In pics: Moon sculptures, NFTs at futuristic Art Basel fair

Despite its prominent position in the night sky, Moon is a desolate landscape. The surface of Earth's only satellite appears mottled with great many impacts from space rocks. But there is water on Moon.

While our plans to take out-of-the-world dip on the lunar swimming pool may need a patient rethink, China's Chang'E-5 lunar has an important thing to tell us. The lunar lander has determined that the water found on Moon is indeed native to the Moon!

The researchers analysing lunar samples on Earth have published their findings in paper in Nature Communications and have confirmed the native origin of water on the Moon.

Water and Hydroxyl have been found in the lunar soil samples taken from Apollo missions. Hydroxyl has one Hydrogen atom associated with one Oxygen atom.

Some theories say that Hydroxyl ion on the Moon are mainly formed due to Hydrogen atoms in the Solar wind that hits the Moon.

The research paper said that while one-third of the Hydroxyl ions in the sample taken by Chang'E came from solar wind, rest of the Hydroxyl content came from a mineral on the Moon called apatite. In other words, water found on Moon is native to the Moon!

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Despite its prominent position in the night sky, Moon is a desolate landscape. The surface of Earth's only satellite appears mottled with great many impacts from space rocks.

Despite its prominent position in the night sky, Moon is a desolate landscape. The surface of Earth's only satellite appears mottled with great many impacts from space rocks. But there is water on Moon. While our plans to take out-of-the-world dip on the lunar swimming pool may need a patient rethink, China's Chang'E-5 lunar has an important thing to tell us. The lunar lander has determined that the water found on Moon is indeed native to the Moon! The researchers analysing lunar samples on Earth have published their findings in paper in Nature Communications and have confirmed the native origin of water on the Moon. Water and Hydroxyl have been found in the lunar soil samples taken from Apollo missions. Hydroxyl has one Hydrogen atom associated with one Oxygen atom. Some theories say that Hydroxyl ion on the Moon are mainly formed due to Hydrogen atoms in the Solar wind that hits the Moon. The research paper said that while one-third of the Hydroxyl ions in the sample taken by Chang'E came from solar wind, rest of the Hydroxyl content came from a mineral on the Moon called apatite. In other words, water found on Moon is native to the Moon! You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

It's confirmed, water on Moon is native to it

The Moon holds a special place in the minds of several people on Earth. To explore it, man has sent numerous probes and astronauts to the heavenly body. It seems the efforts have paid off as the Chinese researchers have been able to come up with a new and detailed geological map of the Moon, media reports said.&nbsp;This map, which was released by China, gives details of several craters and structures, which were never charted earlier. It is the most detailed till now, claim these experts. It may help in conducting further studies on the Moon, Chinese state media reported on Wednesday.

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China has released a new comprehensive geologic map of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Moon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Moon</a> to a scale of 1:2,500,000, the most detailed to date. (CGTN) <a href="https://t.co/TPWk110CqR">pic.twitter.com/TPWk110CqR</a>
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“China has released a new comprehensive geologic map of the Moon to a scale of 1:2500000, the most detailed to date. The map includes 12,341 impact craters, 81 impact basins, 17 rock types and 14 types of structures, providing abundant information about geology of the Moon and its evolution,” said a report by Chinese national broadcaster CGTN on Wednesday. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/no-need-to-panic-james-webb-space-telescope-experiences-micrometeoroid-impact-for-first-time-486406" hreflang="en">No need to panic? James Webb Space Telescope experiences micrometeoroid impact for first time</a>

For the first time, the map was published in a Chinese science journal known as ‘Science Bulletin’ a week ago. “It is expected to make a great contribution to scientific research, exploration and landing site selection on the Moon,” the report said. &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;What are solar flares?

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This map is the result of the contribution of Chinese scientists belonging to several research institutes. This “high resolution topographic map” is based on the data provided by the Chinese lunar exploration ‘Chang’e project’ and the data and findings of other studies carried out by international organisations. The project of the map was spearheaded by the Institute of Geochemistry under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. &nbsp;

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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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The Moon holds a special place in the minds of several people on Earth. To explore it, man has sent numerous probes and astronauts to the heavenly body. It seems the efforts have paid off as the Chinese researchers have been able to come up with a new and detailed geological map of the Moon, media reports said.

The Moon holds a special place in the minds of several people on Earth. To explore it, man has sent numerous probes and astronauts to the heavenly body. It seems the efforts have paid off as the Chinese researchers have been able to come up with a new and detailed geological map of the Moon, media reports said. This map, which was released by China, gives details of several craters and structures, which were never charted earlier. It is the most detailed till now, claim these experts. It may help in conducting further studies on the Moon, Chinese state media reported on Wednesday. China has released a new comprehensive geologic map of the #Moon to a scale of 1:2,500,000, the most detailed to date. (CGTN) pic.twitter.com/TPWk110CqR — Eddie Du (@Edourdooo) June 8, 2022 × “China has released a new comprehensive geologic map of the Moon to a scale of 1:2500000, the most detailed to date. The map includes 12,341 impact craters, 81 impact basins, 17 rock types and 14 types of structures, providing abundant information about geology of the Moon and its evolution,” said a report by Chinese national broadcaster CGTN on Wednesday. Also Read: No need to panic? James Webb Space Telescope experiences micrometeoroid impact for first time For the first time, the map was published in a Chinese science journal known as ‘Science Bulletin’ a week ago. “It is expected to make a great contribution to scientific research, exploration and landing site selection on the Moon,” the report said. Watch: What are solar flares? This map is the result of the contribution of Chinese scientists belonging to several research institutes. This “high resolution topographic map” is based on the data provided by the Chinese lunar exploration ‘Chang’e project’ and the data and findings of other studies carried out by international organisations. The project of the map was spearheaded by the Institute of Geochemistry under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Watch WION's live TV here: (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Unravelling new craters, structures: Moon’s most detailed, comprehensive geologic map unveiled by experts

NASA has picked two space companies under its Artemis programme—&nbsp;the agency’s flagship initiative to send humans back to the lunar surface— to develop the next-generation spacesuits for future astronauts to conduct spacewalks and eventually traverse the surface of the Moon.

Apart from the astronauts, these lunar suits made by Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace will also be worn by crew members living and working on the International Space Station.&nbsp;

The contracts were awarded by NASA as part of its strategy of growing commercial partnerships.

"With these awards, NASA and our partners will develop advanced, reliable spacesuits that allow humans to explore the cosmos unlike ever before," said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, in a statement.

"By partnering with industry, we are efficiently advancing the necessary technology to keep Americans on a path of successful discovery on the International Space Station and as we set our sights on exploring the lunar surface."

Under the Artemis programme, NASA seeks to land the first woman and the first person of colour at the lunar south pole by 2025, and eventually prepare for landing crewed missions on Mars.

Experts from NASA have developed the required safety and technical standards for the spacesuits. Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace will design, develop and potentially produce the suits and any necessary equipment for the space station crew and Artemis astronauts.

The suits are expected to be ready by the mid-2020s. “The new suits and their capabilities will "help us explore more of the moon than we ever have before," Lindsay Aitchison, program executive for NASA's Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility program, told CNN.

"We will be able to have these capabilities tested, and they'll be tested before our astronauts are being used on orbit or either on the surface of the moon," Wyche said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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NASA has picked two space companies under its Artemis programme— the agency’s flagship initiative to send humans back to the lunar surface— to develop the next-generation spacesuits for future astronauts to conduct spacewalks and eventually traverse the surface of the Moon.

NASA has picked two space companies under its Artemis programme— the agency’s flagship initiative to send humans back to the lunar surface— to develop the next-generation spacesuits for future astronauts to conduct spacewalks and eventually traverse the surface of the Moon. Apart from the astronauts, these lunar suits made by Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace will also be worn by crew members living and working on the International Space Station. The contracts were awarded by NASA as part of its strategy of growing commercial partnerships. "With these awards, NASA and our partners will develop advanced, reliable spacesuits that allow humans to explore the cosmos unlike ever before," said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, in a statement. "By partnering with industry, we are efficiently advancing the necessary technology to keep Americans on a path of successful discovery on the International Space Station and as we set our sights on exploring the lunar surface." Under the Artemis programme, NASA seeks to land the first woman and the first person of colour at the lunar south pole by 2025, and eventually prepare for landing crewed missions on Mars. Experts from NASA have developed the required safety and technical standards for the spacesuits. Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace will design, develop and potentially produce the suits and any necessary equipment for the space station crew and Artemis astronauts. The suits are expected to be ready by the mid-2020s. “The new suits and their capabilities will "help us explore more of the moon than we ever have before," Lindsay Aitchison, program executive for NASA's Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility program, told CNN. "We will be able to have these capabilities tested, and they'll be tested before our astronauts are being used on orbit or either on the surface of the moon," Wyche said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NASA selects two companies to build next-generation lunar spacesuits

The plans to build a civilisation or at least a colony on the Mars or Moon has been a long-time idea for both scientists and entrepreneurs. While the idea has always existed, the logistics have been the main problem, but it seems that we may have a major solution. A new set of experiences have revealed that a combination of dust from moon or Mars and saltwater can be create the perfect material to create buildings in space. In order to produce the desired product, the mixture needs to be heated at a high temperature so that they create a solid structure mimicking a brick.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/man-pays-4255-for-tellytubby-toy-after-son-accused-of-breaking-it-in-hong-kong-store-482352" hreflang="en">Man pays $4,255 for Tellytubby toy after son accused of breaking it in Hong Kong store</a>

The observation was made by Ranajay Ghosh and his team at the University of Central Florida. They conducted an experiment to see if regolith – dust from moon rocks – can be used to create a sturdy structure. However, the problem will be finding the heat source in order to bake them properly.

This is the not the first paper to suggest this phenomenon as research published in Materials Today Bio said that blood can actually be used as a binding agent to create structures with space dust.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-putins-ally-says-ukraine-closedpoland-next-in-a-chilling-new-video-482354">Russian President Putin’s ally says ‘Ukraine closed…Poland next’ in new video</a>

"Scientists have been trying to develop viable technologies to produce concrete-like materials on the surface of Mars, but we never stopped to think that the answer might be inside us all along," said materials engineer Aled Roberts of the University of Manchester in the UK according to NewScience.

In the future, if there is a possibility of creating structures in the space, it will be near impossible to carry the bricks and these new findings can hold the key to building the new civilisation in space.

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The plans to build a civilisation or at least a colony on the Mars or Moon has been a long-time idea for both scientists and entrepreneurs. While the idea has always existed, the logistics have been the main problem, but it seems that we may have a major solution.

The plans to build a civilisation or at least a colony on the Mars or Moon has been a long-time idea for both scientists and entrepreneurs. While the idea has always existed, the logistics have been the main problem, but it seems that we may have a major solution. A new set of experiences have revealed that a combination of dust from moon or Mars and saltwater can be create the perfect material to create buildings in space. In order to produce the desired product, the mixture needs to be heated at a high temperature so that they create a solid structure mimicking a brick. Also read | Man pays $4,255 for Tellytubby toy after son accused of breaking it in Hong Kong store The observation was made by Ranajay Ghosh and his team at the University of Central Florida. They conducted an experiment to see if regolith – dust from moon rocks – can be used to create a sturdy structure. However, the problem will be finding the heat source in order to bake them properly. This is the not the first paper to suggest this phenomenon as research published in Materials Today Bio said that blood can actually be used as a binding agent to create structures with space dust. Also read | Russian President Putin’s ally says ‘Ukraine closed…Poland next’ in new video "Scientists have been trying to develop viable technologies to produce concrete-like materials on the surface of Mars, but we never stopped to think that the answer might be inside us all along," said materials engineer Aled Roberts of the University of Manchester in the UK according to NewScience. In the future, if there is a possibility of creating structures in the space, it will be near impossible to carry the bricks and these new findings can hold the key to building the new civilisation in space. WATCH WION LIVE HERE -

How to make buildings in space? Dust from the Moon and Mars can help

In a new discovery, scientists have grown plants in lunar soil. Farming on the moon to be possible now? Watch this report to know more.

