Tag: #space

JAXA to supply hardware and H3 launch services for ESA’s Ramses mission to Apophis

JAXA will supply solar arrays, a thermal imager and H3 launch services for ESA’s Ramses mission to study asteroid Apophis ahead of its 2029 close approach.

#jaxa, #esa, #apophis, #ramses, #space

JPL Prototype Lithium MPD Thruster Reaches 120 kW in Ground Test

A JPL prototype lithium-fed MPD electric thruster reached 120 kW in a Feb. 24 vacuum test — an early lab milestone toward higher‑power deep‑space propulsion.

#space, #jpl, #electricpropulsion, #mpd

Curiosity Finds Most Chemically Diverse Organic Molecules on Mars, Including Seven New Compounds

Curiosity's Glen Torridon sample from 2020 yielded 20+ organic molecules — seven never before seen on Mars — indicating ancient rocks can preserve complex carbon chemistry.

#mars, #curiosity, #organics, #space, #science

NASA ships Artemis III SLS core stage from Michoud to Kennedy for 2027 test mission

NASA rolled out the Artemis III SLS core stage from Michoud and loaded it on a barge bound for Kennedy for final assembly ahead of a 2027 test mission.

$BA, $LHX, #nasa, #artemis, #sls, #space

Artemis II Crew Returns to Houston After 10-Day Lunar Flyby, Setting Distance Record

NASA’s Artemis II crew returned to Houston after a 10-day lunar flyby that made them the farthest humans from Earth and tested Orion and SLS systems.

#nasa, #artemis, #space, #moon

NASA Begins Scrutinizing Artemis II’s Lunar Flyby Data as Orion Heads Home

After Artemis II's lunar flyby, NASA is analyzing 50+ GB of images, audio and measurements — including meteoroid flashes and far‑side imagery — as Orion returns.

#space, #nasa, #artemis, #moon

Sungrazing Comet MAPS Skims the Sun, Leaving Astronomers Waiting to See if It Survived

Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) whipped just 150,000 km above the Sun. Spacecraft images in coming days will reveal whether it held together.

#comet, #astronomy, #sun, #nasa, #space

Newly Found Sungrazing Comet Could Flare Brighter Than Venus—or Disintegrate at the Sun

Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) reaches a perilous April 4 sun-skimming perihelion. Astronomers say it could blaze briefly—or vanish in a breakup.

#comet, #astronomy, #sun, #space, #nasa

Astronomers Spot Likely Giant Impact as Distant Star’s Light ‘Goes Bonkers’

A University of Washington team says unusual dimming and an infrared surge in a young star point to a rare, Moon-like planetary collision.

#astronomy, #exoplanets, #gaia, #planetaryscience, #space

Rubin Observatory’s real-time sky alerts debut with 800,000 notifications in a night

Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s first large-scale public test sent 800,000 rapid alerts, previewing a system built for millions nightly in LSST.

#astronomy, #rubinobservatory, #lsst, #space, #datastreams