Space News thread

[Takeovers]

They landed successfully near the Moon pole.

[Bettyboo]

Turned off, as I was sick of Modi's face...

[DrWilly]

India join USA, China and the former USSR in landing a craft in the moon.

[misskit]

Scientists discover ‘hints of life’ on this distant alien planet: Study

Scientists have discovered potential signs of life on an exoplanet which they believe is covered with water and is currently orbiting a dim red star not too far from our solar system. The exoplanet in question is K2-18b which is some 120 light-years away and as scientists have previously predicted as an ocean planet with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere, or Hycean world.

The research into K2-18b – the findings for which were accepted into The Astrophysical Journal Letters – reveals the presence of carbon dioxide and methane but it was the presence of a different chemical that drew the scientist’s attention.

The exoplanet, as per the latest research, had hints of dimethyl sulphide, which is a signature of biology that the scientists have predicted may be detected on Hycean worlds. But here on Earth dimethyl sulphide is only produced by life and a large part of it is attributed to marine phytoplankton.


“Our findings underscore the importance of considering diverse habitable environments in the search for life elsewhere,” said Nikku Madhusudhanan, an astronomer at the University of Cambridge and lead author of the paper, in a statement.


He added, “Traditionally, the search for life on exoplanets has focused primarily on smaller rocky planets, but the larger Hycean worlds are significantly more conducive to atmospheric observations.”


The recent findings were obtained after using the James Webb Space Telescope’s (JWST) near-infrared NIRSpec and NIRISS instruments as it orbited between us and its host star, twice.


The researchers were trying to study several aspects including the difference in the star’s light, the result of having travelled through and being changed by the composition of the exoplanet’s atmosphere.


It was after they analysed the data and dissected the changes that they found evidence of carbon molecules, carbon dioxide, and methane while the spectrum of light revealed hints of dimethyl sulphide.


“Upcoming Webb observations should be able to confirm if dimethyl sulphide is indeed present in the atmosphere of K2-18 b at significant levels,” said Madhusudhan. “Our findings are a promising step towards a deeper understanding of Hycean worlds in this quest.” he added.




What do we know about K2-18b?


It is worth noting that the exoplanet is not very different from Earth but it is significantly heftier with K2-18b is 2.6 times the radius and 8.6 times the mass of Earth. It also orbits its star within the habitable zone, where temperatures could allow liquid water to exist, the researchers said.


K2-18b orbits the red cool dwarf star K2-18 in the habitable zone and orbits it once every 33 days. It is also worth noting that it was Madhusudhan and his colleagues who found that habitability is possible on the K2-18b in 2020.


The year after that they also identified K2-18b as a potential Hycean. The planet was also the subject of significant media coverage in 2019, as two different teams reported the detection of water vapour in its hydrogen-rich atmosphere.

Scientists discover ‘hints of life’ on this distant alien planet: Study - Science News

[spliff]

The galaxy is just an endless wet dream, me thinks. It is life itself.

[Edmond]

^^ JWSB doing it's most interesting act, imo. Reading the chemical makeup of exoplanet's atmospheres for elements that are only produced by living organisms.


I personally think the entire universe is teeming with microbial life forms. Wherever there is liquid water + heat source (either from a star or thermal) + time = simple microbial life. Around the hydro-thermal vents on the ocean floors of Europa and Enceladus included.

[misskit]

THEOS-2 Satellite Set for October 7 Launch

Thailand’s second earth observation satellite, known as THEOS-2, is set to launch into orbit on October 7, according to Minister of Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Supamas Isarabhakdi.


The launch is a significant milestone for the country’s space technology and innovation development. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) has been overseeing the 7.8 billion-baht project since 2019.


THEOS-2 boasts high-resolution imaging capabilities, able to detect objects on Earth as small as 50 centimeters in scale. The satellite’s data will be instrumental in various areas, including farming development, disaster management, and carbon credit management.


THEOS-2’s launch also marks 15 years of collaboration between Thailand and Airbus, combining cutting-edge space technology with GISTDA’s expertise.


GISTDA also has plans to launch Thailand’s first-ever domestically produced low-earth satellite, THEOS-2A, next year.

