Having dropped tantalising hints days ago about an "exciting new discovery about the Moon", the US space agency has revealed conclusive evidence of water on our only natural satellite.
This "unambiguous detection of molecular water" will boost Nasa's hopes of establishing a lunar base.
The aim is to sustain that base by tapping into the Moon's natural resources.
The findings have been published as two papers in the journal Nature Astronomy.
While there have previously been signs of water on the lunar surface, these new discoveries suggest it is more abundant than previously thought. "It gives us more options for potential water sources on the Moon," said Hannah Sargeant, a planetary scientist from the Open University in Milton Keynes, told BBC News.
Having dropped tantalising hints days ago about an "exciting new discovery about the Moon", the US space agency has revealed conclusive evidence of water on our only natural satellite.
This "unambiguous detection of molecular water" will boost Nasa's hopes of establishing a lunar base.
The aim is to sustain that base by tapping into the Moon's natural resources.
The findings have been published as two papers in the journal Nature Astronomy.
While there have previously been signs of water on the lunar surface, these new discoveries suggest it is more abundant than previously thought. "It gives us more options for potential water sources on the Moon," said Hannah Sargeant, a planetary scientist from the Open University in Milton Keynes, told BBC News.
Artemis ist das neue Apollo-Programm der USA. Es soll die erste Frau auf den Mond bringen. Mehr ist derzeit nicht finanziert. Aber den Plänen zufolge soll es der Start für eine dauerhafte Erforschung und Nutzung des Mondes sein. Um nicht das ganze Artemis-Programm selbst finanzieren zu müssen, sollen internationale Partner einige Teile zum US- Programm beisteuern. In den Artemis Accords wird beschrieben, wie diese Zusammenarbeit geregelt wird. Die Nasa hat am Dienstag die Unterzeichnung durch acht Mitgliedstaaten verkündet. Anschließend hat sie die Artemis Accords, die bis dahin nur als Werbebroschüre verbreitet wurden, nun auch im Wortlaut veröffentlicht.
Inhalt: Artemis Accords: Mondverträge mit bitterem Beigeschmack Artemis Accords: Sicherheitszonen für sicheren und effizienten Rohstoffabbau.
Was in diesen Verträgen geregelt ist - und vor allem was nicht-, lässt tiefe Einblicke in die Weltraumpläne der USA zu und zeigt, wie die Zusammenarbeit aussehen soll. Dabei spielt Sektion 11 der Artemis Accords die wichtigste Rolle. Sie ist dreimal so lang wie die längste andere Sektion und beschäftigt sich vorgeblich detailliert mit Konfliktlösung.
Artemis ist das neue Apollo-Programm der USA. Es soll die erste Frau auf den Mond bringen. Mehr ist derzeit nicht finanziert. Aber den Plänen zufolge soll es der Start für eine dauerhafte Erforschung und Nutzung des Mondes sein. Um nicht das ganze Artemis-Programm selbst finanzieren zu müssen, sollen internationale Partner einige Teile zum US- Programm beisteuern. In den Artemis Accords wird beschrieben, wie diese Zusammenarbeit geregelt wird. Die Nasa hat am Dienstag die Unterzeichnung durch acht Mitgliedstaaten verkündet. Anschließend hat sie die Artemis Accords, die bis dahin nur als Werbebroschüre verbreitet wurden, nun auch im Wortlaut veröffentlicht.
Inhalt: Artemis Accords: Mondverträge mit bitterem Beigeschmack Artemis Accords: Sicherheitszonen für sicheren und effizienten Rohstoffabbau.
Was in diesen Verträgen geregelt ist - und vor allem was nicht-, lässt tiefe Einblicke in die Weltraumpläne der USA zu und zeigt, wie die Zusammenarbeit aussehen soll. Dabei spielt Sektion 11 der Artemis Accords die wichtigste Rolle. Sie ist dreimal so lang wie die längste andere Sektion und beschäftigt sich vorgeblich detailliert mit Konfliktlösung.
When NASA's Mars 2020 rover lands on the Red Planet in February 2021, it will touch down in Jezero Crater, the site of a lake that existed 3.5 billion years ago. The next generation rover will build on the goals of previous robotic explorers by collecting the first samples of Mars, which would be returned to Earth at a later date.
"On the science side, we're really thinking about new discoveries we can make on the surface and how [that] will inform what we learn when we get the samples back," said Katie Morgan Stack, deputy project scientist for the rover at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "Our job is to find the best samples, collect and store them, and place them on the surface." But the new rover will also be on a mission to lay the groundwork for future human exploration.