Farming on the moon now possible? Scientists grow plants in lunar soil

Not just Earth, the soil of Moon is also fertile enough to grow plants successfully, proved scientists through a study after achieving the feat for the first time in history. The research, which was funded by NASA, was published in ‘Communications Biology’ on Thursday. The discovery comes as a breakthrough to give the possibility of harvesting plants on the moon in the future, NASA said. &nbsp;

In a statement on Thursday, Rob Ferl, who is one of the authors of the study, said, "We wanted to do this experiment because, for years, we were asking this question: Would plants grow in lunar soil. The answer, it turns out, is yes." &nbsp;

To conduct the experiment, NASA provided the soil of Moon, which is also called lunar regolith, to the researchers at the University of Florida. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-super-long-blood-moon-is-gonna-grace-the-skies-soon-heres-how-you-can-see-it-478343" hreflang="en">A super-long blood moon is gonna grace the skies soon. Here's how you can see it</a>

The soil given for the experiment had come from Apollo 11, 12 and 17 missions to the Moon. &nbsp;

All the plants had germinated within 48 to 60 hours, as per the study. &nbsp;

Anna-Lisa Paul, another author of the study, said, "We were amazed. We did not predict that. That told us that the lunar soils didn't interrupt the hormones and signals involved in plant germination."&nbsp; &nbsp;

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For the first time ever, scientists have grown plants in lunar soil. 
 
This <a href="https://twitter.com/UF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UF</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/NASASpaceSci?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASASpaceSci</a> experiment using Apollo Moon samples could shape the future of sustainable astronaut missions to deep space. Dig into the story: <a href="https://t.co/ZtUvowKi8e">https://t.co/ZtUvowKi8e</a> <a href="https://t.co/PWGzev7lmN">pic.twitter.com/PWGzev7lmN</a>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1524785623378317313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
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With around a gram of lunar soil, the researchers potted the plants in plastic plates with thimble-sized wells. The soil was moistened with a nutrient solution and thale cress seeds were added. The trays were then put into terrarium boxes by the researchers. &nbsp;

Nutrient solution was added daily, NASA said. A control group had also used volcanic ash as soil. &nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Decoding UFOs: What do we know about ‘flying saucers’?

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By the sixth day, the plants began to grow differently in lunar soil than the control group. The plants in Moon soil grew slower and displayed "stunted roots, the researchers found. “Additionally, some had stunted leaves and sported reddish pigmentation," NASA said. &nbsp;

After tests were conducted on the completion of 20 days, the plants in lunar soil were found to be under stress, NASA said. &nbsp;

The research is key to understanding "how plants might overcome stressful conditions in food-scarce areas here on Earth," NASA administrator Bill Nelson said.&nbsp;

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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Not just Earth, the soil of Moon is also fertile enough to grow plants successfully, proved scientists through a study after achieving the feat for the first time in history.

Not just Earth, the soil of Moon is also fertile enough to grow plants successfully, proved scientists through a study after achieving the feat for the first time in history. The research, which was funded by NASA, was published in ‘Communications Biology’ on Thursday. The discovery comes as a breakthrough to give the possibility of harvesting plants on the moon in the future, NASA said. In a statement on Thursday, Rob Ferl, who is one of the authors of the study, said, "We wanted to do this experiment because, for years, we were asking this question: Would plants grow in lunar soil. The answer, it turns out, is yes." To conduct the experiment, NASA provided the soil of Moon, which is also called lunar regolith, to the researchers at the University of Florida. Also Read: A super-long blood moon is gonna grace the skies soon. Here's how you can see it The soil given for the experiment had come from Apollo 11, 12 and 17 missions to the Moon. All the plants had germinated within 48 to 60 hours, as per the study. Anna-Lisa Paul, another author of the study, said, "We were amazed. We did not predict that. That told us that the lunar soils didn't interrupt the hormones and signals involved in plant germination." For the first time ever, scientists have grown plants in lunar soil. This @UF and @NASASpaceSci experiment using Apollo Moon samples could shape the future of sustainable astronaut missions to deep space. Dig into the story: https://t.co/ZtUvowKi8e pic.twitter.com/PWGzev7lmN — NASA (@NASA) May 12, 2022 × With around a gram of lunar soil, the researchers potted the plants in plastic plates with thimble-sized wells. The soil was moistened with a nutrient solution and thale cress seeds were added. The trays were then put into terrarium boxes by the researchers. Nutrient solution was added daily, NASA said. A control group had also used volcanic ash as soil. Watch | Decoding UFOs: What do we know about ‘flying saucers’? By the sixth day, the plants began to grow differently in lunar soil than the control group. The plants in Moon soil grew slower and displayed "stunted roots, the researchers found. “Additionally, some had stunted leaves and sported reddish pigmentation," NASA said. After tests were conducted on the completion of 20 days, the plants in lunar soil were found to be under stress, NASA said. The research is key to understanding "how plants might overcome stressful conditions in food-scarce areas here on Earth," NASA administrator Bill Nelson said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE (With inputs from agencies)

Astonishing discovery! Not just Earth, Moon’s soil fertile enough to grow plants successfully

Skywatchers across the globe will get to witness an amazing spectacle; a long-lasting blood moon in a few days.

It is a total lunar eclipse and will be fully visible from portions of the Americas, Antarctica, Europe, Africa and the East Pacific.&nbsp;

The full moon will be totally eclipsed by our planet, bathing the lunar surface in shades of deep red; hence the name 'Blood Moon'.

Watch |&nbsp;Universe: After 13.8 billion years, it's time to slow down

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It is all set to happen on the 15th and 16th of May and as per reports, the event will be grander than usual. Moon will be near its perigee or at the point closest to Earth, which means it will appear a bit larger in the sky, a phenomenon called Supermoon.

As per National Geographic, the Earth's shadow will cast the moon a deep red colour and this amazing phenomenon will be visible for nearly 1.5 hours.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-blood-moon-of-2022-what-is-it-and-why-ancient-civilisations-feared-it-476857">First Blood Moon of 2022: What is it and why ancient civilisations feared it</a>

The total phase of the eclipse during which the moon will be its deepest red will begin around 3:29 am GMT on May 16 and last up till 4:54 am GMT the same day.

For those who are not in the locations where this breathtaking phenomenon will be visible a number of live streams on the internet can save you from the FOMO.

Here are some:

On May 16, NASA's Science Live YouTube webcast will begin at 01:32 am&nbsp;GMT.

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Slooh, a remotely managed online telescope astronomy service, will offer its own webcast on YouTube beginning at 01:30 GMT on May 16th.

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The famous Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles will hold a live lunar eclipse viewing party via a Livestream from the historic observatory.

According to the observatory, the Livestream will begin at 02:35 GMT and end at 07:50 GMT.

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What will happen during the lunar eclipse?

The Sun, the Moon and the Earth will line up properly, with Moon passing into Earth's shadow. Interestingly, this doesn't happen with Moon's every revolution around our planet, but roughly three times a year.&nbsp;

How to see it?

Unlike a solar eclipse, you do not need a special piece of equipment to see this eclipse, you can view it with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.

Skywatchers across the globe will get to witness an amazing spectacle; a long-lasting blood moon in a few days. It is a total lunar eclipse and will be fully visible from portions of the Americas, Antarctica, Europe, Africa and the East Pacific.

Skywatchers across the globe will get to witness an amazing spectacle; a long-lasting blood moon in a few days. It is a total lunar eclipse and will be fully visible from portions of the Americas, Antarctica, Europe, Africa and the East Pacific. The full moon will be totally eclipsed by our planet, bathing the lunar surface in shades of deep red; hence the name 'Blood Moon'. Watch | Universe: After 13.8 billion years, it's time to slow down It is all set to happen on the 15th and 16th of May and as per reports, the event will be grander than usual. Moon will be near its perigee or at the point closest to Earth, which means it will appear a bit larger in the sky, a phenomenon called Supermoon. As per National Geographic, the Earth's shadow will cast the moon a deep red colour and this amazing phenomenon will be visible for nearly 1.5 hours. Also read | First Blood Moon of 2022: What is it and why ancient civilisations feared it The total phase of the eclipse during which the moon will be its deepest red will begin around 3:29 am GMT on May 16 and last up till 4:54 am GMT the same day. For those who are not in the locations where this breathtaking phenomenon will be visible a number of live streams on the internet can save you from the FOMO. Here are some: On May 16, NASA's Science Live YouTube webcast will begin at 01:32 am GMT. × Slooh, a remotely managed online telescope astronomy service, will offer its own webcast on YouTube beginning at 01:30 GMT on May 16th. × The famous Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles will hold a live lunar eclipse viewing party via a Livestream from the historic observatory. According to the observatory, the Livestream will begin at 02:35 GMT and end at 07:50 GMT. × What will happen during the lunar eclipse? The Sun, the Moon and the Earth will line up properly, with Moon passing into Earth's shadow. Interestingly, this doesn't happen with Moon's every revolution around our planet, but roughly three times a year. How to see it? Unlike a solar eclipse, you do not need a special piece of equipment to see this eclipse, you can view it with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.

A super-long blood moon is gonna grace the skies soon. Here's how you can see it

Space has its own rules. But Canada seems to be looking to form its own regulations for the vast area too. &nbsp;

A measure has been recently proposed in the Canadian Parliament to make committing crimes illegal for astronauts from the nation on the moon or in the orbit. &nbsp;

The measure will bring astronauts under the purview of law and will make sure laws are not broken in space.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The measure was also partially included in the 2022 federal budget implementation bill of the Canadian government. It was presented to Parliament on April 28 as well. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-posts-amazing-photo-of-recent-solar-flare-was-it-harmful-for-us-on-earth-476584" hreflang="en">NASA posts amazing photo of recent solar flare. Was this release harmful for us on Earth?</a>&nbsp;

"A Canadian crew member who, during a space flight, commits an act or omission outside Canada that if committed in Canada would constitute an indictable offense is deemed to have committed that act or omission in Canada," it said. &nbsp;

The same is also true for the crimes committed "on the surface of the moon," the bill said. &nbsp;

This kind of legal framework is already observed on the International Space Station (ISS). &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Decoding UFOs: What do we know about ‘flying saucers’?

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"The basic rule is that 'each partner shall retain jurisdiction and control over the elements it registers and over personnel in or on the Space Station, who are its nationals. This legal regime recognises the jurisdiction of the Partner States's courts and allows the application of national laws in such areas as criminal matters, liability issues, and protection of intellectual property rights," according to the ESA. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It means if an American astronaut breaks a law, he will be tried under US law and a Russian under the law of his country and so on. &nbsp;&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Space has its own rules. But Canada seems to be looking to form its own regulations for the vast area too. A measure has been recently proposed in the Canadian Parliament to make committing crimes illegal for astronauts from the nation on the moon or in the orbit.

Space has its own rules. But Canada seems to be looking to form its own regulations for the vast area too. A measure has been recently proposed in the Canadian Parliament to make committing crimes illegal for astronauts from the nation on the moon or in the orbit. The measure will bring astronauts under the purview of law and will make sure laws are not broken in space. The measure was also partially included in the 2022 federal budget implementation bill of the Canadian government. It was presented to Parliament on April 28 as well. Also Read: NASA posts amazing photo of recent solar flare. Was this release harmful for us on Earth? "A Canadian crew member who, during a space flight, commits an act or omission outside Canada that if committed in Canada would constitute an indictable offense is deemed to have committed that act or omission in Canada," it said. The same is also true for the crimes committed "on the surface of the moon," the bill said. This kind of legal framework is already observed on the International Space Station (ISS). Watch: Decoding UFOs: What do we know about ‘flying saucers’? × "The basic rule is that 'each partner shall retain jurisdiction and control over the elements it registers and over personnel in or on the Space Station, who are its nationals. This legal regime recognises the jurisdiction of the Partner States's courts and allows the application of national laws in such areas as criminal matters, liability issues, and protection of intellectual property rights," according to the ESA. It means if an American astronaut breaks a law, he will be tried under US law and a Russian under the law of his country and so on. WATCH WION LIVE HERE (With inputs from agencies)

Committing crimes on Moon or in orbit may turn illegal for Canadian astronauts soon

We've grown up learning about photosynthesis i.e., the ability of plants to turn carbon dioxide into oxygen.&nbsp;

But do you know that Moon's soil can turn carbon dioxide into oxygen and fuels too?

