Despite heightened tensions over the war in Ukraine, a US astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts left the International Space Station (ISS) together on Wednesday in a Soyuz capsule.

To begin the journey back to Earth, the trio will close the hatch of the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft. The Soyuz will detach from the Rassvet module and land assisted by&nbsp;parachutes&nbsp;on Kazakhstan's steppes, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, on March 30.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/western-sanctions-could-cause-international-space-station-to-crash-russia-461606">Western sanctions could cause International space station to crash: Russia</a>

According to Russian space agency Roscosmos, the Russian Soyuz capsule carrying NASA's Mark Vande Hei and his cosmonaut colleagues Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov safely undocked from the International Space Station and is slated to make a parachute landing in central Kazakhstan at 1128 GMT.

The joint US-Russian return flight from the International Space Station is being closely scrutinised for signs that the escalating tensions between Moscow and Washington over Russia's invasion of Ukraine have spilled over into long-standing space cooperation between the two.

Watch |&nbsp;Russian cosmonauts arrive at the International space station for 6-month long mission

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russian-cosmonauts-arrive-at-the-international-space-station-for-6-month-long-mission-463660/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to NASA, Vande Hei, who is 55 years old and is on his second ISS mission, would have achieved a US space endurance record of 355 days in orbit, breaking the previous 340-day record set by astronaut Scott Kelly in 2016.

On February 24, US President Joe Biden announced economic sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin's government, including high-tech export restrictions aimed at "degrading" Russia's aerospace industry, particularly its space programme.

The director-general of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, then responded with a series of Twitter tweets, claiming that the US penalties may "destroy" ISS teamwork and cause the space station to tumble out of orbit.

Also read |&nbsp;Did Russian cosmonauts wear Ukrainian flag’s colours at ISS? Idea gets refuted

Around the same time, Rogozin announced that Russia would no longer manufacture or service Russian-made rocket engines used by two US&nbsp;aerospace NASA suppliers, suggesting that American astronauts may reach orbit using "broomsticks."

According to NASA, US and Russian ISS crew members are aware of happenings on Earth, but are working together professionally and without friction.

Three cosmonauts travelled to orbit on March 18 to replace the three returning ISS crew members, joining Vande Hei's three remaining American colleagues and a German astronaut from the European Space Agency.

(With inputs from agencies)

Despite heightened tensions over the war in Ukraine, a US astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts left the International Space Station (ISS) together on Wednesday in a Soyuz capsule.

Despite heightened tensions over the war in Ukraine, a US astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts left the International Space Station (ISS) together on Wednesday in a Soyuz capsule. To begin the journey back to Earth, the trio will close the hatch of the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft. The Soyuz will detach from the Rassvet module and land assisted by parachutes on Kazakhstan's steppes, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, on March 30. Also read | Western sanctions could cause International space station to crash: Russia According to Russian space agency Roscosmos, the Russian Soyuz capsule carrying NASA's Mark Vande Hei and his cosmonaut colleagues Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov safely undocked from the International Space Station and is slated to make a parachute landing in central Kazakhstan at 1128 GMT. The joint US-Russian return flight from the International Space Station is being closely scrutinised for signs that the escalating tensions between Moscow and Washington over Russia's invasion of Ukraine have spilled over into long-standing space cooperation between the two. Watch | Russian cosmonauts arrive at the International space station for 6-month long mission According to NASA, Vande Hei, who is 55 years old and is on his second ISS mission, would have achieved a US space endurance record of 355 days in orbit, breaking the previous 340-day record set by astronaut Scott Kelly in 2016. On February 24, US President Joe Biden announced economic sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin's government, including high-tech export restrictions aimed at "degrading" Russia's aerospace industry, particularly its space programme. The director-general of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, then responded with a series of Twitter tweets, claiming that the US penalties may "destroy" ISS teamwork and cause the space station to tumble out of orbit. Also read | Did Russian cosmonauts wear Ukrainian flag’s colours at ISS? Idea gets refuted Around the same time, Rogozin announced that Russia would no longer manufacture or service Russian-made rocket engines used by two US aerospace NASA suppliers, suggesting that American astronauts may reach orbit using "broomsticks." According to NASA, US and Russian ISS crew members are aware of happenings on Earth, but are working together professionally and without friction. Three cosmonauts travelled to orbit on March 18 to replace the three returning ISS crew members, joining Vande Hei's three remaining American colleagues and a German astronaut from the European Space Agency. (With inputs from agencies)

Amid the Russia-Ukraine war, US and Russian astronauts return to Earth together

The concept of the spacewalk is fascinating, to say the least. Yes, its less of a walk and more of 'space-floating'. The idea of being outside the protective spacecraft with almost nothing between you and the stars is surreal to imagine. There is an element of thrill as well. There have been enough movies showing the tether connecting the astronaut and the spacecraft snapping and the hapless bro (or sis) doing all they can to prevent being drifted into unending space.

Till now we had to rely on videos shot by space agencies of astronauts as they spacewalked. It's almost unimaginable to look up from Earth and see astronauts doing their thing.

But a fascinating new development has enabled us to take a 'human's-eye view' of the recently concluded spacewalk.

On March 23, NASA astronaut Raja Chari and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Matthias Maurer conducted a spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS). The spacewalk lasted for 7 hours during which the astronauts performed maintenance work at the ISS.

An astrophotographer has captured what he says is a "once in a lifetime" photo of this spacewalk. He was on Earth, and incidentally in Maurer's hometown in Germany.

"Yesterday I witnessed the #spacewalk shortly after sunset. Here comes a first photo. #ESA #astronaut Matthias Maurer was just 'climbing' at this moment. The rod-shaped structure (Canadarm2) is the robot arm. Greetings from Matthias Maurer's hometown — it was very exciting. #iss," Dr Sebastian Voltmer, the astrophotographer tweeted.

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Yesterday I witnessed the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/spacewalk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#spacewalk</a> shortly after sunset. Here comes a first photo. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ESA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ESA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/astronaut?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#astronaut</a> Matthias Maurer was just "climbing" at this moment. 
The rod-shaped structure (Canadarm2) is the robot arm. 
Greetings from Matthias Maurers hometown - it was very exciting. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iss?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#iss</a> <a href="https://t.co/39Q7YlG64u">pic.twitter.com/39Q7YlG64u</a>
— Dr. Sebastian Voltmer (@SeVoSpace) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeVoSpace/status/1506912147737088002?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Voltmer used Celestron 11-inch EdgeHD telescope on a GM2000 HPS mount and an ASI290 planetary camera to get the shot, as per his e-mail to Space.com

Voltmer analysed the photo and in an updated, indicated the positions of both astronauts.

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Update: 2 Spacewalkers Imaged From The Ground 
 
During the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/spacewalk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#spacewalk</a> of the two astronauts <a href="https://twitter.com/Astro_Raja?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Astro_Raja</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/astro_matthias?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@astro_matthias</a> the International Space Station appeared shortly after sunset in the bright evening sky over Germany. This image of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ISS</a> was taken on March 23, 2022. <a href="https://t.co/xkKJtSoZFc">pic.twitter.com/xkKJtSoZFc</a>
— Dr. Sebastian Voltmer (@SeVoSpace) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeVoSpace/status/1508239974893768712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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"It's probably the first ground-based picture showing two spacewalkers on the ISS at the same time." he told spaceweather.com

The photos certainly don't show both astronauts discernibly but to point you camera at the sky and clicking image of spacewalking astronauts with clarity of this degree is a feat indeed! 
&nbsp;

The concept of the spacewalk is fascinating, to say the least. Yes, its less of a walk and more of 'space-floating'. The idea of being outside the protective spacecraft with almost nothing between you and the stars is surreal to imagine.

The concept of the spacewalk is fascinating, to say the least. Yes, its less of a walk and more of 'space-floating'. The idea of being outside the protective spacecraft with almost nothing between you and the stars is surreal to imagine. There is an element of thrill as well. There have been enough movies showing the tether connecting the astronaut and the spacecraft snapping and the hapless bro (or sis) doing all they can to prevent being drifted into unending space. Till now we had to rely on videos shot by space agencies of astronauts as they spacewalked. It's almost unimaginable to look up from Earth and see astronauts doing their thing. But a fascinating new development has enabled us to take a 'human's-eye view' of the recently concluded spacewalk. On March 23, NASA astronaut Raja Chari and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Matthias Maurer conducted a spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS). The spacewalk lasted for 7 hours during which the astronauts performed maintenance work at the ISS. An astrophotographer has captured what he says is a "once in a lifetime" photo of this spacewalk. He was on Earth, and incidentally in Maurer's hometown in Germany. "Yesterday I witnessed the #spacewalk shortly after sunset. Here comes a first photo. #ESA #astronaut Matthias Maurer was just 'climbing' at this moment. The rod-shaped structure (Canadarm2) is the robot arm. Greetings from Matthias Maurer's hometown — it was very exciting. #iss," Dr Sebastian Voltmer, the astrophotographer tweeted. Yesterday I witnessed the #spacewalk shortly after sunset. Here comes a first photo. #ESA #astronaut Matthias Maurer was just "climbing" at this moment. The rod-shaped structure (Canadarm2) is the robot arm. Greetings from Matthias Maurers hometown - it was very exciting. #iss pic.twitter.com/39Q7YlG64u — Dr. Sebastian Voltmer (@SeVoSpace) March 24, 2022 × Voltmer used Celestron 11-inch EdgeHD telescope on a GM2000 HPS mount and an ASI290 planetary camera to get the shot, as per his e-mail to Space.com Voltmer analysed the photo and in an updated, indicated the positions of both astronauts. Update: 2 Spacewalkers Imaged From The Ground During the #spacewalk of the two astronauts @Astro_Raja and @astro_matthias the International Space Station appeared shortly after sunset in the bright evening sky over Germany. This image of the #ISS was taken on March 23, 2022. pic.twitter.com/xkKJtSoZFc — Dr. Sebastian Voltmer (@SeVoSpace) March 28, 2022 × "It's probably the first ground-based picture showing two spacewalkers on the ISS at the same time." he told spaceweather.com The photos certainly don't show both astronauts discernibly but to point you camera at the sky and clicking image of spacewalking astronauts with clarity of this degree is a feat indeed!

Astrophotographer takes photo of spacewalking astronauts, from Earth

NASA has confirmed that there are now more than 5,000 confirmed planets beyond our solar system.&nbsp;

"It's not just a number," said Jessie Christiansen, science lead for the archive and a research scientist with the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, in a statement.&nbsp;

"Each one of them is a new world, a brand-new planet. I get excited about everyone because we don't know anything about them."

It's a groundbreaking moment for the fairly young field of exoplanet science and experts estimate that there are likely billions of exoplanets waiting to be found.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-spitzer-space-telescope-spots-star-sized-debris-cloud-from-distant-collision-465743" hreflang="en">NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope spots star-sized debris cloud from distant collision</a>

In the 30 years that have passed since two planets were found orbiting pulsar PSR1257+12, the field of exoplanet science has exploded. New missions, instruments, and detection techniques have proliferated, and with them the discoveries of all sorts of alien worlds.

The 5,000-plus planets found so far include small, rocky worlds like Earth, gas giants many times larger than Jupiter, and “hot Jupiters” in scorchingly close orbits around their stars.&nbsp;

There are “super-Earths,” which are possible rocky worlds bigger than our own, and “mini-Neptunes,” smaller versions of our system’s Neptune. Add to the mix planets orbiting two stars at once and planets stubbornly orbiting the collapsed remnants of dead stars.

Our galaxy likely holds hundreds of billions of such planets. The steady drumbeat of discovery began in 1992 with strange new worlds orbiting an even stranger star. It was a type of neutron star known as a pulsar, a rapidly spinning stellar corpse that pulses with millisecond bursts of searing radiation. Measuring slight changes in the timing of the pulses allowed scientists to reveal planets in orbit around the pulsar.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-esa-solar-orbiter-clicks-the-most-detailed-pictures-of-the-sun-take-a-look-465533" hreflang="en">NASA-ESA solar orbiter clicks the most detailed pictures of the Sun. Take a look!</a>

Finding just three planets around this spinning star essentially opened the floodgates, said Alexander Wolszczan, the lead author on the paper that, 30 years ago, unveiled the first planets to be confirmed outside our solar system.

“If you can find planets around a neutron star, planets have to be basically everywhere,” Wolszczan said. “The planet production process has to be very robust.”