When NASA's Mars 2020 rover lands on the Red Planet in February 2021, it will touch down in Jezero Crater, the site of a lake that existed 3.5 billion years ago. The next generation rover will build on the goals of previous robotic explorers by collecting the first samples of Mars, which would be returned to Earth at a later date.
"On the science side, we're really thinking about new discoveries we can make on the surface and how [that] will inform what we learn when we get the samples back," said Katie Morgan Stack, deputy project scientist for the rover at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "Our job is to find the best samples, collect and store them, and place them on the surface." But the new rover will also be on a mission to lay the groundwork for future human exploration.
The Universe is expanding, and goes on for farther than even our most powerful telescopes can see. The part of it that we can see, scientists have long concluded, is indistinguishable from being perfectly spatially flat. At least, that's been the conventional wisdom for a long time. But a couple of weeks ago, a new paper (full, free version here) used the latest data from the Planck satellite to draw the opposite conclusion: perhaps the Universe isn't flat at all, but curved with a particular, closed geometry. Is this possible?
The Universe is expanding, and goes on for farther than even our most powerful telescopes can see. The part of it that we can see, scientists have long concluded, is indistinguishable from being perfectly spatially flat. At least, that's been the conventional wisdom for a long time. But a couple of weeks ago, a new paper (full, free version here) used the latest data from the Planck satellite to draw the opposite conclusion: perhaps the Universe isn't flat at all, but curved with a particular, closed geometry. Is this possible?
There is definitely -- definitely -- ice on the moon.
Scientists have long believed that water ice could exist in the ever-dark recesses at the moon's poles and that belief has finally been confirmed in a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Aug. 20.
The lunar poles are not exposed to sunlight, leaving them dark and incredibly cold -- well below freezing. In fact, the temperatures within these areas were usually in excess of -260 degrees Fahrenheit. In the past, scientists have found indirect evidence that the south pole may harbour surface ice, but there was the chance that these observations were due to other phenomena.
There is definitely -- definitely -- ice on the moon.
Scientists have long believed that water ice could exist in the ever-dark recesses at the moon's poles and that belief has finally been confirmed in a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Aug. 20.
The lunar poles are not exposed to sunlight, leaving them dark and incredibly cold -- well below freezing. In fact, the temperatures within these areas were usually in excess of -260 degrees Fahrenheit. In the past, scientists have found indirect evidence that the south pole may harbour surface ice, but there was the chance that these observations were due to other phenomena.
Watch a harpoon successfully spear a piece of space junk This is the third in a series of successful space-trash cleanup tests by the RemoveDEBRIS spacecraft.
Gotcha: The RemoveDEBRIS satellite, created by a team at the University of Surrey, has pulled off its most demanding experiment yet. It fired a harpoon at 20 meters a second at a separate satellite panel that it was holding at the end of a boom. As you can see in the video above, the harpoon succeeded in stabbing and capturing the item. Last year the team also accurately fired a giant net at a satellite to capture it, and tested out a lidar- and camera-based system for identifying space junk.
The space landfill: Earth’s orbit is full of trash. Right now there are more than 7,600 tons of space junk floating around our planet. And that’s a problem, because the more things we send up there, the greater the chances they crash into each other. That creates many more, smaller bits of junk, which would pose serious danger to future space missions (while overly dramatized, see the movie Gravity).
Cleaning up the mess: The final test by RemoveDEBRIS in March will be an act of self-sacrifice. The satellite will inflate a sail designed to carry itself into Earth’s atmosphere, where it will burn up. If more satellites clean up after themselves when their job is done, we can prevent more junk piling up in orbit.
Watch a harpoon successfully spear a piece of space junk This is the third in a series of successful space-trash cleanup tests by the RemoveDEBRIS spacecraft.
Gotcha: The RemoveDEBRIS satellite, created by a team at the University of Surrey, has pulled off its most demanding experiment yet. It fired a harpoon at 20 meters a second at a separate satellite panel that it was holding at the end of a boom. As you can see in the video above, the harpoon succeeded in stabbing and capturing the item. Last year the team also accurately fired a giant net at a satellite to capture it, and tested out a lidar- and camera-based system for identifying space junk.
The space landfill: Earth’s orbit is full of trash. Right now there are more than 7,600 tons of space junk floating around our planet. And that’s a problem, because the more things we send up there, the greater the chances they crash into each other. That creates many more, smaller bits of junk, which would pose serious danger to future space missions (while overly dramatized, see the movie Gravity).
Cleaning up the mess: The final test by RemoveDEBRIS in March will be an act of self-sacrifice. The satellite will inflate a sail designed to carry itself into Earth’s atmosphere, where it will burn up. If more satellites clean up after themselves when their job is done, we can prevent more junk piling up in orbit.