THEOS-2 Satellite Set for October 7 Launch

[DrWilly]

First evidence of spinning black hole detected by scientists




The Event Horizon Telescope captured the black hole at the centre of galaxy M87 in April 2019. Photograph: Getty Images
Astronomers have captured the first direct evidence of a black hole spinning, providing new insights into the universe’s most enigmatic objects.

The observations focus on the supermassive black hole at the centre of the neighbouring Messier 87 galaxy, whose shadow was imaged by the Event Horizon Telescope. Like many supermassive black holes, M87 features powerful jets that are launched from the poles at close to the speed of light into intergalactic space.

Scientists have predicted that the rotation of a black hole powers these cosmic jets, but until now direct evidence was elusive.

“After the success of black hole imaging in this galaxy with the Event Horizon Telescope, whether this black hole is spinning or not has been a central concern among scientists,” said Dr Kazuhiro Hada, of the national astronomical observatory of Japan and co-author. “Now anticipation has turned into certainty. This monster black hole is indeed spinning.”

M87 is located 55m light years from the Earth and harbours a black hole 6.5bn times more massive than the Sun. Just beyond the black hole is an accretion disk of gas and dust, swirling on the precipice of the cosmic sinkhole. Some of this material is destined to fall into the black hole, disappearing for ever. But a fraction will be ejected out from the poles of the black hole at more than 99.99% of the speed of light.

Theoretical models suggest that the black hole’s spin is responsible for this phenomenon. Scientists think that charged particles in the disk produce a powerful magnetic field and that as the black hole spins, it drags the field with it. This winds up the field in a way that can accelerate particles away from the black hole as jets, extracting energy from the rotation of the black hole in the process.

The latest work, published in Nature, used observations of M87 from a global network of radio telescopes taken from 2000 to 2022. This revealed a recurring 11-year cycle in the jet, which was found to precess around a central point at the edge of the black hole. This indicated a misalignment between the black hole’s spin axis and the accretion disk, leading the jet to wobble like a spinning top.

“Detecting this precession provides unequivocal evidence that the supermassive black hole in M87 is indeed spinning, thus enhancing our understanding of the nature of supermassive black holes,” the authors said.

Dr Ziri Younsi, an astrophysicist at UCL, said: “That’s exciting because it’s telling us that it can only precess if the black hole has non-zero spin. It’s an indirect but extremely strong confirmation of spin.”

Younsi added that a black hole’s spin could, in future, give insights into the cataclysmic events that led to the formation of the supermassive black hole. “The fact that it’s spinning and there’s a tilt tells you that something pretty crazy happened in the past,” he said. “At some point in its history, something violent happened. It provides tantalising hints that that might be the case.”

First evidence of spinning black hole detected by scientists | Black holes | The Guardian

[misskit]

US issues first-ever space junk fine against Dish Network in 'breakthrough settlement'

The U.S. government's crackdown on potentially hazardous debris floating in outer space began this week with its first-ever penalty against a company for failing to bring an aging satellite to a safe orbit.


Dish Network disposed of one of its satellites at an orbit "well below the elevation required by the terms of its license," according to a Federal Communications Commission investigation that was announced on Monday. In a settlement, the U.S. satellite television company agreed to a pay a $150,000 fine, a first in the commission's ramped-up efforts targeting space junk.


“This is a breakthrough settlement, making very clear the FCC has strong enforcement authority and capability to enforce its vitally important space debris rules," Loyaan Egal, acting chief of the FCC's enforcement bureau, said in a statement.


“As satellite operations become more prevalent and the space economy accelerates, we must be certain that operators comply with their commitments," he said.


In addition to the monetary penalty, the commission said the settlement includes an admission of liability from Dish and an agreement to adhere to a compliance plan.

Dish launched EchoStar-7 satellite in 2002


In 2002, Dish launched the satellite known as EchoStar-7 into geostationary orbit, a field of space that begins 22,000 miles above the equator where spacecrafts can appear to be stationary to Earthbound observers.


Ten years later, the company filed a plan — approved by the FCC — to send the satellite to an orbit where it wouldn't pose a risk to active satellites, or about 300 kilometers above where it was stationed at the end of its mission, according to the commission.