Wolszczan, who still searches for exoplanets as a professor at Penn State, says we’re opening an era of discovery that will go beyond simply adding new planets to the list.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/new-solar-physics-mysterious-vortex-waves-discovered-on-the-sun-travelling-faster-than-expected-465470" hreflang="en">New solar physics? Mysterious vortex waves discovered on the Sun travelling faster than expected</a>

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), launched in 2018, continues to make new exoplanet discoveries. But soon powerful next-generation telescopes and their highly sensitive instruments, starting with the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope, will capture light from the atmospheres of exoplanets, reading which gases are present to potentially identify tell-tale signs of habitable conditions.

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, expected to launch in 2027, will make new exoplanet discoveries using a variety of methods. The ESA (European Space Agency) mission ARIEL, launching in 2029, will observe exoplanet atmospheres; a piece of NASA technology aboard, called CASE, will help zero in on exoplanet clouds and hazes.

“To my thinking, it is inevitable that we’ll find some kind of life somewhere – most likely of some primitive kind,” Wolszczan said. The close connection between the chemistry of life on Earth and chemistry found throughout the universe, as well as the detection of widespread organic molecules, suggests detection of life itself is only a matter of time, he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA has confirmed that there are now more than 5,000 confirmed planets beyond our solar system. "It's not just a number," said Jessie Christiansen, science lead for the archive and a research scientist with the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, in a statement.

NASA has confirmed that there are now more than 5,000 confirmed planets beyond our solar system. "It's not just a number," said Jessie Christiansen, science lead for the archive and a research scientist with the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, in a statement. "Each one of them is a new world, a brand-new planet. I get excited about everyone because we don't know anything about them." It's a groundbreaking moment for the fairly young field of exoplanet science and experts estimate that there are likely billions of exoplanets waiting to be found. Also read | NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope spots star-sized debris cloud from distant collision In the 30 years that have passed since two planets were found orbiting pulsar PSR1257+12, the field of exoplanet science has exploded. New missions, instruments, and detection techniques have proliferated, and with them the discoveries of all sorts of alien worlds. The 5,000-plus planets found so far include small, rocky worlds like Earth, gas giants many times larger than Jupiter, and “hot Jupiters” in scorchingly close orbits around their stars. There are “super-Earths,” which are possible rocky worlds bigger than our own, and “mini-Neptunes,” smaller versions of our system’s Neptune. Add to the mix planets orbiting two stars at once and planets stubbornly orbiting the collapsed remnants of dead stars. Our galaxy likely holds hundreds of billions of such planets. The steady drumbeat of discovery began in 1992 with strange new worlds orbiting an even stranger star. It was a type of neutron star known as a pulsar, a rapidly spinning stellar corpse that pulses with millisecond bursts of searing radiation. Measuring slight changes in the timing of the pulses allowed scientists to reveal planets in orbit around the pulsar. Also read | NASA-ESA solar orbiter clicks the most detailed pictures of the Sun. Take a look! Finding just three planets around this spinning star essentially opened the floodgates, said Alexander Wolszczan, the lead author on the paper that, 30 years ago, unveiled the first planets to be confirmed outside our solar system. “If you can find planets around a neutron star, planets have to be basically everywhere,” Wolszczan said. “The planet production process has to be very robust.” Wolszczan, who still searches for exoplanets as a professor at Penn State, says we’re opening an era of discovery that will go beyond simply adding new planets to the list. Also read | New solar physics? Mysterious vortex waves discovered on the Sun travelling faster than expected The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), launched in 2018, continues to make new exoplanet discoveries. But soon powerful next-generation telescopes and their highly sensitive instruments, starting with the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope, will capture light from the atmospheres of exoplanets, reading which gases are present to potentially identify tell-tale signs of habitable conditions. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, expected to launch in 2027, will make new exoplanet discoveries using a variety of methods. The ESA (European Space Agency) mission ARIEL, launching in 2029, will observe exoplanet atmospheres; a piece of NASA technology aboard, called CASE, will help zero in on exoplanet clouds and hazes. “To my thinking, it is inevitable that we’ll find some kind of life somewhere – most likely of some primitive kind,” Wolszczan said. The close connection between the chemistry of life on Earth and chemistry found throughout the universe, as well as the detection of widespread organic molecules, suggests detection of life itself is only a matter of time, he added. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA confirms existence of more than 5,000 planets beyond our solar system

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has spotted a star-sized debris cloud from a distant collision.

The research, published in The Astrophysical Journal, discusses in detail the major smashups between rocky bodies that shaped our solar system.

In the study, a group of astronomers led by Kate Su, a research professor in the University of Arizona Steward Observatory, report the first observations of a debris cloud from one of these collisions as it passed in front of its star and briefly blocked the starlight. They call this a transit.

Coupled with knowledge about the size and brightness of the star, this allowed researchers to directly determine the size of the cloud shortly after impact, estimate the size of the objects that collided, and watch the speed with which the cloud dispersed.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/new-solar-physics-mysterious-vortex-waves-discovered-on-the-sun-travelling-faster-than-expected-465470" hreflang="en">New solar physics? Mysterious vortex waves discovered on the Sun travelling faster than expected</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">Beginning in 2015, Su's team started making routine observations of a 10-million-year-old star called HD 166191. Around this time in a star's life, dust leftover from its formation has clumped together to form rocky bodies called planetesimals.&nbsp;</div>

Asteroids are leftover planetesimals from the formation of our own solar system, and around other stars they are the seeds of future planets. Once the gas that previously filled the space between those objects has dispersed, catastrophic collisions between them become common.

Anticipating they might see evidence of one of these collisions around HD 166191, the team conducted more than 100 observations of the system with Spitzer. While the objects would be too small and distant to resolve by telescope, their smashups produce large amounts of dust.&nbsp;

Spitzer detected infrared light, wavelengths slightly longer than what human eyes can see; it’s an ideal range for detecting dust, including the debris created by protoplanet collisions.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-is-collecting-names-to-send-into-space-aboard-orion-capsule-to-the-moon-461661" hreflang="en">NASA is collecting names to send into space aboard Orion capsule to the Moon</a>

"For the first time we captured both the infrared glow of the dust and the haziness that dust introduces when the cloud passes in front of the star," said astronomer Everett Schlawin of the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory.

Multi-wavelength transit data confirm that the transits were caused by a dust cloud passing in front of the star and evolving at a fast pace – as it grew wider and more opaque during the first two transits but showed very little hint of the cloud afterward.&nbsp;

These data allowed the team to determine the location, shape and size of the debris cloud. The team's work suggests the cloud was highly elongated, with a minimum estimated area of three times that of the star.&nbsp;

However, the amount of infrared brightening Spitzer saw suggests only a small portion of the cloud passed in front of the star and that the total amount of debris created by this violent event covered an area hundreds of times that of the star.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-is-cracking-open-a-50-year-old-vacuum-sealed-tube-of-lunar-gas-and-soil-461921" hreflang="en">NASA is cracking open a 50-year-old vacuum-sealed tube of lunar gas and soil</a>

"There is no substitute for being an eyewitness to an event," said George Rieke, study co-author and a Regents Professor of Astronomy at University of Arizona.&nbsp;

"All the cases reported to date from Spitzer have been unresolved, with only theoretical hypotheses about what the actual event and debris cloud might have looked like."

"By looking at dusty debris disks around young stars, we can essentially look back in time and see the processes that may have shaped our own Solar System," Su said.

"Learning about the outcome of collisions in these systems, we may also get a better idea of how frequently rocky planets form around other stars."

The team is continuing to keep an eye on the star with other NASA infrared facilities including the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy and the Infrared Telescope Facility. Such observations not only keep a record of overall infrared flux evolution, but also provide additional information on the dust composition of the freshly generated fine dust with spectroscopy.&nbsp;

Particularly, future observations with the Mid-InfraRed Instrument onboard NASA's James Webb Space Telescope will provide further insights into the physical condition of these large collisions by studying the dust mineralogy.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has spotted a star-sized debris cloud from a distant collision. The research, published in The Astrophysical Journal, discusses in detail the major smashups between rocky bodies that shaped our solar system.

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has spotted a star-sized debris cloud from a distant collision. The research, published in The Astrophysical Journal, discusses in detail the major smashups between rocky bodies that shaped our solar system. In the study, a group of astronomers led by Kate Su, a research professor in the University of Arizona Steward Observatory, report the first observations of a debris cloud from one of these collisions as it passed in front of its star and briefly blocked the starlight. They call this a transit. Coupled with knowledge about the size and brightness of the star, this allowed researchers to directly determine the size of the cloud shortly after impact, estimate the size of the objects that collided, and watch the speed with which the cloud dispersed. Also read | New solar physics? Mysterious vortex waves discovered on the Sun travelling faster than expected Beginning in 2015, Su's team started making routine observations of a 10-million-year-old star called HD 166191. Around this time in a star's life, dust leftover from its formation has clumped together to form rocky bodies called planetesimals. Asteroids are leftover planetesimals from the formation of our own solar system, and around other stars they are the seeds of future planets. Once the gas that previously filled the space between those objects has dispersed, catastrophic collisions between them become common. Anticipating they might see evidence of one of these collisions around HD 166191, the team conducted more than 100 observations of the system with Spitzer. While the objects would be too small and distant to resolve by telescope, their smashups produce large amounts of dust. Spitzer detected infrared light, wavelengths slightly longer than what human eyes can see; it’s an ideal range for detecting dust, including the debris created by protoplanet collisions. Also read | NASA is collecting names to send into space aboard Orion capsule to the Moon "For the first time we captured both the infrared glow of the dust and the haziness that dust introduces when the cloud passes in front of the star," said astronomer Everett Schlawin of the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory. Multi-wavelength transit data confirm that the transits were caused by a dust cloud passing in front of the star and evolving at a fast pace – as it grew wider and more opaque during the first two transits but showed very little hint of the cloud afterward. These data allowed the team to determine the location, shape and size of the debris cloud. The team's work suggests the cloud was highly elongated, with a minimum estimated area of three times that of the star. However, the amount of infrared brightening Spitzer saw suggests only a small portion of the cloud passed in front of the star and that the total amount of debris created by this violent event covered an area hundreds of times that of the star. Also read | NASA is cracking open a 50-year-old vacuum-sealed tube of lunar gas and soil "There is no substitute for being an eyewitness to an event," said George Rieke, study co-author and a Regents Professor of Astronomy at University of Arizona. "All the cases reported to date from Spitzer have been unresolved, with only theoretical hypotheses about what the actual event and debris cloud might have looked like." "By looking at dusty debris disks around young stars, we can essentially look back in time and see the processes that may have shaped our own Solar System," Su said. "Learning about the outcome of collisions in these systems, we may also get a better idea of how frequently rocky planets form around other stars." The team is continuing to keep an eye on the star with other NASA infrared facilities including the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy and the Infrared Telescope Facility. Such observations not only keep a record of overall infrared flux evolution, but also provide additional information on the dust composition of the freshly generated fine dust with spectroscopy. Particularly, future observations with the Mid-InfraRed Instrument onboard NASA's James Webb Space Telescope will provide further insights into the physical condition of these large collisions by studying the dust mineralogy. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope spots star-sized debris cloud from distant collision

The European Space Agency's (ESA) and NASA's Solar Orbiter have captured images of the Sun in unprecedented detail.

Spacecraft took the images on March 7, as it passed directly between the Earth and Sun at a distance of 75 million kilometres, on the halfway point between the Earth and its parent star, according to an ESA statement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/new-solar-physics-mysterious-vortex-waves-discovered-on-the-sun-travelling-faster-than-expected-465470" hreflang="en">New solar physics? Mysterious vortex waves discovered on the Sun travelling faster than expected</a>

Among the images, taken by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI), is the highest resolution image ever taken of the Sun's full disc and outer atmosphere, the corona.

The Spectral Imaging of Coronal Environment (SPICE) instrument captured the first image of a full Sun -- the first of its kind in more than 50 years. Lyman-beta wavelength ultraviolet radiation emitted by hydrogen gas was used to capture the image.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-confirms-a-celestial-milestone-5000-exoplanets-confirmed-so-far-464644" hreflang="en">NASA confirms a 'celestial milestone', 5000 exoplanets confirmed so far</a>

To capture the entirety of the Sun with the high-resolution telescope at EUI, a mosaic of 25 individual pictures would need to be taken at that close distance. Since each tile takes about 10 minutes, including the time required for the spacecraft to move from one segment to the next, the full image was acquired over a period of more than four hours.

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EUI imaged the Sun at a wavelength of 17 nanometers, in the extreme ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The ESA said this reveals the Sun's upper atmosphere, the corona, which reaches a temperature of around a million degrees Celsius.

