NASA

NASA’s compact infrared cameras make new science possible – NASA

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a hand holding a silicon chip in front of a camera

A new higher-resolution infrared camera equipped with a variety of lightweight filters could examine sunlight reflected from Earth’s upper atmosphere and surface, improve forest fire warnings and reveal the molecular composition of other planets. The cameras use sensitive, high-resolution superlattice sensors originally developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, using IRAD, Internal … Read more

The NASA report identifies cost-effective approaches for dealing with orbital debris

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WASHINGTON – Reducing the time that satellites remain in orbit after the end of their missions is one of the most cost-effective ways to tackle the problem of orbital debris, a NASA report concludes. The report, released by NASA’s Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy on May 20, follows a March 2023 report that focused … Read more

NASA discovers Mini-Neptune in binary star system

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Nasa Discovers Mini Neptune In Binary Star System

NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has made a remarkable discovery: a rare mini-Neptune exoplanet in a binary star system. This planet, designated TOI 4633 c, is notable not only for its unique features, but also for its position within the habitable zone of its galaxy. The discovery has sparked interest and raised questions about … Read more

May’s Auroras may be the strongest in 500 years, NASA says

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May 10, 2024, Brandenburg, Falkenhagen: Light green and light reddish auroras glow in the night … [+] sky in the Märkisch-Oderland district in eastern Brandenburg. The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) are produced by a cloud of electrically charged particles from a solar storm in the Earth’s atmosphere. Photo: Patrick Pleul/dpa (Photo by Patrick Pleul/picture alliance … Read more

Webb telescope helps solve the long-standing mystery of why some planets look the way they do

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Astronomers believe they have solved a remarkable and widely known cosmic mystery, NASA announced this week. Two groups of researchers, mainly using observations from the James Webb Space Telescope, have discovered what causes certain planets to form to look “swollen” or bloated much larger than the dimensions suggested by their remarkably low density. It’s a … Read more

Pulsed plasma thruster, funded by NASA, could make one of the coolest space missions possible

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NASA, as always, is exploring the next generation of thrusters to enable increasingly ambitious space missions. One idea currently moving to Phase II of the NASA Innovative Advanced Concept (NIAC) program is a Pulsed Plasma Rocket (PPR). The PPR “uses a fission-based nuclear power system to rapidly induce a phase change in a fuel projectile … Read more

Webb Space Telescope Cracks Case of Swollen Exoplanet “Microwave Marshmallow”.

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SciTechDaily

The warm gas giant WASP-107 b, known for its unusually low density and moderate temperature, may have an inflated atmosphere due to tidal heating that warms its interior more than previously thought. (Artist’s concept.) Credit: SciTechDaily.com A surprising depletion of methane suggests that tidal heating has puffed up the atmosphere of warm gas giant WASP-107 … Read more

NASA and Sierra Space deliver the Dream Chaser spaceplane to Florida in preparation for launch

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This article was reviewed according to Science fact checked trusted source proofread OK! Dream Chaser Tenacity, Sierra Space’s unmanned cargo spaceplane, is processed at the Space Systems Processing Facility (SSPF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, May 20, 2024. The spaceplane arrived in a climate-controlled shipping container provided by Neil from the … Read more

NASA astronauts practice ‘moonwalking’ in the Arizona desert (Photos)

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two people in skeleton-like spacesuits without the outer shell walk through the desert under a bright sun

Moonwalking in the Arizona desert? No, it’s not a remake of Michael Jackson’s signature move; it is a training exercise for NASA astronauts that will be part of the future Artemis mission program to the lunar surface. The weeklong expedition across the San Francisco volcanic field near Flagstaff, Arizona, will bring in NASA astronauts Kate … Read more

Persistent helium leak causes additional delays for Boeing’s ill-fated Starliner spacecraft

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The Boeing launch already delayed Starliner spacecraft At least four more days will be lost, from next Tuesday to May 25, due to ongoing work to resolve concerns about a small helium leak in the capsule’s propulsion system, officials said Friday. Mission Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and co-pilot Sunita Williams are now targeting a launch … Read more