Space News from SpaceDaily.com
December 15, 2021
SPACE TRAVEL
NASA selects second private astronaut mission to Space Station



Washington DC (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
NASA has selected Axiom Space for the second private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. NASA will negotiate with Axiom on a mission order agreement for the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) targeted to launch between fall 2022 and late spring 2023. Ax-2 will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a mission of no more than 14 days docked to the space station. NASA and Axiom will negotiate in-orbit activities for the private astronauts to conduct in coordination with space st ... read more

ROCKET SCIENCE
BWXT Delivers Fuel to NASA to Support Nuclear Thermal Propulsion
Lynchburg VA (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
BWX Technologies, Inc. has reached a critical milestone in the nation's pursuit of space nuclear propulsion by delivering coated reactor fuels to NASA in support of its space nuclear propulsion proj ... more
SOLAR DAILY
Rocket Lab to acquire SolAero Holdings for its space solar power products
Long Beach CA (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
Rocket Lab USA has signed a definitive agreement to acquire SolAero Holdings, Inc. (SolAero), a premier supplier of space solar power products and precision aerospace structures for the global aeros ... more
TIME AND SPACE
Challenging Einstein's greatest theory with extreme stars
Norwich UK (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
Researchers at the University of East Anglia and the University of Manchester have helped conduct a 16-year long experiment to challenge Einstein's theory of general relativity. The internatio ... more
SOLAR SCIENCE
NASA enters the Solar atmosphere for the first time
Greenbelt MD (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
For the first time in history, a spacecraft has touched the Sun. NASA's Parker Solar Probe has now flown through the Sun's upper atmosphere - the corona - and sampled particles and magnetic fields t ... more
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MICROSAT BLITZ


SatRevolution Secures Series B Funding from Virgin Orbit

MOON DAILY


Spelunking on the moon: New study explores lunar pits and caves

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MARSDAILY
NASA begins testing robotics to bring first samples back from Mars
Pasadena CA (JPL) Dec 15, 2021
Testing has already begun on what would be the most sophisticated endeavor ever attempted at the Red Planet: bringing rock and sediment samples from Mars to Earth for closer study. The multi-mission ... more
MARSDAILY
Double drop test success for ExoMars parachutes
Paris (ESA) Dec 15, 2021
The largest parachute set to fly on Mars has completed its first successful high-altitude drop test, a critical milestone for ensuring the ExoMars mission is on track for launch in 2022. Both the fi ... more
MARSDAILY
Sols 3326-3327: Backing away from the cliff
Pasadena CA (JPL) Dec 15, 2021
As we continue exploring Maria Gordon notch, we are planning a touch and go with lots of remote sensing activities between the "touch" and the "go." MSL is parked near the base of the cliff to ... more
SOLAR SCIENCE
Parker Solar Probe data bolsters theories in long-running solar riddle
Ann Arbor MI (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
Data collected by NASA's Parker Solar Probe bolsters theories previously put by University of Michigan researchers about one of the sun's greatest mysteries-why its outer atmosphere is hotter than i ... more
ROCKET SCIENCE
RUAG Space: First fully U.S.-made fairing to fly into space
Kennedy Space Center FL (SPX) Dec 06, 2021
On Sun., Dec. 5, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will launch the Space Test Program (STP)-3 mission for the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) from Cape Canaveral, Fla. "Thi ... more
SPACE TRAVEL


Experiments riding 24th SpaceX Cargo Mission to USS included bioprinting, crystallization, laundry studies