Watch |&nbsp;A new frontier in space exploration

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In the SPICE images, purple represents hydrogen gas at 10,000 degrees Celsius, blue represents carbon at 32,000 degrees Celsius, green represents oxygen at 320,000 degrees Celsius, and yellow represents neon at 630,000 degrees Celsius.

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Image&nbsp;Credit: ESA &amp; NASA/Solar Orbiter

Using this, solar physicists will be able to track the eruptions that take place in the corona down into the lower atmospheric layers. Researchers will also be able to study one of the most puzzling observations about the Sun: how the temperature rises through ascending atmospheric layers.

Another milestone will be achieved by Solar Orbiter on March 26: its first close approach to perihelion. The spacecraft is now inside Mercury's orbit, where it is taking images of the Sun with the highest resolution possible. Furthermore, it is monitoring solar wind particles that flow outwards from the Sun.

(With inputs from agencies)

The European Space Agency's (ESA) and NASA's Solar Orbiter have captured images of the Sun in unprecedented detail. Spacecraft took the images on March 7, as it passed directly between the Earth and Sun at a distance of 75 million kilometres, on the halfway point between the Earth and its parent star, according to an ESA statement.

The European Space Agency's (ESA) and NASA's Solar Orbiter have captured images of the Sun in unprecedented detail. Spacecraft took the images on March 7, as it passed directly between the Earth and Sun at a distance of 75 million kilometres, on the halfway point between the Earth and its parent star, according to an ESA statement. Also read | New solar physics? Mysterious vortex waves discovered on the Sun travelling faster than expected Among the images, taken by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI), is the highest resolution image ever taken of the Sun's full disc and outer atmosphere, the corona. The Spectral Imaging of Coronal Environment (SPICE) instrument captured the first image of a full Sun -- the first of its kind in more than 50 years. Lyman-beta wavelength ultraviolet radiation emitted by hydrogen gas was used to capture the image. Also read | NASA confirms a 'celestial milestone', 5000 exoplanets confirmed so far To capture the entirety of the Sun with the high-resolution telescope at EUI, a mosaic of 25 individual pictures would need to be taken at that close distance. Since each tile takes about 10 minutes, including the time required for the spacecraft to move from one segment to the next, the full image was acquired over a period of more than four hours. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ESA - European Space Agency (@europeanspaceagency) × EUI imaged the Sun at a wavelength of 17 nanometers, in the extreme ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The ESA said this reveals the Sun's upper atmosphere, the corona, which reaches a temperature of around a million degrees Celsius. Watch | A new frontier in space exploration In the SPICE images, purple represents hydrogen gas at 10,000 degrees Celsius, blue represents carbon at 32,000 degrees Celsius, green represents oxygen at 320,000 degrees Celsius, and yellow represents neon at 630,000 degrees Celsius. Image Credit: ESA & NASA/Solar Orbiter Using this, solar physicists will be able to track the eruptions that take place in the corona down into the lower atmospheric layers. Researchers will also be able to study one of the most puzzling observations about the Sun: how the temperature rises through ascending atmospheric layers. Another milestone will be achieved by Solar Orbiter on March 26: its first close approach to perihelion. The spacecraft is now inside Mercury's orbit, where it is taking images of the Sun with the highest resolution possible. Furthermore, it is monitoring solar wind particles that flow outwards from the Sun. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA-ESA solar orbiter clicks the most detailed pictures of the Sun. Take a look!

Mars is a busy place these days. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Chinese space agency both have heavy scientific activity going on and around the red planet. Though both agencies are carrying out their scientific observations independently, both expeditions often 'cross paths', so to speak.

China's Tianwen-1 lander and Zhurong rover touched down on Mars on March 14 last year. While NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is revolving around Mars and is making scientific observations.&nbsp;

Last week, the MRO clicked pics of China's Zhurong rover. What's interesting about these pics is that it clearly shows Zhurong's 'footprints' on the red planet. The tracks made by Zhurong's wheels are clearly visible in these pics. What's more? These tracks can be traced back to the lander.

In other words, Zhurong's entire journey on Mars is visible in these pics. These photos have been taken by the MRO using the onboard HiRise camera. NASA has also tweeted these pics. In order to see the tracks, it is necessary to zoom in on them in the pictures.

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In case you missed the other parts of today’s HiPOD observation (linked in the text). <a href="https://t.co/ZhuZxxmBGM">pic.twitter.com/ZhuZxxmBGM</a>
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MRO is orbiting about 316 kilometers above the surface of Mars. At this height, it is able to take pictures in which objects just a foot away can be observed distinctly. This ability makes the MRO capable of spotting rovers on the Martian surface.

The HiRise camera has already spotted NASA's Opportunity, Curiosity and Perseverance rovers.

Mars is a busy place these days. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Chinese space agency both have heavy scientific activity going on and around the red planet.

Mars is a busy place these days. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Chinese space agency both have heavy scientific activity going on and around the red planet. Though both agencies are carrying out their scientific observations independently, both expeditions often 'cross paths', so to speak. China's Tianwen-1 lander and Zhurong rover touched down on Mars on March 14 last year. While NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is revolving around Mars and is making scientific observations. Last week, the MRO clicked pics of China's Zhurong rover. What's interesting about these pics is that it clearly shows Zhurong's 'footprints' on the red planet. The tracks made by Zhurong's wheels are clearly visible in these pics. What's more? These tracks can be traced back to the lander. In other words, Zhurong's entire journey on Mars is visible in these pics. These photos have been taken by the MRO using the onboard HiRise camera. NASA has also tweeted these pics. In order to see the tracks, it is necessary to zoom in on them in the pictures. In case you missed the other parts of today’s HiPOD observation (linked in the text). pic.twitter.com/ZhuZxxmBGM — HiRISE: Beautiful Mars (NASA) (@HiRISE) March 18, 2022 × MRO is orbiting about 316 kilometers above the surface of Mars. At this height, it is able to take pictures in which objects just a foot away can be observed distinctly. This ability makes the MRO capable of spotting rovers on the Martian surface. The HiRise camera has already spotted NASA's Opportunity, Curiosity and Perseverance rovers.

NASA's Mars orbiter clicks photos of China's Zhurong rover

A 'potentially hazardous'&nbsp;asteroid is on its way to come near Earth. The asteroid isn't exactly small. It is comparable to Empire State Building. If this asteroid hits the Earth, it packs more than enough punch to cause widespread destruction.

Asteroid 2013 BO76, as it has been named is 450 metres (Nearly a half kilometre) across. The size may seem small but the high speed with which it is travelling gives it enough potential to cause major damage on Earth if it hits. The asteroid is flying at a staggering speed of 49513.45 kilometres per hour.&nbsp;

NASA has categorised the asteroid to be 'potentially hazardous'. It is then perhaps a good thing that it will fly past Earth at a distance of 51,11,759 kilometres. It will zoom past Earth on Thursday (March 24).

This is not the first time this asteroid has come into our neighbourhood to say Hi.&nbsp;

In 2013, it zoomed past the Earth at a distance of 78,88,295 kilometres. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has said that after Thursday's flyby, the same asteroid will visit Earth on July 14, 2033. At that time, it is expected to be at a distance of 1,91,85,926 kilometres from the Earth.

NASA's JPL has also orbital parameters of the asteroid along with its orbital diagram around Earth.

<img alt="NASA asteroid" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="56a74fd6-049b-44f3-828d-40b0bcb93980" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/asteroid.png" />

The intersecting orbits of the planets and the asteroid can clearly be seen in the picture above. Earth's orbit is visible in light blue colour while that of the asteroid has been depicted in white.

A 'potentially hazardous' asteroid is on its way to come near Earth. The asteroid isn't exactly small. It is comparable to Empire State Building. If this asteroid hits the Earth, it packs more than enough punch to cause widespread destruction.

A 'potentially hazardous' asteroid is on its way to come near Earth. The asteroid isn't exactly small. It is comparable to Empire State Building. If this asteroid hits the Earth, it packs more than enough punch to cause widespread destruction. Asteroid 2013 BO76, as it has been named is 450 metres (Nearly a half kilometre) across. The size may seem small but the high speed with which it is travelling gives it enough potential to cause major damage on Earth if it hits. The asteroid is flying at a staggering speed of 49513.45 kilometres per hour. NASA has categorised the asteroid to be 'potentially hazardous'. It is then perhaps a good thing that it will fly past Earth at a distance of 51,11,759 kilometres. It will zoom past Earth on Thursday (March 24). This is not the first time this asteroid has come into our neighbourhood to say Hi. In 2013, it zoomed past the Earth at a distance of 78,88,295 kilometres. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has said that after Thursday's flyby, the same asteroid will visit Earth on July 14, 2033. At that time, it is expected to be at a distance of 1,91,85,926 kilometres from the Earth. NASA's JPL has also orbital parameters of the asteroid along with its orbital diagram around Earth. The intersecting orbits of the planets and the asteroid can clearly be seen in the picture above. Earth's orbit is visible in light blue colour while that of the asteroid has been depicted in white.

A 'potentially hazardous' asteroid is coming near Earth on Thursday: NASA

We, on Earth, are saved by the planet's magnetosphere and atmosphere from the sun's harmful radiation and galactic cosmic rays which are coming from the exploding stars.&nbsp;

But what about the astronauts, who are at International Space Station (ISS)?&nbsp;

Astronauts in ISS are exposed to higher levels of ionizing radiation which increases the risk of developing cancer throughout their careers. They are protected by the magnetosphere but not the atmosphere.&nbsp;

As per the limit set by NASA, astronauts' radiation exposure limit is not to exceed 3 per cent of the risk of exposure-induced death (REID) from fatal cancer over their career.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/a-galaxy-with-split-personality-heres-what-we-mean-by-this-464411">NASA's Juno spacecraft snaps stunning images of Jupiter's moons Io and Europa</a>

Live Science reported that risk is evaluated with a sliding scale based on age and sex, ranging from a lower career limit of 180 millisieverts (mSv) of radiation for a 30-year-old woman to an upper career limit of 700 mSv for a 60-year-old man.&nbsp;

It is NASA's policy to ensure a 95 per cent confidence level (CL) that this limit is not exceeded. Important to note that these limits are applicable to all missions in low Earth orbit (LEO) as well as lunar missions that are less than 180 days in duration.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, there is a lower career limit for radiation exposure for female astronauts than for male astronauts. Live Science reported quoting R. Julian Preston, who is a special government employee with the US Environmental Protection Agency's Radiation Protection division, that NASA's lower radiation threshold for female astronauts was based on scientific findings.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/a-galaxy-with-split-personality-heres-what-we-mean-by-this-464411">A galaxy with split personality? Here's what we mean by this</a>

As per the report, women had more than twice the risk than men of developing lung cancer when both were exposed to high levels of radiation for similar periods.&nbsp;

Preston told Live Science that "it has been generally considered — based largely on the survivors from the atomic bombs in Japan — that, particularly for lung cancer, that women were more sensitive" to ionizing radiation than men were.&nbsp;

The limit has impacted careers also as for instance, former chief of NASA's astronaut corps Peggy Whitson had to retire in 2018 after she hit her career limit on radiation exposure at age 57. She had raised her voice over the radiation limits for female astronauts.&nbsp;

We, on Earth, are saved by the planet's magnetosphere and atmosphere from the sun's harmful radiation and galactic cosmic rays which are coming from the exploding stars.

We, on Earth, are saved by the planet's magnetosphere and atmosphere from the sun's harmful radiation and galactic cosmic rays which are coming from the exploding stars. But what about the astronauts, who are at International Space Station (ISS)? Astronauts in ISS are exposed to higher levels of ionizing radiation which increases the risk of developing cancer throughout their careers. They are protected by the magnetosphere but not the atmosphere. As per the limit set by NASA, astronauts' radiation exposure limit is not to exceed 3 per cent of the risk of exposure-induced death (REID) from fatal cancer over their career. ALSO READ | NASA's Juno spacecraft snaps stunning images of Jupiter's moons Io and Europa Live Science reported that risk is evaluated with a sliding scale based on age and sex, ranging from a lower career limit of 180 millisieverts (mSv) of radiation for a 30-year-old woman to an upper career limit of 700 mSv for a 60-year-old man. It is NASA's policy to ensure a 95 per cent confidence level (CL) that this limit is not exceeded. Important to note that these limits are applicable to all missions in low Earth orbit (LEO) as well as lunar missions that are less than 180 days in duration. Meanwhile, there is a lower career limit for radiation exposure for female astronauts than for male astronauts. Live Science reported quoting R. Julian Preston, who is a special government employee with the US Environmental Protection Agency's Radiation Protection division, that NASA's lower radiation threshold for female astronauts was based on scientific findings. ALSO READ | A galaxy with split personality? Here's what we mean by this As per the report, women had more than twice the risk than men of developing lung cancer when both were exposed to high levels of radiation for similar periods. Preston told Live Science that "it has been generally considered — based largely on the survivors from the atomic bombs in Japan — that, particularly for lung cancer, that women were more sensitive" to ionizing radiation than men were. The limit has impacted careers also as for instance, former chief of NASA's astronaut corps Peggy Whitson had to retire in 2018 after she hit her career limit on radiation exposure at age 57. She had raised her voice over the radiation limits for female astronauts.