Dish had planned to conduct the satellite's end-of-mission maneuvers in May 2022 based on estimates of remaining fuel.


But three months beforehand, Dish determined that the satellite had very little propellant left and therefore could not follow its plan to move it, the FCC said. Instead, the commission said Dish retired the satellite 178 kilometers away from the planned disposal orbit, or "well short" of the goal.


As a result, the commission said that Dish violated the Communications Act, FCC rules, and the terms of the company’s license.


Dish said in a statement to USA TODAY that the satellite was an older spacecraft "that had been explicitly exempted from the FCC’s rule requiring a minimum disposal orbit."


"The Bureau made no specific findings that EchoStar-7 poses any orbital debris safety concerns," according to the statement. "DISH has a long track record of safely flying a large satellite fleet and takes seriously its responsibilities as an FCC licensee."

US issues first-ever space junk fine against Dish Network in 'breakthrough settlement'

[malmomike77]

Buzz Aldrin wears Prada

Prada to design Nasa's new Moon suit


Nasa astronauts will be flying in style, with luxury fashion designer Prada helping design space suits for the 2025 Moon mission.


The Italian fashion house will work to design the suits alongside another private company, Axiom Space.


In a press release, Axiom said Prada would bring expertise with materials and manufacturing to the project.


One astronaut told the BBC he thought Prada was up to the challenge due to their design experience.


That experience has been built not only on the catwalks of Milan but also through Prada's involvement in the America's Cup sailing competition.


"Prada has considerable experience with various types of composite fabrics and may actually be able to make some real technical contributions to the outer layers of the new space suit," according to Professor Jeffrey Hoffman, who flew five Nasa missions and has carried out four spacewalks.


But he said people should not expect to see astronauts in "paisley spacesuits or any fancy patterns like that. Maintaining a good thermal environment is really the critical thing".


"A spacesuit is really like a miniature spacecraft. It has to provide pressure, oxygen, keep you at a reasonable temperature," he added.


Earlier this year, Axiom unveiled a spacesuit, which it said would be worn on the upcoming Artemis 3 mission.


The suit weighed 55kg and was said to be a better fit for female travellers.


In a press release, Artemis and Prada said they would use "innovative technologies and design" to allow "greater exploration of the lunar surface than ever before".


The Artemis 3 mission will be the first time a crew has landed on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972 and will have the first female to land on the Moon in the crew - Christina Koch.



Prada to design Nasa'''s new Moon suit - BBC News

[Edmond]

Perhaps Tomcat could work in a consultatory role?

[misskit]

Plaid spacesuits.

[harrybarracuda]

^^^^^^^^^ Well that didn't last very long.


Meanwhile:

October 8-9: Draconid meteor shower peak

The Draconids are a historically milder display, with up to 10 meteors per hour under ideal conditions at peak, according to EarthSky.org. This year’s Draconids peak — October 8-9 — coincides with a 23 percent illuminated waning crescent moon; that means dark skies and potentially optimal viewing if the weather cooperates. Watch for sky streaks to the northwest on the evening of October 8 through the early morning of October 9. Find a dark-sky location, such as a national park, for the most impressive display.



October 10: Moon meets Venus

Venus, the sky’s third-brightest object (after the sun and moon), will near our lunar neighbour in the wee hours of October 10 and 11, per EarthSky.org. To spot the duo, look to the eastern sky. Watch for shimmering Regulus, another piercingly bright space sight, just beside Venus both nights, too.

[Takeovers]

Today NASA launched a probe to reach the asteroid Psyche. A rare asteroid, which is made up of mostly metal. Going theory is that there was a small planet forming, big enough that the core would melt and be mostly metal. Then some other asteroid hit it and blew away the outer parts, leaving the metal core, which is now Psyche. Launch vehicle was a Falcon Heavy. Both side cores successfully landed for reuse. The probe is on its way on a correct trajectory.

A launch video from NSF forum



Lots more info in this NSF article.

NASA, SpaceX launch Psyche mission to metallic asteroid - NASASpaceFlight.com

A little bit of that information as a copy/paste

NASA and SpaceX teams launched the agency’s Psyche mission to metallic asteroid 16 Psyche from Florida on Friday, Oct. 13. Psyche launched atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Launch occurred at 10:19 AM EDT (14:19 UTC).