According to a team of scientists at the Nanjing University in China, lunar soil contains compounds that can achieve this.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-astronaut-team-departs-iss-to-come-back-to-earth-476702" hreflang="en">NASA astronaut team departs ISS to come back to Earth</a>

In an article published in the journal Joule, the scientists proposed an "extraterrestrial photosynthesis" technique based on their findings.&nbsp;It primarily employs lunar soil to electrolyse water taken from the moon and in astronauts' breathing exhaust turning it&nbsp;into oxygen and hydrogen using sunlight as a source of energy.

The observation is based on lunar soil samples brought back to Earth by China's Chang'e 5 spacecraft. It was found that the soil contains iron-rich and titanium-rich substances that can potentially act as a catalyst to make the desired product like Oxygen using Sunlight and carbon dioxide.

According to the researchers, the technique employs just sunlight to produce a number of useful goods including water, oxygen, and fuel that may support life on a Moonbase.

Watch |&nbsp;All the times humanity tried to communicate with aliens

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Researchers are now looking for a way to put the technology to the test in space, most likely with one of China's future crewed lunar expeditions.

Many solutions for extraterrestrial survival have previously been offered by scientists. However, the majority of designs require energy from the Earth.

"We use in-situ environmental resources to minimise rocket payload, and our strategy provides a scenario for a sustainable and affordable extraterrestrial living environment," varsity researcher Yingfang Yao stated.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-posts-amazing-photo-of-recent-solar-flare-was-it-harmful-for-us-on-earth-476584" hreflang="en">NASA posts amazing photo of recent solar flare. Was this release harmful for us on Earth?</a>

The Perseverance Mars rover, for example, carries a piece of equipment that can exploit carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

While lunar soil's catalytic effectiveness is lower than that of Earth-based catalysts, Yao says the team is experimenting with several techniques to improve the design.

Watch WION LIVE HERE:

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

(With inputs from agencies)

We've grown up learning about photosynthesis i.e., the ability of plants to turn carbon dioxide into oxygen. But do you know that Moon's soil can turn carbon dioxide into oxygen and fuels too?

We've grown up learning about photosynthesis i.e., the ability of plants to turn carbon dioxide into oxygen. But do you know that Moon's soil can turn carbon dioxide into oxygen and fuels too? According to a team of scientists at the Nanjing University in China, lunar soil contains compounds that can achieve this. Also read | NASA astronaut team departs ISS to come back to Earth In an article published in the journal Joule, the scientists proposed an "extraterrestrial photosynthesis" technique based on their findings. It primarily employs lunar soil to electrolyse water taken from the moon and in astronauts' breathing exhaust turning it into oxygen and hydrogen using sunlight as a source of energy. The observation is based on lunar soil samples brought back to Earth by China's Chang'e 5 spacecraft. It was found that the soil contains iron-rich and titanium-rich substances that can potentially act as a catalyst to make the desired product like Oxygen using Sunlight and carbon dioxide. According to the researchers, the technique employs just sunlight to produce a number of useful goods including water, oxygen, and fuel that may support life on a Moonbase. Watch | All the times humanity tried to communicate with aliens Researchers are now looking for a way to put the technology to the test in space, most likely with one of China's future crewed lunar expeditions. Many solutions for extraterrestrial survival have previously been offered by scientists. However, the majority of designs require energy from the Earth. "We use in-situ environmental resources to minimise rocket payload, and our strategy provides a scenario for a sustainable and affordable extraterrestrial living environment," varsity researcher Yingfang Yao stated. Also read | NASA posts amazing photo of recent solar flare. Was this release harmful for us on Earth? The Perseverance Mars rover, for example, carries a piece of equipment that can exploit carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. While lunar soil's catalytic effectiveness is lower than that of Earth-based catalysts, Yao says the team is experimenting with several techniques to improve the design. Watch WION LIVE HERE: (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists find proof of 'extraterrestrial photosynthesis'. Here's what it is, how it can help us

It is a known fact that Moon affects tides of the seas. The vast oceans on the Earth's surface are affected by effect of Moon's gravity. This is common knowledge with school textbooks across the world teaching this scientifically proven fact that has been observed for centuries before the scientific age.

But our only natural satellite may also be 'siphoning off' water for itself. A study says that water on Moon may originally have been on Earth!

There are various theories as to how molecules of water reached the lunar surface. Suggestions like imapact of water-rich asteroids and comets have been made to explain presence of water on the Moon.

But this new study puts forth an interesting idea. The research suggests that Hydrogen and Oxygen ions escaped from the Earth's atmosphere fuse again to form water on the surface of the Moon.

But how can such a seemingly unbelievable thing actually take place.

The research suggests that the process takes place when Moon passes through the tail of Earth's magnetosphere (A teardrop shaped bubble formed due to Earth's magnetic field).

When solar wind hits Earth's protective magnetic field, some of the magnetic lines of force are broken. When the Moon passes through the tail of the magnetosphere, some broken magnetic lines get fixed. This results in what is called a 'shower' of Hydrogen and Oxygen ions. These ions fuse to form water on the surface of the Moon.

This research has been published in journal Scientific Reports.

It is a known fact that Moon affects tides of the seas. The vast oceans on the Earth's surface are affected by effect of Moon's gravity. This is common knowledge with school textbooks across the world teaching this scientifically proven fact that has been observed for centuries before the scientific age.

It is a known fact that Moon affects tides of the seas. The vast oceans on the Earth's surface are affected by effect of Moon's gravity. This is common knowledge with school textbooks across the world teaching this scientifically proven fact that has been observed for centuries before the scientific age. But our only natural satellite may also be 'siphoning off' water for itself. A study says that water on Moon may originally have been on Earth! There are various theories as to how molecules of water reached the lunar surface. Suggestions like imapact of water-rich asteroids and comets have been made to explain presence of water on the Moon. But this new study puts forth an interesting idea. The research suggests that Hydrogen and Oxygen ions escaped from the Earth's atmosphere fuse again to form water on the surface of the Moon. But how can such a seemingly unbelievable thing actually take place. The research suggests that the process takes place when Moon passes through the tail of Earth's magnetosphere (A teardrop shaped bubble formed due to Earth's magnetic field). When solar wind hits Earth's protective magnetic field, some of the magnetic lines of force are broken. When the Moon passes through the tail of the magnetosphere, some broken magnetic lines get fixed. This results in what is called a 'shower' of Hydrogen and Oxygen ions. These ions fuse to form water on the surface of the Moon. This research has been published in journal Scientific Reports.

Moon may be 'stealing' Earth's water for itself, here is how

Muslims throughout the world will be celebrating Eid al-Fitr or Meethi Eid with the first sighting of the crescent moon after fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.&nbsp;

After the month-long fast, people look forward to catching sight of the moon and with it, the period of fasting and prayer comes to an end.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-time-for-eid-al-fitr-celebrations-as-ramadan-comes-to-close-475203">In pics: With Ramadan coming to an end, Muslims prepare for Eid al-Fitr worldwide</a>

Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the most important Muslim holidays, is celebrated all around the world.

Traditionally it is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. However, according to Saudi authorities, the Eid moon was not visible in the nation on May 1st, therefore Muslims will now celebrate Eid on May 2, 2022, ending Ramadan tomorrow.

Watch |&nbsp;Muslims across the world begin Eid preparations, thousand of believers offer prayers at the Mecca

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Saudi Arabian Muslims begin fasting a day before those in India. As a result,&nbsp;they sight&nbsp;the Eid moon first.&nbsp;

Because the date of Eid-ul-Fitr has been set for May 2 in Saudi Arabia and other western countries, the holy festival will be celebrated on May 3 in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other countries in the same time zone. The exact time of the moon's appearance in India is still to be confirmed.

There is a chance that Muslims in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other South Asian nations will celebrate Eid on the same day as Gulf countries for the first time, depending on moon sightings in South Asian countries.

Watch WION LIVE HERE:

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

(With inputs from agencies)

Muslims throughout the world will be celebrating Eid al-Fitr or Meethi Eid with the first sighting of the crescent moon after fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.

Muslims throughout the world will be celebrating Eid al-Fitr or Meethi Eid with the first sighting of the crescent moon after fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. After the month-long fast, people look forward to catching sight of the moon and with it, the period of fasting and prayer comes to an end. Also read | In pics: With Ramadan coming to an end, Muslims prepare for Eid al-Fitr worldwide Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the most important Muslim holidays, is celebrated all around the world. Traditionally it is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. However, according to Saudi authorities, the Eid moon was not visible in the nation on May 1st, therefore Muslims will now celebrate Eid on May 2, 2022, ending Ramadan tomorrow. Watch | Muslims across the world begin Eid preparations, thousand of believers offer prayers at the Mecca Saudi Arabian Muslims begin fasting a day before those in India. As a result, they sight the Eid moon first. Because the date of Eid-ul-Fitr has been set for May 2 in Saudi Arabia and other western countries, the holy festival will be celebrated on May 3 in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other countries in the same time zone. The exact time of the moon's appearance in India is still to be confirmed. There is a chance that Muslims in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other South Asian nations will celebrate Eid on the same day as Gulf countries for the first time, depending on moon sightings in South Asian countries. Watch WION LIVE HERE: (With inputs from agencies)

Eid-ul-Fitr 2022: When will India celebrate the festival, and when will the Moon be visible?

The first partial solar eclipse of 2022 took over the skies of South American nation of Chile. The visual of rare eclipse enchanted people to come out of their homes to witness rare sight of moon taking a 'bite' out of sun.

The first partial solar eclipse of 2022 shows rare sight of moon taking a 'bite' out of sun

Who doesn’t love conspiracy theories? UFOs, Area 51 and so many more theories exist to fascinate and entertain us. But sometimes the truth can be even more fascinating than these theories.

How would you react if we told you that the United States spent thousands, nay millions of taxpayers' money on cooking up a plan to nuke the Moon?

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/why-do-we-love-conspiracy-theories-so-much-471184">Conspiracy Theories. Why do we love them so much?</a>

We kid you not. As per a report in Vice.com, the US government’s now-defunct Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) spent millions on this bizarre research and more. Evidently, the research never came to fruition, the Moon is still there as flawed or unflawed as ever.

Reportedly the AATIP even got inspired by everyone’s favourite Harry Potter series and tried to experiment with invisibility cloaks. Other experiments include anti-gravity devices, wormholes through which you can travel and more.

The documents obtained by Vice.com include nearly 1,600 pages of reports, proposals, contracts etc.&nbsp;

Watch | Why do we love conspiracy theories so much?

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Interestingly, the AATIP which was a secret department of the Department of Defense program functioned only for five years, from 2007 to 2012, and became public knowledge because of the New York Times in 2017, when the programme’s former director Luis Elizondo resigned from the Pentagon.

As per the 2017 report $22 million were spent on this programme, and thanks to it the AATIP name became synonymous with UFOs.

However, the newly uncovered documents suggest that the agency was more than just about UFOs.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-us-gun-violence-kills-more-children-than-vehicular-accidents-causes-109-deaths-everyday-473362" hreflang="en">In US, gun violence kills more children than vehicular accidents, causes 109 deaths everyday</a>

The nuking Moon experiment has a pretty weird, outlandish theory behind it.

Authors of research on "negative mass propulsion" propose a proposal to search the Moon's core for incredibly lightweight metals that are "100,000 times lighter than steel", yet nevertheless have the strength of steel. The authors propose creating a tunnel through the lunar crust and mantle with thermonuclear explosives to reach the Moon's core.

Whether the US still plans to drill into the Moon or not remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, it feels like we’re inside a sci-fi novel, but instead of ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’, it’s ‘Thousands of leagues through the Moon’.

Who doesn’t love conspiracy theories? UFOs, Area 51 and so many more theories exist to fascinate and entertain us. But sometimes the truth can be even more fascinating than these theories.