Two tiny, hopping rovers that landed on asteroid Ryugu last week have beamed back some incredible new views of the asteroid's rocky surface.
The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Hayabusa2 sample-return mission dropped the two nearly identical rovers, named Minerva-II1A and Minerva-II1B, onto the surface of Ryugu on Sept. 21. In a new video from the eyes of Minerva-II1B, you can watch the sun move across the sky as its glaring sunlight reflects off the shiny rocks that cover Ryugu's surface.
Two tiny, hopping rovers that landed on asteroid Ryugu last week have beamed back some incredible new views of the asteroid's rocky surface.
The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Hayabusa2 sample-return mission dropped the two nearly identical rovers, named Minerva-II1A and Minerva-II1B, onto the surface of Ryugu on Sept. 21. In a new video from the eyes of Minerva-II1B, you can watch the sun move across the sky as its glaring sunlight reflects off the shiny rocks that cover Ryugu's surface.
Before humanity sets foot on Mars, bees are more likely to do so, or at least their robotic version. Biorobots—machines that emulate the functioning of biological organisms—have reached space exploration with Marsbees, NASA’s plan to explore all corners of the red planet, even those where their rovers can’t reach.
The US space agency has had great success with its rovers, especially Curiosity and Opportunity, but these are limited in the extent of land they can cover. The rocky terrain of Mars is hellish for everything that moves on wheels, so the idea of NASA’s aerospace engineers is to use robots that can collect data by flying over the surface.
Before humanity sets foot on Mars, bees are more likely to do so, or at least their robotic version. Biorobots—machines that emulate the functioning of biological organisms—have reached space exploration with Marsbees, NASA’s plan to explore all corners of the red planet, even those where their rovers can’t reach.
The US space agency has had great success with its rovers, especially Curiosity and Opportunity, but these are limited in the extent of land they can cover. The rocky terrain of Mars is hellish for everything that moves on wheels, so the idea of NASA’s aerospace engineers is to use robots that can collect data by flying over the surface.
Hayabusa 2 has been travelling toward the space rock Ryugu since launching from the Tanegashima spaceport in 2014.
It is on a quest to study the object close-up and deliver rocks and soil from Ryugu to Earth.
It will use explosives to propel a projectile into Ryugu, digging out a fresh sample from beneath the surface.
Dr Makoto Yoshikawa, Hayabusa 2's mission manager, talked about the plan now that the spacecraft had arrived at its destination.
"At first, we will study very carefully the surface features. Then we will select where to touch down. Touchdown means we get the surface material," he told me.
A copper projectile, or "impactor" will separate from the spacecraft, floating down to the surface of the asteroid. Once Hayabusa 2 is safely out of the way, an explosive charge will detonate, driving the projectile into the surface.
"We have an impactor which will create a small crater on the surface of Ryugu. Maybe in spring next year, we will try to make a crater... then our spacecraft will try to reach into the crater to get the subsurface material."
Hayabusa 2 has been travelling toward the space rock Ryugu since launching from the Tanegashima spaceport in 2014.
It is on a quest to study the object close-up and deliver rocks and soil from Ryugu to Earth.
It will use explosives to propel a projectile into Ryugu, digging out a fresh sample from beneath the surface.
Dr Makoto Yoshikawa, Hayabusa 2's mission manager, talked about the plan now that the spacecraft had arrived at its destination.
"At first, we will study very carefully the surface features. Then we will select where to touch down. Touchdown means we get the surface material," he told me.
A copper projectile, or "impactor" will separate from the spacecraft, floating down to the surface of the asteroid. Once Hayabusa 2 is safely out of the way, an explosive charge will detonate, driving the projectile into the surface.
"We have an impactor which will create a small crater on the surface of Ryugu. Maybe in spring next year, we will try to make a crater... then our spacecraft will try to reach into the crater to get the subsurface material."
Elon Musk's SpaceX wants to deliver high-speed internet to the world using thousands of small satellites -- and this week that plan is moving closer to reality.
The company is slated to launch a rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 6:17 a.m. local time on Wednesday. On board will be two experimental satellites that will test out the technology SpaceX plans to use for its internet service, according to public filings.
SpaceX has the blessing of the Federal Communications Commission to send up the test satellites. And last week, FCC chairman Ajit Pai gave SpaceX's internet ambitions a nudge by urging the FCC to approve SpaceX's broader internet proposal.
SpaceX's plan is to "deliver broadband services directly to [people] anywhere in the United States or around the world" at speeds similar to some of the quickest ground-based internet connections.
Billions of people around the globe still lack internet access, so companies have been racing to find a better way to beam internet down from the sky.