Male astronauts stay in space longer than females. Here's why

The number of confirmed exoplanets just surpassed 5,000, marking the culmination of a 30-year journey. In a milestone celebration, NASA announced that its space telescopes helped confirm thousands of new exoplanets.&nbsp;

In the not-so-distant past, there were only a few known planets. However, a flurry of recent discoveries has marked a scientific high point: more than 5,000 planets are now confirmed to exist beyond our solar system.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/what-slows-down-star-formation-in-a-galaxy-this-is-the-answer-464620" hreflang="en">What slows down star-formation in a galaxy? This is the answer</a>

In March, the NASA Exoplanet Archive added 65 new exoplanets - planets outside our solar system - to the planetary odometer. The archive contains exoplanet discoveries that appeared in peer-reviewed scientific papers and have been confirmed through multiple detection methods or analytical methods.

Planets found to date range from small, rocky worlds like Earth to gas giants much larger than Jupiter and “hot Jupiters” that orbit in scorchingly close orbits around their stars. Additionally, there are "super-Earths," giant rocky worlds that might be larger than our own. As well as "mini-Neptunes" which are smaller versions of our solar system's Neptune.&nbsp;

<img alt="Exoplanets" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="84fef865-f32c-4d6a-8661-1a548e7fea27" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_181.jpg" />

(Illustration Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

As far as we know, our galaxy likely contains hundreds of billions of such planets.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/a-galaxy-with-split-personality-heres-what-we-mean-by-this-464411" hreflang="en">A galaxy with split personality? Here's what we mean by this</a>

Jessie Christiansen, science lead for the archive and a research scientist at Caltech's NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, explained that it is more than just a number.

“Each one of them is a new world, a brand-new planet. I get excited about every one because we don’t know anything about them.”

Alexander Wolszczan, a professor at Penn State who searches for exoplanets, believes we are entering a period of discovery that will go beyond simply adding new planets to the list.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;A new frontier in space exploration

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“To my thinking, it is inevitable that we’ll find some kind of life somewhere – most likely of some primitive kind,” Wolszczan said.

He pointed out the close relationship between the chemistry of life on Earth and chemistry found in the universe, together with widespread organic molecules, makes the discovery of the existence of life elsewhere only a matter of time.

(With inputs from agencies)

The number of confirmed exoplanets just surpassed 5,000, marking the culmination of a 30-year journey. In a milestone celebration, NASA announced that its space telescopes helped confirm thousands of new exoplanets.

The number of confirmed exoplanets just surpassed 5,000, marking the culmination of a 30-year journey. In a milestone celebration, NASA announced that its space telescopes helped confirm thousands of new exoplanets. In the not-so-distant past, there were only a few known planets. However, a flurry of recent discoveries has marked a scientific high point: more than 5,000 planets are now confirmed to exist beyond our solar system. Also read | What slows down star-formation in a galaxy? This is the answer In March, the NASA Exoplanet Archive added 65 new exoplanets - planets outside our solar system - to the planetary odometer. The archive contains exoplanet discoveries that appeared in peer-reviewed scientific papers and have been confirmed through multiple detection methods or analytical methods. Planets found to date range from small, rocky worlds like Earth to gas giants much larger than Jupiter and “hot Jupiters” that orbit in scorchingly close orbits around their stars. Additionally, there are "super-Earths," giant rocky worlds that might be larger than our own. As well as "mini-Neptunes" which are smaller versions of our solar system's Neptune. (Illustration Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech) As far as we know, our galaxy likely contains hundreds of billions of such planets. Also read | A galaxy with split personality? Here's what we mean by this Jessie Christiansen, science lead for the archive and a research scientist at Caltech's NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, explained that it is more than just a number. “Each one of them is a new world, a brand-new planet. I get excited about every one because we don’t know anything about them.” Alexander Wolszczan, a professor at Penn State who searches for exoplanets, believes we are entering a period of discovery that will go beyond simply adding new planets to the list. Watch | A new frontier in space exploration “To my thinking, it is inevitable that we’ll find some kind of life somewhere – most likely of some primitive kind,” Wolszczan said. He pointed out the close relationship between the chemistry of life on Earth and chemistry found in the universe, together with widespread organic molecules, makes the discovery of the existence of life elsewhere only a matter of time. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA confirms a 'celestial milestone', 5000 exoplanets confirmed so far

The US-based space agency NASA has shared new images of Jupiter's moons Io and Europa which are beamed back by Juno spacecraft.&nbsp;

The space agency informed that the stunning view of Jupiter's southern hemisphere was captured during Juno mission's 39th close flyby of the planet on January 12, 2022.&nbsp;

The intriguing images of moons Io (left) and Europa (right) can be seen clearly after zooming in on the right portion of the image. The image looks like two more worlds have been revealed in the same frame.&nbsp;

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As informed by NASA, the image was taken when Juno spacecraft was about 61,000 kilometres from Jupiter's cloud tops, at a latitude of about 52 degrees south.&nbsp;

NASA said that the breathtaking image has been created by citizen scientist Andrea Luck using raw data from the JunoCam instrument.&nbsp;

Io is the solar system's most volcanic body, while Europa's icy surface hides a global ocean of liquid water beneath. NASA said that Juno will have an opportunity to capture much more detailed observations of Europa, using several scientific instruments, in September 2022.&nbsp;

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Image credit: NASA

At this time, the spacecraft makes the closest fly-by of the enigmatic moon in decades. The mission will also make close approaches to Io in late 2023 and early 2024.&nbsp;

The mission is currently expected to end in September 2025. The Juno mission will also make close approaches to Io in late 2023 and early 2024, according to the NASA statement.&nbsp;

Juno spacecraft, which entered Jupiter's orbit in 2016, made the last closest flyby to Jupiter's largest Moon Ganymede on June 7.&nbsp;

The flyby was the closest-known since NASA's Galileo spacecraft made its penultimate close approach back on May 20, 2000.&nbsp;

Besides Juno, the future missions to the Jovian system include NASA's Europa Clipper slated for a launch in October 2024 and expected to arrive in April 2030 and European Space Agency's JUpiter ICy moons Explorer [JUICE] mission.&nbsp;

JUICE is planned for launch in 2022 and arrival at Jupiter in 2029.&nbsp;

The US-based space agency NASA has shared new images of Jupiter's moons Io and Europa which are beamed back by Juno spacecraft. The space agency informed that the stunning view of Jupiter's southern hemisphere was captured during Juno mission's 39th close flyby of the planet on January 12, 2022.

The US-based space agency NASA has shared new images of Jupiter's moons Io and Europa which are beamed back by Juno spacecraft. The space agency informed that the stunning view of Jupiter's southern hemisphere was captured during Juno mission's 39th close flyby of the planet on January 12, 2022. The intriguing images of moons Io (left) and Europa (right) can be seen clearly after zooming in on the right portion of the image. The image looks like two more worlds have been revealed in the same frame. ALSO READ | Lucky for now? Fridge-sized asteroid gets spotted just two hours before hitting Earth, says NASA As informed by NASA, the image was taken when Juno spacecraft was about 61,000 kilometres from Jupiter's cloud tops, at a latitude of about 52 degrees south. NASA said that the breathtaking image has been created by citizen scientist Andrea Luck using raw data from the JunoCam instrument. Io is the solar system's most volcanic body, while Europa's icy surface hides a global ocean of liquid water beneath. NASA said that Juno will have an opportunity to capture much more detailed observations of Europa, using several scientific instruments, in September 2022. ALSO READ | ‘Unprecedented’ heatwaves recorded at Earth’s poles, scientists warn of climate calamity Image credit: NASA At this time, the spacecraft makes the closest fly-by of the enigmatic moon in decades. The mission will also make close approaches to Io in late 2023 and early 2024. The mission is currently expected to end in September 2025. The Juno mission will also make close approaches to Io in late 2023 and early 2024, according to the NASA statement. Juno spacecraft, which entered Jupiter's orbit in 2016, made the last closest flyby to Jupiter's largest Moon Ganymede on June 7. The flyby was the closest-known since NASA's Galileo spacecraft made its penultimate close approach back on May 20, 2000. Besides Juno, the future missions to the Jovian system include NASA's Europa Clipper slated for a launch in October 2024 and expected to arrive in April 2030 and European Space Agency's JUpiter ICy moons Explorer [JUICE] mission. JUICE is planned for launch in 2022 and arrival at Jupiter in 2029.

NASA's Juno spacecraft snaps stunning images of Jupiter's moons Io and Europa

Although late detection of asteroids can prove suicidal for Earth, it seems to have been lucky this time. &nbsp;

Well, we are not kidding. Recently, an asteroid, which was around the size of a refrigerator, struck Earth's atmosphere just hours after getting spotted, said NASA. &nbsp;&nbsp;

This has happened for the fifth time that an asteroid was able to get detected right before it hit the planet. &nbsp;

As it was too small, it wasn't dangerous, but we may not be lucky all the time. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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Astronomer Krisztian Sarneczky spotted an asteroid at the Piszkéstető Observatory in Hungary on March 11. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center was informed by Sarneczky, which also confirmed it. &nbsp;

In a statement, NASA said that luckily for Earth, the asteroid, which was named 2022 EB5, was around 6½-feet-long, a size "too small to pose a hazard to Earth." &nbsp;

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NASA's "Scout" system, which keeps an eye for any potential impacts by asteroids, calculated the orbit of the rock and confirmed that it would certainly hit the planet. It also notified the Center for Near Earth Object Studies at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and other asteroid impact systems. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It also determined that the rock would enter atmosphere of Earth around Jan Mayen, a Norwegian island, which is roughly 300 miles northeast of Iceland. At 5:23 pm EDT, the asteroid hit Earth as "Scout" predicted. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Although late detection of asteroids can prove suicidal for Earth, it seems to have been lucky this time. Well, we are not kidding. Recently, an asteroid, which was around the size of a refrigerator, struck Earth's atmosphere just hours after getting spotted, said NASA.

Although late detection of asteroids can prove suicidal for Earth, it seems to have been lucky this time. Well, we are not kidding. Recently, an asteroid, which was around the size of a refrigerator, struck Earth's atmosphere just hours after getting spotted, said NASA. This has happened for the fifth time that an asteroid was able to get detected right before it hit the planet. As it was too small, it wasn't dangerous, but we may not be lucky all the time. Also Read: Chinese researchers claim to develop satellite-killing weapon Astronomer Krisztian Sarneczky spotted an asteroid at the Piszkéstető Observatory in Hungary on March 11. The International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center was informed by Sarneczky, which also confirmed it. In a statement, NASA said that luckily for Earth, the asteroid, which was named 2022 EB5, was around 6½-feet-long, a size "too small to pose a hazard to Earth." Also Read: Recycled plastic bottles pass more harmful chemicals into contents than new ones, warn researchers NASA's "Scout" system, which keeps an eye for any potential impacts by asteroids, calculated the orbit of the rock and confirmed that it would certainly hit the planet. It also notified the Center for Near Earth Object Studies at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and other asteroid impact systems. It also determined that the rock would enter atmosphere of Earth around Jan Mayen, a Norwegian island, which is roughly 300 miles northeast of Iceland. At 5:23 pm EDT, the asteroid hit Earth as "Scout" predicted. (With inputs from agencies)

Lucky for now? Fridge-sized asteroid gets spotted just two hours before hitting Earth, says NASA   

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

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope completed its mirror alignment perfectly and according to the space agency, it was able to take a test shot of the surroundings. The image, which was released by NASA, was taken with the help of the 21.3-foot-wide (6.5 meters) mirror composed of 18 hexagonal segments and the officials believed that the technology has&nbsp;worked "better than expected".<o:p></o:p>

The test shot, which was taken around 1.6 million kilometres away from earth, was proof that the mirrors on the telescope worked perfectly and over a month after taking its position at the second Lagrange Point (L2), this was the first time that it was able to take a test shot of star HD 84406.