Who doesn’t love conspiracy theories? UFOs, Area 51 and so many more theories exist to fascinate and entertain us. But sometimes the truth can be even more fascinating than these theories. How would you react if we told you that the United States spent thousands, nay millions of taxpayers' money on cooking up a plan to nuke the Moon? Also read | Conspiracy Theories. Why do we love them so much? We kid you not. As per a report in Vice.com, the US government’s now-defunct Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) spent millions on this bizarre research and more. Evidently, the research never came to fruition, the Moon is still there as flawed or unflawed as ever. Reportedly the AATIP even got inspired by everyone’s favourite Harry Potter series and tried to experiment with invisibility cloaks. Other experiments include anti-gravity devices, wormholes through which you can travel and more. The documents obtained by Vice.com include nearly 1,600 pages of reports, proposals, contracts etc. Watch | Why do we love conspiracy theories so much? Interestingly, the AATIP which was a secret department of the Department of Defense program functioned only for five years, from 2007 to 2012, and became public knowledge because of the New York Times in 2017, when the programme’s former director Luis Elizondo resigned from the Pentagon. As per the 2017 report $22 million were spent on this programme, and thanks to it the AATIP name became synonymous with UFOs. However, the newly uncovered documents suggest that the agency was more than just about UFOs. Also read | In US, gun violence kills more children than vehicular accidents, causes 109 deaths everyday The nuking Moon experiment has a pretty weird, outlandish theory behind it. Authors of research on "negative mass propulsion" propose a proposal to search the Moon's core for incredibly lightweight metals that are "100,000 times lighter than steel", yet nevertheless have the strength of steel. The authors propose creating a tunnel through the lunar crust and mantle with thermonuclear explosives to reach the Moon's core. Whether the US still plans to drill into the Moon or not remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, it feels like we’re inside a sci-fi novel, but instead of ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’, it’s ‘Thousands of leagues through the Moon’.

Documents reveals US government's plan to nuke the Moon. Here's why

New research might have finally found why one side of the Moon's surface is different from the other.&nbsp;

The research revealed that one side of the Moon's surface might have been impacted when a massive asteroid slammed into it around 4.3 billion years ago.&nbsp;

A research report published earlier this month revealed that ancient collisions on the Moon's south pole changed patterns of convection in the lunar mantle.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/rare-sighting-as-four-planets-line-up-in-the-sky-in-april-heres-how-to-watch-it-471784">Rare sighting as alignment of four planets will be visible through April. Here's how to watch it</a>

As per International Astronomical Union, there are more than 9,000 visible craters pockmarking the Moon. The craters have been made due to the impacts from meteors, asteroids and comets over billions of years.&nbsp;

However, the marking, or the craters, are not evenly distributed as it has been seen that the far side of the moon comparatively has a higher concentration of craters than the visible near side. The experts claimed that they have found the answer.&nbsp;

As per the latest study published in the journal Science Advances, it has been revealed that the South Pole–Aitken (SPA) basin on the lunar surface would have created a massive plume of heat. The heat probably propagated through the lunar interior.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/carbon-monoxide-levels-spike-due-to-billowing-smoke-from-wildfires-fueled-by-climate-change-study-472180">Carbon monoxide levels spike due to billowing smoke from wildfires fueled by climate change: Study</a>

For the unversed, the SPA basin is an immense impact crater on the far side of the Moon. The report mentioned that the plume would have carried certain materials, which is a suite of rare-Earth and heat-producing elements — to the Moon's nearside.&nbsp;

That concentration of elements might have created the nearside volcanic plains and would also have contributed to the volcanism.&nbsp;

"We know that big impacts like the one that formed SPA would create a lot of heat," said Matt Jones, who is a PhD candidate at Brown University and the study’s lead author.&nbsp;

"The question is how that heat affects the Moon's interior dynamics. What we show is that under any plausible conditions at the time that SPA formed, it ends up concentrating these heat-producing elements on the nearside. We expect that this contributed to the mantle melting that produced the lava flows we see on the surface," Jones added.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

New research might have finally found why one side of the Moon's surface is different from the other. The research revealed that one side of the Moon's surface might have been impacted when a massive asteroid slammed into it around 4.

New research might have finally found why one side of the Moon's surface is different from the other. The research revealed that one side of the Moon's surface might have been impacted when a massive asteroid slammed into it around 4.3 billion years ago. A research report published earlier this month revealed that ancient collisions on the Moon's south pole changed patterns of convection in the lunar mantle. ALSO READ | Rare sighting as alignment of four planets will be visible through April. Here's how to watch it As per International Astronomical Union, there are more than 9,000 visible craters pockmarking the Moon. The craters have been made due to the impacts from meteors, asteroids and comets over billions of years. However, the marking, or the craters, are not evenly distributed as it has been seen that the far side of the moon comparatively has a higher concentration of craters than the visible near side. The experts claimed that they have found the answer. As per the latest study published in the journal Science Advances, it has been revealed that the South Pole–Aitken (SPA) basin on the lunar surface would have created a massive plume of heat. The heat probably propagated through the lunar interior. ALSO READ | Carbon monoxide levels spike due to billowing smoke from wildfires fueled by climate change: Study For the unversed, the SPA basin is an immense impact crater on the far side of the Moon. The report mentioned that the plume would have carried certain materials, which is a suite of rare-Earth and heat-producing elements — to the Moon's nearside. That concentration of elements might have created the nearside volcanic plains and would also have contributed to the volcanism. "We know that big impacts like the one that formed SPA would create a lot of heat," said Matt Jones, who is a PhD candidate at Brown University and the study’s lead author. "The question is how that heat affects the Moon's interior dynamics. What we show is that under any plausible conditions at the time that SPA formed, it ends up concentrating these heat-producing elements on the nearside. We expect that this contributed to the mantle melting that produced the lava flows we see on the surface," Jones added.

Why is one side of the Moon different from the other? An asteroid hit, perhaps.

Pink Moon 2022: Where to watch and what it means!

A sample of moon dust collected by Neil Armstrong during the historic Apollo 11 mission, that first put humans on the Moon went under the hammer and was sold for a whopping $504,375 at an auction on Wednesday.

Even though this is a huge amount, the estimated auction price was much higher. As per Bonhams the auctioneers in charge of this sale, it was expected to sell for between $800,000 and $1.2 million.

We’re sure you must be wondering how this lunar dust, which is bound to be a scientific sample came to be sold at a private auction. Well, it’s a really interesting and whacky story, but can be summed up as a ‘court order’.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/lunar-samples-collected-by-neil-armstrong-first-person-to-walk-on-the-moon-are-heading-to-auction-470309" hreflang="en">Lunar samples collected by Neil Armstrong, first person to walk on the Moon, are heading to auction</a>

Now for the full story.

Let’s start with how this sample was collected. When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin reached the lunar surface back in 1969, Armstrong told the Apollo Mission Control Centre, Houston, Texas, that the sand was “almost like powder”.

<img alt="Armstrong, Aldrin" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b75e657b-d7d7-4671-86d2-54596f409d40" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/stories%20%2820%29_1.jpg" />

He then proceeded to collect a sample and seal it in a Teflon bag.&nbsp;

Solar wind regularly blasts the surface of the airless moon, adding an electric charge to the fine-grained dust, also known as regolith. This charge causes lunar regolith to ‘stick’ to everything, including the astronauts' boots, gloves, suits, cords, tools etc.

Watch |&nbsp;A new frontier in space exploration

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/a-new-frontier-in-space-exploration-439824/embed" width="560"></iframe>

This stickiness caused a little bit of sand to stick to the Teflon bag which was then kept in a zip-lock bag for safekeeping. This “sticky” bit of sand is what was sold in this auction.

<img alt="Lunar dust" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="425a9059-1be3-48a1-81a8-ce015c9b3d34" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/stories%20%2819%29_3.jpg" />

NASA has long argued that the lunar rocks and dust obtained during the Apollo flights are government property that cannot be acquired by private individuals.

However, a couple of decades ago NASA had loaned that outer ziplock bag along with some other artefacts to the Cosmosphere space museum in Hutchinson, Kansas. From there, it disappeared.

As per a report by National Geographic, in 2002 it was discovered that Max Ary, the museum’s co-founder had been smuggling museum artefacts for his personal gain and this bag was one of those items. Ary faced a three-year jail term and a $132,000 fine.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/solar-systems-most-distant-planet-presents-unexplained-shift-in-temperature-470604" hreflang="en">Solar system's most distant planet presents unexplained shift in temperature</a>

The bag was then sold to Nancy Lee Carlson, for $995 in 2015 at a US Marshal's auction. Labelled as a “flown zippered lunar sample return bag with lunar dust”, it intrigued Carlson and she then sent the sample to NASA for verification.

Now comes the wacky part, NASA confirmed that the samples were genuine and refused to return them to Carlson.&nbsp;

She then filed a case against the space agency for wrongful confiscation and that...is how it came to be sold for more than $500,000.&nbsp;

A sample of moon dust collected by Neil Armstrong during the historic Apollo 11 mission, that first put humans on the Moon went under the hammer and was sold for a whopping $504,375 at an auction on Wednesday.

A sample of moon dust collected by Neil Armstrong during the historic Apollo 11 mission, that first put humans on the Moon went under the hammer and was sold for a whopping $504,375 at an auction on Wednesday. Even though this is a huge amount, the estimated auction price was much higher. As per Bonhams the auctioneers in charge of this sale, it was expected to sell for between $800,000 and $1.2 million. We’re sure you must be wondering how this lunar dust, which is bound to be a scientific sample came to be sold at a private auction. Well, it’s a really interesting and whacky story, but can be summed up as a ‘court order’. Also read | Lunar samples collected by Neil Armstrong, first person to walk on the Moon, are heading to auction Now for the full story. Let’s start with how this sample was collected. When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin reached the lunar surface back in 1969, Armstrong told the Apollo Mission Control Centre, Houston, Texas, that the sand was “almost like powder”. He then proceeded to collect a sample and seal it in a Teflon bag. Solar wind regularly blasts the surface of the airless moon, adding an electric charge to the fine-grained dust, also known as regolith. This charge causes lunar regolith to ‘stick’ to everything, including the astronauts' boots, gloves, suits, cords, tools etc. Watch | A new frontier in space exploration This stickiness caused a little bit of sand to stick to the Teflon bag which was then kept in a zip-lock bag for safekeeping. This “sticky” bit of sand is what was sold in this auction. NASA has long argued that the lunar rocks and dust obtained during the Apollo flights are government property that cannot be acquired by private individuals. However, a couple of decades ago NASA had loaned that outer ziplock bag along with some other artefacts to the Cosmosphere space museum in Hutchinson, Kansas. From there, it disappeared. As per a report by National Geographic, in 2002 it was discovered that Max Ary, the museum’s co-founder had been smuggling museum artefacts for his personal gain and this bag was one of those items. Ary faced a three-year jail term and a $132,000 fine. Also read | Solar system's most distant planet presents unexplained shift in temperature The bag was then sold to Nancy Lee Carlson, for $995 in 2015 at a US Marshal's auction. Labelled as a “flown zippered lunar sample return bag with lunar dust”, it intrigued Carlson and she then sent the sample to NASA for verification. Now comes the wacky part, NASA confirmed that the samples were genuine and refused to return them to Carlson. She then filed a case against the space agency for wrongful confiscation and that...is how it came to be sold for more than $500,000.

This is how a NASA sample of lunar dust came to be sold at a public auction for $500,000

'World's most powerful rocket ever': NASA rolls out its mega Moon rocket

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is collecting names to be put on a flash drive that will fly aboard Artemis I.

Artemis I will be the first uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft.&nbsp;

The flight paves the way toward landing the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-finally-decides-to-open-moon-sample-sealed-since-1972-461389" hreflang="en">NASA finally decides to open Moon sample sealed since 1972</a>

''It's free to add your name to the flash drive,'' said NASA spokesperson Kathryn Hambleton.

"We hope this is a way to get people excited and to bring them along and inspire the next generation, the Artemis generation," Hambleton said.

Since opening the submissions earlier this month, NASA has already received over one million names, according to Hambleton.

"We're hoping to keep up this momentum of just a little over a week ago ... to gather many more names and generate more excitement from people around the globe that are going to ride along virtually," she said.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-has-space-business-has-become-the-final-profitable-frontier-452928" hreflang="en">Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier?</a>

The US space agency is shooting for a date in May or June. All eyes will be on the historic Launch Complex 39B when Orion and the Space Launch System (SLS) lift off for the first time from NASA's modernized Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.&nbsp;

The 30-foot-tall, cone-shaped piece of hardware connects the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s upper and lower propulsion stages. The adapter also houses the RL10 engine that powers the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage that will send Orion on a precise trajectory to the Moon.