They include OneWeb, a startup that's attracted backing from the likes of Richard Branson's Virgin Group, Coca-Cola and Qualcomm. And that startup already has approval from the FCC to send internet satellites into orbit.
Elon Musk's SpaceX wants to deliver high-speed internet to the world using thousands of small satellites -- and this week that plan is moving closer to reality.
The company is slated to launch a rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 6:17 a.m. local time on Wednesday. On board will be two experimental satellites that will test out the technology SpaceX plans to use for its internet service, according to public filings.
SpaceX has the blessing of the Federal Communications Commission to send up the test satellites. And last week, FCC chairman Ajit Pai gave SpaceX's internet ambitions a nudge by urging the FCC to approve SpaceX's broader internet proposal.
SpaceX's plan is to "deliver broadband services directly to [people] anywhere in the United States or around the world" at speeds similar to some of the quickest ground-based internet connections.
Billions of people around the globe still lack internet access, so companies have been racing to find a better way to beam internet down from the sky.
They include OneWeb, a startup that's attracted backing from the likes of Richard Branson's Virgin Group, Coca-Cola and Qualcomm. And that startup already has approval from the FCC to send internet satellites into orbit.
Scientists using images from an orbiting NASA spacecraft have detected eight sites where huge ice deposits near the Martian surface are exposed on steep slopes, a potential source of water that could help sustain future human outposts.
Scientists using images from an orbiting NASA spacecraft have detected eight sites where huge ice deposits near the Martian surface are exposed on steep slopes, a potential source of water that could help sustain future human outposts.
L’étoile Ross 128, dans la constellation de la Vierge, refait parler d’elle. Un peu plus tôt cette année, des astronomes de l’observatoire Arecibo, à Porto Rico, ont enregistré d’étranges signaux en provenance de la naine rouge. Baptisés « Wierd ! » (« Bizarre ! » en français) en référence au célèbre signal « Wow ! », ces derniers se sont toutefois avérés être des interférences causées par des satellites géostationnaires.
Mais cette fois, c’est la découverte d’une exoplanète rocheuse en orbite autour de Ross 128 qui remet la petite étoile sous les projecteurs télescopes. Grâce au spectrographe HARPS de l’observatoire de La Silla, au Chili, des astronomes de l’Observatoire européen austral (ESO) ont pu débusquer Ross 128b, une exoplanète, ou plutôt une « exoterre » (pour reprendre les termes des scientifiques), relativement semblable à notre bonne vieille planète bleue, donc.
Une planète proche de la Terre (dans tous les sens du terme)
L’étoile Ross 128, dans la constellation de la Vierge, refait parler d’elle. Un peu plus tôt cette année, des astronomes de l’observatoire Arecibo, à Porto Rico, ont enregistré d’étranges signaux en provenance de la naine rouge. Baptisés « Wierd ! » (« Bizarre ! » en français) en référence au célèbre signal « Wow ! », ces derniers se sont toutefois avérés être des interférences causées par des satellites géostationnaires.
Mais cette fois, c’est la découverte d’une exoplanète rocheuse en orbite autour de Ross 128 qui remet la petite étoile sous les projecteurs télescopes. Grâce au spectrographe HARPS de l’observatoire de La Silla, au Chili, des astronomes de l’Observatoire européen austral (ESO) ont pu débusquer Ross 128b, une exoplanète, ou plutôt une « exoterre » (pour reprendre les termes des scientifiques), relativement semblable à notre bonne vieille planète bleue, donc.
Une planète proche de la Terre (dans tous les sens du terme)
NASA initially worked with Goodyear in the mid-2000s to develop a prototype spring tire. These tires were composed of a flexible mesh with hundreds of coiled steel wires. It gave the tires the ability to support heavy loads with good traction, but even the strongest steel springs deform. On Mars, rolling over rocks while carrying a heavy loadout of instruments would cause the steel to change shape over time.
The answer was a new material based on a stoichiometric nickel-titanium alloy. Like regular spring tires, there’s no air inside. It’s just a lattice of coiled metal that flexes as it rolls over obstacles. That means it won’t get punctured by sharp Martian rocks. The bonds in the nickel-titanium alloy can rearrange in response to stress instead of stretching, so the tire snaps back — no deformation.
NASA plans to use shape memory tires on future Mars rovers, possibly even on the upcoming 2020 rover that will take over for Curiosity in the next few years. It’s even possible we could see this design on Earth-based tires one day.
NASA initially worked with Goodyear in the mid-2000s to develop a prototype spring tire. These tires were composed of a flexible mesh with hundreds of coiled steel wires. It gave the tires the ability to support heavy loads with good traction, but even the strongest steel springs deform. On Mars, rolling over rocks while carrying a heavy loadout of instruments would cause the steel to change shape over time.