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The shape of the mirrors and filters made the star look red and spiky and the image also captured a number of galaxies around the star. &nbsp;“You can’t help but see those thousands of galaxies behind it, really gorgeous,” said Jane Rigby, Webb operations project scientist according to AFP.<o:p></o:p>

“Those galaxies are several billions of years old. Eventually, scientists hope Webb will see so far away and back in time that it will only be “a couple hundred million years after the Big Bang,” she added.<o:p></o:p>

The alignment of the mirrors was an important achievement for the James Webb Space Telescope and NASA confirmed that no critical issues were found when it comes to its optical path.

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“More than 20 years ago, the Webb team set out to build the most powerful telescope that anyone has ever put in space and came up with an audacious optical design to meet demanding science goals. Today we can say that design is going to deliver,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate according to AFP.

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“We have fully aligned and focused the telescope on a star, and the performance is beating specifications. We are excited about what this means for science,” said Ritva Keski-Kuha, deputy optical telescope element manager for Webb.

<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope completed its mirror alignment perfectly and according to the space agency, it was able to take a test shot of the surroundings.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope completed its mirror alignment perfectly and according to the space agency, it was able to take a test shot of the surroundings. The image, which was released by NASA, was taken with the help of the 21.3-foot-wide (6.5 meters) mirror composed of 18 hexagonal segments and the officials believed that the technology has worked "better than expected". The test shot, which was taken around 1.6 million kilometres away from earth, was proof that the mirrors on the telescope worked perfectly and over a month after taking its position at the second Lagrange Point (L2), this was the first time that it was able to take a test shot of star HD 84406. Also read | Scientists present a theory on how 'otherworldly materials' helped in Earth's formation The shape of the mirrors and filters made the star look red and spiky and the image also captured a number of galaxies around the star. “You can’t help but see those thousands of galaxies behind it, really gorgeous,” said Jane Rigby, Webb operations project scientist according to AFP. “Those galaxies are several billions of years old. Eventually, scientists hope Webb will see so far away and back in time that it will only be “a couple hundred million years after the Big Bang,” she added. The alignment of the mirrors was an important achievement for the James Webb Space Telescope and NASA confirmed that no critical issues were found when it comes to its optical path. Also read | Israel reports new coronavirus variant “More than 20 years ago, the Webb team set out to build the most powerful telescope that anyone has ever put in space and came up with an audacious optical design to meet demanding science goals. Today we can say that design is going to deliver,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate according to AFP. × “We have fully aligned and focused the telescope on a star, and the performance is beating specifications. We are excited about what this means for science,” said Ritva Keski-Kuha, deputy optical telescope element manager for Webb. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captures test image of star and ancient galaxies

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is cracking open a 50-year-old vacuum-sealed tube of lunar gas and soil.

It was among one of the 2,196 rock samples collected during NASA's Apollo missions to Earth. Dubbed 73001, the sample in question was collected by astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt in December 1972.

The tube, 35 cm long and 4 cm (13.8 inches by 1.6 inches) wide, had been hammered into the ground of the Moon's Taurus-Littrow valley to collect the rocks.&nbsp;

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Of the only two samples to have been vacuum sealed on the Moon, this is the first to be opened. It could as such contain gases or volatile substances (water, carbon dioxide, etc.)

And the aim is to extract these gases, which are probably only present in very small quantities, to be able to analyze them using spectrometry techniques that have become extremely precise in recent years.&nbsp;

NASA knew "science and technology would evolve and allow scientists to study the material in new ways to address new questions in the future," Lori Glaze, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters, said in a statement.

The US space agency has extended its target date for sending astronauts back to the moon to 2025 at the earliest, stretching out by at least a year the timeline pronounced under former President Donald Trump.

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Trump's administration had set the aggressive goal of returning humans to the lunar surface by 2024, an initiative named Artemis intended as a stepping stone toward the even-more-ambitious objective of sending astronauts to Mars.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson cited delays from legal wrangling over the SpaceX contract to build the Artemis lunar landing vehicle as a major reason for extending the target date.

"We lost nearly seven months in litigation, and that likely has pushed the first human landing likely to no earlier than 2025," Nelson told a news conference. "We are estimating no earlier than 2025 for Artemis 3, which would be the human lander on the first demonstration landing."

Nelson, a former astronaut and US&nbsp;senator appointed by President Joe Biden to lead the space agency, said delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic also played a role.

NASA had previously aimed to return crewed spacecraft to the lunar surface by 2028, after putting a "Gateway" space station into orbit around the moon by 2024.

But the Trump administration, in a surprise 2019 pronouncement from then-Vice President Mike Pence, set a deadline for putting Americans back on the moon within five years "by any means necessary."

At the time, Pence said the United States was in a new "space race," borrowing vocabulary from the 1960s Cold War era, to counter the potential space weaponry capabilities of Russia and China.

(With inputs from agencies)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is cracking open a 50-year-old vacuum-sealed tube of lunar gas and soil. It was among one of the 2,196 rock samples collected during NASA's Apollo missions to Earth.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is cracking open a 50-year-old vacuum-sealed tube of lunar gas and soil. It was among one of the 2,196 rock samples collected during NASA's Apollo missions to Earth. Dubbed 73001, the sample in question was collected by astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt in December 1972. The tube, 35 cm long and 4 cm (13.8 inches by 1.6 inches) wide, had been hammered into the ground of the Moon's Taurus-Littrow valley to collect the rocks. Also read | NASA is collecting names to send into space aboard Orion capsule to the Moon Of the only two samples to have been vacuum sealed on the Moon, this is the first to be opened. It could as such contain gases or volatile substances (water, carbon dioxide, etc.) And the aim is to extract these gases, which are probably only present in very small quantities, to be able to analyze them using spectrometry techniques that have become extremely precise in recent years. NASA knew "science and technology would evolve and allow scientists to study the material in new ways to address new questions in the future," Lori Glaze, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters, said in a statement. The US space agency has extended its target date for sending astronauts back to the moon to 2025 at the earliest, stretching out by at least a year the timeline pronounced under former President Donald Trump. Also read | Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier? Trump's administration had set the aggressive goal of returning humans to the lunar surface by 2024, an initiative named Artemis intended as a stepping stone toward the even-more-ambitious objective of sending astronauts to Mars. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson cited delays from legal wrangling over the SpaceX contract to build the Artemis lunar landing vehicle as a major reason for extending the target date. "We lost nearly seven months in litigation, and that likely has pushed the first human landing likely to no earlier than 2025," Nelson told a news conference. "We are estimating no earlier than 2025 for Artemis 3, which would be the human lander on the first demonstration landing." Nelson, a former astronaut and US senator appointed by President Joe Biden to lead the space agency, said delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic also played a role. NASA had previously aimed to return crewed spacecraft to the lunar surface by 2028, after putting a "Gateway" space station into orbit around the moon by 2024. But the Trump administration, in a surprise 2019 pronouncement from then-Vice President Mike Pence, set a deadline for putting Americans back on the moon within five years "by any means necessary." At the time, Pence said the United States was in a new "space race," borrowing vocabulary from the 1960s Cold War era, to counter the potential space weaponry capabilities of Russia and China. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA is cracking open a 50-year-old vacuum-sealed tube of lunar gas and soil

A Los Angeles-area startup founded by a veteran spaceflight robotics engineer unveiled on Thursday its full-scale, working prototype for a next-generation lunar rover that is just as fast as NASA's old "moon buggy" but is designed to do much more.

The company, Venturi Astrolab Inc, released photos and video showing its Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) vehicle riding over the rugged California desert near Death Valley National Park during a five-day field test in December.

Astrolab executives say the four-wheeled, car-sized FLEX rover is designed for use in NASA's Artemis program, aimed at returning humans to the moon as early as 2025 and establishing a long-term lunar colony as a precursor to sending astronauts to Mars.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-finally-decides-to-open-moon-sample-sealed-since-1972-461389">&nbsp;NASA finally decides to open Moon sample sealed since 1972</a>

Unlike the 1970s Apollo-era moon buggies or the current generation of robotic Mars rovers tailored for specialized tasks and experiments, FLEX is designed as an all-purpose vehicle that can be driven by astronauts or by remote control.

Built around a modular payload system inspired by conventional containerized shipping, FLEX is versatile enough to be used for exploration, cargo delivery, site construction and other logistical work on the moon, the company says.

"For humanity to truly live and operate in a sustained way off Earth, there needs to exist an efficient and economical network all the way from the launch pad to the ultimate outpost," Astrolab founder and CEO Jaret Matthews said in a statement announcing the rover's development.

Other aerospace companies have announced new lunar rover design concepts, "but so far I believe, we're the only ones who have produced a working prototype of this scale and capability," Matthews told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.

If NASA adopts FLEX and its modular payload platform for Artemis, it would become the first passenger-capable rover to ply the lunar surface since Apollo 17, the last of six original U.S. manned missions to the moon, in December 1972.

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Apollo 17's lunar roving vehicle set a moon speed record of 11 miles per hour (17.7 km/h). FLEX can move just as swiftly.

Apollo astronauts found "they spent just as much time off the ground as on it at that speed, so it's kind of a practical limit for the moon," where gravity is one-sixth that of Earth, said Matthews, a former rover engineer for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

While Apollo LRVs carried up to two astronauts seated at its controls like a car, FLEX passengers - one or two at a time - ride standing in the back, driving the vehicle with a joystick.

The rover itself, with a Jeep-like wheelbase, weighs just over 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms) but has a 3,300-pound cargo capacity, about the same as a light-duty pickup truck.

With its solar-powered batteries fully charged, the vehicle can drive two astronauts for eight hours straight and has sufficient energy capacity to survive the extreme cold of a lunar night, up to 300 hours in total darkness, at the moon's south pole, Matthews said.

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During the field test at the Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Recreation Area, the rover was piloted by retired Canadian astronaut and Astrolab advisory board member Chris Hadfield and MIT aerospace graduate student Michelle Lin.

Video showed the pair dressed in mock spacesuits riding on the vehicle over a sand dune and using it to set up a large, vertical solar array.

"It was huge fun to drive the FLEX," Hadfield said in the video.

A Los Angeles-area startup founded by a veteran spaceflight robotics engineer unveiled on Thursday its full-scale, working prototype for a next-generation lunar rover that is just as fast as NASA's old "moon buggy" but is designed to do much more.

A Los Angeles-area startup founded by a veteran spaceflight robotics engineer unveiled on Thursday its full-scale, working prototype for a next-generation lunar rover that is just as fast as NASA's old "moon buggy" but is designed to do much more. The company, Venturi Astrolab Inc, released photos and video showing its Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) vehicle riding over the rugged California desert near Death Valley National Park during a five-day field test in December. Astrolab executives say the four-wheeled, car-sized FLEX rover is designed for use in NASA's Artemis program, aimed at returning humans to the moon as early as 2025 and establishing a long-term lunar colony as a precursor to sending astronauts to Mars. Also read | NASA finally decides to open Moon sample sealed since 1972 Unlike the 1970s Apollo-era moon buggies or the current generation of robotic Mars rovers tailored for specialized tasks and experiments, FLEX is designed as an all-purpose vehicle that can be driven by astronauts or by remote control. Built around a modular payload system inspired by conventional containerized shipping, FLEX is versatile enough to be used for exploration, cargo delivery, site construction and other logistical work on the moon, the company says. "For humanity to truly live and operate in a sustained way off Earth, there needs to exist an efficient and economical network all the way from the launch pad to the ultimate outpost," Astrolab founder and CEO Jaret Matthews said in a statement announcing the rover's development. Other aerospace companies have announced new lunar rover design concepts, "but so far I believe, we're the only ones who have produced a working prototype of this scale and capability," Matthews told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday. If NASA adopts FLEX and its modular payload platform for Artemis, it would become the first passenger-capable rover to ply the lunar surface since Apollo 17, the last of six original U.S. manned missions to the moon, in December 1972. Also read | Physicists say 'quantum gravity' could emerge from a holographic universe Apollo 17's lunar roving vehicle set a moon speed record of 11 miles per hour (17.7 km/h). FLEX can move just as swiftly. Apollo astronauts found "they spent just as much time off the ground as on it at that speed, so it's kind of a practical limit for the moon," where gravity is one-sixth that of Earth, said Matthews, a former rover engineer for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. While Apollo LRVs carried up to two astronauts seated at its controls like a car, FLEX passengers - one or two at a time - ride standing in the back, driving the vehicle with a joystick. The rover itself, with a Jeep-like wheelbase, weighs just over 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms) but has a 3,300-pound cargo capacity, about the same as a light-duty pickup truck. With its solar-powered batteries fully charged, the vehicle can drive two astronauts for eight hours straight and has sufficient energy capacity to survive the extreme cold of a lunar night, up to 300 hours in total darkness, at the moon's south pole, Matthews said. Also read | On this day in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell made the first telephone call. These were his first words During the field test at the Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Recreation Area, the rover was piloted by retired Canadian astronaut and Astrolab advisory board member Chris Hadfield and MIT aerospace graduate student Michelle Lin. Video showed the pair dressed in mock spacesuits riding on the vehicle over a sand dune and using it to set up a large, vertical solar array. "It was huge fun to drive the FLEX," Hadfield said in the video.