Artemis I will be the first in a series of increasingly complex missions to build a long-term human presence at the Moon for decades to come.

NASA plans to build lunar habitats and use lessons learned there for forward missions to Mars in the 2030s.&nbsp;

Observers are encouraged that the program launched by former President Donald Trump has continued under Joe Biden, even if he hasn't been as vocal in his support.

(With inputs from agencies)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is collecting names to be put on a flash drive that will fly aboard Artemis I. Artemis I will be the first uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is collecting names to be put on a flash drive that will fly aboard Artemis I. Artemis I will be the first uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft. The flight paves the way toward landing the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon. Also read | NASA finally decides to open Moon sample sealed since 1972 ''It's free to add your name to the flash drive,'' said NASA spokesperson Kathryn Hambleton. "We hope this is a way to get people excited and to bring them along and inspire the next generation, the Artemis generation," Hambleton said. Since opening the submissions earlier this month, NASA has already received over one million names, according to Hambleton. "We're hoping to keep up this momentum of just a little over a week ago ... to gather many more names and generate more excitement from people around the globe that are going to ride along virtually," she said. Also see | Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier? The US space agency is shooting for a date in May or June. All eyes will be on the historic Launch Complex 39B when Orion and the Space Launch System (SLS) lift off for the first time from NASA's modernized Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The 30-foot-tall, cone-shaped piece of hardware connects the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s upper and lower propulsion stages. The adapter also houses the RL10 engine that powers the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage that will send Orion on a precise trajectory to the Moon. Artemis I will be the first in a series of increasingly complex missions to build a long-term human presence at the Moon for decades to come. NASA plans to build lunar habitats and use lessons learned there for forward missions to Mars in the 2030s. Observers are encouraged that the program launched by former President Donald Trump has continued under Joe Biden, even if he hasn't been as vocal in his support. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA is collecting names to send into space aboard Orion capsule to the Moon

Among the 2,196 Moon rock samples collected over several Apollo missions (1968-72), NASA has decided to open one of the last pieces that was brought to Earth nearly 50 years ago.

Dubbed 73001, the rock sample was collected by US astronauts in December 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission—the last of the program.

Astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison “Jack” Schmitt collected the sample by ploughing a 14-inch tube into the lunar surface.

Of the only two samples to have been vacuum sealed on the Moon, this is the first to be opened.

It is being said that these samples contain gases or volatile substances&nbsp;(water,&nbsp;carbon dioxide, etc.)

The rock sample was vacuum-sealed in a tube for later in order to take advantage of future scientific technologies. This is why it took them nearly 50 years to reach the last few pieces.

<img alt="( Credit: NASA) One of the Apollo 17 astronauts used a metal pole to collect a sample on the surface of the Moon in 1972." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ab677da3-2879-4ac7-9fce-b2bddd0fb3ab" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/NASA_1.jpg" />

NASA knew "science and technology would evolve and allow scientists to study the material in new ways to address new questions in the future," Lori Glaze, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters, said in a statement.

In early February, the outer protective tube was first removed.

It was not itself revealed to contain any lunar gas, indicating that the sample it contained remained sealed.

Then on February 23, scientists began a week-long process aimed at piercing the main tube and harvesting the gas contained inside.

In the spring, the rock will then be carefully extracted and broken up so that it can be studied by different scientific teams.

The extraction site of this sample is particularly interesting because it is the site of a landslide.

"Now we don't have rain on the Moon," said Juliane Gross, deputy Apollo curator. "And so we don't quite understand how landslides happen on the Moon."

Gross said researchers hope to study the sample to understand what causes landslides.

(With inputs from agencies)

Among the 2,196 Moon rock samples collected over several Apollo missions (1968-72), NASA has decided to open one of the last pieces that was brought to Earth nearly 50 years ago.

Among the 2,196 Moon rock samples collected over several Apollo missions (1968-72), NASA has decided to open one of the last pieces that was brought to Earth nearly 50 years ago. Dubbed 73001, the rock sample was collected by US astronauts in December 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission—the last of the program. Astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison “Jack” Schmitt collected the sample by ploughing a 14-inch tube into the lunar surface. Of the only two samples to have been vacuum sealed on the Moon, this is the first to be opened. It is being said that these samples contain gases or volatile substances (water, carbon dioxide, etc.) The rock sample was vacuum-sealed in a tube for later in order to take advantage of future scientific technologies. This is why it took them nearly 50 years to reach the last few pieces. NASA knew "science and technology would evolve and allow scientists to study the material in new ways to address new questions in the future," Lori Glaze, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters, said in a statement. In early February, the outer protective tube was first removed. It was not itself revealed to contain any lunar gas, indicating that the sample it contained remained sealed. Then on February 23, scientists began a week-long process aimed at piercing the main tube and harvesting the gas contained inside. In the spring, the rock will then be carefully extracted and broken up so that it can be studied by different scientific teams. The extraction site of this sample is particularly interesting because it is the site of a landslide. "Now we don't have rain on the Moon," said Juliane Gross, deputy Apollo curator. "And so we don't quite understand how landslides happen on the Moon." Gross said researchers hope to study the sample to understand what causes landslides. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA finally decides to open Moon sample sealed since 1972

Cellular network and wifi is something we take for granted these days. Entire repository of humankind's knowledge or that one TikTok video is literally at our fingertips. Things have gone ahead so quickly that sometimes it makes us wonder whether there is any new frontier left.

But there are plenty. NASA is setting up cellular network on Moon and Indian-origin Nishant Batra is spearheading the effort. Batra is working as Chief Strategy and Technology Officer (CSTO) at smartphone maker Nokia

He holds an MBA from INSEAD, a master`s degree in telecommunications and a master`s degree in computer science from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and a bachelor`s degree in computer applications from Devi Ahilya University in India.

Prior to joining the telecommunications major, Batra worked at Veoneer in Sweden, as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. He had also spent 12 years at Ericsson holding several positions.

Batra is based in Espoo, Finland, and has lived and worked in Asia, Europe and the US.

At Nokia, Batra`s responsibilities include managing technology architecture and pioneering research at Nokia Bell Labs whose

innovations will be used to build and deploy the first ultra-compact, low-power, space-hardened, end-to-end LTE solution on the lunar surface in late 2022.

NASA is looking to regain its presence on the lunar surface with its uncrewed Artemis mission slated for launch in May this year and crewed mission in 2026.

In October last year, the US space agency selected Nokia as a partner to advance "Tipping Point" technologies for the Moon, deploying the first LTE/4G communications system in space and helping pave the way towards sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.

For the mission, Nokia has also partnered with Intuitive Machines to integrate the groundbreaking network into their lunar lander and deliver it to the lunar surface.

The network will provide critical communication capabilities for many different data transmission applications, including vital command and control functions, remote control of lunar rovers, real-time navigation and streaming of high definition video - while containing power, size and cost.

These communication applications are all vital to long-term human presence on the lunar surface.

The network will self-configure upon deployment and establish the first LTE communications system on the Moon.

Nokia`s lunar network has been specially designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the launch and lunar landing, and to operate in the extreme conditions of space.

This is not the first space collaboration for Nokia`s Bell Labs.

In 1962, Bell Labs and NASA launched into orbit Telstar 1, the first communications satellite capable of relaying TV signals between Europe and North America.

In 1964, Bell Labs researchers and future Nobel laureates, Arno Penzias and Bob Wilson, discovered the cosmic microwave background radiation left over from the Big Bang, confirming the now predominant theory on the origins of the universe.

(With inputs from agencies)

 
Indian-origin Nishant Batra working as Chief Strategy and Technology Officer (CSTO) at smartphone maker Nokia is helping NASA to build the first ever cellular network on the Moon.

Batra joined Nokia as CSTO and a member of the Nokia Group Leadership Team in January 2021.

He holds an MBA from INSEAD, a master`s degree in telecommunications and a master`s degree in computer science from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and a bachelor`s degree in computer applications from Devi Ahilya University in India.

Prior to joining the telecommunications major, Batra worked at Veoneer in Sweden, as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. He had also spent 12 years at Ericsson holding several positions.

Batra is based in Espoo, Finland, and has lived and worked in Asia, Europe and the US.

At Nokia, Batra`s responsibilities include managing technology architecture and pioneering research at Nokia Bell Labs whose

innovations will be used to build and deploy the first ultra-compact, low-power, space-hardened, end-to-end LTE solution on the lunar surface in late 2022.

NASA is looking to regain its presence on the lunar surface with its uncrewed Artemis mission slated for launch in May this year and crewed mission in 2026.

In October last year, the US space agency selected Nokia as a partner to advance "Tipping Point" technologies for the Moon, deploying the first LTE/4G communications system in space and helping pave the way towards sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.

For the mission, Nokia has also partnered with Intuitive Machines to integrate the groundbreaking network into their lunar lander and deliver it to the lunar surface.

The network will provide critical communication capabilities for many different data transmission applications, including vital command and control functions, remote control of lunar rovers, real-time navigation and streaming of high definition video - while containing power, size and cost.

These communication applications are all vital to long-term human presence on the lunar surface.

The network will self-configure upon deployment and establish the first LTE communications system on the Moon.

Nokia`s lunar network has been specially designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the launch and lunar landing, and to operate in the extreme conditions of space.

This is not the first space collaboration for Nokia`s Bell Labs.

In 1962, Bell Labs and NASA launched into orbit Telstar 1, the first communications satellite capable of relaying TV signals between Europe and North America.

In 1964, Bell Labs researchers and future Nobel laureates, Arno Penzias and Bob Wilson, discovered the cosmic microwave background radiation left over from the Big Bang, confirming the now predominant theory on the origins of the universe.

(With inputs from agencies)

Cellular network and wifi is something we take for granted these days. Entire repository of humankind's knowledge or that one TikTok video is literally at our fingertips.

