NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has made what could be its most astonishing discovery to date: possible signs of ancient life on the Red Planet. The six-wheeled robotic explorer came across an intriguing, arrow-shaped rock dubbed "Cheyava Falls" that may harbour fossilised microbes from billions of years ago when Mars was a watery world.

NASA's rover uncovers startling finds on Mars

The Earth has been warming due to greenhouse gas emissions including&nbsp;carbon dioxide, which is&nbsp;making it difficult for humans&nbsp;to survive in some regions of the planet.&nbsp;

The Earth also&nbsp;marked its&nbsp;hottest day consecutively for two days in July.&nbsp;The&nbsp;video released by NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio shows how&nbsp;wind and air currents are pushing emissions of carbon dioxide around the atmosphere of Earth from January to March 2020.

Greenhouse emissions are being mapped by NASA and what is seen in the video is the ghoulish churning of carbon dioxide in the sky.

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The high-resolution video zooms in and looks into the individual sources of carbon dioxide, which include power plants and forest fires.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/in-a-first-nasa-streams-4k-video-footage-from-aircraft-to-iss-and-back-744193">In a first, NASA streams 4K video footage from aircraft to ISS and back</a>

Climate scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland Lesley Ott said, "As policymakers and as scientists, we're trying to account for where carbon comes from and how that impacts the planet. You see here how everything is interconnected by these different weather patterns."

<h2>So who's the culprit of carbon dioxide&nbsp;emissions?</h2>

In the video, it is seen that it doesn't matter where the carbon dioxide emissions are coming from, however, some interesting global differences were seen.&nbsp;

Most of the carbon is seen getting emitted from the power plants, transportation and industry located in South Asia, China and the United States.&nbsp;

However, in Africa and South America, most of the emissions come from burning, which includes land clearing, agricultural burning and forest fires.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Indian astronauts to train at NASA from August

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The image was seen&nbsp;pulsing due to&nbsp;many reasons. During the day, the forest fires flare and are seen slowing down at night.&nbsp;

During the day, trees and plants were seen carrying out photosynthesis which released oxygen and absorbed carbon dioxide. The oceans and land masses were seen working as carbon sinks.

The visualisations were created using GEOS (Goddard Earth Observing System), which is an integrated system to model the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems of the Earth.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Earth has been warming due to greenhouse gas emissions including carbon dioxide, which is making it difficult for humans to survive in some regions of the planet.

The Earth has been warming due to greenhouse gas emissions including carbon dioxide, which is making it difficult for humans to survive in some regions of the planet. The Earth also marked its hottest day consecutively for two days in July. The video released by NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio shows how wind and air currents are pushing emissions of carbon dioxide around the atmosphere of Earth from January to March 2020. Greenhouse emissions are being mapped by NASA and what is seen in the video is the ghoulish churning of carbon dioxide in the sky. × The high-resolution video zooms in and looks into the individual sources of carbon dioxide, which include power plants and forest fires. Also Read: In a first, NASA streams 4K video footage from aircraft to ISS and back Climate scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland Lesley Ott said, "As policymakers and as scientists, we're trying to account for where carbon comes from and how that impacts the planet. You see here how everything is interconnected by these different weather patterns." So who's the culprit of carbon dioxide emissions? In the video, it is seen that it doesn't matter where the carbon dioxide emissions are coming from, however, some interesting global differences were seen. Most of the carbon is seen getting emitted from the power plants, transportation and industry located in South Asia, China and the United States. However, in Africa and South America, most of the emissions come from burning, which includes land clearing, agricultural burning and forest fires. Watch: Indian astronauts to train at NASA from August The image was seen pulsing due to many reasons. During the day, the forest fires flare and are seen slowing down at night. During the day, trees and plants were seen carrying out photosynthesis which released oxygen and absorbed carbon dioxide. The oceans and land masses were seen working as carbon sinks. The visualisations were created using GEOS (Goddard Earth Observing System), which is an integrated system to model the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems of the Earth. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA shows how carbon dioxide gets churned in sky in stunning video

James Webb Space Telescope, which is the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched into space, spotted a "super Jupiter" around a neighbouring star — and it has a super orbit. The exoplanet is the 12th closest exoplanet to Earth known to date. It is also the closest planet bigger&nbsp;than Jupiter.&nbsp;

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said that the planet, Epsilon Indi Ab, is one of the coldest exoplanets observed to date.&nbsp;

The planet is roughly the same diameter as Jupiter but with six times the mass. The big difference is that it takes this planet more than a century, possibly as long as 250 years, to go around its star. Its atmosphere is also rich in hydrogen similar to that of Jupiter.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/two-dwarf-failed-stars-are-getting-slammed-by-hot-sandy-wind-spots-james-webb-743755">Two dwarf ‘failed stars’ are getting slammed by hot, sandy wind, spots James Webb</a>&nbsp;

An international team of astronomers observed Epsilon Indi Ab using the coronagraph on Webb's MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument). The feat is extraordinary as the exoplanet has been directly imaged and only a few tens of exoplanets have been directly imaged previously by space- and ground-based observatories.&nbsp;

The exoplanets that have been previously photographed are often the hottest and youngest, still emitting a significant amount of energy from their initial formation. Planets get fainter and more difficult to image as they cool and contract during their lifetime.&nbsp;

The research article, titled "A temperate super-Jupiter imaged with JWST in the mid-infrared" was published in the journal Nature on Wednesday (Jul 24).&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/watch-nasa-captures-suns-dark-plasma-wildly-exploding-hitting-earth-with-solar-storm-743665">WATCH: NASA captures Sun's 'dark' plasma wildly exploding, hitting Earth with solar storm</a>

As quoted by NASA, Elisabeth Matthews, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, said: "This discovery is exciting because the planet is quite similar to Jupiter — it is a little warmer and is more massive, but is more similar to Jupiter than any other planet that has been imaged so far."&nbsp;

Matthews further explained, "Cold planets are very faint, and most of their emission is in the mid-infrared. Webb is ideally suited to conduct mid-infrared imaging, which is extremely hard to do from the ground. We also needed good spatial resolution to separate the planet and the star in our images, and the large Webb mirror is extremely helpful in this aspect."&nbsp;

Caroline Morley of the University of Texas at Austin, who is a team member, said, "Our prior observations of this system have been more indirect measurements of the star, which actually allowed us to see ahead of time that there was likely a giant planet in this system tugging on the star. That's why our team chose this system to observe first with Webb."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

James Webb Space Telescope, which is the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched into space, spotted a "super Jupiter" around a neighbouring star — and it has a super orbit.

James Webb Space Telescope, which is the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched into space, spotted a "super Jupiter" around a neighbouring star — and it has a super orbit. The exoplanet is the 12th closest exoplanet to Earth known to date. It is also the closest planet bigger than Jupiter. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said that the planet, Epsilon Indi Ab, is one of the coldest exoplanets observed to date. The planet is roughly the same diameter as Jupiter but with six times the mass. The big difference is that it takes this planet more than a century, possibly as long as 250 years, to go around its star. Its atmosphere is also rich in hydrogen similar to that of Jupiter. Also read: Two dwarf ‘failed stars’ are getting slammed by hot, sandy wind, spots James Webb An international team of astronomers observed Epsilon Indi Ab using the coronagraph on Webb's MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument). The feat is extraordinary as the exoplanet has been directly imaged and only a few tens of exoplanets have been directly imaged previously by space- and ground-based observatories. The exoplanets that have been previously photographed are often the hottest and youngest, still emitting a significant amount of energy from their initial formation. Planets get fainter and more difficult to image as they cool and contract during their lifetime. The research article, titled "A temperate super-Jupiter imaged with JWST in the mid-infrared" was published in the journal Nature on Wednesday (Jul 24). Also read: WATCH: NASA captures Sun's 'dark' plasma wildly exploding, hitting Earth with solar storm As quoted by NASA, Elisabeth Matthews, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, said: "This discovery is exciting because the planet is quite similar to Jupiter — it is a little warmer and is more massive, but is more similar to Jupiter than any other planet that has been imaged so far." Matthews further explained, "Cold planets are very faint, and most of their emission is in the mid-infrared. Webb is ideally suited to conduct mid-infrared imaging, which is extremely hard to do from the ground. We also needed good spatial resolution to separate the planet and the star in our images, and the large Webb mirror is extremely helpful in this aspect." Caroline Morley of the University of Texas at Austin, who is a team member, said, "Our prior observations of this system have been more indirect measurements of the star, which actually allowed us to see ahead of time that there was likely a giant planet in this system tugging on the star. That's why our team chose this system to observe first with Webb." (With inputs from agencies)

James Webb spots 'super Jupiter' and it is one of the coldest exoplanets observed to date

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said that a team at its Glenn Research Center in Cleveland streamed 4K video footage from an aircraft to the International Space Station (ISS) and back for the first time using optical (or laser) communications.&nbsp;

The team carried out the experiment as part of a series of tests on new technology. The scientists hope that this technology could provide live video coverage of astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis missions.&nbsp;

NASA has sent data to and from orbit via radio waves in the past also. Notably, laser communications can transfer 10–100 times more data more quickly by using infrared light compared to radio frequency systems.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/rock-varnish-from-indias-ladakh-may-help-find-habitable-environments-in-space-744147">Rock varnish from India’s Ladakh may help find habitable environments in space</a>&nbsp;

For the test, the scientists worked with the Air Force Research Laboratory and NASA's Small Business Innovation Research programme. They temporarily installed a portable laser terminal on the belly of a Pilatus PC-12 aircraft.&nbsp;

They then flew over Lake Erie sending data from the aircraft to an optical ground station in Cleveland and it was then sent over an Earth-based network to White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico.&nbsp;

The scientists at NASA's facility in New Mexico used infrared light signals to send the data. The space agency stated that the signals travelled 22,000 miles away from Earth to its Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD), which is an orbiting experimental platform.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/james-webb-spots-super-jupiter-and-it-is-one-of-the-coldest-exoplanets-observed-to-date-743898">James Webb spots 'super Jupiter' and it is one of the coldest exoplanets observed to date</a>&nbsp;

The signal was then relayed by the LCRD to the ILLUMA-T (Integrated LCRD LEO User Modem and Amplifier Terminal) payload mounted on the orbiting laboratory. In the end, ILLUMA-T sent the data back to Earth.&nbsp;

Dr Daniel Raible, who is a principal investigator for the HDTN project at Glenn, said, "These experiments are a tremendous accomplishment. We can now build upon the success of streaming 4K HD videos to and from the space station to provide future capabilities, like HD videoconferencing, for our Artemis astronauts, which will be important for crew health and activity coordination."&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: Mysterious dark oxygen found on ocean floor

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<h2>Missy Elliott's song sent into deep space</h2>

For the first time, NASA recently transmitted the lyrics of popular Missy Elliot's song "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" to Venus, which is about 158 million miles (254 million kilometres) away. The lyrics were beamed using DSN (Deep Space Network).&nbsp;

The space agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California sent the transmission at 10:05 am PDT on July 12.&nbsp;

In 2008, NASA beamed The Beatles song "Across the Universe" into space. Elliott's 1997 debut single became the first hip-hop song sent to deep space.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said that a team at its Glenn Research Center in Cleveland streamed 4K video footage from an aircraft to the International Space Station (ISS) and back for the first time using optical (or laser) communications.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said that a team at its Glenn Research Center in Cleveland streamed 4K video footage from an aircraft to the International Space Station (ISS) and back for the first time using optical (or laser) communications. The team carried out the experiment as part of a series of tests on new technology. The scientists hope that this technology could provide live video coverage of astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis missions. NASA has sent data to and from orbit via radio waves in the past also. Notably, laser communications can transfer 10–100 times more data more quickly by using infrared light compared to radio frequency systems. Also read: Rock varnish from India’s Ladakh may help find habitable environments in space For the test, the scientists worked with the Air Force Research Laboratory and NASA's Small Business Innovation Research programme. They temporarily installed a portable laser terminal on the belly of a Pilatus PC-12 aircraft. They then flew over Lake Erie sending data from the aircraft to an optical ground station in Cleveland and it was then sent over an Earth-based network to White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The scientists at NASA's facility in New Mexico used infrared light signals to send the data. The space agency stated that the signals travelled 22,000 miles away from Earth to its Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD), which is an orbiting experimental platform. Also read: James Webb spots 'super Jupiter' and it is one of the coldest exoplanets observed to date The signal was then relayed by the LCRD to the ILLUMA-T (Integrated LCRD LEO User Modem and Amplifier Terminal) payload mounted on the orbiting laboratory. In the end, ILLUMA-T sent the data back to Earth. Dr Daniel Raible, who is a principal investigator for the HDTN project at Glenn, said, "These experiments are a tremendous accomplishment. We can now build upon the success of streaming 4K HD videos to and from the space station to provide future capabilities, like HD videoconferencing, for our Artemis astronauts, which will be important for crew health and activity coordination." Watch: Gravitas: Mysterious dark oxygen found on ocean floor × Missy Elliott's song sent into deep space For the first time, NASA recently transmitted the lyrics of popular Missy Elliot's song "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" to Venus, which is about 158 million miles (254 million kilometres) away. The lyrics were beamed using DSN (Deep Space Network). The space agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California sent the transmission at 10:05 am PDT on July 12. In 2008, NASA beamed The Beatles song "Across the Universe" into space. Elliott's 1997 debut single became the first hip-hop song sent to deep space. (With inputs from agencies)

In a first, NASA streams 4K video footage from aircraft to ISS and back

A NASA spacecraft recorded a video of two loops of "dark" plasma exploding on the surface of the Sun on Sunday (Jul 21). NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) observed the two loops of cool, dense plasma eruption from the surface of the sun.