The answer was a new material based on a stoichiometric nickel-titanium alloy. Like regular spring tires, there’s no air inside. It’s just a lattice of coiled metal that flexes as it rolls over obstacles. That means it won’t get punctured by sharp Martian rocks. The bonds in the nickel-titanium alloy can rearrange in response to stress instead of stretching, so the tire snaps back — no deformation.
NASA plans to use shape memory tires on future Mars rovers, possibly even on the upcoming 2020 rover that will take over for Curiosity in the next few years. It’s even possible we could see this design on Earth-based tires one day.
Soon, astronauts on moon missions won't have any excuse for not answering their texts.
NASA has awarded Nokia of America $14.1 million to deploy a cellular network on the moon. The freaking moon. The grant is part of $370 million worth of contracts signed under NASA's "Tipping Point" selections, meant to advance research and development for space exploration.
Nokia's plan is to build a 4G/LTE network, and eventually transition to 5G (just like the rest of us). It will be "the first LTE/4G communications system in space," according to NASA's announcement.
"The system could support lunar surface communications at greater distances, increased speeds, and provide more reliability than current standards," the announcement also reads.
Soon, astronauts on moon missions won't have any excuse for not answering their texts.
NASA has awarded Nokia of America $14.1 million to deploy a cellular network on the moon. The freaking moon. The grant is part of $370 million worth of contracts signed under NASA's "Tipping Point" selections, meant to advance research and development for space exploration.
Nokia's plan is to build a 4G/LTE network, and eventually transition to 5G (just like the rest of us). It will be "the first LTE/4G communications system in space," according to NASA's announcement.
"The system could support lunar surface communications at greater distances, increased speeds, and provide more reliability than current standards," the announcement also reads.
The background: Ceres, a dwarf planet located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, was studied intensely by the Dawn orbiter from March 2015 to November 2018. In its final weeks, the orbiter came as close as 22 miles from Ceres’s surface and collected a tremendous amount of data about the dwarf planet’s chemical composition. Dawn found many sodium chloride deposits on the surface, which scientists thought likely came from liquid that had seeped up onto the surface and evaporated, leaving behind a salty crust.
What’s new: But there still remained a question of exactly how that liquid got there. In a new analysis of the high-resolution images Dawn collected during those last weeks, Italian researchers found that the liquid comes from an underground reservoir of briny water, 25 miles below the surface of the Occator Crater, that could measure hundreds of miles wide. The salts found on the surface are important in helping to maintain liquid water within an environment like Ceres.
The background: Ceres, a dwarf planet located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, was studied intensely by the Dawn orbiter from March 2015 to November 2018. In its final weeks, the orbiter came as close as 22 miles from Ceres’s surface and collected a tremendous amount of data about the dwarf planet’s chemical composition. Dawn found many sodium chloride deposits on the surface, which scientists thought likely came from liquid that had seeped up onto the surface and evaporated, leaving behind a salty crust.
What’s new: But there still remained a question of exactly how that liquid got there. In a new analysis of the high-resolution images Dawn collected during those last weeks, Italian researchers found that the liquid comes from an underground reservoir of briny water, 25 miles below the surface of the Occator Crater, that could measure hundreds of miles wide. The salts found on the surface are important in helping to maintain liquid water within an environment like Ceres.
Le rover Mars 2020 qui va s'envoler dans quelques mois vers la planète rouge ne se contentera pas d'y chercher d'éventuelles traces de vie passée, il servira aussi de «précurseur à une mission humaine sur Mars», ont déclaré vendredi les scientifiques de la Nasa en présentant l'engin à la presse.
En Californie, une «salle blanche» stérile pour la planète rouge
Le rover Mars 2020 sera bientôt en route pour la planète rouge, mais c'est dans une «salle blanche» de Californie qu'il a vu le jour, comme tous ses prédécesseurs et déjà avant eux les sondes Voyager, Galileo ou Cassini qui ont sillonné notre système solaire. Cette «salle blanche» est l'une des deux pièces ultra-stériles nichées sur le site d'assemblage des véhicules spatiaux du JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) à Pasadena, dans la banlieue de Los Angeles. Elle était vendredi exceptionnellement ouverte à la presse pour présenter le rover.
Le robot a effectué la semaine dernière ses premiers tours de roue dans la grande salle stérile du Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) de Pasadena, près de Los Angeles, où il a vu le jour. Il doit quitter la Terre en juillet 2020 depuis Cap Canaveral (Floride) pour se poser sur Mars en février 2021.