Cellular network and wifi is something we take for granted these days. Entire repository of humankind's knowledge or that one TikTok video is literally at our fingertips. Things have gone ahead so quickly that sometimes it makes us wonder whether there is any new frontier left. But there are plenty. NASA is setting up cellular network on Moon and Indian-origin Nishant Batra is spearheading the effort. Batra is working as Chief Strategy and Technology Officer (CSTO) at smartphone maker Nokia He holds an MBA from INSEAD, a master`s degree in telecommunications and a master`s degree in computer science from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and a bachelor`s degree in computer applications from Devi Ahilya University in India. Prior to joining the telecommunications major, Batra worked at Veoneer in Sweden, as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. He had also spent 12 years at Ericsson holding several positions. Batra is based in Espoo, Finland, and has lived and worked in Asia, Europe and the US. At Nokia, Batra`s responsibilities include managing technology architecture and pioneering research at Nokia Bell Labs whose innovations will be used to build and deploy the first ultra-compact, low-power, space-hardened, end-to-end LTE solution on the lunar surface in late 2022. NASA is looking to regain its presence on the lunar surface with its uncrewed Artemis mission slated for launch in May this year and crewed mission in 2026. In October last year, the US space agency selected Nokia as a partner to advance "Tipping Point" technologies for the Moon, deploying the first LTE/4G communications system in space and helping pave the way towards sustainable human presence on the lunar surface. For the mission, Nokia has also partnered with Intuitive Machines to integrate the groundbreaking network into their lunar lander and deliver it to the lunar surface. The network will provide critical communication capabilities for many different data transmission applications, including vital command and control functions, remote control of lunar rovers, real-time navigation and streaming of high definition video - while containing power, size and cost. These communication applications are all vital to long-term human presence on the lunar surface. The network will self-configure upon deployment and establish the first LTE communications system on the Moon. Nokia`s lunar network has been specially designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the launch and lunar landing, and to operate in the extreme conditions of space. This is not the first space collaboration for Nokia`s Bell Labs. In 1962, Bell Labs and NASA launched into orbit Telstar 1, the first communications satellite capable of relaying TV signals between Europe and North America. In 1964, Bell Labs researchers and future Nobel laureates, Arno Penzias and Bob Wilson, discovered the cosmic microwave background radiation left over from the Big Bang, confirming the now predominant theory on the origins of the universe. (With inputs from agencies) Indian-origin Nishant Batra working as Chief Strategy and Technology Officer (CSTO) at smartphone maker Nokia is helping NASA to build the first ever cellular network on the Moon. Batra joined Nokia as CSTO and a member of the Nokia Group Leadership Team in January 2021. He holds an MBA from INSEAD, a master`s degree in telecommunications and a master`s degree in computer science from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and a bachelor`s degree in computer applications from Devi Ahilya University in India. Prior to joining the telecommunications major, Batra worked at Veoneer in Sweden, as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. He had also spent 12 years at Ericsson holding several positions. Batra is based in Espoo, Finland, and has lived and worked in Asia, Europe and the US. At Nokia, Batra`s responsibilities include managing technology architecture and pioneering research at Nokia Bell Labs whose innovations will be used to build and deploy the first ultra-compact, low-power, space-hardened, end-to-end LTE solution on the lunar surface in late 2022. NASA is looking to regain its presence on the lunar surface with its uncrewed Artemis mission slated for launch in May this year and crewed mission in 2026. In October last year, the US space agency selected Nokia as a partner to advance "Tipping Point" technologies for the Moon, deploying the first LTE/4G communications system in space and helping pave the way towards sustainable human presence on the lunar surface. For the mission, Nokia has also partnered with Intuitive Machines to integrate the groundbreaking network into their lunar lander and deliver it to the lunar surface. The network will provide critical communication capabilities for many different data transmission applications, including vital command and control functions, remote control of lunar rovers, real-time navigation and streaming of high definition video - while containing power, size and cost. These communication applications are all vital to long-term human presence on the lunar surface. The network will self-configure upon deployment and establish the first LTE communications system on the Moon. Nokia`s lunar network has been specially designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the launch and lunar landing, and to operate in the extreme conditions of space. This is not the first space collaboration for Nokia`s Bell Labs. In 1962, Bell Labs and NASA launched into orbit Telstar 1, the first communications satellite capable of relaying TV signals between Europe and North America. In 1964, Bell Labs researchers and future Nobel laureates, Arno Penzias and Bob Wilson, discovered the cosmic microwave background radiation left over from the Big Bang, confirming the now predominant theory on the origins of the universe. (With inputs from agencies)

Delhi-born Nishant Batra is helping NASA set up cellular network on Moon

NASA has said that its first crewed Artemis mission will not see a launch before 2026. This notice has come after NASA's notification of &nbsp;delays on Artemis-1 uncrewed flight around the Moon.&nbsp;

The agency indicated last week that it would launch no earlier than May, but even that timeline is in doubt, Space.com reported.

"Given the time needed to develop and test the human landing system and NASA`s next generation spacesuits, we estimate the date for a crewed lunar landing likely to slip to 2026 at the earliest," NASA Inspector General Paul Martin was quoted as saying during a House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday.

He acknowledged that the 2025 deadline that NASA is aiming for doesn`t appear to be feasible.

Martin said there are challenges that need to be faced, "not the least of which would be getting the human landing system certified to operate spacesuits," along with changes in the agency`s acquisition strategy that is expected to take more time in procuring key technologies "that are not mature".

These factors, he said, "often point to taking longer and [requiring] development to get there. So 2025 is not impossible, but it seems improbable."

According to William Russell, the US Government Accountability Office director of contracting and national security acquisitions, the problem is that NASA is seeking to manage "multiple risks simultaneously" while achieving a tight deadline, the report said.

Russell pointed to factors such as the seven-month delay induced by the HLS disputes, a key change in spacesuit development to pivot the work to a contractor instead of in-house work, and cost growth for the Space Launch System rocket and other key infrastructure required to support a human landing.

NASA, for its part, pointed to unanticipated issues that contributed to cost growth and schedule delays, particularly involving the coronavirus pandemic, which has created supply chain hiccups and personnel challenges due to safety protocols.

"Every bit of work that I`ve mentioned is possible because of the people of NASA and our private sector partners," James Free, the agency`s associate administrator of the exploration systems development mission directorate, was quoted as saying.

 
&nbsp;

NASA has said that its first crewed Artemis mission will not see a launch before 2026. This notice has come after NASA's notification of delays on Artemis-1 uncrewed flight around the Moon.

NASA has said that its first crewed Artemis mission will not see a launch before 2026. This notice has come after NASA's notification of delays on Artemis-1 uncrewed flight around the Moon. The agency indicated last week that it would launch no earlier than May, but even that timeline is in doubt, Space.com reported. "Given the time needed to develop and test the human landing system and NASA`s next generation spacesuits, we estimate the date for a crewed lunar landing likely to slip to 2026 at the earliest," NASA Inspector General Paul Martin was quoted as saying during a House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. He acknowledged that the 2025 deadline that NASA is aiming for doesn`t appear to be feasible. Martin said there are challenges that need to be faced, "not the least of which would be getting the human landing system certified to operate spacesuits," along with changes in the agency`s acquisition strategy that is expected to take more time in procuring key technologies "that are not mature". These factors, he said, "often point to taking longer and [requiring] development to get there. So 2025 is not impossible, but it seems improbable." According to William Russell, the US Government Accountability Office director of contracting and national security acquisitions, the problem is that NASA is seeking to manage "multiple risks simultaneously" while achieving a tight deadline, the report said. Russell pointed to factors such as the seven-month delay induced by the HLS disputes, a key change in spacesuit development to pivot the work to a contractor instead of in-house work, and cost growth for the Space Launch System rocket and other key infrastructure required to support a human landing. NASA, for its part, pointed to unanticipated issues that contributed to cost growth and schedule delays, particularly involving the coronavirus pandemic, which has created supply chain hiccups and personnel challenges due to safety protocols. "Every bit of work that I`ve mentioned is possible because of the people of NASA and our private sector partners," James Free, the agency`s associate administrator of the exploration systems development mission directorate, was quoted as saying.

Artemis: NASA's crewed mission delayed till 2026

On Friday, a wayward rocket stage is due to hit the moon and scientists are preparing to study the impact.

It is expected that the rocket stage will collide with Hertzsprung Crater at 7:25 am EST (1225 GMT) on Friday, March 4.

According to Space.com, the Goldstone Solar System Radar near Barstow, California, will monitor the object.

Similarly, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) will look for the effects of the crash on the Moon's exosphere - a thin gaseous layer - and later scan the lunar surface for impact craters.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/artemis-nasas-crewed-mission-delayed-till-2026-458714" hreflang="en">Artemis: NASA's crewed mission delayed till 2026</a>

Bill Gray, an astronomer with Project Pluto, first reported the doomed debris. Gray initially claimed that the debris was from Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket, but later predicted that the object was a leftover piece of a Chinese rocket, specifically a Long March 3C that launched China's Chang'e 5-T1 moon mission.

However, China's foreign ministry rejected the claim.

The tumbling rocket body that is moving at more than 5,500 mph (2.5km per second) will plough into the moon's surface at an angle, scattering debris and creating a crater that will measure 20 to 30 metres in diameter (65&nbsp;to 100ft).

The crash will be similar to those that occurred during the Apollo program when the third stages of Saturn V rockets were intentionally steered into the moon.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/in-a-u-turn-scientists-say-black-hole-on-our-cosmic-doorstep-does-not-exist-458308" hreflang="en">In a U-turn, scientists say black hole on our cosmic doorstep does not exist</a>

Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University in Maryland planetary scientist Jeffrey Plescia explained that moon-smacking projectiles are more or less tin cans in both cases.

"The result is that a lot of the energy goes into crushing the projectile rather than excavating the crater," Plescia was quoted as saying to Inside Outer Space.

Plescia noted that Saturn V's third stages formed craters that are shallower than natural craters and have an asymmetric shape, due mostly to low impact angles.

Watch |&nbsp;Report: A rocket launched by Elon Musk's SpaceX in 2015 is all set to hit the Moon in early March

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/report-a-rocket-launched-by-elon-musks-spacex-in-2015-is-all-set-to-hit-the-moon-in-early-march-447831/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He explained that pre-impact images have already been taken by LRO's powerful camera system, so crater depth and other crash characteristics will be more reliably measured for the March 4 crash.

"The only uncertainty at the moment is the orientation of the booster with respect to the trajectory. It is spinning, but whether it is just turning in rotisserie mode or tumbling is not clear," Plescia said. "I would hope the Chinese actually know this and would be forthcoming."

(With inputs from agencies)

On Friday, a wayward rocket stage is due to hit the moon and scientists are preparing to study the impact. It is expected that the rocket stage will collide with Hertzsprung Crater at 7:25 am EST (1225 GMT) on Friday, March 4.

On Friday, a wayward rocket stage is due to hit the moon and scientists are preparing to study the impact. It is expected that the rocket stage will collide with Hertzsprung Crater at 7:25 am EST (1225 GMT) on Friday, March 4. According to Space.com, the Goldstone Solar System Radar near Barstow, California, will monitor the object. Similarly, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) will look for the effects of the crash on the Moon's exosphere - a thin gaseous layer - and later scan the lunar surface for impact craters. Also read | Artemis: NASA's crewed mission delayed till 2026 Bill Gray, an astronomer with Project Pluto, first reported the doomed debris. Gray initially claimed that the debris was from Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket, but later predicted that the object was a leftover piece of a Chinese rocket, specifically a Long March 3C that launched China's Chang'e 5-T1 moon mission. However, China's foreign ministry rejected the claim. The tumbling rocket body that is moving at more than 5,500 mph (2.5km per second) will plough into the moon's surface at an angle, scattering debris and creating a crater that will measure 20 to 30 metres in diameter (65 to 100ft). The crash will be similar to those that occurred during the Apollo program when the third stages of Saturn V rockets were intentionally steered into the moon. Also read | In a U-turn, scientists say black hole on our cosmic doorstep does not exist Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University in Maryland planetary scientist Jeffrey Plescia explained that moon-smacking projectiles are more or less tin cans in both cases. "The result is that a lot of the energy goes into crushing the projectile rather than excavating the crater," Plescia was quoted as saying to Inside Outer Space. Plescia noted that Saturn V's third stages formed craters that are shallower than natural craters and have an asymmetric shape, due mostly to low impact angles. Watch | Report: A rocket launched by Elon Musk's SpaceX in 2015 is all set to hit the Moon in early March He explained that pre-impact images have already been taken by LRO's powerful camera system, so crater depth and other crash characteristics will be more reliably measured for the March 4 crash. "The only uncertainty at the moment is the orientation of the booster with respect to the trajectory. It is spinning, but whether it is just turning in rotisserie mode or tumbling is not clear," Plescia said. "I would hope the Chinese actually know this and would be forthcoming." (With inputs from agencies)

Today, space debris will crash into the moon, and scientists don't have any plans to stop it

Mexico will launch its first mission of sending autonomous mini-robots to the Moon for soil exploration in a scientific first.

Gustavo Medina Tanco, head of the space instrumentation laboratory at the National Autonomous University of Mexico's Institute for Nuclear Sciences (UNAM), said the first-of-its-kind scientific mission is a part of the Colmena project, that envisions the two-wheeled bots scrambling across the lunar surface while taking sophisticated measurements.

"Taking nature as an example, Colmena will show that very small robots can operate both as researchers and miners when coordinated," he said.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-a-mysterious-space-object-has-spooked-astronomers-448271/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The mission is poised to launch on a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket and would be the first American spacecraft to land on the moon in nearly 50 years.

"This is a small mission where we'll test the concept, and afterwards we'll undertake other missions, first to the moon and then on to asteroids," said Gustavo Medina Tanco, a UNAM scientist who heads the Colmena project, which means "beehive" in Spanish.

Medina Tanco explained that the bots, made of stainless steel, titanium alloys, and space-grade aluminum, are equipped to gather lunar minerals that could be useful in future space mining.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-has-space-business-has-become-the-final-profitable-frontier-452928" hreflang="en">Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier?</a>

The first mission of the Colmena project involves five robots weighing less than 0.1 pounds each, with a diametre of 4.7 inches.