A NASA spacecraft recorded a video of two loops of "dark" plasma exploding on the surface of the Sun on Sunday (Jul 21). NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) observed the two loops of cool, dense plasma eruption from the surface of the sun. These black-coloured loops of plasma were found to be coronal mass ejection's (CME) beginning stages which is considered to be a solar magnetic mess that releases solar storms towards Earth. Also Read: Scientists suggest our Solar System was shaped like donut in the beginning In the fast-forwarded video, two wispy black plumes of plasma are seen erupting from sunspot AR3757 along with an M1-class solar flare. Watch two plumes of 'dark' plasma explode from the sun and send solar storm towards Earth (video) https://t.co/WKtcTmLQ0U pic.twitter.com/JSxDWcgcOF — All About Space (@spaceanswers) July 22, 2024 × The active sunspot regions are capable of releasing electromagnetic energy from the corona of the sun at any moment and these plumes move away from the atmosphere of the sun, then collect more and more plasma which eventually consolidates into the inner making of the CME. Why is the solar plasma dark? According to scientists, when the plasma is spewed from the sunspot and moves away from the sun, it is at a comparatively lower density and temperature than when it is inside the Sun. This makes it appear dark in the imagery of the SDO. After the CME is born, the images from the SOHO coronagraph are used by the scientists to spot the halo, which is its signature and understand if it is propagating toward Earth and can impact our planet. Watch: Indian astronauts to train at NASA from August According to the forecast of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), the CME is likely to reach Earth later on Wednesday (Jul 24) and begin another geomagnetic activity. (With inputs from agencies)

WATCH: NASA captures Sun's 'dark' plasma wildly exploding, hitting Earth with solar storm

NASA has sounded&nbsp;an alarm regarding the massive 380-foot giant Asteroid 2011 MW1 which is hurtling at a dangerous speed towards Earth.&nbsp;

The American space agency has revealed that Asteroid 2011 MW1 is not some typical space pebble.&nbsp;

It is massive in size when&nbsp;compared&nbsp;to other asteroids which come into Earth's cosmic neighbourhood. This near-Earth object is as big as a skyscraper.&nbsp;

The asteroid is hurtling towards our planet at a scary speed of 28,946 km per hour and will be just 2.4 million miles when it makes its close approach, as per&nbsp;data from&nbsp;NASA’s CNEOS.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-warns-against-apollos-180-ft-asteroid-hurtling-towards-earth-at-scary-speed-741412">NASA warns against 180-ft asteroid hurtling towards Earth at scary speed</a>

The asteroid is expected to make its closest approach on July 25. According to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), it will be flying at a distance of 4.43 million miles which is a stone's throw away, in astronomical terms.&nbsp;

In case the asteroid deviates from its orbit, the consequences can be scary and maybe catastrophic for Earth.

<h2>Is the 380-foot asteroid a threat to Earth?</h2>

Even though the 380-foot asteroid flying towards Earth at scary speed can raise concerns, as of now people don't need to panic.&nbsp;

NASA has been tracking the trajectory of the asteroid and has said it will be flying at a safe distance. Hence, Asteroid 2011 MW1 has not been marked as potentially hazardous.

Scientists have always been concerned about the asteroids racing towards Earth and carrying the potential of wiping out the entire human race.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Indian astronauts to train at NASA from August

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Such space rocks are remnants left when the solar systems were formed and frequently make a close flyby of Earth, often causing concern&nbsp;to those tracking it.

Even though many of them have not been able to become an immediate threat, some have even been deflected due to their alarming proximity and massive size.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA has sounded an alarm regarding the massive 380-foot giant Asteroid 2011 MW1 which is hurtling at a dangerous speed towards Earth. The American space agency has revealed that Asteroid 2011 MW1 is not some typical space pebble.

NASA has sounded an alarm regarding the massive 380-foot giant Asteroid 2011 MW1 which is hurtling at a dangerous speed towards Earth. The American space agency has revealed that Asteroid 2011 MW1 is not some typical space pebble. It is massive in size when compared to other asteroids which come into Earth's cosmic neighbourhood. This near-Earth object is as big as a skyscraper. The asteroid is hurtling towards our planet at a scary speed of 28,946 km per hour and will be just 2.4 million miles when it makes its close approach, as per data from NASA’s CNEOS. Also Read: NASA warns against 180-ft asteroid hurtling towards Earth at scary speed The asteroid is expected to make its closest approach on July 25. According to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), it will be flying at a distance of 4.43 million miles which is a stone's throw away, in astronomical terms. In case the asteroid deviates from its orbit, the consequences can be scary and maybe catastrophic for Earth. Is the 380-foot asteroid a threat to Earth? Even though the 380-foot asteroid flying towards Earth at scary speed can raise concerns, as of now people don't need to panic. NASA has been tracking the trajectory of the asteroid and has said it will be flying at a safe distance. Hence, Asteroid 2011 MW1 has not been marked as potentially hazardous. Scientists have always been concerned about the asteroids racing towards Earth and carrying the potential of wiping out the entire human race. Watch: Indian astronauts to train at NASA from August Such space rocks are remnants left when the solar systems were formed and frequently make a close flyby of Earth, often causing concern to those tracking it. Even though many of them have not been able to become an immediate threat, some have even been deflected due to their alarming proximity and massive size. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA on alert as gigantic asteroid zooms too close to Earth, might turn catastrophic if moves from orbit

NASA and Elon Musk's SpaceX have joined hands in the mission to blast 450 tonnes of International Space Station (ISS) and finally push it inside an ocean grave.&nbsp;

The ISS has served as the perfect abode for the astronauts in space in the last 23 years. NASA announced in June that SpaceX would be paid $843 million for helping them in decommissioning the ISS.

Now on Wednesday (July 17), the detailed plan for pushing the ISS into the ocean was shared by NASA and SpaceX.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/strictly-speaking-earth-is-not-revolving-around-the-sun-currently-heres-what-it-means-740359">Strictly speaking, Earth is not revolving around the Sun currently. Here's what it means</a>

The plan involved an extra-large and superpowered Dragon spaceship&nbsp;which will push the space station outside its orbit and turn it into a fiery plummet which will eventually crash in a remote ocean grave, most likely by 2031.

<h2>How SpaceX's Dragon spaceships are preparing for blast?</h2>

Currently, SpaceX's Dragon spaceships have been shuttling NASA astronauts&nbsp;and cargo, which are extremely light, to and from the space station.&nbsp;

This is the reason why SpaceX has been supercharging one of its Dragons to blast the space station.&nbsp;

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With 6x more propellant and 4x the power of today’s Dragon spacecraft, SpaceX was selected to design and develop the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle for a precise, controlled deorbit of the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> <a href="https://t.co/GgtuplTwqQ">https://t.co/GgtuplTwqQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/E23sS7CE4U">pic.twitter.com/E23sS7CE4U</a>
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According to the plan, one of the existing Cargo Dragon will be fitted with a new high-powered trunk by SpaceX and will be supercharged with 46 Draco engines.

The resulting "deorbit vehicle" will be nearly twice as long as any common Dragon ship and will be six times more propellant for producing four times the power.

SpaceX's director of Dragon mission management Sarah Walker said that the mission's most complex part is the final burn which will push the ISS towards its final descent.

Watch:&nbsp;Discover the impact of AI on the scientific operations of NASA's Mars Rover

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"This burn must be powerful enough to fly the entire space station, all the while resisting the torques and forces caused by increasing atmospheric drag on the space station to ensure that it ultimately terminates in the intended location," said Walker, in a briefing on Wednesday (July 17).

The final destination of the project will be a remote area of the ocean like the South Pacific, which has not been finalised yet.

NASA has decided to crash the football field-sized spacecraft nowhere but only in the open ocean to minimise its impact on Earth.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

NASA and Elon Musk's SpaceX have joined hands in the mission to blast 450 tonnes of International Space Station (ISS) and finally push it inside an ocean grave. The ISS has served as the perfect abode for the astronauts in space in the last 23 years.

NASA and Elon Musk's SpaceX have joined hands in the mission to blast 450 tonnes of International Space Station (ISS) and finally push it inside an ocean grave. The ISS has served as the perfect abode for the astronauts in space in the last 23 years. NASA announced in June that SpaceX would be paid $843 million for helping them in decommissioning the ISS. Now on Wednesday (July 17), the detailed plan for pushing the ISS into the ocean was shared by NASA and SpaceX. Also Read: Strictly speaking, Earth is not revolving around the Sun currently. Here's what it means The plan involved an extra-large and superpowered Dragon spaceship which will push the space station outside its orbit and turn it into a fiery plummet which will eventually crash in a remote ocean grave, most likely by 2031. How SpaceX's Dragon spaceships are preparing for blast? Currently, SpaceX's Dragon spaceships have been shuttling NASA astronauts and cargo, which are extremely light, to and from the space station. This is the reason why SpaceX has been supercharging one of its Dragons to blast the space station. With 6x more propellant and 4x the power of today’s Dragon spacecraft, SpaceX was selected to design and develop the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle for a precise, controlled deorbit of the @Space_Station https://t.co/GgtuplTwqQ pic.twitter.com/E23sS7CE4U — SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 17, 2024 × According to the plan, one of the existing Cargo Dragon will be fitted with a new high-powered trunk by SpaceX and will be supercharged with 46 Draco engines. The resulting "deorbit vehicle" will be nearly twice as long as any common Dragon ship and will be six times more propellant for producing four times the power. SpaceX's director of Dragon mission management Sarah Walker said that the mission's most complex part is the final burn which will push the ISS towards its final descent. Watch: Discover the impact of AI on the scientific operations of NASA's Mars Rover "This burn must be powerful enough to fly the entire space station, all the while resisting the torques and forces caused by increasing atmospheric drag on the space station to ensure that it ultimately terminates in the intended location," said Walker, in a briefing on Wednesday (July 17). The final destination of the project will be a remote area of the ocean like the South Pacific, which has not been finalised yet. NASA has decided to crash the football field-sized spacecraft nowhere but only in the open ocean to minimise its impact on Earth. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA, SpaceX to turn 450-ton ISS into a fireball and crash it into ocean. Here's how it will impact Earth

Another massive asteroid, from the group of Apollo asteroids, named 2024 LY2 is being closely monitored by NASA as it zooms towards Earth at a speed of more than 28,000 km/h.

The gigantic space rock, which measures approximately 290 feet (88 metres) in size, has been flying in space at a scary speed of 28,156 kilometres per hour.&nbsp;

It is expected to make its closest approach towards Earth on July 23, 2024, at 07:52 UTC (1:22 PM IST). When it makes a flyby, it is expected to be at a distance of nearly 4.5 million kilometres from Earth.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-warns-against-apollos-180-ft-asteroid-hurtling-towards-earth-at-scary-speed-741412">NASA warns against 180-ft asteroid hurtling towards Earth at scary speed</a>

<h2>Earth's tryst with Apollo asteroids</h2>

This is not the first Apollo asteroid hurtling towards Earth, NASA had earlier issued an alert against asteroid 2024 MG1, which belonged to the same group.

Apollo asteroids are a group of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) and their orbits intersect the orbit of Earth. The group was given a name after the scientists discovered the first asteroid of this group called 1862 Apollo.&nbsp; 
Such asteroids carry the potential risks if their orbits intersect with the orbit of the Earth closely.

Not all asteroids are considered as a threat, however, some of them like 2024 LY2 are considered as potentially hazardous asteroids and hence are monitored to ensure timely deflection, if required.

These asteroids are generally larger than about 460 feet (140 metres) and sometimes come inside the 4.6 million miles (7.5 million kilometres) of Earth’s orbit.

Watch:&nbsp;Indian astronauts to train at NASA from August

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According to scientists, if an asteroid like 2024 LY2 collides with Earth, there will be various consequences depending on its size, speed, and composition.&nbsp;

Considering the asteroid's estimated size of 290 feet, its impact can lead to localised devastation.