Psyche is the first mission to ever visit and extensively study a metallic asteroid. 16 Psyche is thought to have once been the core of forming planetesimal back when the solar system was first forming. If this prediction is true, 16 Psyche could provide planetary scientists with incredible amounts of information and insight into how planets form and what the cores of planets like Earth, Mars, and Mercury look like.




Psyche’s history


Psyche is the 14th mission in NASA’s Discovery Program; a program that supports solar system exploration missions that are lower in cost than NASA’s New Frontier and Flagship programs and that focus on achieving one specific scientific goal rather than a more general purpose or investigation.


Psyche’s mission plans and goals were submitted to NASA in February 2015. Later that year, in September, Psyche was one of five finalists selected for further concept development, receiving an additional $3 million. Finally, on Jan. 4, 2017, Psyche was selected alongside the Lucy mission by NASA as the agency’s 14th and 13th Discovery missions, respectively.

I am presently in rehab after getting an artificial hip joint. Getting better. Fortunately they have decent WiFi here. But busy with rehab activities, so no time to see it all.

[Edmond]

^ Get well soon.


Was reading about that mission, that's pretty much just the core of what would have become a rocky planet. Will have to read up more on the mission soon.

[Takeovers]

Will have to read up more on the mission soon.

The probe will arrive in 6 or 7 years. It will do a Mars flyby.

Get well soon.

Thank you. Things look quite well by now.

[Topper]

Get well soon, TO!

[malmomike77]

Brit Legs Toxic to ISS Astronauts

British astronaut’s prosthetic leg could poison ISS crew

When former Paralympian John McFall was selected to be the European Space Agency’s (ESA) first disabled astronaut last November, he knew there would be testing times ahead.

But nobody could have guessed one stumbling block would be that his prosthetic leg might poison the air on board the International Space Station (ISS).

The leg is made from a mixture of carbon fibres, resin and high-density foam and so may give off toxic gas that could build up over time and prove dangerous to astronauts on board.

Experts at the ESA are testing the leg to make sure it complies with Nasa standards. In 2015, the crew of the ISS were forced to evacuate the US part of the satellite following a rise in ammonia levels.

“It’s stuff you don’t necessarily think of,” Mr McFall told The Telegraph. “The socket is carbon fibre and it’s got like a high-density foam on the inside. The carbon fibre socket is impregnated with a resin. The foam is made with polymers.

“Those materials will continue to give off gases to one degree or another and in an environment like the ISS where the air is constantly recycled, any significant amount of gases that are produced from a material will be amplified over a period of time because they’re not filtered out.”

It is one of a number of revelations that Mr McFall has helped ESA uncover as part of the feasibility project to find out whether it is possible to send disabled astronauts into space.

There are nearly 100 requirements that astronauts must pass to be able to fly, including moving safely around the ISS and SpaceX Crew Dragon module, being able to carry out emergency procedures and experiments, fitting into space suits and maintaining good health in orbit.

Although the team originally thought that wearing a prosthesis in space may not be necessary, tests have shown it is likely to prove crucial for maintaining good fitness, balance, and for being able to evacuate quickly in an emergency.

But making sure it is safe and continues to fit correctly in microgravity is proving challenging. Astronauts’ bodies change in space because of microgravity, meaning Mr McFall’s legs could shrink or expand, and his prosthetic no longer fit.

To determine what might happen in space, he is undergoing experiments in Cologne on tilt tables in which he is tipped at an angle with his head lower than his feet, to mimic the effect of fluid rising up the body in microgravity.

“Most of the evidence so far suggests that fluid shifts up to your centre up to your trunk, and actually you lose some volume from a fluid point of view and your lower limbs,” he said.

“But we just need to prove that because a reduction in stump volume is easier to manage by padding it out a little bit with some extra material, but with an increase in stump volume you would need to make a socket that actually gets bigger.

“The commonest question I get asked is ‘do you need legs in space?’ and for floating around, maybe not necessarily, but it is useful in stabilising yourself so that you free up your hands for experiments.

