Space Stories: Modernizing a Space Center, a Rogue Saturn, and a Lifeless Europa

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The space shuttle orbiter Enterprise lifted by crane into the Structural Dynamic Test Facility at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for vibration testing in July 1978. (NASA)

Here are some recent space-related stories of interest.

—Fox54 News: “NASA to Begin Modernization at Marshall Space Flight Center: Historic Structures to be Demolished Starting this Weekend“

With NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman in place, the agency is spearheading a major infrastructure modernization initiative, starting with the demolition of historic testing facilities at Marshall Space Flight Center. The space agency will tear down the Dynamic Test Stand and the Propulsion and Structural Test Facility, known as the T-Tower, beginning Jan. 10. The move marks the first phase of removing 25 outdated structures at the Alabama center.

—Sky & Telescope: “Rogue Saturn Discovered Floating Through the Milky Way“

Most planets orbit comfortably around their stars, but some worlds are not so lucky. Astronomers have discovered a number of these rogue planets, which float through the Milky Way untethered to a solar system. Now, for the first time, they’ve directly measured the mass of one of these worlds, finding that it’s around Saturn’s mass. The planet might’ve been flung far from its star through a past gravitational interaction. But such encounters are surprising for a planet with such a hefty mass.

—McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences: “Jupiter’s Moon Europa has a Seafloor that May Be Quiet and Lifeless“

The giant planet Jupiter has nearly 100 known moons, yet none have captured the interest and imagination of astronomers and space scientists quite like Europa, an ice-shrouded world that is thought to possess a vast ocean of liquid salt water. For decades, scientists have wondered whether that ocean could harbor the right conditions for life, placing Europa near the top of the list of solar system bodies to explore. A new study led by Paul Byrne, an associate professor of Earth, environmental, and planetary sciences, throws cold water on the idea that Europa could support life at the seafloor. Using calculations that consider the moon’s size, the makeup of its rocky core, and the gravitational forces from Jupiter, Byrne and a team of scientists conclude that Europa likely lacks the tectonic motion, warm hydrothermal vents, or any other sort of underwater geologic activity that would presumably be a prerequisite for life.

Space Stories: A Lopsided Universe, Cosmic Rings, and Clipper Captures Comet

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Credit: Image by mastershaff0 from Pixabay

Here are some recent space-related stories of interest.

—Phys.org: “The Universe May Be Lopsided, New Research Suggests“

The shape of the universe is not something we often think about. My colleagues and I have published a new study that suggests it could be asymmetric or lopsided, meaning not the same in every direction. Should we care about this? Well, today’s “standard cosmological model”—which describes the dynamics and structure of the entire cosmos—rests squarely on the assumption that it is isotropic (looks the same in all directions), and homogeneous when averaged on large scales.

—Daily Galaxy: “Astronomers Stunned By 400 Cosmic Rings Etched Around Baby Star“

A groundbreaking discovery published in Nature Astronomy has revealed a cosmic phenomenon that may finally settle a 30-year-old mystery surrounding the early life cycles of stars. Astronomers observing the binary system SVS 13 within the NGC 1333 reflection nebula, located 1,000 light-years away in the constellation Perseus, have identified more than 400 bow-shaped rings created by violent ejections from a newborn star.

—Southwest Research Institute: “Europa Clipper Instrument Uniquely Observed Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS“

The Southwest Research Institute-led Ultraviolet Spectrograph (UVS) aboard NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft has made valuable observations of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, which in July became the third officially recognized interstellar object to cross into our solar system. UVS had a unique view of the object during a period when Mars- and Earth-based observations were impractical or impossible. “We’re excited that this opportunity to view another target on the way to Jupiter was completely unexpected,” said SwRI’s Dr. Kurt Retherford, the principal investigator for Europa-UVS. “Our observations have allowed for a unique and nuanced view of the comet.”

Space Stories: Russia to Re-purpose ISS Section, Second Mars Probe Approaching Lifespan, and Titan’s “Oceans” More Likely Ice

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): A portion of the International Space Station’s Russian segment is pictured with docked spacecraft including Europe’s Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) and the Soyuz TMA-20 crew vehicle. (NASA)

Here are some recent space-related stories of interest.

—ARSTecnica: “Russia is About to do the Most Russia Thing Ever with its Next Space Station“

For several years now, in discussing plans for its human spaceflight program beyond the International Space Station, Russian officials would proudly bring up the Russian Orbital Station, or ROS…Oleg Orlov, director of the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said ROS will no longer be composed of entirely new modules. Rather, its core will be the Russian segment of the International Space Station. “The Scientific and Technical Council of Roscosmos supported this proposal and approved the deployment of a Russian orbital station as part of the Russian segment of the ISS,” Orlov reportedly said.