NASA's Monitoring and Response NASA along with other space agencies have&nbsp;been tracking asteroids like 2024 MG1 with the use of telescopes and radar systems.&nbsp;

While monitoring the asteroids, scientists are able to predict their path and adopt various mitigation strategies which range from deflection missions to evacuation plans decided for potentially affected areas.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Another massive asteroid, from the group of Apollo asteroids, named 2024 LY2 is being closely monitored by NASA as it zooms towards Earth at a speed of more than 28,000 km/h.

Another massive asteroid, from the group of Apollo asteroids, named 2024 LY2 is being closely monitored by NASA as it zooms towards Earth at a speed of more than 28,000 km/h. The gigantic space rock, which measures approximately 290 feet (88 metres) in size, has been flying in space at a scary speed of 28,156 kilometres per hour. It is expected to make its closest approach towards Earth on July 23, 2024, at 07:52 UTC (1:22 PM IST). When it makes a flyby, it is expected to be at a distance of nearly 4.5 million kilometres from Earth. Also Read: NASA warns against 180-ft asteroid hurtling towards Earth at scary speed Earth's tryst with Apollo asteroids This is not the first Apollo asteroid hurtling towards Earth, NASA had earlier issued an alert against asteroid 2024 MG1, which belonged to the same group. Apollo asteroids are a group of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) and their orbits intersect the orbit of Earth. The group was given a name after the scientists discovered the first asteroid of this group called 1862 Apollo. Such asteroids carry the potential risks if their orbits intersect with the orbit of the Earth closely. Not all asteroids are considered as a threat, however, some of them like 2024 LY2 are considered as potentially hazardous asteroids and hence are monitored to ensure timely deflection, if required. These asteroids are generally larger than about 460 feet (140 metres) and sometimes come inside the 4.6 million miles (7.5 million kilometres) of Earth’s orbit. Watch: Indian astronauts to train at NASA from August According to scientists, if an asteroid like 2024 LY2 collides with Earth, there will be various consequences depending on its size, speed, and composition. Considering the asteroid's estimated size of 290 feet, its impact can lead to localised devastation. NASA's Monitoring and Response NASA along with other space agencies have been tracking asteroids like 2024 MG1 with the use of telescopes and radar systems. While monitoring the asteroids, scientists are able to predict their path and adopt various mitigation strategies which range from deflection missions to evacuation plans decided for potentially affected areas. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA is on alert as another 290-ft Apollo asteroid hurtles towards Earth at alarming speed

The quest for water (or ice) on the Moon is significant&nbsp;for scientists around the world. It's because the water can be harnessed as potential fuel for future space exploration missions, with the Moon effectively hosting a fuel station for spacecraft. Taking this idea forward, American&nbsp;space agency NASA launched its Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission, which aimed to map ice on the south pole of the Moon and then drill it out on the surface. Now, as per reports, NASA on Wednesday (Jul 17) scrapped the project citing cost and delay concerns.

<h2>$450 million already spent</h2>

The decision comes even as the space agency has already spent a whopping $450 million on the project. A rover, that the agency planned to use in the mission, has already been assembled and the construction of the lander was in the works. Now, NASA says it's looking for potential buyers for that rover, which can be used in lunar exploration missions.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwieitrUjbOHAxVQUWwGHT9MANwQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/decline-in-indias-vulture-population-impacted-human-health-contributing-to-thousands-of-deaths-report-741732" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/science/decline-in-indias-vulture-population-impacted-human-health-contributing-to-thousands-of-deaths-report-741732&amp;ved=2ahUKEwieitrUjbOHAxVQUWwGHT9MANwQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE">Decline in India`s vulture population impacted human health, contributing to thousands of deaths: Report</a>

Nicola Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s science mission directorate, said it was a "tough decision."

“This has been a really tough decision, which we make in an uncertain budget environment,” Fox said. “But we do believe that this is a way for us to continue to support the entire CLPS portfolio.”

<h2>Why has the project been cancelled?</h2>

The United States&nbsp;Congress had allocated $433.5 million for the VIPER project. The mission's objective was to land the rover on the lunar surface by the end of 2023. But, new estimates suggested the mission will require $176 million more and would only be ready for launch by late 2025.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwieitrUjbOHAxVQUWwGHT9MANwQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-finally-know-why-do-we-blush-741791" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-finally-know-why-do-we-blush-741791&amp;ved=2ahUKEwieitrUjbOHAxVQUWwGHT9MANwQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">Scientists finally know why do we blush</a>

NASA was not ready for this budget increase, amidst the agency's increased focus on the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) programme, where it plans to join forces with private players to transport scientific equipment to space.

<h2>NASA's quest for water on the Moon still ON'</h2>

Despite the closure of the VIPER project, NASA isn't going to put a halt to its ongoing search for water on the Moon.

“Despite what’s happening with VIPER, we are committed to continuing to study the Moon and to look for water and ice in all of our future missions,” Fox said during the 17 July announcement.

(With inputs from agencies)

The quest for water (or ice) on the Moon is significant for scientists around the world. It's because the water can be harnessed as potential fuel for future space exploration missions, with the Moon effectively hosting a fuel station for spacecraft.

The quest for water (or ice) on the Moon is significant for scientists around the world. It's because the water can be harnessed as potential fuel for future space exploration missions, with the Moon effectively hosting a fuel station for spacecraft. Taking this idea forward, American space agency NASA launched its Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission, which aimed to map ice on the south pole of the Moon and then drill it out on the surface. Now, as per reports, NASA on Wednesday (Jul 17) scrapped the project citing cost and delay concerns. $450 million already spent The decision comes even as the space agency has already spent a whopping $450 million on the project. A rover, that the agency planned to use in the mission, has already been assembled and the construction of the lander was in the works. Now, NASA says it's looking for potential buyers for that rover, which can be used in lunar exploration missions. Also read: Decline in India`s vulture population impacted human health, contributing to thousands of deaths: Report Nicola Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s science mission directorate, said it was a "tough decision." “This has been a really tough decision, which we make in an uncertain budget environment,” Fox said. “But we do believe that this is a way for us to continue to support the entire CLPS portfolio.” Why has the project been cancelled? The United States Congress had allocated $433.5 million for the VIPER project. The mission's objective was to land the rover on the lunar surface by the end of 2023. But, new estimates suggested the mission will require $176 million more and would only be ready for launch by late 2025. Also read: Scientists finally know why do we blush NASA was not ready for this budget increase, amidst the agency's increased focus on the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) programme, where it plans to join forces with private players to transport scientific equipment to space. NASA's quest for water on the Moon still ON' Despite the closure of the VIPER project, NASA isn't going to put a halt to its ongoing search for water on the Moon. “Despite what’s happening with VIPER, we are committed to continuing to study the Moon and to look for water and ice in all of our future missions,” Fox said during the 17 July announcement. (With inputs from agencies)

After spending $450mn on lunar exploration mission, NASA abruptly cancels it

NASA's Perseverance Rover uses AI and its PIXL instrument to decide when to drill and store rock cores for future return to Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return campaign. Watch in for more details!

Discover the impact of AI on the scientific operations of NASA's Mars Rover

NASA has scripted history by discovering&nbsp;six unknown worlds outside our Solar System, which has pushed the number of exoplanets hunted so far to 5,502.

The new find is likely to further expand the understanding of life beyond Earth and the Solar System.

In 1992, the scientists&nbsp;had found the first exoplanets&nbsp;- which were twin planets, Poltergeist and Phobetor - which orbited the pulsar PSR B1257+12.&nbsp;

<h2>What are these six exoplanets?</h2>

The six new exoplanets discovered are &nbsp;HD 36384 b, TOI-198 b, TOI-2095 b, TOI-2095 c, TOI-4860 b, and MWC 758 c.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/strictly-speaking-earth-is-not-revolving-around-the-sun-currently-heres-what-it-means-740359">Strictly speaking, Earth is not revolving around the Sun currently. Here's what it means</a>

HD 36384 b is a type of super-Jupiter which orbits a huge M giant star.' The scientists discovered this planet with the help of the radial velocity method.

TOI-198 b has been identified as a rocky planet which orbits on the habitable zone's innermost edge around the M dwarf star. The scientists used the transit method to detect this planet.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, TOI-2095 b and&nbsp;TOI-2095 c emerged as large and hot super-Earths which have been orbiting the same M dwarf star.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Scientists say the Earth's core is behaving oddly. Here's why

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Even though they are being called super-Earth, they share more similarity with Venus.&nbsp;

TOI-4860 b is a “hot Jupiter" or Jupiter-sized gas giant which orbits an M dwarf star. The planet completes an orbit every 1.52 days which means it is close to its star.

MWC 758 c is a type of giant protoplanet which has been orbiting a very young star. There is a protoplanetary disk on this star which is a rotating disc of dust and gas and can surround a young star.

When the scientists discovered the planet using direct imaging, it was discovered carving spiral arms into the protoplanetary disk of the star.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA has scripted history by discovering six unknown worlds outside our Solar System, which has pushed the number of exoplanets hunted so far to 5,502. The new find is likely to further expand the understanding of life beyond Earth and the Solar System.

NASA has scripted history by discovering six unknown worlds outside our Solar System, which has pushed the number of exoplanets hunted so far to 5,502. The new find is likely to further expand the understanding of life beyond Earth and the Solar System. In 1992, the scientists had found the first exoplanets - which were twin planets, Poltergeist and Phobetor - which orbited the pulsar PSR B1257+12. What are these six exoplanets? The six new exoplanets discovered are HD 36384 b, TOI-198 b, TOI-2095 b, TOI-2095 c, TOI-4860 b, and MWC 758 c. Also Read: Strictly speaking, Earth is not revolving around the Sun currently. Here's what it means HD 36384 b is a type of super-Jupiter which orbits a huge M giant star.' The scientists discovered this planet with the help of the radial velocity method. TOI-198 b has been identified as a rocky planet which orbits on the habitable zone's innermost edge around the M dwarf star. The scientists used the transit method to detect this planet. Meanwhile, TOI-2095 b and TOI-2095 c emerged as large and hot super-Earths which have been orbiting the same M dwarf star. Watch: Scientists say the Earth's core is behaving oddly. Here's why Even though they are being called super-Earth, they share more similarity with Venus. TOI-4860 b is a “hot Jupiter" or Jupiter-sized gas giant which orbits an M dwarf star. The planet completes an orbit every 1.52 days which means it is close to its star. MWC 758 c is a type of giant protoplanet which has been orbiting a very young star. There is a protoplanetary disk on this star which is a rotating disc of dust and gas and can surround a young star. When the scientists discovered the planet using direct imaging, it was discovered carving spiral arms into the protoplanetary disk of the star. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA spots six alien worlds rotating beyond Solar System, two are 'hot super-Earths'

An exoplanet has differences between its eternal morning and eternal evening atmosphere - this model was previously predicted and researchers have finally confirmed it using the James Webb Space Telescope.&nbsp;

Researchers are talking about WASP-39 b, which is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits a G-type star. The mass WASP-39 b is 0.28 Jupiter and it takes 4.1 days to complete one orbit of its star, NASA revealed. WASP-39 b has a similar mass to Saturn. It orbits a star about 700 light-years away from Earth.&nbsp;

The discovery of WASP-39 b was announced in 2011 and in July 2022, it became the first exoplanet to be studied by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which is the largest, most powerful telescope ever launched into space.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-find-underground-cave-on-moon-that-could-be-prime-location-for-future-lunar-base-741166">Scientists find underground cave on Moon that could be prime location for future lunar base</a>&nbsp;

Researchers have established that WASP-39 b is tidally locked to its parent star, which means it has a constant dayside and a constant nightside. One side of the planet is always exposed to its star, while the other is always covered in darkness.&nbsp;

NASA in its reports said that astronomers confirmed a temperature difference between the eternal morning and eternal evening on WASP-39 b using Webb's NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph).&nbsp;

The astronomers found that evening appeared hotter by about 200 degrees Celsius and there is evidence for different cloud cover, with the "forever morning portion of the planet being likely cloudier than the evening".&nbsp;

Also&nbsp;read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-shares-stunning-images-of-a-space-get-away-captured-by-webb-and-chandra-741018">NASA shares stunning images of a space get-away captured by Webb and Chandra</a>

As quoted by nasa.gov, Néstor Espinoza, who is an exoplanet researcher at the Space Telescope Science Institute and lead author on the study, said,&nbsp;"WASP-39 b has become a sort of benchmark planet in studying the atmosphere of exoplanets with Webb."&nbsp;

"It has an inflated, puffy atmosphere, so the signal coming from starlight filtered through the planet’s atmosphere is quite strong," Espinoza added.&nbsp;

The complete day/night boundary is represented by the previously published Webb spectra of the atmosphere of WASP-39b, which showed the presence of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, water vapour and sodium. But there was no detailed attempt to differentiate between one side and the other.&nbsp;

However, the day/night boundary is now divided into two semicircles, one from the evening and one from the morning, by the new methodology, which constructs two distinct spectra from the terminator region.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/our-sun-has-been-emanating-mysterious-radio-signals-for-decades-nasa-plans-to-find-the-exact-source-740983">Our sun is sending mysterious radio signals for decades. NASA plans to find the exact source</a>&nbsp;

"Data reveals the evening as significantly hotter, a searing 1,450 degrees Fahrenheit (800 degrees Celsius), and the morning a relatively cooler 1,150 degrees Fahrenheit (600 degrees Celsius)," NASA said in its report.&nbsp;

"It's really stunning that we are able to parse this small difference out, and it’s only possible due Webb's sensitivity across near-infrared wavelengths and its extremely stable photometric sensors," said Espinoza. &nbsp;

"Any tiny movement in the instrument or with the observatory while collecting data would have severely limited our ability to make this detection. It must be extraordinarily precise, and Webb is just that," he added.&nbsp;

The findings were published on Monday (Jul 15) in Nature, titled, "Inhomogeneous terminators on the exoplanet WASP-39 b".&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

An exoplanet has differences between its eternal morning and eternal evening atmosphere - this model was previously predicted and researchers have finally confirmed it using the James Webb Space Telescope.