«Il est conçu pour chercher des signes de vie, donc il emporte un grand nombre d'instruments différents qui vont nous aider à comprendre le contexte géologique et chimique à la surface de Mars, et aussi collecter des échantillons dans le but de pouvoir un jour les rapporter sur Terre», résume pour l'AFP Matt Wallace, responsable adjoint de la mission Mars 2020.
Le rover Mars 2020 qui va s'envoler dans quelques mois vers la planète rouge ne se contentera pas d'y chercher d'éventuelles traces de vie passée, il servira aussi de «précurseur à une mission humaine sur Mars», ont déclaré vendredi les scientifiques de la Nasa en présentant l'engin à la presse.
En Californie, une «salle blanche» stérile pour la planète rouge
Le rover Mars 2020 sera bientôt en route pour la planète rouge, mais c'est dans une «salle blanche» de Californie qu'il a vu le jour, comme tous ses prédécesseurs et déjà avant eux les sondes Voyager, Galileo ou Cassini qui ont sillonné notre système solaire. Cette «salle blanche» est l'une des deux pièces ultra-stériles nichées sur le site d'assemblage des véhicules spatiaux du JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) à Pasadena, dans la banlieue de Los Angeles. Elle était vendredi exceptionnellement ouverte à la presse pour présenter le rover.
Le robot a effectué la semaine dernière ses premiers tours de roue dans la grande salle stérile du Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) de Pasadena, près de Los Angeles, où il a vu le jour. Il doit quitter la Terre en juillet 2020 depuis Cap Canaveral (Floride) pour se poser sur Mars en février 2021.
«Il est conçu pour chercher des signes de vie, donc il emporte un grand nombre d'instruments différents qui vont nous aider à comprendre le contexte géologique et chimique à la surface de Mars, et aussi collecter des échantillons dans le but de pouvoir un jour les rapporter sur Terre», résume pour l'AFP Matt Wallace, responsable adjoint de la mission Mars 2020.
Schneller durchs Weltall reisen! Die NASA möchte einen nuklearen Antrieb nutzen, um die Reise zum Mars deutlich zu verkürzen. Wie Wissenschaft.de berichtet, spricht NASA-Chef Jim Bridenstine von einer Revolution für die gesamte Raumfahrt.
Schneller durchs Weltall reisen! Die NASA möchte einen nuklearen Antrieb nutzen, um die Reise zum Mars deutlich zu verkürzen. Wie Wissenschaft.de berichtet, spricht NASA-Chef Jim Bridenstine von einer Revolution für die gesamte Raumfahrt.
L'agence spatiale japonaise et le constructeur automobile Toyota ont annoncé avoir conclu un partenariat cette semaine. Le but de cette collaboration est d'envoyer un véhicule autonome sur la Lune, pouvant transporter jusqu'à 4 personnes. Avec pour objectif un lancement en 2029.
Mardi dernier, l'Agence d'exploration spatiale japonaise (JAXA) a annoncé le début d'une nouvelle collaboration avec Toyota. Un accord qui vise la production d'un nouveau rover lunaire par le constructeur automobile.
Objectif Lune Toyota va donc travailler sur un véhicule autonome, capable de se déplacer sur la surface accidentée de la Lune. Un véritable défi dans la mesure où l'engin sera exposé à des conditions de rayonnement et de température particulièrement exigeantes, ainsi qu'à une gravité beaucoup plus faible que sur Terre. D'autant que la JAXA table sur une autonomie de 10 000 km.
Pour alimenter son véhicule, le constructeur japonais mise sur les piles à combustible. Leur principe : transformer de l'hydrogène en électricité, grâce à un apport en oxygène. L'avantage principal de cette méthode étant de produire une grande quantité d'énergie tout en ne rejetant que de l'eau. Pour compléter, l'engin sera également pourvu de panneaux solaires.
L'agence spatiale japonaise et le constructeur automobile Toyota ont annoncé avoir conclu un partenariat cette semaine. Le but de cette collaboration est d'envoyer un véhicule autonome sur la Lune, pouvant transporter jusqu'à 4 personnes. Avec pour objectif un lancement en 2029.
Mardi dernier, l'Agence d'exploration spatiale japonaise (JAXA) a annoncé le début d'une nouvelle collaboration avec Toyota. Un accord qui vise la production d'un nouveau rover lunaire par le constructeur automobile.
Objectif Lune Toyota va donc travailler sur un véhicule autonome, capable de se déplacer sur la surface accidentée de la Lune. Un véritable défi dans la mesure où l'engin sera exposé à des conditions de rayonnement et de température particulièrement exigeantes, ainsi qu'à une gravité beaucoup plus faible que sur Terre. D'autant que la JAXA table sur une autonomie de 10 000 km.