“But we’ve found out I would need to wear a prosthesis on orbit to undertake the exercise countermeasures to maintain bone density and muscle mass.”

Mr McFall, 43, who was born in Surrey and grew up in Somerset, had his right leg amputated when he was 19 after a motorbike accident. But after learning to run again, he became a professional athlete, winning bronze in the 2008 Beijing Paralympics in the 100 metres T42 event.

He also retrained as a doctor, working in the NHS for several years, and has recently completed his final exams specialising as an orthopaedic surgeon.

The astronaut feasibility study is due to end in 2025, when the ESA will present a case to European ministers, who will decide whether to fund a mission.

“It will be at that point when they make a decision about whether they want to support a flight for me or someone with an equivalent disability. Hopefully me,” he said.

“There are no red flags or no showstoppers at any level so far. I think a long duration mission to the space station is a fantastic opportunity for us to learn about someone with a physical disability living and working in space.

“Astronauts don’t get a lot of choice in when or where they fly but I would absolutely love to go to the Moon.”

The married father of three has recently moved his family to Germany to support his training. In fact, the only stumbling block to his spaceflight may come from something more mundane. He is missing being a doctor.

“I think the change of direction has been psychologically hard, rather than the astronaut training itself,” he said.

“I do miss the day-to-day hands-on of operating. I’m a very practical guy and this phase of the feasibility study is slightly less hands-on.”

British astronaut’s prosthetic leg could poison ISS crew

[Edmond]

IST.

International Space Tomb.

Not quite as catchy.

[misskit]

After 50 years, US to return to Moon on January 25



Washington (AFP) – More than 50 years after the last Apollo mission, the United States will try once again to land a craft on the Moon on January 25, said the head of what could be the first private company to successfully touch down on the lunar surface.

The lander, named Peregrine, will have no one on board. It was developed by American company Astrobotic, whose CEO John Thornton said it will carry NASA instruments to study the lunar environment in anticipation of NASA's Artemis manned missions.


Several years ago, NASA opted to commission US companies to send scientific experiments and technologies to the Moon -- a program called CLPS.


These fixed-price contracts should make it possible to develop a lunar economy, and provide transport services at a lower cost.


"One of the big challenges of what we're attempting here is attempting a launch and landing on the surface Moon for a fraction of what it would otherwise cost," said Thornton Wednesday at a press briefing at his company's base in in Pittsburgh.

"Only about half of the missions that have gone to the surface of the Moon have been successful," he said.


"So it's certainly a daunting challenge. I'm going to be terrified and thrilled all at once at every stage of this."


Takeoff is scheduled for December 24 from Florida aboard the inaugural flight of the new rocket from the ULA industrial group, named Vulcan Centaur.


The probe will then take "a few days" to reach lunar orbit, but will have to wait until January 25 before attempting landing, so that light conditions at the target location are right, Thornton said.


The descent will be carried out autonomously, without human intervention, but will be monitored from the company's control center.


In the spring, the Japanese start-up ispace had already attempted to become the first private company to land on the Moon, but the mission ended in a crash. Israel also suffered a setback in 2019. Only four countries have successfully landed on the Moon: the United States, Russia, China and, most recently, India.


In addition to Astrobotic, NASA has signed contracts with other companies, such as Firefly Aerospace, Draper and Intuitive Machines.


The latter is due to take off aboard a SpaceX rocket in January.


"NASA leadership is aware of the risks and has accepted that some of these missions might not succeed," said Chris Culbert, the CLPS program manager.


"But even if every landing isn't successful, CLPS already had an impact on the commercial infrastructure needed to establish a lunar economy," he said.


With its Artemis program, NASA wants to establish a base on the surface of the Moon.

After 50 years, US to return to Moon on January 25

[DrWilly]

What would a lunar economy look like?

[spliff]

America was first. Never forget.

[Takeovers]

America was first. Never forget.

I won't, watched it happen. But is a lost capability. NASA is still struggling to rebuild it.

[Takeovers]

What would a lunar economy look like?

Good question, next question!

[malmomike77]

It'll be like the Californeye a rush of '48 all over again with countries and companies planting flags all over the shop and " space 1999" complexes sprouting up.