Author: Justin

Solar Energy Harvested From Space Is The Future

12Jun

By Justin1 Comment

Solar Energy Harvested From Space Is The Future

Researchers have made progress towards harvesting solar energy in space and transmitting it to Earth. A satellite launched in January successfully beamed power in a microwave to targets in space and even sent some power to a detector on Earth. The California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the experiment's builder, announced this achievement on 1 June. Sanjay Vijendran from the European Space Agency (ESA) said, "No one has done this before. They're demonstrating this capability and bringing credibility to the topic."Space-based solar power has faced the challenge of credibility. To match the power output of a coal or nuclear power station, a satellite would need a vast collection area spanning kilometers, requiring numerous launches and assembly in orbit. NASA attempted a demonstrat...

52 Starlink Satellites Were Launched Into Orbit by SpaceX

12Jun

By Justin2 Comments

SpaceX

52 Starlink Satellites Were Launched Into Orbit by SpaceX

Early Monday morning, SpaceX successfully launched a batch of Starlink satellites into orbit. The event took place at 3:10 a.m. EDT (0710 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Falcon 9 rocket carried 52 Starlink spacecraft, and this was the first of two planned launches for SpaceX on that day.After liftoff, the Falcon 9's first stage returned to Earth approximately 8.5 minutes later. It performed a precise landing on the SpaceX droneship called A Shortfall of Gravitas, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This marked the ninth launch and landing for this specific booster, according to SpaceX.Meanwhile, the rocket's upper stage continued its journey, carrying the 52 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. They were ultimately deployed approximately 65 mi...

Astronomers Study Nearby Pulsar Called B1055-52

12Jun

By JustinNo Comments

Hubble

Astronomers Study Nearby Pulsar Called B1055-52

Astronomers recently conducted an in-depth study of the pulsar B1055-52 using advanced satellites and telescopes. Pulsars, such as B1055-52, are highly magnetized rotating neutron stars that emit electromagnetic radiation. While commonly detected through radio telescopes, this pulsar's unique characteristics allowed for observations in optical, X-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths.Previous research suggests that B1055-52 is located within a distance of approximately 2,300 light years from Earth. With a spin period of 197 milliseconds, a spin-down age of about 535,000 years, and a spin-down power of 30 decillion erg/s, B1055-52 possesses an intense surface magnetic field at 1.1 TG.To better understand B1055-52's X-ray spectral parameters and fluxes, a team of astronomers, led by Bettina...

GRB 221009A: Brightest Cosmic Explosion with Unique Features

11Jun

By JustinNo Comments

NASA

GRB 221009A: Brightest Cosmic Explosion with Unique Features

Discovering GRB 221009A, the brightest gamma-ray burst ever recorded, has ignited scientific curiosity. This remarkable event, observed on October 9, 2022, surpassed all previous records in luminosity and energy. In this article, we delve into the unique characteristics of GRB 221009A and the insights gained from NASA's NuSTAR observatory, shedding light on the enigmatic world of gamma-ray bursts.Unveiling GRB 221009A: The Brightest Burst on RecordGRB 221009A, nicknamed BOAT (Brightest Of All Time), astounded scientists with its extraordinary brightness and energy. Follow-up studies revealed that GRB 221009A was 70 times brighter and significantly more energetic than any previously observed gamma-ray burst. Despite the ongoing quest to understand the reasons behind this exceptional...

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base

11Jun

By Justin2 Comments

SpaceX

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base

SpaceX is all set for an exciting rocket launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Monday, June 12. The eagerly awaited event will take place within a launch window that opens at 2:19 p.m., providing a captivating spectacle.This anticipated launch is an integral part of SpaceX's Transporter-8 mission, which primarily focuses on the deployment of small satellites. The mighty Falcon 9 rocket will carry an impressive payload of 72 items on this mission, including CubeSats, MicroSats, a re-entry capsule, and orbital transfer vehicles. These advanced vehicles are tasked with transporting the spacecraft to their intended destinations for future deployment.In case of any unforeseen circumstances on Monday, SpaceX has a backup opportunity scheduled for Tuesday, June 13 at precisely 2:19 p...