A distinctive feature of these mini-robots is the positioning of all electronic devices in 0.8 inches directly above the soil. They are expected to independently perform coordinated functions and work on the surfaces of non-atmospheric space bodies, with the mission lasting about 13 terrestrial days or one lunar day.

The bots are scheduled to launch in June on Astrobotic's Peregrine lander, originally developed for Google's Lunar-X-Prize.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/new-artificial-intelligence-model-shows-hidden-turbulence-in-suns-atmosphere-457528" hreflang="en">New artificial intelligence model shows hidden turbulence in Sun's atmosphere</a>

During their month-long mission, the nanorobots will take first-ever lunar plasma temperature, electromagnetic and regolith particle size measurements, according to an UNAM article on the project published earlier this month.

Medina Tanco expressed pride about the upcoming mission, which also included contributions from some 200 engineering, physics, math and chemistry students.

"No one has done this, nobody, not just in Mexico," he said.

"We can make a difference in the technology and for international cooperation that can then lead to important joint ventures to study the minerals or undertake other scientific exploration."

UNAM's Colmena project started its operation in 2016 aiming to study the potential of mini-robots working in space and the possibilities of their self-organization, as well as the potential of mining rare earth metals on asteroids.

(With inputs from agencies)

Mexico will launch its first mission of sending autonomous mini-robots to the Moon for soil exploration in a scientific first. Gustavo Medina Tanco, head of the space instrumentation laboratory at the National Autonomous University of Mexico's Institute for Nuclear Sciences (UNAM), said the first-of-its-kind scientific mission is a part of the Colmena project, that envisions the two-wheeled bots scrambling across the lunar surface while taking sophisticated measurements.

Mexico will launch its first mission of sending autonomous mini-robots to the Moon for soil exploration in a scientific first. Gustavo Medina Tanco, head of the space instrumentation laboratory at the National Autonomous University of Mexico's Institute for Nuclear Sciences (UNAM), said the first-of-its-kind scientific mission is a part of the Colmena project, that envisions the two-wheeled bots scrambling across the lunar surface while taking sophisticated measurements. "Taking nature as an example, Colmena will show that very small robots can operate both as researchers and miners when coordinated," he said. The mission is poised to launch on a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket and would be the first American spacecraft to land on the moon in nearly 50 years. "This is a small mission where we'll test the concept, and afterwards we'll undertake other missions, first to the moon and then on to asteroids," said Gustavo Medina Tanco, a UNAM scientist who heads the Colmena project, which means "beehive" in Spanish. Medina Tanco explained that the bots, made of stainless steel, titanium alloys, and space-grade aluminum, are equipped to gather lunar minerals that could be useful in future space mining. Also see | Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier? The first mission of the Colmena project involves five robots weighing less than 0.1 pounds each, with a diametre of 4.7 inches. A distinctive feature of these mini-robots is the positioning of all electronic devices in 0.8 inches directly above the soil. They are expected to independently perform coordinated functions and work on the surfaces of non-atmospheric space bodies, with the mission lasting about 13 terrestrial days or one lunar day. The bots are scheduled to launch in June on Astrobotic's Peregrine lander, originally developed for Google's Lunar-X-Prize. Also read | New artificial intelligence model shows hidden turbulence in Sun's atmosphere During their month-long mission, the nanorobots will take first-ever lunar plasma temperature, electromagnetic and regolith particle size measurements, according to an UNAM article on the project published earlier this month. Medina Tanco expressed pride about the upcoming mission, which also included contributions from some 200 engineering, physics, math and chemistry students. "No one has done this, nobody, not just in Mexico," he said. "We can make a difference in the technology and for international cooperation that can then lead to important joint ventures to study the minerals or undertake other scientific exploration." UNAM's Colmena project started its operation in 2016 aiming to study the potential of mini-robots working in space and the possibilities of their self-organization, as well as the potential of mining rare earth metals on asteroids. (With inputs from agencies)

Mexico to send mini-robots to Moon for soil exploration in scientific first

Chinese rover Yutu-2 has discovered mysterious glass spheres on the far side of the moon. The paper detailing the discovery has been published in Science Bulletin.

"Collectively, the peculiar morphology, geometry, and local context of the glass globules are consistent with being anorthositic impact glasses," the researchers write in their paper.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-resolve-mystery-of-cube-spotted-on-moons-dark-side-443232">Also read |&nbsp;Astronomers resolve mystery of 'cube' spotted on Moon's dark side</a>

"As the first discovery of macroscopic and translucent glass globules on the Moon, this study predicts that such globules should be abundant across the lunar highland, providing promising sampling targets to reveal the early impact history of the Moon," they write.

It comes after sighted a cube-like object on the horizon about 80 metres (87 yards) from its location that fanned speculation over what it could be and inspired a host of memes by Chinese internet users.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/milestones-chinas-space-dreams-from-ground-zero-upwards-392152">Also see |&nbsp;'Milestones': China's space dreams from ground zero upwards</a>

The solar-powered Yutu, or "Jade Rabbit" in Chinese, will cover the distance of 80 metres in two to three lunar days, according to Our Space, or two to three Earth months.

The robotic rover has been operating in the Von Karman Crater in the South Pole-Aitken Basin since its deployment in January 2019.

The mission was a historic first, with no other nation having landed on the far side of the moon until then.

With the moon tidally locked to Earth - rotating at the same speed as it orbits our planet - most of its "dark side" is never visible to those on Earth. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Chinese rover Yutu-2 has discovered mysterious glass spheres on the far side of the moon. The paper detailing the discovery has been published in Science Bulletin.

Chinese rover Yutu-2 has discovered mysterious glass spheres on the far side of the moon. The paper detailing the discovery has been published in Science Bulletin. "Collectively, the peculiar morphology, geometry, and local context of the glass globules are consistent with being anorthositic impact glasses," the researchers write in their paper. Also read | Astronomers resolve mystery of 'cube' spotted on Moon's dark side "As the first discovery of macroscopic and translucent glass globules on the Moon, this study predicts that such globules should be abundant across the lunar highland, providing promising sampling targets to reveal the early impact history of the Moon," they write. It comes after sighted a cube-like object on the horizon about 80 metres (87 yards) from its location that fanned speculation over what it could be and inspired a host of memes by Chinese internet users. Also see | 'Milestones': China's space dreams from ground zero upwards The solar-powered Yutu, or "Jade Rabbit" in Chinese, will cover the distance of 80 metres in two to three lunar days, according to Our Space, or two to three Earth months. The robotic rover has been operating in the Von Karman Crater in the South Pole-Aitken Basin since its deployment in January 2019. The mission was a historic first, with no other nation having landed on the far side of the moon until then. With the moon tidally locked to Earth - rotating at the same speed as it orbits our planet - most of its "dark side" is never visible to those on Earth. (With inputs from agencies)

After sighting of 'cube,' lunar rover discovers mysterious glass spheres on Moon

We are generally comfortable with the idea of planets revolving around stars or satellites of individual planets. But many of us are yet to wrap our heads around an asteroid having its own moons.

But one of the millions of asteroids in our solar system has now got the recognition of being an asteroid with three very own satellites. The asteroid is named 130 Elektra or just Elektra.

"Elektra is the first quadruple system ever detected," wrote a team of astronomers led by Anthony Berdeu of the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand in their paper.

"This new detection … shows that dedicated data reduction and processing algorithms modeling the physics of the instruments can push their contrast limits further."

Asteroid Elektra is 260 kilometers (160 miles) across. It was first discovered in 1873. However, its first moon named S/2003 (130) 1 was discovered 130 years later. Its second moon S/2014 (130) 1 was discovered in 2014. Discovery of the third moon has made this an interesting system.

Discovering asteroids is a tough task to start with. Asteroids are much much smaller than planets and are dimly illuminated by sunlight. Satellites of asteroids (if any) are harder to detect still as they may appear very tiny specks of light, often outshone by their parent asteroid.

We are generally comfortable with the idea of planets revolving around stars or satellites of individual planets. But many of us are yet to wrap our heads around an asteroid having its own moons.

We are generally comfortable with the idea of planets revolving around stars or satellites of individual planets. But many of us are yet to wrap our heads around an asteroid having its own moons. But one of the millions of asteroids in our solar system has now got the recognition of being an asteroid with three very own satellites. The asteroid is named 130 Elektra or just Elektra. "Elektra is the first quadruple system ever detected," wrote a team of astronomers led by Anthony Berdeu of the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand in their paper. "This new detection … shows that dedicated data reduction and processing algorithms modeling the physics of the instruments can push their contrast limits further." Asteroid Elektra is 260 kilometers (160 miles) across. It was first discovered in 1873. However, its first moon named S/2003 (130) 1 was discovered 130 years later. Its second moon S/2014 (130) 1 was discovered in 2014. Discovery of the third moon has made this an interesting system. Discovering asteroids is a tough task to start with. Asteroids are much much smaller than planets and are dimly illuminated by sunlight. Satellites of asteroids (if any) are harder to detect still as they may appear very tiny specks of light, often outshone by their parent asteroid.

Asteroid with three moons of its own found for the first time

It's been more than fifty years since man set foot on the Moon. Since then, we have made progress in space science by leaps and bounds. But humankind is focussing its gaze on the Moon again. NASA's Artemis mission is aiming to bring a human on the lunar surface again.

There are talks in the scientific world of making use of the Moon as a launching pad for future space missions. For this, we would have to have a much more comprehensive presence on and around the Moon than before.

What a space start-up is doing may come handy in such an endevour. This company, called Quantum Space is planning to create a robotic outpost near the Moon.

Quantum Space has been set-up by Steve Jurczyk. He is former associate administrator of NASA. The company was formed in 2021. As per a report in The Verge, the robotic outpost Quantum Space plans to set up near Moon will help in providing internet capabilities on the lunar surface. It will also refuel spacecrafts, collect data and help assemble structures in lunar space.

Jurczyk says that his company also intends to make vehicles that will aid NASA in lunar missions.

NASA is planning to create an internet-like system of communications infrastructure around the Moon called LunaNet. This would be less reliant on Earth technologies for navigation, communication, and data relays," he said as quoted by The Verge.

It's been more than fifty years since man set foot on the Moon. Since then, we have made progress in space science by leaps and bounds. But humankind is focussing its gaze on the Moon again.

It's been more than fifty years since man set foot on the Moon. Since then, we have made progress in space science by leaps and bounds. But humankind is focussing its gaze on the Moon again. NASA's Artemis mission is aiming to bring a human on the lunar surface again. There are talks in the scientific world of making use of the Moon as a launching pad for future space missions. For this, we would have to have a much more comprehensive presence on and around the Moon than before. What a space start-up is doing may come handy in such an endevour. This company, called Quantum Space is planning to create a robotic outpost near the Moon. Quantum Space has been set-up by Steve Jurczyk. He is former associate administrator of NASA. The company was formed in 2021. As per a report in The Verge, the robotic outpost Quantum Space plans to set up near Moon will help in providing internet capabilities on the lunar surface. It will also refuel spacecrafts, collect data and help assemble structures in lunar space. Jurczyk says that his company also intends to make vehicles that will aid NASA in lunar missions. NASA is planning to create an internet-like system of communications infrastructure around the Moon called LunaNet. This would be less reliant on Earth technologies for navigation, communication, and data relays," he said as quoted by The Verge.

Startup plans to create robotic outpost near the Moon

Moon is not just a pretty thing in the night. It influences tides and has effects that help the perpetuation of life on Earth. Because it's a junior member in its partnership with Earth, it's often easy to overlook our only natural satellite when we gaze into space.

But now, a study says that ability of a planet to form a moon may be associated with the habitability of the planet.

Moon had formed due to a cataclysmic collision between nascent Earth and a Mars-sized planet called Theia. The unimaginably catastrophic collision resulted in ejection of large amount of material in space around Earth. Some of this material was vapourised while remaining started revolving around the Earth in form of several moonlets. In time, these moonlets joined together to form the Moon as it is today.