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ROCKET SCIENCE
AFRL celebrates successful rocket launch at STEM Academy
Kirtland AFB NM (SPX) Dec 09, 2021
"Five...four...three...two...one...launch," the Range Safety Officer called out. The Launch Control Officer pushed the red button, and the rocket took off, whoosh! about 1,000 feet in the air. ... more
IRON AND ICE
Dinosaurs' last spring: Study pinpoints timing of Chicxulub asteroid impact
Boca Raton FL (SPX) Dec 10, 2021
A groundbreaking study led by researchers at Florida Atlantic University and an international team of scientists conclusively confirms the time year of the catastrophic Chicxulub asteroid, responsib ... more
MARSDAILY
Sol 3319: Shoot the Gap
Pasadena CA (JPL) Dec 08, 2021
Curiosity is preparing to "shoot the gap"and dash through the Maria Gordon notch (the cliff-lined valley seen in the image above) in the sols ahead. Already we have a spectacular view of the 12 m (3 ... more
TIME AND SPACE
Machine Learning decodes Tremors of the Universe
Tubingen, Germany (SPX) Dec 10, 2021
Black holes are one of the greatest mysteries of our Universe - for example a black hole with the mass of our Sun has a radius of only 3 kilometers. Black holes in orbit around each other give off g ... more
TIME AND SPACE
The tetra-neutron - experiment finds evidence for a long-sought particle comprising four neutrons
Munich, Germany (SPX) Dec 10, 2021
While all atomic nuclei except hydrogen are composed of protons and neutrons, physicists have been searching for a particle consisting of two, three or four neutrons for over half a century. Experim ... more
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RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
Space Habitat Market size to grow by USD 94.92 Bn
Washington DC (SPX) Dec 10, 2021
Technavio analyzes the space habitat market by technology (inflatable and non-inflatable) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, and ROW). The report expects the market to witness an incremental growth of USD 94.92 million between 2020 and 2025, accelerating at a CAGR of 8.41% during the forecast period. By technology, the market generated maximum revenue in the inflatable segment in ... more
+ NASA selects second private astronaut mission to Space Station
+ Father's foundry job inspires Dr. Sharon Cobb to pursue NASA career path
+ Bezos' Blue Origin completes third crewed space flight
+ Daughter of first American astronaut launches on Blue Origin flight
+ Experiments riding 24th SpaceX Cargo Mission to USS included bioprinting, crystallization, laundry studies
+ Russia's cosmos town, an isolated relic of Soviet glory
+ New German government plans 60-bn-euro 'future' fund
BWXT Delivers Fuel to NASA to Support Nuclear Thermal Propulsion
Lynchburg VA (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
BWX Technologies, Inc. has reached a critical milestone in the nation's pursuit of space nuclear propulsion by delivering coated reactor fuels to NASA in support of its space nuclear propulsion project within the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate. Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) is one of the technologies that is capable of propelling a spacecraft to Mars and back. Innovative ... more
+ RUAG Space: First fully U.S.-made fairing to fly into space
+ AFRL celebrates successful rocket launch at STEM Academy
+ Rocket Lab launches 109th satellite to orbit
+ New rocket test facility under construction in Scotland
+ Spire Global selects Virgin Orbit for late-load addition to next flight
+ Orbex begins construction of new rocket launchpad in the UK
+ Russia strikes deal with NASA for first cosmonaut on SpaceX flight




Scientists envision what Mars would look like as an exoplanet
Boulder CO (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
In science fiction movies and television shows, real-life locations on Earth, such as California's Redwood National Forest and the Sahara Desert, have long been used to represent alien worlds. But recently, in a Star Trek-style twist, a group of scientists, including researchers at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder, have been using a pl ... more
+ Sols 3326-3327: Backing away from the cliff
+ NASA begins testing robotics to bring first samples back from Mars
+ Lower atmospheric processes are crucial to understanding Martian water loss
+ Double drop test success for ExoMars parachutes
+ Sol 3320: Flexibility is Key
+ Sol 3319: Shoot the Gap
+ NASA's eventual farewell to tiny Mars helicopter could be emotional
On they march as China records 401st flight of Long March rocket family
Beijing (XNA) Dec 15, 2021
China launched a relay satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China early on Tuesday morning, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the nation's major space contractor. A Long March 3B carrier rocket blasted off at 0:09 am and then deployed the Tianlian II-02 satellite into orbit, the State-owned company said in a statement. The mission marke ... more
+ China's Long March carrier rocket embarks on 400th mission
+ First crew of space station provide a full update on China's progress
+ Milestone mission for China's first commercial rocket company
+ Chinese astronauts to give space lecture on Dec. 9
+ China to livestream first space class from Tiangong space station
+ Tianzhou cargo craft to help advance science
+ Rocket industrial park put into operation in Wuhan


Europe opens up a new space to commercial services
Paris (ESA) Dec 10, 2021
From launchers and spacecraft to space habitats, private companies are invited to join Europe's activities in Earth's orbital neighbourhood and provide services in a rocketing market. These commercial services would overlap with the end of lifetime of the International Space Station that is expected to stop operations most likely in the early 2030s. "We are at an unprecedented crossr ... more
+ New space economy ready to lift off thanks to Finnish innovation
+ Kleos' Patrol Mission Satellites Ready and Shipped to Launch Site
+ Airbus and DLR intensify cooperation
+ Growing trend shows demand for maintenance students at commercial space firms
+ Soon, 1 out of every 15 points of light in the sky will be a satellite
+ Exploring the heart of space weather with the Geospace Dynamics Constellation
+ Ben Griffin explains how Oneweb's LEO Constellation will change the IFC Market
NASA-NOAA tech will aid marine oil spill response
Pasadena CA (JPL) Dec 15, 2021
Just off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, thousands of gallons of oil seep through cracks in the seafloor and rise to the surface each day. But this isn't a disaster zone: It's one of the largest naturally occurring oil seeps in the world and is believed to have been active for thousands of years. The reliability of these seeps makes the area an important natural laboratory for scie ... more
+ Nike buys virtual sneaker firm as metaverse buzz grows
+ Technique enables real-time rendering of scenes in 3D
+ Oculus Observatory set to disrupt space situational awareness globally
+ NASA and industry embrace laser communications
+ Researchers develop novel 3D printing technique to engineer biofilms
+ New 'Halo' game debuts as Xbox turns 20
+ Researchers team up to get a clearer picture of molten salts