An exoplanet has differences between its eternal morning and eternal evening atmosphere - this model was previously predicted and researchers have finally confirmed it using the James Webb Space Telescope. Researchers are talking about WASP-39 b, which is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits a G-type star. The mass WASP-39 b is 0.28 Jupiter and it takes 4.1 days to complete one orbit of its star, NASA revealed. WASP-39 b has a similar mass to Saturn. It orbits a star about 700 light-years away from Earth. The discovery of WASP-39 b was announced in 2011 and in July 2022, it became the first exoplanet to be studied by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which is the largest, most powerful telescope ever launched into space. Also read: Scientists find underground cave on Moon that could be prime location for future lunar base Researchers have established that WASP-39 b is tidally locked to its parent star, which means it has a constant dayside and a constant nightside. One side of the planet is always exposed to its star, while the other is always covered in darkness. NASA in its reports said that astronomers confirmed a temperature difference between the eternal morning and eternal evening on WASP-39 b using Webb's NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph). The astronomers found that evening appeared hotter by about 200 degrees Celsius and there is evidence for different cloud cover, with the "forever morning portion of the planet being likely cloudier than the evening". Also read: NASA shares stunning images of a space get-away captured by Webb and Chandra As quoted by nasa.gov, Néstor Espinoza, who is an exoplanet researcher at the Space Telescope Science Institute and lead author on the study, said, "WASP-39 b has become a sort of benchmark planet in studying the atmosphere of exoplanets with Webb." "It has an inflated, puffy atmosphere, so the signal coming from starlight filtered through the planet’s atmosphere is quite strong," Espinoza added. The complete day/night boundary is represented by the previously published Webb spectra of the atmosphere of WASP-39b, which showed the presence of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, water vapour and sodium. But there was no detailed attempt to differentiate between one side and the other. However, the day/night boundary is now divided into two semicircles, one from the evening and one from the morning, by the new methodology, which constructs two distinct spectra from the terminator region. Also read: Our sun is sending mysterious radio signals for decades. NASA plans to find the exact source "Data reveals the evening as significantly hotter, a searing 1,450 degrees Fahrenheit (800 degrees Celsius), and the morning a relatively cooler 1,150 degrees Fahrenheit (600 degrees Celsius)," NASA said in its report. "It's really stunning that we are able to parse this small difference out, and it’s only possible due Webb's sensitivity across near-infrared wavelengths and its extremely stable photometric sensors," said Espinoza. "Any tiny movement in the instrument or with the observatory while collecting data would have severely limited our ability to make this detection. It must be extraordinarily precise, and Webb is just that," he added. The findings were published on Monday (Jul 15) in Nature, titled, "Inhomogeneous terminators on the exoplanet WASP-39 b". (With inputs from agencies)

Researchers using James Webb to probe eternal sunrises and sunsets on distant world

NASA has issued an alert against asteroid 2024 MG1 - which belongs to a class of asteroids known as the Apollo group which have their Earth-crossing orbits - and has been hurtling towards our planet at a scary speed of 33,600 kilometres per hour.&nbsp;

The asteroid, which measures 180 feet (55 metres) in size, will be making its closest approach to Earth on July 21, 2024, at 21:31 UTC (3:01 AM IST on July 22). The asteroid is expected to come within the distance of 4.2 million kilometres.&nbsp;

In astronomical terms, there seems to be a significant distance between the asteroid and Earth, however, such close encounters always raise concerns regarding their potential impacts.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-issues-sudden-warning-as-100ft-asteroid-races-towards-earth-at-zooming-speed-740568">NASA issues sudden warning as 100ft asteroid races towards Earth at lightning speed</a>

<h2>What are Apollo asteroids?&nbsp;</h2>

Apollo asteroids are a group of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) and their orbits intersect the orbit of Earth. The group was given a name after the scientists discovered the first asteroid of this group called 1862 Apollo.&nbsp;

Such asteroids carry the potential risks if their orbits intersect with the orbit of the Earth closely.&nbsp;

<h2>What will happen if the asteroid collides with Earth?</h2>

According to scientists, if an asteroid like 2024 MG1 collides with Earth, there will be various consequences depending on its size, speed, and composition.&nbsp;

Considering the asteroid's estimated size of 180 feet, its impact can lead to localised devastation, however, such occurrences are doubtful as the chances of 2024 MG1 colliding with Earth are very low.&nbsp;

Space agencies and scientists keep monitoring such asteroids to timely predict their movements and take the required action.

Watch:&nbsp;Indian astronauts to train at NASA from August

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gaganyaan-mission-indian-astronaut-to-fly-to-space-station-by-2026-740296/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2>How NASA is monitoring asteroids?</h2>

NASA's Monitoring and Response NASA along with other space agencies has been tracking asteroids like 2024 MG1 with the use of telescopes and radar systems.&nbsp;

While monitoring the asteroids, scientists are able to predict their path and adopt various mitigation strategies which range from deflection missions to evacuation plans decided for potentially affected areas.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

NASA has issued an alert against asteroid 2024 MG1 - which belongs to a class of asteroids known as the Apollo group which have their Earth-crossing orbits - and has been hurtling towards our planet at a scary speed of 33,600 kilometres per hour.

NASA has issued an alert against asteroid 2024 MG1 - which belongs to a class of asteroids known as the Apollo group which have their Earth-crossing orbits - and has been hurtling towards our planet at a scary speed of 33,600 kilometres per hour. The asteroid, which measures 180 feet (55 metres) in size, will be making its closest approach to Earth on July 21, 2024, at 21:31 UTC (3:01 AM IST on July 22). The asteroid is expected to come within the distance of 4.2 million kilometres. In astronomical terms, there seems to be a significant distance between the asteroid and Earth, however, such close encounters always raise concerns regarding their potential impacts. Also Read: NASA issues sudden warning as 100ft asteroid races towards Earth at lightning speed What are Apollo asteroids? Apollo asteroids are a group of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) and their orbits intersect the orbit of Earth. The group was given a name after the scientists discovered the first asteroid of this group called 1862 Apollo. Such asteroids carry the potential risks if their orbits intersect with the orbit of the Earth closely. What will happen if the asteroid collides with Earth? According to scientists, if an asteroid like 2024 MG1 collides with Earth, there will be various consequences depending on its size, speed, and composition. Considering the asteroid's estimated size of 180 feet, its impact can lead to localised devastation, however, such occurrences are doubtful as the chances of 2024 MG1 colliding with Earth are very low. Space agencies and scientists keep monitoring such asteroids to timely predict their movements and take the required action. Watch: Indian astronauts to train at NASA from August How NASA is monitoring asteroids? NASA's Monitoring and Response NASA along with other space agencies has been tracking asteroids like 2024 MG1 with the use of telescopes and radar systems. While monitoring the asteroids, scientists are able to predict their path and adopt various mitigation strategies which range from deflection missions to evacuation plans decided for potentially affected areas. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA warns against 180-ft asteroid hurtling towards Earth at scary speed

A warning was issued by NASA after they spotted a 100-foot&nbsp;asteroid&nbsp;named&nbsp;2024 NB2 which is about to make an extremely close flyby Earth on Saturday (July 13).

The aeroplane-sized asteroid is travelling at a stunning speed of 47,921 kilometres per hour. Even though it will be very close to the Earth, scientists believe that it won't act as an immediate threat to the planet.

The astronomers spotted asteroid 2024 NB2 racing towards Earth at the Catalina Sky Survey in Tucson, Arizona.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has been closely monitoring this near-Earth object in Southern California.&nbsp;

When the space rock makes its closest approach, the asteroid will be just 2,390,000 miles (3,850,000 kilometres) away from Earth. In astronomical terms, this distance is considered safe.

Asteroid 2024 NB2 is also being tracked by the Goldstone Solar System Radar, which is part of NASA’s Deep Space Network.&nbsp;

This radar system, which is located near Barstow, can give detailed observation of the size, orbit and speed of the asteroid.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/asteroid-2024-mt-1-makes-extremely-close-approach-to-earth-739111">Asteroid 2024 MT-1 makes extremely close approach to Earth</a>

Such observations are important to understand how near-Earth objects behave in space and improvise planetary defence strategies.

<h2>How does NASA keep an eye on any potential hazards to Earth?</h2>

The way Asteroid 2024 NB2 is moving towards Earth also reflects the importance of keeping a tab on space to detect any potential hazards.&nbsp;

NASA’s Planetary Defence Coordination Office (PDCO) has been tracking such cosmic objects and ensuring that Earth remains safe.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Indian astronauts to train at NASA from August

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gaganyaan-mission-indian-astronaut-to-fly-to-space-station-by-2026-740296/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The high speed at which the asteroid is travelling shows the solar system's dynamic nature.&nbsp;

Asteroids keep moving across space constantly and are influenced by the planets' gravitation pull.&nbsp;

The scientists can predict future trajectories by understanding their movements. It also helps in assessing potential risks.

(With inputs from agencies)

A warning was issued by NASA after they spotted a 100-foot asteroid named 2024 NB2 which is about to make an extremely close flyby Earth on Saturday (July 13). The aeroplane-sized asteroid is travelling at a stunning speed of 47,921 kilometres per hour.

A warning was issued by NASA after they spotted a 100-foot asteroid named 2024 NB2 which is about to make an extremely close flyby Earth on Saturday (July 13). The aeroplane-sized asteroid is travelling at a stunning speed of 47,921 kilometres per hour. Even though it will be very close to the Earth, scientists believe that it won't act as an immediate threat to the planet. The astronomers spotted asteroid 2024 NB2 racing towards Earth at the Catalina Sky Survey in Tucson, Arizona. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has been closely monitoring this near-Earth object in Southern California. When the space rock makes its closest approach, the asteroid will be just 2,390,000 miles (3,850,000 kilometres) away from Earth. In astronomical terms, this distance is considered safe. Asteroid 2024 NB2 is also being tracked by the Goldstone Solar System Radar, which is part of NASA’s Deep Space Network. This radar system, which is located near Barstow, can give detailed observation of the size, orbit and speed of the asteroid. Also Read: Asteroid 2024 MT-1 makes extremely close approach to Earth Such observations are important to understand how near-Earth objects behave in space and improvise planetary defence strategies. How does NASA keep an eye on any potential hazards to Earth? The way Asteroid 2024 NB2 is moving towards Earth also reflects the importance of keeping a tab on space to detect any potential hazards. NASA’s Planetary Defence Coordination Office (PDCO) has been tracking such cosmic objects and ensuring that Earth remains safe. Watch: Indian astronauts to train at NASA from August The high speed at which the asteroid is travelling shows the solar system's dynamic nature. Asteroids keep moving across space constantly and are influenced by the planets' gravitation pull. The scientists can predict future trajectories by understanding their movements. It also helps in assessing potential risks. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA issues sudden warning as 100ft asteroid races towards Earth at lightning speed

NASA released on Friday a pair of images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope showing two galaxies - one nicknamed the Penguin and the other the Egg - in the process of merging in sort of a cosmic ballet as the US space agency marked two years since it unveiled the orbiting observatory's first scientific results.

NASA releases Webb telescope images of a galactic merger

The eerie red lights, which were glowing in the atmosphere of the Earth and above the coast of South Africa, were captured by a NASA astronaut from a window aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

On June 21, NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 mission commander Matthew Dominick captured the mesmerising image. The red glowing light was actually a sudden flash of a weather phenomenon called 'red sprite' lightning.

Red sprites are said to flash above thunderclouds in the upper atmosphere, known as the mesosphere, which extends up to 53 miles (85 kilometres) above the surface.