California startup Astrolab unveils space rover, more than a mere 'moon buggy'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NASA finally decides to open Moon sample sealed since 1972

Play of shadows in space causes a great many effects. The celestial bodies come between a star and another planet and cast their shadow on the latter. We are very well familiar with this play here on Earth as when Moon comes between the Sun and Earth, the shadow it casts causes a solar eclipse.

When it's time of Earth to come between Sun and Moon, we Earthlings get to witness a lunar eclipse.&nbsp;

With naked eyes, our ability is limited to watching only these two (but brilliantly beautiful) space events. Fortunately, we have enough telescopes and even spacecrafts looking at the void beyond the Earth's atmosphere to bring us brilliant pictures.

Take NASA's Juno spacecraft for example. The spacecraft is hovering around Jupiter for last five years. It has sent invaluable data and images our way and it continues to send more. These images have helped us to study the gas giant and its moons.

An interesting image taken by Juno spacecraft shows us the benefits of having eyes in the sky. The moment captured in this pic cannot possibly be witnessed from Earth

This image shows shadow of Jupiter's moon Ganymede falling on the gas giant. As per Space.com, this image was captured by Juno spacecraft during its 20th flyby.

Play of shadows in space causes a great many effects. The celestial bodies come between a star and another planet and cast their shadow on the latter. We are very well familiar with this play here on Earth as when Moon comes between the Sun and Earth, the shadow it casts causes a solar eclipse.

Play of shadows in space causes a great many effects. The celestial bodies come between a star and another planet and cast their shadow on the latter. We are very well familiar with this play here on Earth as when Moon comes between the Sun and Earth, the shadow it casts causes a solar eclipse. When it's time of Earth to come between Sun and Moon, we Earthlings get to witness a lunar eclipse. With naked eyes, our ability is limited to watching only these two (but brilliantly beautiful) space events. Fortunately, we have enough telescopes and even spacecrafts looking at the void beyond the Earth's atmosphere to bring us brilliant pictures. Take NASA's Juno spacecraft for example. The spacecraft is hovering around Jupiter for last five years. It has sent invaluable data and images our way and it continues to send more. These images have helped us to study the gas giant and its moons. An interesting image taken by Juno spacecraft shows us the benefits of having eyes in the sky. The moment captured in this pic cannot possibly be witnessed from Earth This image shows shadow of Jupiter's moon Ganymede falling on the gas giant. As per Space.com, this image was captured by Juno spacecraft during its 20th flyby.

NASA's Juno spacecraft clicks Jupiter's moon casting shadow on the gas giant

Approximately 74 photographs of the Apollo missions by NASA documenting its space exploration are all set to under the hammer.

These include the first picture of the first earthrise witnessed by humans and the first human steps on the moon.

Several of the collection's photographs have belonged to NASA's own archives and were not known to the public, while selected copies appeared on the covers of major influential American magazines&nbsp;to tell the world about the United States' success in the lunar race.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-has-space-business-has-become-the-final-profitable-frontier-452928" hreflang="en">Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier?</a>

The "very exciting" auction of the private collection, owned by a foreign national whose identity has been kept confidential, takes place on 9 March and will see the 74 items been auctioned individually.

NASA said that it decided to auction the images as this year marks the 60th anniversary for the former American President John F. Kennedy’s famous Moon speech.

''His inspiring words in 1962 were not just about the vision of putting humans on the Moon, but about galvanising the spirit of the times where everything seemed possible for mankind,'' said the US space agency.

The auction also includes photographs of Kennedy's final visit to NASA at Cape Canaveral on 16 November 1963, just six days before his tragic death.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-have-a-new-theory-on-how-former-fireball-earth-became-habitable-459370" hreflang="en">Astronomers have a new theory on how former 'fireball' Earth became habitable</a>

Danish auction house Bruun Rasmussen, which is responsible for the event, said the items are expected to fetch over $2 million.

''It was truly a time of greatness, and there was a sense of incredible accomplishment because we as humans had succeeded in making it to the Moon. A belief in our own abilities and a sense of limitless potential abounded in society, and despite the crises that also existed during that time, humanity achieved some of the greatest things within space exploration – putting a human on the Moon,'' says Laerke Bogh, Head of Department and Specialist at Bruun Rasmussen.

''The spirit of the times and the world history that was written during this period shines through clearly in the photographs. Knowing that these are the original photographs taken by the astronauts during the biggest missions of their lives presents a great thrill in this digital age.''

The idea behind the Apollo programme was to get the first human safely to the Moon and back again to Earth. Between 1968-1972, a series of more or less successful Apollo missions were launched by NASA.

On several of the missions, the spaceships managed to enter the lunar orbit, and on the famous Apollo 11 in 1969, they finally landed on the Moon.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Approximately 74 photographs of the Apollo missions by NASA documenting its space exploration are all set to under the hammer. These include the first picture of the first earthrise witnessed by humans and the first human steps on the moon.

Approximately 74 photographs of the Apollo missions by NASA documenting its space exploration are all set to under the hammer. These include the first picture of the first earthrise witnessed by humans and the first human steps on the moon. Several of the collection's photographs have belonged to NASA's own archives and were not known to the public, while selected copies appeared on the covers of major influential American magazines to tell the world about the United States' success in the lunar race. Also see | Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier? The "very exciting" auction of the private collection, owned by a foreign national whose identity has been kept confidential, takes place on 9 March and will see the 74 items been auctioned individually. NASA said that it decided to auction the images as this year marks the 60th anniversary for the former American President John F. Kennedy’s famous Moon speech. ''His inspiring words in 1962 were not just about the vision of putting humans on the Moon, but about galvanising the spirit of the times where everything seemed possible for mankind,'' said the US space agency. The auction also includes photographs of Kennedy's final visit to NASA at Cape Canaveral on 16 November 1963, just six days before his tragic death. Also read | Astronomers have a new theory on how former 'fireball' Earth became habitable Danish auction house Bruun Rasmussen, which is responsible for the event, said the items are expected to fetch over $2 million. ''It was truly a time of greatness, and there was a sense of incredible accomplishment because we as humans had succeeded in making it to the Moon. A belief in our own abilities and a sense of limitless potential abounded in society, and despite the crises that also existed during that time, humanity achieved some of the greatest things within space exploration – putting a human on the Moon,'' says Laerke Bogh, Head of Department and Specialist at Bruun Rasmussen. ''The spirit of the times and the world history that was written during this period shines through clearly in the photographs. Knowing that these are the original photographs taken by the astronauts during the biggest missions of their lives presents a great thrill in this digital age.'' The idea behind the Apollo programme was to get the first human safely to the Moon and back again to Earth. Between 1968-1972, a series of more or less successful Apollo missions were launched by NASA. On several of the missions, the spaceships managed to enter the lunar orbit, and on the famous Apollo 11 in 1969, they finally landed on the Moon. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA photographs of Apollo missions to go on auction in Denmark

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Artemis: NASA's crewed mission delayed till 2026

Russian space agency Roscosmos has ceased joint experiments with Germany on the International Space Station.

"The Russian space program will be adjusted against the backdrop of sanctions, the priority will be the creation of satellites in the interests of defense," Roscosmos said in the tweet.

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⚡ Госкорпорация не будет сотрудничать с Германией по совместным экспериментам на российском сегменте МКС. Роскосмос проведет их самостоятельно. 
 
⚡ Российская космическая программа на фоне санкций будет скорректирована, приоритетом станет создание спутников в интересах обороны. <a href="https://t.co/zl7CRNstGG">https://t.co/zl7CRNstGG</a>
— РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) <a href="https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1499335245635764224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The massive global backlash to Moscow's invasion a week ago has already affected a range of scientific initiatives, including a planned Russian-European mission to land a rover on Mars.

"Offlining the satellites of any country is actually a casus belli, a cause for war," said Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-map-1-million-space-objects-that-have-never-been-spotted-before-456863">Also read |&nbsp;Astronomers map 1 million space objects that have never been spotted before</a>

Rogozin also said his agency wanted British-based tech firm OneWeb to provide guarantees that its satellites are not going to be used against Russia.

Without these, Rogozin said Russia will cancel the planned March 4 launch of 36 OneWeb satellites from the Baikonur cosmodrome, which Russia rents from Kazakhstan, without compensating OneWeb

Western sanctions have cut Russia off from many global initiatives over the last week. NASA is exploring ways to keep the International Space Station, long home to both astronauts and cosmonauts, in orbit without Russian help.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/international-space-station-humanitys-enduring-presence-in-space-450191" hreflang="en">International Space Station: Humanity's enduring presence in space</a>

The European Space Agency meanwhile said a joint mission using a Russian launcher to land a European rover on Mars was "very unlikely" to take off this year as planned.

The ISS itself was born in part from a foreign policy initiative to improve US-Russian relations following the collapse of the Soviet Union and end of Cold War rivalry that spurred the original US-Soviet space race.

But US-Russian ties have frayed since Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimea region from Ukraine, prompting Congress to ban new government contracts with US&nbsp;companies using Russian rocket engineers for national security launches after 2022.

After ending its space shuttle program in 2011, the United States began paying Roscosmos to ferry NASA astronauts to and from the space station aboard Soyuz capsules. NASA resumed launching its own crew members from US soil in 2020, even as it continued to hitch some rides on Soyuz.

Even before the Ukraine crisis escalated in recent weeks, US-Russian space cooperation was shaken in mid-November when Russia blasted one of its own defunct surveillance satellites in an unannounced missile test that generated a debris field in low-Earth orbit, threatening the space station.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russian space agency Roscosmos has ceased joint experiments with Germany on the International Space Station. "The Russian space program will be adjusted against the backdrop of sanctions, the priority will be the creation of satellites in the interests of defense," Roscosmos said in the tweet.

Russian space agency Roscosmos has ceased joint experiments with Germany on the International Space Station. "The Russian space program will be adjusted against the backdrop of sanctions, the priority will be the creation of satellites in the interests of defense," Roscosmos said in the tweet. ⚡ Госкорпорация не будет сотрудничать с Германией по совместным экспериментам на российском сегменте МКС. Роскосмос проведет их самостоятельно. ⚡ Российская космическая программа на фоне санкций будет скорректирована, приоритетом станет создание спутников в интересах обороны. https://t.co/zl7CRNstGG — РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) March 3, 2022 × The massive global backlash to Moscow's invasion a week ago has already affected a range of scientific initiatives, including a planned Russian-European mission to land a rover on Mars. "Offlining the satellites of any country is actually a casus belli, a cause for war," said Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin. Also read | Astronomers map 1 million space objects that have never been spotted before Rogozin also said his agency wanted British-based tech firm OneWeb to provide guarantees that its satellites are not going to be used against Russia. Without these, Rogozin said Russia will cancel the planned March 4 launch of 36 OneWeb satellites from the Baikonur cosmodrome, which Russia rents from Kazakhstan, without compensating OneWeb Western sanctions have cut Russia off from many global initiatives over the last week. NASA is exploring ways to keep the International Space Station, long home to both astronauts and cosmonauts, in orbit without Russian help. Also see | International Space Station: Humanity's enduring presence in space The European Space Agency meanwhile said a joint mission using a Russian launcher to land a European rover on Mars was "very unlikely" to take off this year as planned. The ISS itself was born in part from a foreign policy initiative to improve US-Russian relations following the collapse of the Soviet Union and end of Cold War rivalry that spurred the original US-Soviet space race. But US-Russian ties have frayed since Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimea region from Ukraine, prompting Congress to ban new government contracts with US companies using Russian rocket engineers for national security launches after 2022. After ending its space shuttle program in 2011, the United States began paying Roscosmos to ferry NASA astronauts to and from the space station aboard Soyuz capsules. NASA resumed launching its own crew members from US soil in 2020, even as it continued to hitch some rides on Soyuz. Even before the Ukraine crisis escalated in recent weeks, US-Russian space cooperation was shaken in mid-November when Russia blasted one of its own defunct surveillance satellites in an unannounced missile test that generated a debris field in low-Earth orbit, threatening the space station. (With inputs from agencies)

Russian space agency Roscosmos ceases joint experiments on International Space Station

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

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

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

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

Astronomers are developing an ingenious system to pulverise asteroids that they believe is the ''Earth's only chance in a catastrophe.''