Pour alimenter son véhicule, le constructeur japonais mise sur les piles à combustible. Leur principe : transformer de l'hydrogène en électricité, grâce à un apport en oxygène. L'avantage principal de cette méthode étant de produire une grande quantité d'énergie tout en ne rejetant que de l'eau. Pour compléter, l'engin sera également pourvu de panneaux solaires.
Ein kleiner Satellit schwirrt durch den Weltraum. Ein sternförmiges Netz fliegt ihm entgegen, fängt ihn und zieht sich rasch um ihn herum zu. Möglich machen das kleine Motoren an den sechs Enden. "Damit der Fisch, den man gefangen hat, nicht mehr entwischt", sagt Projektleiter Ingo Retat vom Raumfahrtkonzern Airbus Defence and Space in Bremen. Gerade haben er und seine Kollegen das Fangnetz zum ersten Mal erfolgreich im Weltraum getestet.
Künftig könnten Satelliten damit auf Jagd nach Weltraumschrott gehen. Als eine Art kosmische Müllabfuhr.
Ein kleiner Satellit schwirrt durch den Weltraum. Ein sternförmiges Netz fliegt ihm entgegen, fängt ihn und zieht sich rasch um ihn herum zu. Möglich machen das kleine Motoren an den sechs Enden. "Damit der Fisch, den man gefangen hat, nicht mehr entwischt", sagt Projektleiter Ingo Retat vom Raumfahrtkonzern Airbus Defence and Space in Bremen. Gerade haben er und seine Kollegen das Fangnetz zum ersten Mal erfolgreich im Weltraum getestet.
Künftig könnten Satelliten damit auf Jagd nach Weltraumschrott gehen. Als eine Art kosmische Müllabfuhr.
Saturday update: More than 24 hours after they were released by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft to fly down to the surface of the asteroid Ryugu, the Japanese Space Agency has finally provided an update on the fate of the two tiny robots. And they're doing quite well indeed.
"We are sorry we have kept you waiting!" the space agency, JAXA, tweeted. "MINERVA-II1 consists of two rovers, 1a & 1b. Both rovers are confirmed to have landed on the surface of Ryugu. They are in good condition and have transmitted photos & data. We also confirmed they are moving on the surface."
Saturday update: More than 24 hours after they were released by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft to fly down to the surface of the asteroid Ryugu, the Japanese Space Agency has finally provided an update on the fate of the two tiny robots. And they're doing quite well indeed.
"We are sorry we have kept you waiting!" the space agency, JAXA, tweeted. "MINERVA-II1 consists of two rovers, 1a & 1b. Both rovers are confirmed to have landed on the surface of Ryugu. They are in good condition and have transmitted photos & data. We also confirmed they are moving on the surface."
Ein uralter Asteroid ist das Ziel von Hayabusa 2. Die japanische Sonde hat sich neben dem Asteroiden Ryugu positioniert, der zwischen Erde und Mars um die Sonne kreist. Die Sonde sowie ein vom DLR entwickelter Roboter sollen auf dem Himmelskörper Proben nehmen.
Endlich angekommen: Nach dreieinhalb Jahren und einer Strecke von 3,2 Milliarden Kilometern ist die japanische Raumsonde Hayabusa 2 bei ihrem Ziel, dem Asteroiden Ryugu, angekommen. Sie soll Daten und Proben von dem Himmelskörper sammeln. Zu der Forschungsmission gehört auch ein deutsches Landefahrzeug.
Ein uralter Asteroid ist das Ziel von Hayabusa 2. Die japanische Sonde hat sich neben dem Asteroiden Ryugu positioniert, der zwischen Erde und Mars um die Sonne kreist. Die Sonde sowie ein vom DLR entwickelter Roboter sollen auf dem Himmelskörper Proben nehmen.
Endlich angekommen: Nach dreieinhalb Jahren und einer Strecke von 3,2 Milliarden Kilometern ist die japanische Raumsonde Hayabusa 2 bei ihrem Ziel, dem Asteroiden Ryugu, angekommen. Sie soll Daten und Proben von dem Himmelskörper sammeln. Zu der Forschungsmission gehört auch ein deutsches Landefahrzeug.
Steigende Datenmengen lassen die Übertragung per Funk an Kapazitätsgrenzen stoßen - im All könnte sich daher Laser-Technik durchsetzen. Ein Hauptvorteil von Laserstrahlen liegt in der größeren Kapazität. Der Weltrekord im Funk liegt bei 36 Gigabit pro Sekunde. Mit Laser erreichten Forscher des Deutschen Luft- und Raumfahrtzentrums (DLR) in Oberpfaffenhofen bei München fast das fünfzigfache Volumen: 1,7 Terabit pro Sekunde. „Bei Funk gibt es eine physikalische Grenze, die Frequenz ist bei Laser wesentlich höher“, erklärt Wolfram Peschko, Vorstandschef der Mynaric AG, einer Ausgründung aus dem DLR.