In the image, blood-red bursts of energy were seen shining above the coast of South Africa. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/china-is-set-to-shoot-a-space-projectile-at-an-asteroid-in-space-by-2030-will-it-threaten-earth-739985">China set to shoot projectile at asteroid in space by 2030. Will it threaten Earth?</a>

"Super lucky a few weeks ago when shooting a timelapse of a lightning storm off the coast of South Africa," said Dominick, as he explained the image in a post to social site X. &nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Super lucky a few weeks ago when shooting a timelapse of a lightning storm off the coast of South Africa. One of the frames in the timelapse had a red sprite. A rare event. My knowledge is pretty much just from Wikipedia but I want to know more. 
 
50mm lens, f1.2, 1/5s, ISO 3200 <a href="https://t.co/CU1JpMwE8u">pic.twitter.com/CU1JpMwE8u</a>
— Matthew Dominick (@dominickmatthew) <a href="https://twitter.com/dominickmatthew/status/1803909515630236084?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
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"One of the frames in the timelapse had a red sprite. If there are any red sprite experts out there I would enjoy tips on how to capture more of these. Clearly, look for lightning storms, but I'm thinking the stronger the storm the better," he added.

The image of the red sprites was captured by Dominick from a vantage point which is hundreds of miles above the high-altitude electrical discharges and falls in the orbit within the ISS.

<h2>What is a red sprite?</h2>

Red sprites are a type of electrical bursts of light which are formed above the highly active thunderstorms.

These are found in the D region of the ionosphere, which is the area above the dense lower atmosphere nearly 37 to 56 miles from the Earth.

Watch:&nbsp;NASA's manned mission to Mars around the corner?

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The light appears red at higher altitudes and turns to blue at lower heights. For nearly a century, scientists have known that atmospheric sprites, however, their origins have remained a mystery.

They occur for only a few milliseconds and are comparatively dim in comparison to other lightning.

(With inputs from agencies)

The eerie red lights, which were glowing in the atmosphere of the Earth and above the coast of South Africa, were captured by a NASA astronaut from a window aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

The eerie red lights, which were glowing in the atmosphere of the Earth and above the coast of South Africa, were captured by a NASA astronaut from a window aboard the International Space Station (ISS). On June 21, NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 mission commander Matthew Dominick captured the mesmerising image. The red glowing light was actually a sudden flash of a weather phenomenon called 'red sprite' lightning. Red sprites are said to flash above thunderclouds in the upper atmosphere, known as the mesosphere, which extends up to 53 miles (85 kilometres) above the surface. In the image, blood-red bursts of energy were seen shining above the coast of South Africa. Also Read: China set to shoot projectile at asteroid in space by 2030. Will it threaten Earth? "Super lucky a few weeks ago when shooting a timelapse of a lightning storm off the coast of South Africa," said Dominick, as he explained the image in a post to social site X. Super lucky a few weeks ago when shooting a timelapse of a lightning storm off the coast of South Africa. One of the frames in the timelapse had a red sprite. A rare event. My knowledge is pretty much just from Wikipedia but I want to know more. 50mm lens, f1.2, 1/5s, ISO 3200 pic.twitter.com/CU1JpMwE8u — Matthew Dominick (@dominickmatthew) June 20, 2024 × "One of the frames in the timelapse had a red sprite. If there are any red sprite experts out there I would enjoy tips on how to capture more of these. Clearly, look for lightning storms, but I'm thinking the stronger the storm the better," he added. The image of the red sprites was captured by Dominick from a vantage point which is hundreds of miles above the high-altitude electrical discharges and falls in the orbit within the ISS. What is a red sprite? Red sprites are a type of electrical bursts of light which are formed above the highly active thunderstorms. These are found in the D region of the ionosphere, which is the area above the dense lower atmosphere nearly 37 to 56 miles from the Earth. Watch: NASA's manned mission to Mars around the corner? The light appears red at higher altitudes and turns to blue at lower heights. For nearly a century, scientists have known that atmospheric sprites, however, their origins have remained a mystery. They occur for only a few milliseconds and are comparatively dim in comparison to other lightning. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA captures eerie red light above South Africa. Here's what 'red sprite' was doing in Earth's atmosphere

Imagine going on a 10 day long trip, you complete your stay and then don't return even after a month and 10 days, this is the plight of the NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore who flew to the space station on the now notorious Boeing Starliner. Watch in for more details!

Gravitas | Boeing Starliner: Sunita WIlliams, Barry Wilmore address press over return delays

Two astronauts from NASA, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, may be stuck in Boeing's Starliner till mid-August due to technical problems.&nbsp;

Both astronauts boarded the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5. The test mission was initially planned for one week. However, due to technical problems faced by the Boeing Starliner, their return has been delayed quite a few times.&nbsp;

The Boeing Starliner has encountered several problems, like small helium leaks and faulty thrusters, which have raised safety concerns. “All this information is going to go in a big bucket, and all the engineers are going to review it and try to see if it doesn’t point to root cause or point to some additional testing that we can do in the future to eliminate this problem once and for all,” Mark Nappi, vice-president of and program manager of Boeing's commercial crew program told the media. He believes that these hurdles will help make the Boeing Starliner more efficient.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/when-will-sunita-williams-return-home-from-space-indian-origin-astronaut-speaks-from-space-739714">When will Sunita Williams return home? Indian-origin astronaut speaks from space</a>

NASA revealed on Wednesday (Jul 10)&nbsp;that they were still running tests to ensure smooth performance of the space capsule. NASA is confident that the Boeing Starliner is equipped with emergency evacuation provisions for the astronauts if needed.&nbsp;

<h2>Sunita Williams speaks to the media, says she is optimistic about her return to Earth&nbsp;</h2>

Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore held a press conference on July 10 from the International Space Station (ISS). "I feel confident that, if we had to, if there was a problem with the International Space Station, we would get in (the Starliner spacecraft) and we could undock, talk to our team, and figure out the best way to come home," Sunita Williams told the CNN. "I have a real good feeling in my heart that the spacecraft will bring us home, no problem," Williams added.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Starliner astronauts 'confident' on return trip, Sunita Williams &amp; Billy Wilmore address press

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Both Williams and Wilmore are optimistic about their return to Earth and said that they trust the team working towards bringing them back. They are confident that the technical skillset of the people working at NASA will bring them back safely. Wilmore said that he and Williams were enjoying the "extra" time in space and were unperturbed by the issues.&nbsp;

<h2>Boeing under scrutiny after Starliner faces technical problems&nbsp;</h2>

Earlier this year, Boeing was accused of a flawed manufacturing process for its 787 Dreamliner planes. With Boeing's Starliner also facing several technical problems, the company is under scrutiny.&nbsp;

Boeing's Starliner was designed to carry seven passengers for low-Earth orbit missions. The space capsule is designed to be reused 10 times with a six-month turnaround.&nbsp;

With the return of the astronauts at the ISS being delayed due to technical issues, Boeing is struggling to keep their image intact. There are doubts about the company's safety record and whether it maintains quality standards.&nbsp;

 
(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Two astronauts from NASA, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, may be stuck in Boeing's Starliner till mid-August due to technical problems. Both astronauts boarded the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5.

Two astronauts from NASA, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, may be stuck in Boeing's Starliner till mid-August due to technical problems. Both astronauts boarded the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5. The test mission was initially planned for one week. However, due to technical problems faced by the Boeing Starliner, their return has been delayed quite a few times. The Boeing Starliner has encountered several problems, like small helium leaks and faulty thrusters, which have raised safety concerns. “All this information is going to go in a big bucket, and all the engineers are going to review it and try to see if it doesn’t point to root cause or point to some additional testing that we can do in the future to eliminate this problem once and for all,” Mark Nappi, vice-president of and program manager of Boeing's commercial crew program told the media. He believes that these hurdles will help make the Boeing Starliner more efficient. Also read | When will Sunita Williams return home? Indian-origin astronaut speaks from space NASA revealed on Wednesday (Jul 10) that they were still running tests to ensure smooth performance of the space capsule. NASA is confident that the Boeing Starliner is equipped with emergency evacuation provisions for the astronauts if needed. Sunita Williams speaks to the media, says she is optimistic about her return to Earth Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore held a press conference on July 10 from the International Space Station (ISS). "I feel confident that, if we had to, if there was a problem with the International Space Station, we would get in (the Starliner spacecraft) and we could undock, talk to our team, and figure out the best way to come home," Sunita Williams told the CNN. "I have a real good feeling in my heart that the spacecraft will bring us home, no problem," Williams added. Watch | Starliner astronauts 'confident' on return trip, Sunita Williams & Billy Wilmore address press Both Williams and Wilmore are optimistic about their return to Earth and said that they trust the team working towards bringing them back. They are confident that the technical skillset of the people working at NASA will bring them back safely. Wilmore said that he and Williams were enjoying the "extra" time in space and were unperturbed by the issues. Boeing under scrutiny after Starliner faces technical problems Earlier this year, Boeing was accused of a flawed manufacturing process for its 787 Dreamliner planes. With Boeing's Starliner also facing several technical problems, the company is under scrutiny. Boeing's Starliner was designed to carry seven passengers for low-Earth orbit missions. The space capsule is designed to be reused 10 times with a six-month turnaround. With the return of the astronauts at the ISS being delayed due to technical issues, Boeing is struggling to keep their image intact. There are doubts about the company's safety record and whether it maintains quality standards. (With inputs from agencies)

Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore may be stuck in space this summer due to technical problems in Boeing capsule

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has made a magnificent discovery and was able to even capture it for the world to see the mysteries of the cosmos.

An exoplanet, which appeared like a sparkling jewelled ring, was captured by the telescope. The jewelled ring of the exoplanet was found to be a result of a cosmic phenomenon called gravitational lensing.

The exoplanet captured is a distant&nbsp;quasar, which is called RX J1131-1231, and is floating six&nbsp;billion&nbsp;light-years&nbsp;from&nbsp;Earth.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/saturns-hellish-exoplanet-has-water-vapours-whats-hiding-in-this-alien-world-739618">Saturn's hellish exoplanet has water vapours! What's hiding in this alien world?</a>

A nearby elliptical galaxy's powerful gravitational field appeared to have warped the light of the quasar, which is an extremely luminous&nbsp;active galactic nucleus (AGN) and formed a bright arc as well as duplicate views of the object, eventually procuring a visual which appeared like gemstones on a ring.&nbsp;

<h2>What is gravitational lensing?</h2>

The James Webb Telescope captured the quasars which are filled with large amounts of gas and dust falling inside the supermassive black hole of the galaxy, which makes the region shine very brightly.&nbsp;

The gravitational lensing occurs when the light from a more distant source is bent by a massive object. Its effects allow astronomers to observe regions close to the black hole part of distant quasars, said the European Space Agency&nbsp;(ESA) in a statement.&nbsp;

In the image, the elliptical galaxy, which led&nbsp;to the gravitational lens, appears as a small blue dot in the centre of the ring.

The galaxy works as a natural telescope which magnifies the light from the more distant&nbsp;quasar.

Watch:&nbsp;Earth's days may be getting little longer: Unveiling the planet's mysteries

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"If a black hole grows primarily from collisions and mergers between galaxies, it should accumulate material in a stable disc, and the steady supply of new material from the disc should lead to a rapidly spinning black hole," said ESA officials, in the statement.

"On the other hand, if the&nbsp;black hole&nbsp;grew through many small accretion episodes, it would accumulate material from random directions. Observations have indicated that the black hole in this particular quasar is spinning at over half the&nbsp;speed of light, which suggests that this black hole has grown via mergers, rather than pulling material in from different directions," &nbsp;they added.

JWST's&nbsp;Mid-Infrared Instrument&nbsp;(MIRI) was used to take the image as part of the study being conducted on dark matter&nbsp;and its distribution in&nbsp;the universe.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has made a magnificent discovery and was able to even capture it for the world to see the mysteries of the cosmos. An exoplanet, which appeared like a sparkling jewelled ring, was captured by the telescope.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has made a magnificent discovery and was able to even capture it for the world to see the mysteries of the cosmos. An exoplanet, which appeared like a sparkling jewelled ring, was captured by the telescope. The jewelled ring of the exoplanet was found to be a result of a cosmic phenomenon called gravitational lensing. The exoplanet captured is a distant quasar, which is called RX J1131-1231, and is floating six billion light-years from Earth. Also Read: Saturn's hellish exoplanet has water vapours! What's hiding in this alien world? A nearby elliptical galaxy's powerful gravitational field appeared to have warped the light of the quasar, which is an extremely luminous active galactic nucleus (AGN) and formed a bright arc as well as duplicate views of the object, eventually procuring a visual which appeared like gemstones on a ring. What is gravitational lensing? The James Webb Telescope captured the quasars which are filled with large amounts of gas and dust falling inside the supermassive black hole of the galaxy, which makes the region shine very brightly. The gravitational lensing occurs when the light from a more distant source is bent by a massive object. Its effects allow astronomers to observe regions close to the black hole part of distant quasars, said the European Space Agency (ESA) in a statement. In the image, the elliptical galaxy, which led to the gravitational lens, appears as a small blue dot in the centre of the ring. The galaxy works as a natural telescope which magnifies the light from the more distant quasar. Watch: Earth's days may be getting little longer: Unveiling the planet's mysteries "If a black hole grows primarily from collisions and mergers between galaxies, it should accumulate material in a stable disc, and the steady supply of new material from the disc should lead to a rapidly spinning black hole," said ESA officials, in the statement. "On the other hand, if the black hole grew through many small accretion episodes, it would accumulate material from random directions. Observations have indicated that the black hole in this particular quasar is spinning at over half the speed of light, which suggests that this black hole has grown via mergers, rather than pulling material in from different directions," they added. JWST's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) was used to take the image as part of the study being conducted on dark matter and its distribution in the universe. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA discovers jewelled ring-shaped exoplanet floating 6 billion light-years away from Earth

The idea of life existing elsewhere in the solar system has always captured the imagination of mankind. Many years, Mars has been considered the ideal candidate by scientists to set up a future space colony.