"So far, humanity has been spared large-scale catastrophe as was visited upon our previous tenants, but counting upon being 'lucky' is a poor strategy in the longer term," said Professor Philip Lubin from the University of California Santa Barbara.

The experiment will be conducted on Trojan asteroids that can be wanderers in the solar system or material left over from their home planet's formation. They become ensnared by the planetary gravitational grip and subsequently orbit the sun along the same path as that planet.

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In picture: The illustration shows&nbsp;pulverising an incoming impactor into tiny pieces&nbsp;(Lubin/Experimental Cosmology Group, UCSB)

"In short intercept scenarios, the asteroid fragments of maximum ~10-meter [about 33 ft] diameter allow the Earth's atmosphere to act as a 'beam dump' where the fragments either burn up in the atmosphere or air burst, with the primary channel of energy going into spatially and temporally de-correlated shock waves," Lubin said.

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"The effectiveness of the approach depends on the time to intercept and size of the asteroid, but allows for effective defense against asteroids in the multi-hundred-meter diameter class and could virtually eliminate the threat of mass destruction caused by these threats," Lubin explains.

"Compared to other threat reduction scenarios, this approach represents an extremely cost-effective, testable, and deployable approach with a logical roadmap of development and testing. Pre-deployment of the system into orbit or a lunar base allows for rapid response on the order of less than a day if needed," Lubin said.

"The great advantage of this approach is that it allows for terminal defense in the event of short warning times and target distance mitigation where orbital deflection is not feasible," said Lubin.&nbsp;

"Even intercepts as close as the Moon with intercept times of a few hours prior to impact are viable."

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has also launched a test mission DART spacecraft that they hope will alter an asteroid's trajectory with sheer kinetic force, plowing into it at high speed to nudge the space boulder off course just enough to keep our planet out of harm's way.

The asteroid that DART is aiming for poses no actual threat and is tiny compared with the cataclysmic Chicxulub asteroid that struck Earth some 66 million years ago, leading to extinction of the dinosaurs. But scientists say smaller asteroids are far more common and of greater theoretical concern in the near term.

DART's target is an asteroid "moonlet" the size of a football stadium that orbits a chunk of rock five times larger in a binary asteroid system named Didymos, the Greek word for twin.

The team behind DART, short for Double Asteroid Redirection Test, chose the Didymos system because its relative proximity to Earth and dual-asteroid configuration make it ideal for observing the results of the impact.

The plan is to fly the DART spacecraft directly into the moonlet, called Dimorphos, at 15,000 miles per hour (24,000 kph), bumping it hard enough to shift its orbital track around the larger asteroid.

(With inputs from agencies)

Astronomers are developing an ingenious system to pulverise asteroids that they believe is the ''Earth's only chance in a catastrophe.'' "So far, humanity has been spared large-scale catastrophe as was visited upon our previous tenants, but counting upon being 'lucky' is a poor strategy in the longer term," said Professor Philip Lubin from the University of California Santa Barbara.

Astronomers are developing an ingenious system to pulverise asteroids that they believe is the ''Earth's only chance in a catastrophe.'' "So far, humanity has been spared large-scale catastrophe as was visited upon our previous tenants, but counting upon being 'lucky' is a poor strategy in the longer term," said Professor Philip Lubin from the University of California Santa Barbara. The experiment will be conducted on Trojan asteroids that can be wanderers in the solar system or material left over from their home planet's formation. They become ensnared by the planetary gravitational grip and subsequently orbit the sun along the same path as that planet. In picture: The illustration shows pulverising an incoming impactor into tiny pieces (Lubin/Experimental Cosmology Group, UCSB) "In short intercept scenarios, the asteroid fragments of maximum ~10-meter [about 33 ft] diameter allow the Earth's atmosphere to act as a 'beam dump' where the fragments either burn up in the atmosphere or air burst, with the primary channel of energy going into spatially and temporally de-correlated shock waves," Lubin said. Also see | Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier? "The effectiveness of the approach depends on the time to intercept and size of the asteroid, but allows for effective defense against asteroids in the multi-hundred-meter diameter class and could virtually eliminate the threat of mass destruction caused by these threats," Lubin explains. "Compared to other threat reduction scenarios, this approach represents an extremely cost-effective, testable, and deployable approach with a logical roadmap of development and testing. Pre-deployment of the system into orbit or a lunar base allows for rapid response on the order of less than a day if needed," Lubin said. "The great advantage of this approach is that it allows for terminal defense in the event of short warning times and target distance mitigation where orbital deflection is not feasible," said Lubin. "Even intercepts as close as the Moon with intercept times of a few hours prior to impact are viable." Also read | Mexico to send mini-robots to Moon for soil exploration in scientific first The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has also launched a test mission DART spacecraft that they hope will alter an asteroid's trajectory with sheer kinetic force, plowing into it at high speed to nudge the space boulder off course just enough to keep our planet out of harm's way. The asteroid that DART is aiming for poses no actual threat and is tiny compared with the cataclysmic Chicxulub asteroid that struck Earth some 66 million years ago, leading to extinction of the dinosaurs. But scientists say smaller asteroids are far more common and of greater theoretical concern in the near term. DART's target is an asteroid "moonlet" the size of a football stadium that orbits a chunk of rock five times larger in a binary asteroid system named Didymos, the Greek word for twin. The team behind DART, short for Double Asteroid Redirection Test, chose the Didymos system because its relative proximity to Earth and dual-asteroid configuration make it ideal for observing the results of the impact. The plan is to fly the DART spacecraft directly into the moonlet, called Dimorphos, at 15,000 miles per hour (24,000 kph), bumping it hard enough to shift its orbital track around the larger asteroid. (With inputs from agencies)

'Earth's only chance in catastrophe': Astronomers are developing ingenious system to pulverise asteroids

NASA on Tuesday at 4:38 p.m. EST launched a next-generation weather satellite. This is third in this series of satellites. NASA carried out the launch for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It was launched by United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida&nbsp;

Mission managers of the newest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-T, confirmed at 8:28 pm that the spacecraft’s solar arrays successfully deployed and the spacecraft was operating on its own power.

“We at NASA are proud to support our joint agency partner, NOAA, and their mission to provide critical data and imagery to forecasters and researchers tracking hazardous weather,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “While the GOES-R series satellites’ main job is to help with weather prediction, these satellites produce observations that also help with NASA science. Our agencies’ collaboration brings great benefits toward understanding our planet.”

The satellite will provide constant coverage of weather and hazardous environmental conditions in the Western Hemisphere. in addition to this, the GOES program will also predict space weather near Earth which can interfere with satellite electronics, GPS, and radio communications

"Once GOES-T is positioned in a geostationary orbit 22,300 miles above Earth, it will be renamed GOES-18. Following a successful orbital checkout of its instruments and systems, &nbsp;GOES-18 will go into service over the U.S. West Coast and Pacific Ocean. This position puts it in a key spot where it can observe weather sweeping in from the west to the east over the U.S. – giving forecasters an upstream view of what is coming," said NASA in its press release. 
&nbsp;

NASA on Tuesday at 4:38 p.m. EST launched a next-generation weather satellite. This is third in this series of satellites. NASA carried out the launch for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

NASA on Tuesday at 4:38 p.m. EST launched a next-generation weather satellite. This is third in this series of satellites. NASA carried out the launch for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It was launched by United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida Mission managers of the newest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-T, confirmed at 8:28 pm that the spacecraft’s solar arrays successfully deployed and the spacecraft was operating on its own power. “We at NASA are proud to support our joint agency partner, NOAA, and their mission to provide critical data and imagery to forecasters and researchers tracking hazardous weather,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “While the GOES-R series satellites’ main job is to help with weather prediction, these satellites produce observations that also help with NASA science. Our agencies’ collaboration brings great benefits toward understanding our planet.” The satellite will provide constant coverage of weather and hazardous environmental conditions in the Western Hemisphere. in addition to this, the GOES program will also predict space weather near Earth which can interfere with satellite electronics, GPS, and radio communications "Once GOES-T is positioned in a geostationary orbit 22,300 miles above Earth, it will be renamed GOES-18. Following a successful orbital checkout of its instruments and systems, GOES-18 will go into service over the U.S. West Coast and Pacific Ocean. This position puts it in a key spot where it can observe weather sweeping in from the west to the east over the U.S. – giving forecasters an upstream view of what is coming," said NASA in its press release.

NASA launches next-gen weather satellite

NASA&nbsp;is&nbsp;exploring&nbsp;ways&nbsp;to&nbsp;keep&nbsp;the&nbsp;International Space Station&nbsp;in orbit&nbsp;without&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;help, but doesn't see any immediate signs Moscow is withdrawing from the collaboration following the invasion of Ukraine, a senior&nbsp;official&nbsp;said Monday.

Kathy Lueders, who heads the agency's human spaceflight program, told reporters on a call that operations on the research platform were proceeding "nominally" and "we're not getting&nbsp;any&nbsp;indications at a working level that our counterparts are not committed."

"That said, we always look for how do we get more operational flexibility and our cargo providers are looking at how do we add different capabilities," she continued.

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While the US side of the ISS supplies power and life support, Russia is responsible for propulsion and keeping the&nbsp;station&nbsp;afloat: it does this by using docked Progress spacecraft to periodically give the&nbsp;station&nbsp;a boost to maintain its altitude, approximately 250 miles (400 kilometers) high.&nbsp;

Last week, though, Russia's&nbsp;space&nbsp;chief Dmitry Rogozin raised the prospect of pulling out of the partnership in response to US sanctions, allowing the 400 ton structure to come crashing down to Earth while most likely avoiding his country, since its&nbsp;orbit&nbsp;doesn't&nbsp;fly much over it.

Lueders said: "Northrop Grumman has been offering up a reboost capability, and you know, our SpaceX folks are looking at can we have additional capability."

The last Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo vessel that arrived at the ISS on February 21 was the first to boast a capacity to "reboost" the outpost&nbsp;without&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;help.

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On Friday, SpaceX boss Elon Musk tweeted his company's logo in response to Rogozin's rhetorical question about who would save the ISS&nbsp;from&nbsp;an uncontrolled de-orbit.

But Lueders stressed that such plans were a contingency measure only.&nbsp;

"It would be very difficult for us to be operating on our own -- ISS is an&nbsp;international&nbsp;partnership that was created...with joint dependencies," she said.

"As a team, we are looking at where we may have operational flexibilities, but... it would be a sad day for&nbsp;international&nbsp;operations if we can't&nbsp;continue to peacefully operate in&nbsp;space," she concluded.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: A NASA spacecraft has reached the sun

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A symbol of post Cold War detente, the ISS has been continuously habited for more than 21 years and has weathered past geopolitical storms, notably Russia's&nbsp;invasion&nbsp;of Crimea in 2014. But some observers believe the&nbsp;invasion&nbsp;of&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;could hasten the demise of US-Russian&nbsp;space&nbsp;cooperation.

NASA is exploring ways to keep the International Space Station in orbit without Russian help, but doesn't see any immediate signs Moscow is withdrawing from the collaboration following the invasion of Ukraine, a senior official said Monday.

NASA is exploring ways to keep the International Space Station in orbit without Russian help, but doesn't see any immediate signs Moscow is withdrawing from the collaboration following the invasion of Ukraine, a senior official said Monday. Kathy Lueders, who heads the agency's human spaceflight program, told reporters on a call that operations on the research platform were proceeding "nominally" and "we're not getting any indications at a working level that our counterparts are not committed." "That said, we always look for how do we get more operational flexibility and our cargo providers are looking at how do we add different capabilities," she continued. Also read | New artificial intelligence model shows hidden turbulence in Sun's atmosphere While the US side of the ISS supplies power and life support, Russia is responsible for propulsion and keeping the station afloat: it does this by using docked Progress spacecraft to periodically give the station a boost to maintain its altitude, approximately 250 miles (400 kilometers) high. Last week, though, Russia's space chief Dmitry Rogozin raised the prospect of pulling out of the partnership in response to US sanctions, allowing the 400 ton structure to come crashing down to Earth while most likely avoiding his country, since its orbit doesn't fly much over it. Lueders said: "Northrop Grumman has been offering up a reboost capability, and you know, our SpaceX folks are looking at can we have additional capability." The last Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo vessel that arrived at the ISS on February 21 was the first to boast a capacity to "reboost" the outpost without Russian help. Also read | NASA's Curiosity rover captures image of mineral 'flower' on Mars On Friday, SpaceX boss Elon Musk tweeted his company's logo in response to Rogozin's rhetorical question about who would save the ISS from an uncontrolled de-orbit. But Lueders stressed that such plans were a contingency measure only. "It would be very difficult for us to be operating on our own -- ISS is an international partnership that was created...with joint dependencies," she said. "As a team, we are looking at where we may have operational flexibilities, but... it would be a sad day for international operations if we can't continue to peacefully operate in space," she concluded. Watch | Gravitas: A NASA spacecraft has reached the sun A symbol of post Cold War detente, the ISS has been continuously habited for more than 21 years and has weathered past geopolitical storms, notably Russia's invasion of Crimea in 2014. But some observers believe the invasion of Ukraine could hasten the demise of US-Russian space cooperation.