Stellar "ashfall" could help distant planets grow
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
The world's first 3D simulation simultaneously considering dust motion and growth in a disk around a young star has shown that large dust from the central region can be entrained by and then ejected by gas outflows, and eventually fall back onto the outer regions of the disk where it may enable planetesimal formation. This process can be likened to volcanic "ashfall" where ash carried up b ... more
+ Life arose on hydrogen energy
+ "Newer, nimbler, faster:" Venus probe will search for signs of life in clouds of sulfuric acid
+ ESO telescope images planet around most massive star pair to date
+ Airbus will build ESA's Ariel exoplanet satellite
+ Gas bubbles in rock pores - a nursery for life on Early Earth
+ Iron integral to the development of life on Earth - and the possibility of life on other planets
+ Giant planets could reach "maturity" much earlier than previously thought
Planet decision that booted out Pluto is rooted in folklore, astrology
Orlando FL (SPX) Dec 09, 2021
As the new space race continues, a team of top researchers says one thing needs to be cleared up - what exactly is a planet? In a study appearing recently in the journal Icarus, the researchers hope to set the record straight with a look at how a planet's definition has changed since the time of Galileo to the controversial decision the International Astronomical Union made in 2006 to crea ... more
+ Are Water Plumes Spraying from Europa
+ Science results offer first 3D view of Jupiter's atmosphere
+ Juno peers deep into Jupiter's colorful belts and zones
+ Scientists find strange black 'superionic ice' that could exist inside other planets
+ Jupiter's Great Red Spot is deeper than thought, shaped like lens
+ Using Charon-light Researchers Capture Pluto's Dark Side
+ Keeping our eyes on New Horizons




DARPA Announces Forecasting Floats in Turbulence Challenge Winners
Washington DC (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
The mystery of knowing where the proverbial message in a bottle thrown overboard in the open sea will eventually wash ashore has not been solved. But DARPA's recent Forecasting Floats in Turbulence (FFT) challenge took an exploratory first step toward trying to understand the turbulent convergence of wind, waves, and currents on the surface of the ocean - and its effect on objects floating at se ... more
+ Vulnerable to climate change, New York constructs seawall
+ Farmed seafood supply at risk if climate change goes unaddressed, study predicts
+ Study confirms importance of Southern Ocean in absorbing carbon dioxide
+ Meet the Oystamaran
+ UK watchdog urges halt to DR Congo dam project
+ Rising seas blamed as flooding hits Pacific islands
+ British regulator concerned about Suez-Veolia merger
Two new satellites mark further enlargement of Galileo
Paris (ESA) Dec 09, 2021
Europe's largest satellite constellation has grown even bigger, following the launch of two more Galileo navigation satellites by Soyuz launcher from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on 5 December. Galileo satellites 27-28 add to an existing 26-satellite constellation in orbit, providing the world's most precise satnav positioning to more than 2.3 billion users around the globe. ESA Dir ... more
+ Galileo satellites given green light for launch
+ Brain and coat from RUAG Space for Galileo navigation satellites
+ Galileo pathfinder de-commissioned after 16 years of in-orbit service
+ Galileo satellites in place for launch
+ US Space Force contracts Lockheed Martin for three more GPS IIIF satellites
+ Spirent Offers First Commercially Available Test Capability for Galileo HAS
+ China to share its Beidou expertise