Manned mission to Mars around corner? | Red planet reveals traces of life during its early years

NASA's manned mission to Mars around the corner?

The space agency NASA is on an alert and has issued a warning regarding a gigantic&nbsp; asteroid, which has been&nbsp;named&nbsp;2024 MT1.

The asteroid is hurtling towards&nbsp;Earth at an accelerated speed of 65,215 km/h.&nbsp;

The asteroid, which approximately measures 260 feet in diameter, is nearly the size of the&nbsp;Statue of Liberty. It has been estimated that the asteroid will make its closest approach to Earth on July 8.

<h2>When was asteroid 2024 MT1 first detected?</h2>

NASA’s Near-Earth Object Observations Programme, which tracks and characterises asteroids and comets which come closer to the Earth, first detected asteroid 2024 MT1.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-spots-large-asteroid-with-moon-orbiting-it-as-it-makes-close-flyby-earth-738302">NASA spots large asteroid with moon orbiting it, as it makes close flyby Earth</a>

Various ground-based telescopes and radar systems are used by the programme for monitoring these objects.&nbsp;

Asteroid 2024 MT1 has been concerning scientists because of its size and speed, however, NASA has said that Earth does not face any threat of collision as of now.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has closely monitored the trajectory of the asteroid in Pasadena, California.

JPL’s&nbsp;Asteroid Watch dashboard gives real-time data on the position, speed, and distance of the asteroid from Earth.

The JPL stated that 2024 MT1 will pass by Earth at a distance of approximately 937,000 miles (1.5 million kilometres).

Scientists consider such enormous-sized asteroids as potentially hazardous because they can cause significant damage if they collide with Earth.

<h2>How this asteroid will impact Earth?</h2>

It is expected that the asteroid can lead to widespread devastation, massive explosions, fires, and tsunamis.&nbsp;

NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) has been laying out a plan to mitigate such threats.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;PDCO&nbsp;works with international space agencies and research institutions to create technologies for impact prevention and asteroid deflection.

Watch:&nbsp;Asteroid 2024 MK passes Earth at 300,000 km

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/asteroid-2024-mk-passes-earth-at-300000-km-736813/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

They are exploring a technology called the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission that aims to test the feasibility of deflecting the asteroid coming towards Earth by crashing a spacecraft into it.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The space agency NASA is on an alert and has issued a warning regarding a gigantic asteroid, which has been named 2024 MT1. The asteroid is hurtling towards Earth at an accelerated speed of 65,215 km/h.

The space agency NASA is on an alert and has issued a warning regarding a gigantic asteroid, which has been named 2024 MT1. The asteroid is hurtling towards Earth at an accelerated speed of 65,215 km/h. The asteroid, which approximately measures 260 feet in diameter, is nearly the size of the Statue of Liberty. It has been estimated that the asteroid will make its closest approach to Earth on July 8. When was asteroid 2024 MT1 first detected? NASA’s Near-Earth Object Observations Programme, which tracks and characterises asteroids and comets which come closer to the Earth, first detected asteroid 2024 MT1. Also Read: NASA spots large asteroid with moon orbiting it, as it makes close flyby Earth Various ground-based telescopes and radar systems are used by the programme for monitoring these objects. Asteroid 2024 MT1 has been concerning scientists because of its size and speed, however, NASA has said that Earth does not face any threat of collision as of now. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has closely monitored the trajectory of the asteroid in Pasadena, California. JPL’s Asteroid Watch dashboard gives real-time data on the position, speed, and distance of the asteroid from Earth. The JPL stated that 2024 MT1 will pass by Earth at a distance of approximately 937,000 miles (1.5 million kilometres). Scientists consider such enormous-sized asteroids as potentially hazardous because they can cause significant damage if they collide with Earth. How this asteroid will impact Earth? It is expected that the asteroid can lead to widespread devastation, massive explosions, fires, and tsunamis. NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) has been laying out a plan to mitigate such threats. The PDCO works with international space agencies and research institutions to create technologies for impact prevention and asteroid deflection. Watch: Asteroid 2024 MK passes Earth at 300,000 km They are exploring a technology called the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission that aims to test the feasibility of deflecting the asteroid coming towards Earth by crashing a spacecraft into it. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA is on alert as gigantic asteroid, size of Statue of Liberty, is hurtling towards Earth at 65,215 kmph

The search for extraterrestrial lives has been taken to the next level by space agency NASA which has made an 'alien-hunting' telescope, which will soon be launched and eventually will be able to find at least one inhabited planet by 2050.

The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) has aimed to search for "wide variety of biosignatures" provided by living organisms after the telescope is launched around 2040.

NASA chief scientist Dr Jessie Christiansen believes that HWO will find "a signal in the atmosphere of a planet in the habitable zone of a star like our sun within our lifetime."

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-spots-large-asteroid-with-moon-orbiting-it-as-it-makes-close-flyby-earth-738302">&nbsp;NASA spots large asteroid with moon orbiting it, as it makes close flyby Earth</a>

Nearly 25 Earth-like planets, near sun-like stars, have been identified by the scientists who are working on the project as potential candidates.&nbsp;

HWO's telescope is being considered a "Super Hubble" telescope which will directly image Earth-size planets circling other stars.

<h2>HWO to soon see an alien-signal, say scientists</h2>

The observatory will also have a mirror which will be similar to James Webb as well as&nbsp;ultra-precise optics that will help in thoroughly checking the atmospheres of these worlds and finding signs of life.

The exoplanet team of the space agency consists of astronomers, physicists, engineers and scientists who held a meeting last January in New Orleans&nbsp;to check the tools required for the job.

Berkeley astronomer Dr Courtney Dressing, who is a co-leader of HWO's Science Architecture Review Team (START), gave a proposal to provide the HWO, to ensure that it has the capacity of detecting a "wide variety of biosignatures."

Watch:&nbsp;NASA weighs options for safe return of astronauts

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Dr Dressing&nbsp;said that the biogenic' gases, which are created by living organisms, along with surface biosignatures, aerosols, airborne pollutants as well as artificial technosignatures "could be detectable with HWO".&nbsp;

"Additional information about the planet and planetary system. It [will be] required to interpret biosignatures and rule out false positives," she said.&nbsp;

NASA's Exoplanet Science Institute at CalTech&nbsp;Dr Jessie Christiansen said that HWO can provide proof of extraterrestrial life soon after it is launched in 2040.&nbsp;

"I believe, in our lifetime, something like HWO will see a signal in the atmosphere of a rocky planet in the habitable zone of a star like our sun that we think is life,"&nbsp;said Christiansen, while speaking to the&nbsp;New Scientist.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The search for extraterrestrial lives has been taken to the next level by space agency NASA which has made an 'alien-hunting' telescope, which will soon be launched and eventually will be able to find at least one inhabited planet by 2050.

The search for extraterrestrial lives has been taken to the next level by space agency NASA which has made an 'alien-hunting' telescope, which will soon be launched and eventually will be able to find at least one inhabited planet by 2050. The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) has aimed to search for "wide variety of biosignatures" provided by living organisms after the telescope is launched around 2040. NASA chief scientist Dr Jessie Christiansen believes that HWO will find "a signal in the atmosphere of a planet in the habitable zone of a star like our sun within our lifetime." Also Read: NASA spots large asteroid with moon orbiting it, as it makes close flyby Earth Nearly 25 Earth-like planets, near sun-like stars, have been identified by the scientists who are working on the project as potential candidates. HWO's telescope is being considered a "Super Hubble" telescope which will directly image Earth-size planets circling other stars. HWO to soon see an alien-signal, say scientists The observatory will also have a mirror which will be similar to James Webb as well as ultra-precise optics that will help in thoroughly checking the atmospheres of these worlds and finding signs of life. The exoplanet team of the space agency consists of astronomers, physicists, engineers and scientists who held a meeting last January in New Orleans to check the tools required for the job. Berkeley astronomer Dr Courtney Dressing, who is a co-leader of HWO's Science Architecture Review Team (START), gave a proposal to provide the HWO, to ensure that it has the capacity of detecting a "wide variety of biosignatures." Watch: NASA weighs options for safe return of astronauts Dr Dressing said that the biogenic' gases, which are created by living organisms, along with surface biosignatures, aerosols, airborne pollutants as well as artificial technosignatures "could be detectable with HWO". "Additional information about the planet and planetary system. It [will be] required to interpret biosignatures and rule out false positives," she said. NASA's Exoplanet Science Institute at CalTech Dr Jessie Christiansen said that HWO can provide proof of extraterrestrial life soon after it is launched in 2040. "I believe, in our lifetime, something like HWO will see a signal in the atmosphere of a rocky planet in the habitable zone of a star like our sun that we think is life," said Christiansen, while speaking to the New Scientist. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA creates alien-hunting telescope, aims to discover inhabited planet by 2050

Earth was seen engaged in a rare cosmic event last week when two huge asteroids made a flyby at a very close distance from the planet.

The asteroids, named 2024 MK and 2011 UL21, did not come so close to Earth to pose a hazard to the planet. However, both of them were within range of radar imaging systems.&nbsp;

The two asteroids were tracked by the scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.&nbsp;

It was found that one of the asteroids had a little moon orbiting it and the astronomers spotted the other only 13 days before it made its&nbsp;closest approach&nbsp;to Earth.&nbsp;

The asteroids passed near the Earth on June 27. They made a flyby at a distance of 4.1 million miles (6.6 million kilometres) which is 17 times the distance between the Earth and the moon.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/asteroids-thrashing-mars-more-than-ever-thought-leaving-craters-on-red-planet-736281">Asteroids thrashing Mars more than ever thought, leaving craters on Red Planet</a>

In 2011, the asteroid 2011 UL21 was discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey in Tucson, Arizona.&nbsp;

“The term ‘Potentially Hazardous Asteroid’ (PHA) is a precise formal definition, referring to minor planets larger than approximately 140 metres [459 feet] that can come within 7.5 million km [4.6 million miles] from the Earth,” said Gianluca Masi, who is an astrophysicist and scientific director of the Virtual Telescope Project, in a&nbsp;statement&nbsp;before the flyby.&nbsp;

“In other words, only the largest asteroids capable of approaching close enough to our planet are flagged as PHAs, which does not mean they are going to hit the Earth, but they nonetheless warrant better monitoring," he added.

<h2>NASA says asteroids belonged to a binary system</h2>

NASA's Deep Space Network’s Goldstone planetary radar was closely watching the asteroids and captured it seven times as it moved at a speed of 25 kilometres (16 miles) per second.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Asteroid 2024 MK passes Earth at 300,000 km

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/asteroid-2024-mk-passes-earth-at-300000-km-736813/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

NASA got the first chance to image the asteroid by using radar and in that they found that the asteroid belonged to a binary system.

“It is thought that about two-thirds of asteroids of this size are binary systems, and their discovery is particularly important because we can use measurements of their relative positions to estimate their mutual orbits, masses, and densities, which provide key information about how they may have formed,” said Lance Benner, who is a principal scientist at JPL who helped lead the observations, in a&nbsp;statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

Earth was seen engaged in a rare cosmic event last week when two huge asteroids made a flyby at a very close distance from the planet. The asteroids, named 2024 MK and 2011 UL21, did not come so close to Earth to pose a hazard to the planet.

