crust at least 4.1 billion years ago, according to scientists, making the ​reddish igneous rock perhaps the oldest of the 435 meteorites from Mars known on Earth. The researchers said the composition of the meteorite, called Teghaza 001, is providing insight ‌into the environment early in the history of Earth’s planetary neighbor, with fresh evidence of liquid water on the surface that bolsters the notion that primordial Mars may have been conducive to microbial life.

—Universe Today: “The Vera Rubin Has Found Two More of the Milky Way’s Dim Satellites“

Massive galaxies like the Milky Way have a retinue of smaller, dim satellites on their outskirts. They’re hard to detect, and while astronomers have found about 65 of the Milky Way’s dwarf satellite galaxies, and about 40 globular clusters in its halo, they suspect there are many dwarf satellites and globular clusters yet to be found. Now the Vera Rubin Observatory has found two more. The Milky Way’s satellites are either small dim galaxies or globular clusters, and both are part of the assembly history of the Milky Way through mergers. These two detections by the Rubin, found in its Early Data Preview 2 (EDP2) released in July 2026, are almost certainly the beginning of many more discoveries of Milky Way satellites by the powerful observatory. One is a most likely a dim dwarf galaxy named Aquarius IV, and one is a globular cluster named Rubin-GC1.

—South China Morning Post: “China Aims for Manned Moon Landing Before 2030, With Two Taikonauts Set to Touch Down on Lunar Surface“

China plans to land Chinese astronauts on the Moon before 2030, with a crew of three, two of whom are expected to set foot on the lunar surface, the Global Times learned from the 7th Human Space Symposium, held in Beijing on Saturday. The country’s first manned lunar mission will employ a lunar-orbit rendezvous and docking profile, Wang Xiang, deputy chief designer of China’s manned space program and chief designer of the lunar exploration program, said at the symposium. The crew for China’s first crewed lunar exploration mission is planned to consist of three taikonauts, two of whom will land on the lunar surface, Wang added.

Your Name Can Travel to Titan

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Credit: NASA

You have until January 15, 2027 to share your name with NASA so it can be placed on the Dragonfly rotorcraft being sent to Saturn’s moon Titan in 2028. More than 48,000 individuals have already added their name to the mission, but there is plenty of room for more names.

The Dragonfly rotocraft is expected to arrive at Titan in 2034. The mission will last more than three years and entail many miles of travel across the moon’s surface to collect and study samples. NASA hopes to learn more about Titan, including whether the planet has any evidence of water-based or hydrocarbon-based life.

Nicky Fox, NASA’s associate administrator in its Science Mission Directorate, stated:

By flying the first-ever rotorcraft science mission, NASA will explore Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, as we search for signs of habitability on a distant world that is most similar to our own. We are excited to bring humanity along for the journey of a lifetime, and we invite everyone to send their names on this small but mighty rotorcraft that will unlock the secrets of the universe in what is widely considered one of the most exciting space missions of our lifetime.

Go to this NASA site now to add your name.

Pic of the Week: Star Trek’s Patrick Stewart

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Actor Patrick Stewart. (Eric Carter/Los Angeles Times)

This week’s image is in memory of Patrick Stewart, who died yesterday at the age of 86 at his home in Los Angeles.

Mr. Stewart will be remember for many of his roles, but his most iconic was his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard on the starship USS Enterprise. His talents brought the Star Trek series to a whole new level that has yet to be matched.

Born in Yorkshire, England, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966, the same year that the first Star Trek series premiered on television. Little did he know then, but 21 years later he would find himself on the bridge of a starship exploring the galaxy. Even Shakespeare would be impressed with this career path, yet it was just as he wrote in Twelfth Night:

Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.

Mr. Stewart came to see his role on Star Trek as something akin to a religious ministry:

It was about truth and fairness and honesty and respect for others, no matter who they were or what strange alien creature they looked like…And if they needed help, Jean-Luc Picard and his crew, his team, were there to give it. So, yes, in a sense, we were ministers. And I have heard now so many times from individuals who have been honest enough and brave enough to tell me aspects of their life, of their health, of their mental health, and how it was all saved and improved by watching every week.”

George Takei, who played Hikaru Sulu in the original Star Trek series, had this to say about Mr. Stewart:

Fans across the world mourn the passing of a true and irreplaceable legend…As Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Patrick Stewart took the starship Enterprise to places it had never gone before, and he inspired a whole next generation of star-gazers who looked longingly ahead to a brighter future for all humanity.

You can read more on Mr. Stewart’s life and career at these sites:

National Public Radio
ABC News
BBC News

Rest in peace.