JO206: The Enchanting Jellyfish Galaxy Revealed by Hubble

11Jun

By Justin3 Comments

Hubble

JO206: The Enchanting Jellyfish Galaxy Revealed by Hubble

Witness the awe-inspiring jellyfish galaxy JO206 as it glides across this captivating image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. The vibrant star-forming disk of JO206, encircled by a delicate and luminous dust cloud, takes center stage. Against a dark backdrop, a few prominent foreground stars with mesmerizing diffraction spikes catch our attention at the bottom of the image. Located in the constellation Aquarius, JO206 resides an astonishing distance of over 700 million light-years away from Earth.Jellyfish galaxies get their name from their striking resemblance to the graceful marine creatures. In this image, you can see long tendrils of bright star formation trailing behind JO206's disk, reminiscent of the tentacles trailing behind a jellyfish.These distinctive tendrils ar...

Artemis 3 Delay Concerns: NASA Worried About Starship Problems

11Jun

By Justin1 Comment

SpaceX

Artemis 3 Delay Concerns: NASA Worried About Starship Problems

NASA is expressing concerns about potential delays in the highly anticipated Artemis 3 mission due to issues with SpaceX's Starship vehicle. The agency is worried that the lunar lander version of the Starship may not be ready in time.During a joint meeting on June 7, Jim Free, NASA's associate administrator for exploration systems development, shared the possibility of a delay in the Artemis 3 timeline. This mission holds significant importance as it marks the return of humans to the moon after more than 50 years. The original target of December 2025 might need to be pushed back to 2026.The main concern revolves around the number of launches required for SpaceX to prepare the Starship for Artemis 3. Each mission involves launching the Starship lander itself, along with several addi...

Star Formation Persists in 30 Doradus Despite Magnetic Fields

11Jun

By Justin1 Comment

NASA

Star Formation Persists in 30 Doradus Despite Magnetic Fields

At the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), Astronomers and researchers discovered the magnetic fields in 30 Doradus, which is a region of ionized hydrogen at the heard of the cloud, could be the key to it's surprising behavior.30 Doradus, also known as the Tarantula Nebula, derives most of its energy from the massive star cluster at its center called R136. This cluster is responsible for creating multiple expanding shells of matter within the nebula. However, within approximately 25 parsecs of R136, there are some intriguing phenomena occurring in this region of 30 Doradus.A recent study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, utilized SOFIA's High-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera Plus (HAWC+) to investigate the interplay between magnetic fields and gravit...

NASA Faces Challenges With New Spending Caps

10Jun

By Justin1 Comment

NASA

NASA Faces Challenges With New Spending Caps

NASA and officials from the U.S. Congress are currently trying to understand the impact of a recent agreement on the debt ceiling. This agreement includes spending limits and suggests that NASA may receive less funding than it originally requested for 2024.The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, signed into law by President Biden on June 3, suspends the debt ceiling until the end of 2024. This allows the government to continue borrowing money and prevents a financial crisis. As part of the agreement, the bill sets a cap on non-defense discretionary spending for the fiscal year 2024, keeping it at 2023 levels. The cap will then increase by 1% for 2025.However, the specific effect of these new spending limits on individual agencies is still uncertain. The cap doesn't apply equally acr...

Lockheed Martin Cancels Plan to Acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne

9Jun

By JustinNo Comments

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin Cancels Plan to Acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne

On February 13, Lockheed Martin made an announcement stating that it has chosen to cancel its $4.4 billion agreement to acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne, a manufacturer of rocket engines.This decision was made less than three weeks after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit aiming to prevent the acquisition. In December 2020, Lockheed Martin had initially expressed its intention to purchase Aerojet Rocketdyne, which happens to be the final independent supplier of missile propulsion systems in the United States.The FTC, voting unanimously at 4-0 last month, sought an injunction to block the transaction on the basis of antitrust concerns. Their argument was that if the deal went through, Lockheed would gain the ability to monopolize critical components necessary for the const...