Earth was seen engaged in a rare cosmic event last week when two huge asteroids made a flyby at a very close distance from the planet. The asteroids, named 2024 MK and 2011 UL21, did not come so close to Earth to pose a hazard to the planet. However, both of them were within range of radar imaging systems. The two asteroids were tracked by the scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. It was found that one of the asteroids had a little moon orbiting it and the astronomers spotted the other only 13 days before it made its closest approach to Earth. The asteroids passed near the Earth on June 27. They made a flyby at a distance of 4.1 million miles (6.6 million kilometres) which is 17 times the distance between the Earth and the moon. Also Read: Asteroids thrashing Mars more than ever thought, leaving craters on Red Planet In 2011, the asteroid 2011 UL21 was discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey in Tucson, Arizona. “The term ‘Potentially Hazardous Asteroid’ (PHA) is a precise formal definition, referring to minor planets larger than approximately 140 metres [459 feet] that can come within 7.5 million km [4.6 million miles] from the Earth,” said Gianluca Masi, who is an astrophysicist and scientific director of the Virtual Telescope Project, in a statement before the flyby. “In other words, only the largest asteroids capable of approaching close enough to our planet are flagged as PHAs, which does not mean they are going to hit the Earth, but they nonetheless warrant better monitoring," he added. NASA says asteroids belonged to a binary system NASA's Deep Space Network’s Goldstone planetary radar was closely watching the asteroids and captured it seven times as it moved at a speed of 25 kilometres (16 miles) per second. Watch: Asteroid 2024 MK passes Earth at 300,000 km NASA got the first chance to image the asteroid by using radar and in that they found that the asteroid belonged to a binary system. “It is thought that about two-thirds of asteroids of this size are binary systems, and their discovery is particularly important because we can use measurements of their relative positions to estimate their mutual orbits, masses, and densities, which provide key information about how they may have formed,” said Lance Benner, who is a principal scientist at JPL who helped lead the observations, in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA spots large asteroid with moon orbiting it, as it makes close flyby Earth

The hunt for life on Mars has continued for decades as scientists try to find even the slightest hint of the presence of living creatures.

NASA’s&nbsp;Curiosity rover, which has been moving on the surface of Mars, has now spent nearly 12 years solving the mystery of life on the Red Planet.

At the moment, the rover has been digging up samples in a Martian crater and trying to find anything&nbsp;related to life on Mars and beyond.

<h2>Curiosity rover discovers organic matter</h2>

The rover, in a recent discovery, found organic matter which contains carbon isotopes and has left the scientists puzzled.

The presence of such materials on Earth hints at the presence of life. However, on Mars, these can be signs of life&nbsp;or just some chemicals reacting.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/asteroids-thrashing-mars-more-than-ever-thought-leaving-craters-on-red-planet-736281">Asteroids thrashing Mars more than ever thought, leaving craters on Red Planet</a>

University of Copenhagen's Department of Chemistry Professor Matthew Johnson said, “Such carbon-based complex molecules are the prerequisite of life, the building blocks of life one might say. So, this is a bit like the old debate about which came first, the chicken or the egg."

However, the experts at the University of Copenhagen and&nbsp;Tokyo Institute of Technology in their collaborative study had a different take on the discovery of organic matter.

According to them, the Martian samples confirmed the theory of atmospheric photolysis on the planet.

“We show that the organic material found on Mars has been formed through atmospheric photochemical reactions – without life that is. This is the ‘egg,’ a prerequisite of life. It still remains to be shown whether or not this organic material&nbsp;resulted in life on the Red Planet,” Professor Johnson said.

As per the study, the rays of the Sun broke down CO2 in the atmosphere of Mars billions of years ago.&nbsp;

The process is known as photodissociation and it leads to the splitting of the carbon dioxide molecules into carbon monoxide and oxygen.

Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: China space rocket blows up, causes massive fireball

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After this, the carbon monoxide gets fused with other chemicals which are present in the atmosphere like hydrogen and nitrogen.

Through time, the complex chemical interaction leads to the creation of organic materials which are the building blocks of life.

The new discovery throws light on the planet's ancient atmospheric conditions and also gives valuable insights into the potential of Mars for supporting life.

(With inputs from agencies)

The hunt for life on Mars has continued for decades as scientists try to find even the slightest hint of the presence of living creatures. NASA’s Curiosity rover, which has been moving on the surface of Mars, has now spent nearly 12 years solving the mystery of life on the Red Planet.

The hunt for life on Mars has continued for decades as scientists try to find even the slightest hint of the presence of living creatures. NASA’s Curiosity rover, which has been moving on the surface of Mars, has now spent nearly 12 years solving the mystery of life on the Red Planet. At the moment, the rover has been digging up samples in a Martian crater and trying to find anything related to life on Mars and beyond. Curiosity rover discovers organic matter The rover, in a recent discovery, found organic matter which contains carbon isotopes and has left the scientists puzzled. The presence of such materials on Earth hints at the presence of life. However, on Mars, these can be signs of life or just some chemicals reacting. Also Read: Asteroids thrashing Mars more than ever thought, leaving craters on Red Planet University of Copenhagen's Department of Chemistry Professor Matthew Johnson said, “Such carbon-based complex molecules are the prerequisite of life, the building blocks of life one might say. So, this is a bit like the old debate about which came first, the chicken or the egg." However, the experts at the University of Copenhagen and Tokyo Institute of Technology in their collaborative study had a different take on the discovery of organic matter. According to them, the Martian samples confirmed the theory of atmospheric photolysis on the planet. “We show that the organic material found on Mars has been formed through atmospheric photochemical reactions – without life that is. This is the ‘egg,’ a prerequisite of life. It still remains to be shown whether or not this organic material resulted in life on the Red Planet,” Professor Johnson said. As per the study, the rays of the Sun broke down CO2 in the atmosphere of Mars billions of years ago. The process is known as photodissociation and it leads to the splitting of the carbon dioxide molecules into carbon monoxide and oxygen. Watch: Gravitas: China space rocket blows up, causes massive fireball After this, the carbon monoxide gets fused with other chemicals which are present in the atmosphere like hydrogen and nitrogen. Through time, the complex chemical interaction leads to the creation of organic materials which are the building blocks of life. The new discovery throws light on the planet's ancient atmospheric conditions and also gives valuable insights into the potential of Mars for supporting life. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA finds organic matter in Mars crater. What does this mean about life on Red Planet?

NASA and SpaceX are working together to find solutions to the issue of debris from the Dragon spacecraft's trunk section surviving re-entry and reaching the ground. This comes after several incidents where debris has been reportedly found in various locations, including Australia, Canada and North Carolina. Initially, the Dragon trunk was expected to fully burn up upon reentry, but recent discoveries have shown that this is not always the case.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/latest-underwater-discovery-can-help-understand-how-life-on-other-worlds-might-emerge-736731">Latest underwater discovery can help understand how life might emerge in other worlds</a>

NASA has acknowledged that the models used to predict reentry breakup did not accurately account for the composite materials in the trunk structure, which behave more like a thermal protection system.

To address this problem, NASA and SpaceX are exploring changes to the deorbiting procedures. Currently, the trunk is released before the capsule performs its deorbit burn, allowing the trunk to remain in orbit for months before an uncontrolled reentry.

The agencies are examining the possibility of doing the deorbit burn with the trunk still attached, and then separating it in a way that would ensure any surviving debris lands in unpopulated areas.

This alternative approach presents challenges, such as the need for additional propellant and the precise timing of the trunk separation. However, the teams are confident they can find a solution that will improve the safety and sustainability of SpaceX's space operations.

The issue of falling space debris has gained attention after a piece of an ISS battery rack crashed through the roof of a house in Florida, causing an estimated $80,000 damage.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/malfunctioning-chinese-rocket-tianlong-3-launches-itself-crashes-in-gongyi-hills-736600">Malfunctioning Chinese rocket Tianlong-3 launches itself, crashes in Gongyi hills</a>

While no injuries have been reported from the Dragon trunk debris incidents, the potential risks to property and aviation remain a concern.

<h2>Sustainable space operations</h2>

This has prompted calls for NASA to set a precedent of responsible and sustainable space operations by compensating victims, even in cases where no fault is determined.

Watch | Having Multivitamin supplements do not help us live longer: Study

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NASA advised anyone who comes across space debris to avoid handling it and to contact local authorities immediately.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA and SpaceX are working together to find solutions to the issue of debris from the Dragon spacecraft's trunk section surviving re-entry and reaching the ground.

NASA and SpaceX are working together to find solutions to the issue of debris from the Dragon spacecraft's trunk section surviving re-entry and reaching the ground. This comes after several incidents where debris has been reportedly found in various locations, including Australia, Canada and North Carolina. Initially, the Dragon trunk was expected to fully burn up upon reentry, but recent discoveries have shown that this is not always the case. Also Read | Latest underwater discovery can help understand how life might emerge in other worlds NASA has acknowledged that the models used to predict reentry breakup did not accurately account for the composite materials in the trunk structure, which behave more like a thermal protection system. To address this problem, NASA and SpaceX are exploring changes to the deorbiting procedures. Currently, the trunk is released before the capsule performs its deorbit burn, allowing the trunk to remain in orbit for months before an uncontrolled reentry. The agencies are examining the possibility of doing the deorbit burn with the trunk still attached, and then separating it in a way that would ensure any surviving debris lands in unpopulated areas. This alternative approach presents challenges, such as the need for additional propellant and the precise timing of the trunk separation. However, the teams are confident they can find a solution that will improve the safety and sustainability of SpaceX's space operations. The issue of falling space debris has gained attention after a piece of an ISS battery rack crashed through the roof of a house in Florida, causing an estimated $80,000 damage. Also Read | Malfunctioning Chinese rocket Tianlong-3 launches itself, crashes in Gongyi hills While no injuries have been reported from the Dragon trunk debris incidents, the potential risks to property and aviation remain a concern. Sustainable space operations This has prompted calls for NASA to set a precedent of responsible and sustainable space operations by compensating victims, even in cases where no fault is determined. Watch | Having Multivitamin supplements do not help us live longer: Study × NASA advised anyone who comes across space debris to avoid handling it and to contact local authorities immediately. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA and SpaceX collaborate to address dragon spacecraft debris concerns

NASA has awarded $2 million in funding to a project that aims to grow habitats on the Moon and Mars using fungi.

The "Mycotecture Off-Planet" project, led by researchers at NASA's Ames Research Center, is exploring the use of fungal mycelia to construct livable structures for future space explorers.

The concept is based on using a lightweight, compact structure containing dormant fungi that can be activated by adding water, allowing them to grow around the framework and form a fully functional habitat.

This approach could be more feasible than transporting heavy building materials from Earth.

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"As NASA prepares to explore farther into the cosmos than ever before, it will require new science and technology that doesn't yet exist," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "NASA's space technology team and the NIAC programme unlock visionary ideas – ideas that make the impossible, possible."

The Mycotecture project has already demonstrated proof-of-concept by developing bricks made from mycelium, yard waste and wood chips.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/antikythera-mechanism-an-ancient-greek-computer-tracked-lunar-calendar-736318">Antikythera mechanism, an ancient Greek 'computer' tracked lunar calendar</a>

These prototypes have been rigorously tested in a planetary simulator and the team has also drafted detailed design plans for a mycelium-based lunar habitat.

Watch | Lancet study claims half of Indian adults are physically unfit

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Beyond just providing a structure, the fungal habitat concept also incorporates other lifeforms, such as cyanobacteria, to create a self-sustaining ecosystem.

The cyanobacteria can use sunlight to produce oxygen and nutrients for the mycelia, while the mycelia provide a sturdy, radiation-shielding home for the astronauts.

"Mycotecture Off Planet exemplifies how concepts can change how we envision future exploration missions," said John Nelson, NIAC Program Executive. "As NASA embarks on the next era of space exploration, NIAC helps the agency lay the necessary groundwork to bring innovative visions to life."

This research could not only benefit future space exploration but also have applications for more sustainable living on Earth.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA has awarded $2 million in funding to a project that aims to grow habitats on the Moon and Mars using fungi. The "Mycotecture Off-Planet" project, led by researchers at NASA's Ames Research Center, is exploring the use of fungal mycelia to construct livable structures for future space explorers.

NASA has awarded $2 million in funding to a project that aims to grow habitats on the Moon and Mars using fungi. The "Mycotecture Off-Planet" project, led by researchers at NASA's Ames Research Center, is exploring the use of fungal mycelia to construct livable structures for future space explorers. The concept is based on using a lightweight, compact structure containing dormant fungi that can be activated by adding water, allowing them to grow around the framework and form a fully functional habitat. This approach could be more feasible than transporting heavy building materials from Earth. Also Read | Device inspired by Python teeth revolutionises rotator cuff repair surgery "As NASA prepares to explore farther into the cosmos than ever before, it will require new science and technology that doesn't yet exist," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "NASA's space technology team and the NIAC programme unlock visionary ideas – ideas that make the impossible, possible." The Mycotecture project has already demonstrated proof-of-concept by developing bricks made from mycelium, yard waste and wood chips. Also Read | Antikythera mechanism, an ancient Greek 'computer' tracked lunar calendar These prototypes have been rigorously tested in a planetary simulator and the team has also drafted detailed design plans for a mycelium-based lunar habitat. Watch | Lancet study claims half of Indian adults are physically unfit × Beyond just providing a structure, the fungal habitat concept also incorporates other lifeforms, such as cyanobacteria, to create a self-sustaining ecosystem. The cyanobacteria can use sunlight to produce oxygen and nutrients for the mycelia, while the mycelia provide a sturdy, radiation-shielding home for the astronauts. "Mycotecture Off Planet exemplifies how concepts can change how we envision future exploration missions," said John Nelson, NIAC Program Executive. "As NASA embarks on the next era of space exploration, NIAC helps the agency lay the necessary groundwork to bring innovative visions to life." This research could not only benefit future space exploration but also have applications for more sustainable living on Earth. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA backs plan to make homes with fungi on Moon and Mars

Boeing's Starliner capsule return journey to Earth has gone on indefinite hold because of new thruster tests' pending results and the ongoing analysis of helium leaks which started during the capsule's journey to the International Space Station, stated NASA on Friday (June 28).