Scientists from the University of Rochester say that whether a moon would form after collision&nbsp;between two planets depends on their size. If planets a certain times larger than Earth collide, then probability of Moon formation is very less. This is because a collision between these planets vapourises almost all of the material ejected as a result of the collision. The vapour, though ejected in space around the planet experiences a drag and moonlets formed due to such material fall&nbsp;on the planet. Thus a moon is not formed.

Earth's Moon has a great effect on things on our planet. It controls tides. Due to the large size of the Moon, it controls size of day on Earth. It stabilises Earth's axis of rotation. It also stabilises Earth's mild climate.

Moon is not just a pretty thing in the night. It influences tides and has effects that help the perpetuation of life on Earth. Because it's a junior member in its partnership with Earth, it's often easy to overlook our only natural satellite when we gaze into space.

Moon is not just a pretty thing in the night. It influences tides and has effects that help the perpetuation of life on Earth. Because it's a junior member in its partnership with Earth, it's often easy to overlook our only natural satellite when we gaze into space. But now, a study says that ability of a planet to form a moon may be associated with the habitability of the planet. Moon had formed due to a cataclysmic collision between nascent Earth and a Mars-sized planet called Theia. The unimaginably catastrophic collision resulted in ejection of large amount of material in space around Earth. Some of this material was vapourised while remaining started revolving around the Earth in form of several moonlets. In time, these moonlets joined together to form the Moon as it is today. Scientists from the University of Rochester say that whether a moon would form after collision between two planets depends on their size. If planets a certain times larger than Earth collide, then probability of Moon formation is very less. This is because a collision between these planets vapourises almost all of the material ejected as a result of the collision. The vapour, though ejected in space around the planet experiences a drag and moonlets formed due to such material fall on the planet. Thus a moon is not formed. Earth's Moon has a great effect on things on our planet. It controls tides. Due to the large size of the Moon, it controls size of day on Earth. It stabilises Earth's axis of rotation. It also stabilises Earth's mild climate.

Ability of planet to form moon affects its habitability: Study

The moon is essential to the functioning of Earth; as it controls the length of the day and ocean tides, which affect life cycles on our planet. Additionally, the moon makes the Earth's climate more stable by stabilising its spin axis, which provides an ideal environment in which life can develop.&nbsp;

According to a recent study, a moon could also be an advantageous feature in harbouring life on other planets.

The journal 'Nature Communications' published the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-28063-8">study</a>.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-researchers-claim-to-have-discovered-a-godsend-antibody-that-can-defeat-omicron-450057" hreflang="en">Chinese researchers claim to have discovered a 'godsend' antibody that can defeat Omicron</a>

Earth's moon is unique among planets in that it is large compared to the size of the Earth; its radius is larger than a quarter of Earth's radius, a much bigger ratio than most moons to their planets.

Prof. Miki Nakajima, assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Rochester, was intrigued by the distinction.&nbsp;

She and her colleagues from the Tokyo Institute of Technology and the University of Arizona examined moon formations in the study that she led and concluded that only certain types of planets can produce moons that are large relative to their host planets.

"By understanding moon formations, we have a better constraint on what to look for when searching for Earth-like planets," Nakajima said. "We expect that exomoons [moons orbiting planets outside our solar system] should be everywhere, but so far we haven't confirmed any. Our constraints will be helpful for future observations.

"Many scientists have historically believed Earth's large moon was generated by a collision between proto-Earth--Earth at its early stages of development--and a large, Mars-sized impactor, approximately 4.5 billion years ago. The collision resulted in the formation of a partially vaporized disk around Earth, which eventually formed into the moon."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-technology/more-and-more-companies-opting-for-robots-are-robots-taking-over-the-workforce-450037" hreflang="en">More and more companies opting for robots. Are Robots taking over the workforce?</a>

Nakajima and her colleagues conducted computer simulations with a number of hypothetical rocky planets and ice planets of varying masses in order to determine whether other planets can form similar large moons.

The team hoped to identify whether the simulated impacts would lead to partially vaporized disks, much like the disk that formed Earth's moon.

The researchers found that rocky planets larger than six times the mass of Earth (6M) and icy planets larger than one Earth mass (1M) produced fully vaporized disks as opposed to partially vaporized disks, and these fully vaporized disks cannot produce fractionally large moons.

"We found that if the planet is too massive, these impacts produce completely vapour disks because impacts between massive planets are generally more energetic than those between small planets," Nakajima said.

Over time, a vaporized disk cools down and liquid moonlets emerge as the building blocks of a moon.&nbsp; 
While a fully vaporized disk creates a strong gas drag from the vapour, causing the moonlets to fall very quickly onto the planet. By contrast, if a disk is partially vaporized, moonlets do not experience such a strong gas drag.

"As a result, we conclude that a completely vapour disk is not capable of forming fractionally large moons," Nakajima said. "Planetary masses need to be smaller than those thresholds we identified in order to produce such moons."

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Top 10 plastic polluters in the world

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The constraints Nakajima and her colleagues outline are vital for astronomers looking for exoplanets and possible exomoons; researchers have yet to find a moon orbiting a planet beyond the solar system.

It is hoped that this research will help them identify where to start.

As Nakajima said: "The exoplanet search has typically been focused on planets larger than six earth masses. We are proposing that instead, we should look at smaller planets because they are probably better candidates to host fractionally large moons."

(With inputs from agencies)

The moon is essential to the functioning of Earth; as it controls the length of the day and ocean tides, which affect life cycles on our planet. Additionally, the moon makes the Earth's climate more stable by stabilising its spin axis, which provides an ideal environment in which life can develop.

The moon is essential to the functioning of Earth; as it controls the length of the day and ocean tides, which affect life cycles on our planet. Additionally, the moon makes the Earth's climate more stable by stabilising its spin axis, which provides an ideal environment in which life can develop. According to a recent study, a moon could also be an advantageous feature in harbouring life on other planets. The journal 'Nature Communications' published the study. Also read | Chinese researchers claim to have discovered a 'godsend' antibody that can defeat Omicron Earth's moon is unique among planets in that it is large compared to the size of the Earth; its radius is larger than a quarter of Earth's radius, a much bigger ratio than most moons to their planets. Prof. Miki Nakajima, assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Rochester, was intrigued by the distinction. She and her colleagues from the Tokyo Institute of Technology and the University of Arizona examined moon formations in the study that she led and concluded that only certain types of planets can produce moons that are large relative to their host planets. "By understanding moon formations, we have a better constraint on what to look for when searching for Earth-like planets," Nakajima said. "We expect that exomoons [moons orbiting planets outside our solar system] should be everywhere, but so far we haven't confirmed any. Our constraints will be helpful for future observations. "Many scientists have historically believed Earth's large moon was generated by a collision between proto-Earth--Earth at its early stages of development--and a large, Mars-sized impactor, approximately 4.5 billion years ago. The collision resulted in the formation of a partially vaporized disk around Earth, which eventually formed into the moon." Also read | More and more companies opting for robots. Are Robots taking over the workforce? Nakajima and her colleagues conducted computer simulations with a number of hypothetical rocky planets and ice planets of varying masses in order to determine whether other planets can form similar large moons. The team hoped to identify whether the simulated impacts would lead to partially vaporized disks, much like the disk that formed Earth's moon. The researchers found that rocky planets larger than six times the mass of Earth (6M) and icy planets larger than one Earth mass (1M) produced fully vaporized disks as opposed to partially vaporized disks, and these fully vaporized disks cannot produce fractionally large moons. "We found that if the planet is too massive, these impacts produce completely vapour disks because impacts between massive planets are generally more energetic than those between small planets," Nakajima said. Over time, a vaporized disk cools down and liquid moonlets emerge as the building blocks of a moon. While a fully vaporized disk creates a strong gas drag from the vapour, causing the moonlets to fall very quickly onto the planet. By contrast, if a disk is partially vaporized, moonlets do not experience such a strong gas drag. "As a result, we conclude that a completely vapour disk is not capable of forming fractionally large moons," Nakajima said. "Planetary masses need to be smaller than those thresholds we identified in order to produce such moons." Watch | Gravitas: Top 10 plastic polluters in the world The constraints Nakajima and her colleagues outline are vital for astronomers looking for exoplanets and possible exomoons; researchers have yet to find a moon orbiting a planet beyond the solar system. It is hoped that this research will help them identify where to start. As Nakajima said: "The exoplanet search has typically been focused on planets larger than six earth masses. We are proposing that instead, we should look at smaller planets because they are probably better candidates to host fractionally large moons." (With inputs from agencies)

'How life began': Study explains how a moon helps create life on a planet

A SpaceX rocket that has lost control has put India's Chandrayaan and NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in danger. They are orbiting the Moon to collect observations about the impact crater.

The debris of the seven-year-old rocket, that had been launched from Florida, can collide with the Moon as well.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pile-of-space-junk-chinese-citizens-lambast-spacex-after-space-station-near-misses-440415">Also read |&nbsp;'Pile of space junk': Chinese citizens lambast SpaceX after space station near-misses</a>

The dry mass of Falcon 9's second stage is about 4 metric tonnes, and it should impact the Moon at a velocity of about 2.58 km/s.

The aim of the booster was to attempt an interplanetary mission to send a space-weather satellite on a million-mile journey.

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''It has been following a somewhat chaotic orbit since February 2015,'' said meteorologist Eric Berger explained in a recent post on Ars Technica.

“This is the first unintentional case [of space junk hitting the moon] of which I am aware,” as per Bill Gray, who writes the widely used Project Pluto software to track near-Earth objects.

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For those asking: yes, an old Falcon 9 second stage left in high orbit in 2015 is going to hit the moon on March 4. It's interesting, but not a big deal.
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This comes after Starlink satellites launched by Elon Musk’s SpaceX nearly struck a Chinese space station called Tiangong.

It had to manoeuvre to avoid colliding with one Starlink satellite in July and with another in October, according to a note submitted by Beijing to the United Nations space agency this month.

Beijing's complaint about Starlink had prompted criticism on Chinese social media of SpaceX's billionaire founder Musk, who is widely admired in China.

SpaceX is a private American company, independent of the US military and civilian space agency NASA.

In March last year, debris from a Falcon 9 rocket launched by US aeronautics company SpaceX fell to Earth in Washington and on the Oregon coast.

(With inputs from agencies)

A SpaceX rocket that has lost control has put India's Chandrayaan and NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in danger. They are orbiting the Moon to collect observations about the impact crater.

A SpaceX rocket that has lost control has put India's Chandrayaan and NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in danger. They are orbiting the Moon to collect observations about the impact crater. The debris of the seven-year-old rocket, that had been launched from Florida, can collide with the Moon as well. Also read | 'Pile of space junk': Chinese citizens lambast SpaceX after space station near-misses The dry mass of Falcon 9's second stage is about 4 metric tonnes, and it should impact the Moon at a velocity of about 2.58 km/s. The aim of the booster was to attempt an interplanetary mission to send a space-weather satellite on a million-mile journey. ''It has been following a somewhat chaotic orbit since February 2015,'' said meteorologist Eric Berger explained in a recent post on Ars Technica. “This is the first unintentional case [of space junk hitting the moon] of which I am aware,” as per Bill Gray, who writes the widely used Project Pluto software to track near-Earth objects. For those asking: yes, an old Falcon 9 second stage left in high orbit in 2015 is going to hit the moon on March 4. It's interesting, but not a big deal. — Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) January 25, 2022 × This comes after Starlink satellites launched by Elon Musk’s SpaceX nearly struck a Chinese space station called Tiangong. It had to manoeuvre to avoid colliding with one Starlink satellite in July and with another in October, according to a note submitted by Beijing to the United Nations space agency this month. Beijing's complaint about Starlink had prompted criticism on Chinese social media of SpaceX's billionaire founder Musk, who is widely admired in China. SpaceX is a private American company, independent of the US military and civilian space agency NASA. In March last year, debris from a Falcon 9 rocket launched by US aeronautics company SpaceX fell to Earth in Washington and on the Oregon coast. (With inputs from agencies)

Out-of-control rocket by Elon Musk's SpaceX puts India's Chandrayaan in danger

According to a report quoting astronomers, A SpaceX rocket launched into space from Earth almost 7 years ago is on course to hit the Moon in early March.

Report: A rocket launched by Elon Musk's SpaceX in 2015 is all set to hit the Moon in early March

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