—Daily Galaxy: “NASA Faces Major Setback: One Mars Orbiter Lost and Another Is Expected to Shut Down Soon!“

NASA is losing critical communication links with its Mars missions. After recently losing contact with the MAVEN spacecraft, the agency faces the impending loss of the Mars Odyssey orbiter, which has been circling the Red Planet for over two decades. As both orbiters approach the end of their operational lifespans, NASA will soon have to find ways to maintain data relay capabilities for its rovers and other missions on the fourth planet.

—NASA/JPL: “NASA Study Suggests Saturn’s Moon Titan May Not Have Global Ocean“

A key discovery from NASA’s Cassini mission in 2008 was that Saturn’s largest moon Titan may have a vast water ocean below its hydrocarbon-rich surface. But reanalysis of mission data suggests a more complicated picture: Titan’s interior is more likely composed of ice, with layers of slush and small pockets of warm water that form near its rocky core. Led by researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, the new study could have implications for scientists’ understanding of Titan and other icy moons throughout our solar system.

Space Stories: JPL Rover Operations Center Opens, Chinese Protect Space Station, and Roman Telescope Will Scan for Voids

Posted on by onespaceman2000

Here are some recent space-related stories of interest.

—NASA JPL: “NASA JPL Unveils Rover Operations Center for Moon, Mars Missions“

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on Wednesday inaugurated its Rover Operations Center (ROC), a center of excellence for current and future surface missions to the Moon and Mars. During the launch event, leaders from the commercial space and AI industries toured the facilities, participated in working sessions with JPL mission teams, and learned more about the first-ever use of generative AI by NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover team to create future routes for the robotic explorer.

—Futurism: “China Installs Defensive Countermeasures on Space Station“

About a month after a tiny piece of space debris stranded three astronauts for nine days aboard China’s Tiangong space station, the taikonauts aboard the orbital outpost have begun making some modifications. According to state media network CGTN, the country’s space travelers Zhang Lu and Wu Fei endured an eight-hour spacewalk earlier this week in order to install a debris protection panels on the space station’s outer hull. While there, they also performed an inspection of Tiangong’s exterior, along with other minor repairs.

—Space Telescope Science Institute: “NASA’s Roman Telescope Will Observe Thousands of Newfound Cosmic Voids“

What do fizzing champagne glasses and our universe have in common? They’re both full of bubbles! The cosmic bubbles are vast structures hundreds of millions of light-years across. Their walls are outlined by collections of galaxies. The details of these bubbles – their size, shape, and distribution – can tell us more about the mysterious force known as dark energy that is causing the universe’s expansion to accelerate. The upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will detect and measure tens of thousands of cosmic voids, some as small as just 20 million light-years across.

Space Stories: Crew Returns from ISS, Isaacman Nomination Advances, and Robotic Spacecraft to Save Space Telescope

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft undocking from the ISS earlier today. (NASA)

Here are some recent space-related stories of interest.

—CBS News: “3-man Crew Undocks from International Space Station, Wrapping Up 8-month Stay“

A NASA astronaut and two cosmonaut crewmates strapped into their Soyuz ferry ship and undocked from the International Space Station on Monday, heading for landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan to wrap up an eight-month mission…With Soyuz commander Sergey Ryzhikov strapped into the descent module’s center seat, flanked on his left by cosmonaut Alexey Zubritsky and on the right by NASA’s Jonny Kim, the Soyuz MS-27/73S spacecraft undocked from the lab at 8:41 p.m. ET.

—Reuters: “US Senate Committee Votes to Advance NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman“

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee voted late on Monday to advance the nomination of billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman to lead NASA...Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz said: “You are as committed to American supremacy in the final frontier as is this committee and the entire Senate. My hope is that you will be confirmed and in this role before the end of this year.” He also won support of the panel’s top Democrat, Senator Maria Cantwell.

—Indian Defence Review: “A Rescue Mission Will Save NASA’s Space Telescope Using a Rocket Dropped from a Plane“

Launched in 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts, Swift has been a crucial asset in understanding some of the most energetic events in the universe. However, over time, the spacecraft’s orbit has been decaying due to the drag from Earth’s atmosphere. As the orbit continues to degrade, the telescope is set to fall from its current 249-mile altitude unless action is taken. The problem is that Swift lacks onboard thrusters for orbit adjustments. With no replacement mission in the pipeline, NASA has turned to the private sector for a solution, and Katalyst is stepping in with a bold plan…For Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, however, no astronauts will be involved. Instead, Katalyst will perform the rescue entirely remotely.