However, the space agency has said that Starliner commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore and his co-pilot Sunita Williams are not "stranded" in space.

"We don't have a targeted (landing) date today," said Steve Stich, who is &nbsp;NASA's Commercial Crew Programme manager, while speaking to the reporters during a teleconference.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/boeings-starliner-capsule-extends-iss-stay-again-to-assess-helium-system-leaks-thruster-performance-734121">Boeing's Starliner capsule extends ISS stay again, to assess helium system leaks &amp; thruster performance</a>

"We're not going to target a specific date until we get that testing completed. So essentially, it's complete the testing, complete the fault tree, bring that analysis into (the mission management team), and then have an agency-level review. And then we'll lay out the rest of the plan from undocking to landing. I think we're on a good path," he said.

<h2>What is the issue with spacecraft?</h2>

NASA and Boeing have been troubled by the Starliner's service module, which has the helium lines, thrusters and other critical systems. It&nbsp;gets discarded before its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere and ends getting burnt.

Because of this, engineers will not be able to study the hardware and hence, wish to collect as much data as possible before the two astronauts go back to the Earth.

However, the extended stay of the astronauts at the space station has made it appear to many that they are stranded in orbit.

Boeing's Starliner programme manager Stich and Mark Nappi stated that this is a mischaracterisation.

<h2>Astronauts 'not in any rush to come home': NASA&nbsp;</h2>

"It's pretty painful to read the things that are out there. We've got a really good test flight...and it's being viewed rather negatively. We're not stuck on ISS. The crew is not in any danger, and there's no increased risk when we decide to bring Suni and Butch back to Earth," Nappi said.

Watch:&nbsp;NASA further delays return date of Boeing's Starliner on Earth

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Stich further said that he wants "to make it very clear that Butch and Suni are not stranded in space. Our plan is to continue to return them on Starliner and return them home at the right time. We'll have a little bit more work to do to get there for the final return, but they're safe on the space station. Their spacecraft is working well, and they're enjoying their time on the space station."

“We're not in any rush to come home,” he added.

On June 5, the Starliner was launched on the first piloted test flight of the programme with a known helium leak. The other four leaks happened when the ship was headed to the space station.

(With inputs from agencies)

Boeing's Starliner capsule return journey to Earth has gone on indefinite hold because of new thruster tests' pending results and the ongoing analysis of helium leaks which started during the capsule's journey to the International Space Station, stated NASA on Friday (June 28).

Boeing's Starliner capsule return journey to Earth has gone on indefinite hold because of new thruster tests' pending results and the ongoing analysis of helium leaks which started during the capsule's journey to the International Space Station, stated NASA on Friday (June 28). However, the space agency has said that Starliner commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore and his co-pilot Sunita Williams are not "stranded" in space. "We don't have a targeted (landing) date today," said Steve Stich, who is NASA's Commercial Crew Programme manager, while speaking to the reporters during a teleconference. Also Read: Boeing's Starliner capsule extends ISS stay again, to assess helium system leaks & thruster performance "We're not going to target a specific date until we get that testing completed. So essentially, it's complete the testing, complete the fault tree, bring that analysis into (the mission management team), and then have an agency-level review. And then we'll lay out the rest of the plan from undocking to landing. I think we're on a good path," he said. What is the issue with spacecraft? NASA and Boeing have been troubled by the Starliner's service module, which has the helium lines, thrusters and other critical systems. It gets discarded before its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere and ends getting burnt. Because of this, engineers will not be able to study the hardware and hence, wish to collect as much data as possible before the two astronauts go back to the Earth. However, the extended stay of the astronauts at the space station has made it appear to many that they are stranded in orbit. Boeing's Starliner programme manager Stich and Mark Nappi stated that this is a mischaracterisation. Astronauts 'not in any rush to come home': NASA "It's pretty painful to read the things that are out there. We've got a really good test flight...and it's being viewed rather negatively. We're not stuck on ISS. The crew is not in any danger, and there's no increased risk when we decide to bring Suni and Butch back to Earth," Nappi said. Watch: NASA further delays return date of Boeing's Starliner on Earth Stich further said that he wants "to make it very clear that Butch and Suni are not stranded in space. Our plan is to continue to return them on Starliner and return them home at the right time. We'll have a little bit more work to do to get there for the final return, but they're safe on the space station. Their spacecraft is working well, and they're enjoying their time on the space station." “We're not in any rush to come home,” he added. On June 5, the Starliner was launched on the first piloted test flight of the programme with a known helium leak. The other four leaks happened when the ship was headed to the space station. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA says Boeing Starliner crew not 'stranded' in space, but has 'no date' of their return to Earth

NASA researchers at the Armstrong Flight Research Centre in California have built a custom virtual reality (VR) flight simulator to study passenger comfort and experience in future air taxi services.&nbsp;

The simulator features a movable platform that can realistically simulate the motion of an air taxi, combined with VR visuals and spatialized audio to create an immersive experience.

NASA test pilot Wayne Ringelberg recently completed test rides in the simulator, providing feedback to the research team on the realism of the visual, motion and audio cues.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/discovery-of-ancient-stars-and-massive-black-holes-in-a-young-galaxy-challenges-cosmic-theories-736265">Discovery of ancient stars and massive black holes in young galaxies challenges cosmic theories</a>

This simulator is the centerpiece of NASA Armstrong's VR passenger ride quality laboratory, which aims to gather data on how passengers respond to the motions, vibrations, noise and visual stimuli they may encounter during air taxi flights.

<h2>Human subject studies</h2>

Over the next four years, NASA will conduct a series of human subject studies using the simulator. Participants will wear VR headsets and be secured in the moving platform, then asked to indicate any discomfort they experience as they virtually fly through a simulated urban environment.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-says-boeing-starliner-crew-not-stranded-in-space-but-has-no-date-of-their-return-to-earth-736169">NASA&nbsp;says Boeing Starliner crew not 'stranded' in space, but has 'no date' of their return to Earth</a>

The data collected from these experiments will help design future air taxis, including elements like seat placement, window size and flight paths. This information will be shared with industry and government partners to ensure a positive experience for air taxi passengers.&nbsp;

Watch | Having Multivitamin supplements do not help us live longer: Study

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"This project is leveraging our research and test pilot aircrew with vertical lift experience to validate the safety and accuracy of the lab in preparation for test subject evaluations," said Ringelberg.

"The experiments in the ride quality lab will inform the advanced air mobility community about the acceptability of the motions these aircraft could make, so the general public is more likely to adopt the new technology."&nbsp;

This work is part of NASA's Advanced Air Mobility mission, which aims to support the development of electric air taxis and drones by providing data and guidance to&nbsp;the&nbsp;industry.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA researchers at the Armstrong Flight Research Centre in California have built a custom virtual reality (VR) flight simulator to study passenger comfort and experience in future air taxi services.

NASA researchers at the Armstrong Flight Research Centre in California have built a custom virtual reality (VR) flight simulator to study passenger comfort and experience in future air taxi services. The simulator features a movable platform that can realistically simulate the motion of an air taxi, combined with VR visuals and spatialized audio to create an immersive experience. NASA test pilot Wayne Ringelberg recently completed test rides in the simulator, providing feedback to the research team on the realism of the visual, motion and audio cues. Also Read | Discovery of ancient stars and massive black holes in young galaxies challenges cosmic theories This simulator is the centerpiece of NASA Armstrong's VR passenger ride quality laboratory, which aims to gather data on how passengers respond to the motions, vibrations, noise and visual stimuli they may encounter during air taxi flights. Human subject studies Over the next four years, NASA will conduct a series of human subject studies using the simulator. Participants will wear VR headsets and be secured in the moving platform, then asked to indicate any discomfort they experience as they virtually fly through a simulated urban environment. Also Read | NASA says Boeing Starliner crew not 'stranded' in space, but has 'no date' of their return to Earth The data collected from these experiments will help design future air taxis, including elements like seat placement, window size and flight paths. This information will be shared with industry and government partners to ensure a positive experience for air taxi passengers. Watch | Having Multivitamin supplements do not help us live longer: Study × "This project is leveraging our research and test pilot aircrew with vertical lift experience to validate the safety and accuracy of the lab in preparation for test subject evaluations," said Ringelberg. "The experiments in the ride quality lab will inform the advanced air mobility community about the acceptability of the motions these aircraft could make, so the general public is more likely to adopt the new technology." This work is part of NASA's Advanced Air Mobility mission, which aims to support the development of electric air taxis and drones by providing data and guidance to the industry. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA develops immersive simulator to optimise air taxi passenger experience

NASA has announced to give SpaceX a $843 million contract to destroy the International Space Station (ISS) and land it safely back on Earth. The deorbit vehicle designed by SpaceX will be used to push ISS out of its orbit after 2030 when its operational life ends.

The football field-sized space station will crash into the ocean after travelling at a speed of over 17,000 mph (27,500 km/h) in Earth's atmosphere.&nbsp;

ISS was first launched in 1998 and has been operated by space agencies in the US, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Russia, all of which are responsible for its safe deorbiting.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-says-boeing-starliner-crew-not-stranded-in-space-but-has-no-date-of-their-return-to-earth-736169">NASA&nbsp;says Boeing Starliner crew not 'stranded' in space, but has 'no date' of their return to Earth</a>

"This decision also supports NASA's plans for future commercial destinations and allows for the continued use of space near Earth," Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for the Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA, said in a statement.

The space station has achieved more than 3,300 experiments while orbiting around our planet across various disciplines that could not be conducted on Earth. It has been a milestone in space exploration and a "blueprint for science" and "partnerships" that have proven to be advantageous for all, according to Bowersox.

However, ISS is nearing its end of life by 2030 as some technical faults and leaks have been causing problems for the crew and agencies working on it. After the end of the Cold War, ISS laid the path for a global collaboration in space.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-gets-another-moon-this-quasi-satellite-to-lurk-around-for-thousands-of-years-736029">Earth gets another 'moon'. This 'quasi-satellite' to lurk around for thousands of years</a>

The ISS is also facing some dangers from the space junk, the debris orbiting around the Earth at high speeds from other defunct satellites. The nine crew members on board were forced to take cover in the docked Boeing Starliner crew capsule for about an hour when hundreds of pieces of a wrecked Russian satellite risked their safety at the space station on June 27.

The exact date when ISS will be brought back to Earth is not confirmed by NASA yet. However, the operation is to continue till 2030.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA has announced to give SpaceX a $843 million contract to destroy the International Space Station (ISS) and land it safely back on Earth. The deorbit vehicle designed by SpaceX will be used to push ISS out of its orbit after 2030 when its operational life ends.

NASA has announced to give SpaceX a $843 million contract to destroy the International Space Station (ISS) and land it safely back on Earth. The deorbit vehicle designed by SpaceX will be used to push ISS out of its orbit after 2030 when its operational life ends. The football field-sized space station will crash into the ocean after travelling at a speed of over 17,000 mph (27,500 km/h) in Earth's atmosphere. ISS was first launched in 1998 and has been operated by space agencies in the US, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Russia, all of which are responsible for its safe deorbiting. Also Read | NASA says Boeing Starliner crew not 'stranded' in space, but has 'no date' of their return to Earth "This decision also supports NASA's plans for future commercial destinations and allows for the continued use of space near Earth," Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for the Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA, said in a statement. The space station has achieved more than 3,300 experiments while orbiting around our planet across various disciplines that could not be conducted on Earth. It has been a milestone in space exploration and a "blueprint for science" and "partnerships" that have proven to be advantageous for all, according to Bowersox. However, ISS is nearing its end of life by 2030 as some technical faults and leaks have been causing problems for the crew and agencies working on it. After the end of the Cold War, ISS laid the path for a global collaboration in space. Also Read | Earth gets another 'moon'. This 'quasi-satellite' to lurk around for thousands of years The ISS is also facing some dangers from the space junk, the debris orbiting around the Earth at high speeds from other defunct satellites. The nine crew members on board were forced to take cover in the docked Boeing Starliner crew capsule for about an hour when hundreds of pieces of a wrecked Russian satellite risked their safety at the space station on June 27. The exact date when ISS will be brought back to Earth is not confirmed by NASA yet. However, the operation is to continue till 2030. (With inputs from agencies)

SpaceX to receive $843 million contract from NASA to destroy the International Space Station

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