Das Start-up aus dem Münchner Vorort Gilching hat ehrgeizige Pläne. „Wir haben einen anderen Ansatz als klassische Space-Firmen, die von großen Staatsaufträgen leben und aufwendige Einzelanfertigungen herstellen“, sagt Peschko. „Wenn die ein Projekt anfassen, dauert das Jahre und wird richtig teuer. Wir kommen aus dem privat finanzierten Bereich, unsere Entwicklungszeiten sind relativ kurz.“ Als interessiert gelten unter anderem Facebook, Google und SpaceX, das Raumfahrtunternehmen des Tesla-Gründers Elon Musk.
Steigende Datenmengen lassen die Übertragung per Funk an Kapazitätsgrenzen stoßen - im All könnte sich daher Laser-Technik durchsetzen. Ein Hauptvorteil von Laserstrahlen liegt in der größeren Kapazität. Der Weltrekord im Funk liegt bei 36 Gigabit pro Sekunde. Mit Laser erreichten Forscher des Deutschen Luft- und Raumfahrtzentrums (DLR) in Oberpfaffenhofen bei München fast das fünfzigfache Volumen: 1,7 Terabit pro Sekunde. „Bei Funk gibt es eine physikalische Grenze, die Frequenz ist bei Laser wesentlich höher“, erklärt Wolfram Peschko, Vorstandschef der Mynaric AG, einer Ausgründung aus dem DLR.
Das Start-up aus dem Münchner Vorort Gilching hat ehrgeizige Pläne. „Wir haben einen anderen Ansatz als klassische Space-Firmen, die von großen Staatsaufträgen leben und aufwendige Einzelanfertigungen herstellen“, sagt Peschko. „Wenn die ein Projekt anfassen, dauert das Jahre und wird richtig teuer. Wir kommen aus dem privat finanzierten Bereich, unsere Entwicklungszeiten sind relativ kurz.“ Als interessiert gelten unter anderem Facebook, Google und SpaceX, das Raumfahrtunternehmen des Tesla-Gründers Elon Musk.
Auf der Suche nach fernen Welten ist Wissenschaftlern wohl ein Durchbruch gelungen. Sie entdecken im Sonnensystem "Kepler-90" den achten Planeten. Das Besondere: Sie hatten Hilfe. Aufgespürt hat den Himmelskörper eine von Google entwickelte künstliche Intelligenz.
Die Software könnte den Beginn einer einmaligen Entdeckungsreise in den Weiten des Alls bedeuten.
Auf der Suche nach fernen Welten ist Wissenschaftlern wohl ein Durchbruch gelungen. Sie entdecken im Sonnensystem "Kepler-90" den achten Planeten. Das Besondere: Sie hatten Hilfe. Aufgespürt hat den Himmelskörper eine von Google entwickelte künstliche Intelligenz.
Die Software könnte den Beginn einer einmaligen Entdeckungsreise in den Weiten des Alls bedeuten.
There are 29,000 tracked pieces of space debris in orbit, and a million more too small to follow. They pose a risk to astronauts and satellites. So what can be done?
euronews knowledge brings you a fresh mix of the world's most interesting know-hows, directly from space and sci-tech experts.
There are 29,000 tracked pieces of space debris in orbit, and a million more too small to follow. They pose a risk to astronauts and satellites. So what can be done?
euronews knowledge brings you a fresh mix of the world's most interesting know-hows, directly from space and sci-tech experts.
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![Two Japanese robots are now happily hopping on an asteroid [Updated] | #Space #SpaceMining | 21st Century Innovative Technologies and Developments as also discoveries, curiosity ( insolite)... | Scoop.it](https://img.scoop.it/FAj3r0ljgTV388R5K9hdOTl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVvK0kTmF0xjctABnaLJIm9)
Having dropped tantalising hints days ago about an "exciting new discovery about the Moon", the US space agency has revealed conclusive evidence of water on our only natural satellite.
This "unambiguous detection of molecular water" will boost Nasa's hopes of establishing a lunar base.
The aim is to sustain that base by tapping into the Moon's natural resources.
The findings have been published as two papers in the journal Nature Astronomy.
While there have previously been signs of water on the lunar surface, these new discoveries suggest it is more abundant than previously thought. "It gives us more options for potential water sources on the Moon," said Hannah Sargeant, a planetary scientist from the Open University in Milton Keynes, told BBC News.
Learn more / Mehr erfahren:
https://www.scoop.it/t/21st-century-innovative-technologies-and-developments/?tag=Space