Spelunking on the moon: New study explores lunar pits and caves
Boulder CO (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
The moon may be a mostly uniform expanse of gray, but if you look closely, you can still find a few nooks and crannies in its surface, from deep trenches to pits and maybe even caves. Now, researchers at CU Boulder have set out to explore what the environment might be like inside some of these shadowy features-many of which are too dark to see clearly from orbit. The team's prelimina ... more
+ Mirror, mirror, on the Moon
+ Chinese Yutu-2 rover embarks on weeks-long 80-metre journey to reach Moon Cube
+ China's lunar rover spots cube-like object on Moon, sparking curiosity
+ China's manned moon landing possible before 2030: scientist
+ High-Speed Lunar Surface Transportation
+ Lunar radar data uncovers new clues about moon's ancient past
+ Asteroid material deposited during large impacts record the moon's ancient magnetic field
NASA's 'Eyes on Asteroids' Reveals Our Near-Earth Object Neighborhood
Pasadena CA (JPL) Dec 10, 2021
Through a new 3D real-time visualization tool, you can now explore the asteroids and comets that approach Earth's orbital neighborhood - and the spacecraft that visit these objects - with a click or a swipe. NASA's Eyes on Asteroids brings this data to any smartphone, tablet, or computer with an internet connection - no download required. Thousands of asteroids and dozens of comets are dis ... more
+ Dinosaurs' last spring: Study pinpoints timing of Chicxulub asteroid impact
+ Tiny meteors leave smoke in the atmosphere
+ NASA Goddard helps ensure asteroid deflector hits target
+ Comet Leonard soon visible to naked eye?
+ Rock composition determines how deadly a meteorite impact is
+ NASA receives special cosmic delivery of asteroid sample from Japan
+ NASA's next-generation asteroid impact monitoring system goes online




NASA to launch 4 Earth Science Missions in 2022
Greenbelt MD (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
NASA will launch four Earth science missions in 2022 to provide scientists with more information about fundamental climate systems and processes including extreme storms, surface water and oceans, and atmospheric dust. Scientists will discuss the upcoming missions at the American Geophysical Union's (AGU) 2021 Fall Meeting, hosted in New Orleans between Dec. 13 and 17. NASA has a unique vi ... more
+ Solely European supply chain for space-qualified Alexandrite laser crystals on the horizon
+ MDA announces Chorus as new commercial EO mission
+ NCAR's mini-satellite to measure howling winds high in atmosphere
+ BlackSky achieves highest revisit, dawn-to-dusk satellite coverage
+ BlackSky continues operational momentum with two back-to-back launches in six days
+ Rocket Lab to launch three dedicated Electron missions for EO firm Synspective
+ How TIMED Flies
NASA enters the Solar atmosphere for the first time
Greenbelt MD (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
For the first time in history, a spacecraft has touched the Sun. NASA's Parker Solar Probe has now flown through the Sun's upper atmosphere - the corona - and sampled particles and magnetic fields there. The new milestone marks one major step for Parker Solar Probe and one giant leap for solar science. Just as landing on the Moon allowed scientists to understand how it was formed, touching ... more
+ Parker Solar Probe data bolsters theories in long-running solar riddle
+ You can help scientists study the Sun
+ Study suggests Sun is likely an unaccounted source of the Earth's water
+ Parker Solar Probe completes a record-setting swing by the Sun
+ Solar Orbiter returns to Earth before starting its main science mission
+ Research casts new light on processes behind solar eruptions
+ Space dust presents opportunities, challenges as Parker Solar Probe speeds towards Sun




A young, sun-like star may hold warnings for life on Earth
Boulder CO (SPX) Dec 10, 2021
Astronomers spying on a stellar system located dozens of lightyears from Earth have, for the first time, observed a troubling fireworks show: A star named EK Draconis ejected a massive burst of energy and charged particles in an event that was much more powerful than anything scientists have seen in our own solar system. The researchers, including astrophysicist Yuta Notsu of the Universit ... more
+ NASA's Webb Telescope will have the coolest camera in space
+ Unveiling substructures at the edge of the Galaxy
+ Atom laser creates reflective patterns similar to light
+ Discovery of split photon provides a new way to see light
+ Unique look at the self-destruction of a star is presented in 3D
+ Five things to know about the James Webb Space Telescope
+ Webb telescope to look for first light of cosmic dawn
Closing in on the first light in the Universe
Melbourne, Australia (SPX) Dec 15, 2021
Research using new antennas in the Australian hinterland has reduced background noise and brought us closer to finding a 13-billion-year-old signal The early Universe was dark, filled with a hot soup of opaque particles. These condensed to form neutral hydrogen which coalesced to form the first stars in what astronomers call the Epoch of Reionisation (EoR). "Finding the weak signal of thi ... more
+ Research reveals how plasma swirling around black holes can produce heat and light
+ Machine Learning decodes Tremors of the Universe
+ Super-bright stellar explosion is likely a dying star giving birth to a black hole or neutron star
+ Challenging Einstein's greatest theory with extreme stars
+ The tetra-neutron - experiment finds evidence for a long-sought particle comprising four neutrons
+ Einstein wins again
+ Einstein finally warms up to quantum mechanics?
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