NASA exploring ways to keep International Space Station afloat without Russia

NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has captured an image of a tiny and delicate mineral 'flower' on Mars.

“We’re finding things on Mars that are tantalizingly interesting, but we would really need more evidence to say we’ve identified life,” said Paul Mahaffy, who served as the principal investigator of the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) chemistry lab aboard Curiosity.

“So we’re looking at what else could have caused the carbon signature we’re seeing, if not life.”

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The object found by NASA is a mineral formation, with delicate structures that formed by minerals precipitating from water.

“The hardest thing is letting go of Earth and letting go of that bias that we have and really trying to get into the fundamentals of the chemistry, physics, and environmental processes on Mars,” said Goddard astrobiologist Jennifer L. Eigenbrode, who participated in the study.

“We need to open our minds and think outside the box,” Eigenbrode said, “and that’s what this paper does.”

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Unlike Earth, Mars doesn’t have a magnetic field to shield it from the high-energy particles whizzing around in space. That radiation can wreak havoc on human health, and it can seriously compromise the life support systems that Mars astronauts will depend on, as well.

Based on data from Curiosity’s Radiation Assessment Detector researchers are finding that using natural materials such as the rock and sediment on Mars could offer some protection from this ever-present space radiation.&nbsp;

The 1-tonne rover touched down inside an ancient impact basin in August 2012. It quickly discovered a region inside the Gale Crater landing site that was chemically and geologically suited for the same kind of rock-eating microbes commonly found on Earth. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has captured an image of a tiny and delicate mineral 'flower' on Mars. “We’re finding things on Mars that are tantalizingly interesting, but we would really need more evidence to say we’ve identified life,” said Paul Mahaffy, who served as the principal investigator of the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) chemistry lab aboard Curiosity.

NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has captured an image of a tiny and delicate mineral 'flower' on Mars. “We’re finding things on Mars that are tantalizingly interesting, but we would really need more evidence to say we’ve identified life,” said Paul Mahaffy, who served as the principal investigator of the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) chemistry lab aboard Curiosity. “So we’re looking at what else could have caused the carbon signature we’re seeing, if not life.” Also read | Astronomers map 1 million space objects that have never been spotted before The object found by NASA is a mineral formation, with delicate structures that formed by minerals precipitating from water. “The hardest thing is letting go of Earth and letting go of that bias that we have and really trying to get into the fundamentals of the chemistry, physics, and environmental processes on Mars,” said Goddard astrobiologist Jennifer L. Eigenbrode, who participated in the study. “We need to open our minds and think outside the box,” Eigenbrode said, “and that’s what this paper does.” Also see | Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier? Unlike Earth, Mars doesn’t have a magnetic field to shield it from the high-energy particles whizzing around in space. That radiation can wreak havoc on human health, and it can seriously compromise the life support systems that Mars astronauts will depend on, as well. Based on data from Curiosity’s Radiation Assessment Detector researchers are finding that using natural materials such as the rock and sediment on Mars could offer some protection from this ever-present space radiation. The 1-tonne rover touched down inside an ancient impact basin in August 2012. It quickly discovered a region inside the Gale Crater landing site that was chemically and geologically suited for the same kind of rock-eating microbes commonly found on Earth. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA's Curiosity rover captures image of mineral 'flower' on Mars

The wide, open Universe is filled with frenzied activity. Collisions of galaxies are one of the oft-seen phenomena. The idea of galaxies, comprising billions of stars, colliding with another galaxy appears horrific to imagine. We may think of loud boom, bangs just like in the movies.

But such collisions are often less eventful than universe-shattering drama we imagine in our minds. But there is a lot of tug-of-war involved when two galaxies collide. And depending upon which one packs more punch, a single galaxy may emerge victorious or the mishmash of stellar material may give rise to a wholly new galaxy.

But what&nbsp;Hubble Space Telescope has clicked has puzzled the scientists. A head-on collision of two galaxies has formed a weird-looking triangle shape&nbsp;in space.

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So meet our two contenders in the ring. On the right in a spiral galaxy named NGC 2445. On the left is another spiral galaxy but with a name NGC 2445. Both of these galaxies are colliding. By the looks of it, scientists say that NGC 2444 (galaxy in left corner) is winning the tug-of-war and drawing material out of the right-hand side galaxy.

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This has caused newly minted stars from the right-hand side galaxy to leave their places and get arranged in a starnge triangle shape. The triangle is still witnessing a star-birthing frenzy because the right-hand side galaxy has a lot of gas, a necessary fuel needed for birth of new stars.

But what puzzles the scientist is the triangle formed by the stars moving towards the right-hand side galaxy.

Astronomer Julianne Dalcanton of the Flatiron Institute’s Center for Computational Astrophysics in New York was quoted by NASA when he said that star-formation rings are formed quite commonly at the time of collisions between two galaxies. But this particular collision does not depict a 'ring' but a star-forming triangle. This,&nbsp;in her opinion, is 'weird'.

The wide, open Universe is filled with frenzied activity. Collisions of galaxies are one of the oft-seen phenomena. The idea of galaxies, comprising billions of stars, colliding with another galaxy appears horrific to imagine.

The wide, open Universe is filled with frenzied activity. Collisions of galaxies are one of the oft-seen phenomena. The idea of galaxies, comprising billions of stars, colliding with another galaxy appears horrific to imagine. We may think of loud boom, bangs just like in the movies. But such collisions are often less eventful than universe-shattering drama we imagine in our minds. But there is a lot of tug-of-war involved when two galaxies collide. And depending upon which one packs more punch, a single galaxy may emerge victorious or the mishmash of stellar material may give rise to a wholly new galaxy. But what Hubble Space Telescope has clicked has puzzled the scientists. A head-on collision of two galaxies has formed a weird-looking triangle shape in space. Also Read | Asteroid with three moons of its own found for the first time So meet our two contenders in the ring. On the right in a spiral galaxy named NGC 2445. On the left is another spiral galaxy but with a name NGC 2445. Both of these galaxies are colliding. By the looks of it, scientists say that NGC 2444 (galaxy in left corner) is winning the tug-of-war and drawing material out of the right-hand side galaxy. Also Read | Astronomers believe liquid jewels rain on this sizzling exoplanet that has metal vapour clouds This has caused newly minted stars from the right-hand side galaxy to leave their places and get arranged in a starnge triangle shape. The triangle is still witnessing a star-birthing frenzy because the right-hand side galaxy has a lot of gas, a necessary fuel needed for birth of new stars. But what puzzles the scientist is the triangle formed by the stars moving towards the right-hand side galaxy. Astronomer Julianne Dalcanton of the Flatiron Institute’s Center for Computational Astrophysics in New York was quoted by NASA when he said that star-formation rings are formed quite commonly at the time of collisions between two galaxies. But this particular collision does not depict a 'ring' but a star-forming triangle. This, in her opinion, is 'weird'.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope clicks colliding galaxies forming a strange space triangle

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) informed that Cygnus spacecraft installation on the International Space Station (ISS) is now complete. The live stream of the same was also available.&nbsp;

The US-based space agency NASA informed that the Cygnus spacecraft, built by Northrop Grumman, was launched atop an Antares rocket at 12:40 pm EST on Saturday (February 19) from its Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.&nbsp;

Around 4:44 am, NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Kayla Barron captured Cygnus, which carried over 3.7 tonnes of research, hardware and science experiments to the ISS.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/breakthrough-in-physics-artificial-intelligence-successfully-controls-plasma-in-nuclear-fusion-experiment-455165">'Breakthrough in Physics': Artificial Intelligence successfully controls plasma in nuclear fusion experiment</a>

NASA mentioned the key areas of space station research which is facilitated by this mission as a study will pe performed that will examine the effects of a drug on breast and prostate cancer cells.&nbsp;

One of the most highlighted aspects of the mission is to test hydroponic and aeroponic techniques for plant growth. It will allow scientists to observe root growth through video and still images.

Apart from that, an investigation from Colgate-Palmolive will also be done to understand the acceleration of skin ageing in microgravity.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/raw-vegetables-alone-may-not-protect-you-from-heart-diseases-455152">Raw vegetables alone may not protect you from heart diseases</a>

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Success! The S.S. Piers Sellers is now attached to the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>. Astronauts will unload <a href="https://twitter.com/ISS_Research?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ISS_Research</a>, snacks, and supplies from <a href="https://twitter.com/northropgrumman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NorthropGrumman</a>'s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cygnus</a> spacecraft. Here's what's on board: <a href="https://t.co/aChAP8QWox">https://t.co/aChAP8QWox</a> <a href="https://t.co/MZ0mLv79u2">pic.twitter.com/MZ0mLv79u2</a>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1495733441542995972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The mission also includes a new combustion facility, testing of new hydrogen sensors for the space station’s oxygen generation system.&nbsp;

Astronauts will also analyse whether the demonstration of a lithium-ion secondary battery is capable of safe, stable operation under extreme temperatures and in a vacuum environment.&nbsp;

NASA stated that Cygnus will remain at the space station until May before it deploys CubeSats.&nbsp;

After that, it will dispose of several thousand pounds of trash during its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, which will result in its destruction.&nbsp;

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) informed that Cygnus spacecraft installation on the International Space Station (ISS) is now complete. The live stream of the same was also available.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) informed that Cygnus spacecraft installation on the International Space Station (ISS) is now complete. The live stream of the same was also available. The US-based space agency NASA informed that the Cygnus spacecraft, built by Northrop Grumman, was launched atop an Antares rocket at 12:40 pm EST on Saturday (February 19) from its Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Around 4:44 am, NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Kayla Barron captured Cygnus, which carried over 3.7 tonnes of research, hardware and science experiments to the ISS. ALSO READ | 'Breakthrough in Physics': Artificial Intelligence successfully controls plasma in nuclear fusion experiment NASA mentioned the key areas of space station research which is facilitated by this mission as a study will pe performed that will examine the effects of a drug on breast and prostate cancer cells. One of the most highlighted aspects of the mission is to test hydroponic and aeroponic techniques for plant growth. It will allow scientists to observe root growth through video and still images. Apart from that, an investigation from Colgate-Palmolive will also be done to understand the acceleration of skin ageing in microgravity. ALSO READ | Raw vegetables alone may not protect you from heart diseases Success! The S.S. Piers Sellers is now attached to the @Space_Station. Astronauts will unload @ISS_Research, snacks, and supplies from @NorthropGrumman's #Cygnus spacecraft. Here's what's on board: https://t.co/aChAP8QWox pic.twitter.com/MZ0mLv79u2 — NASA (@NASA) February 21, 2022 × The mission also includes a new combustion facility, testing of new hydrogen sensors for the space station’s oxygen generation system. Astronauts will also analyse whether the demonstration of a lithium-ion secondary battery is capable of safe, stable operation under extreme temperatures and in a vacuum environment. NASA stated that Cygnus will remain at the space station until May before it deploys CubeSats. After that, it will dispose of several thousand pounds of trash during its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, which will result in its destruction.

Watch: Growing plants without soil and other experiments astronauts will do in space

The crowds that cheered the astronaut — about a quarter-million in Washington, four million in New York — adorned themselves in numerous ways. Some wore space helmets fashioned from cardboard and plastic. Others, less showily, wore buttons proclaiming John Glenn “the New Frontier man of the year,” a nod to John F. Kennedy’s famous phrase. Sixty years ago, Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth, opening up the frontier of human exploration in space — a frontier that stretched to the moon and beyond. The flight of Friendship 7 made it all seem possible.

Glenn’s feat marked the start of a spectacular decade: spacewalks, trips around the moon, six lunar landings. Then the frontier receded. Since 1972, no human being has ventured outside Earth’s orbit. A generation has reached middle age without any memory of Americans on the moon.

That could change soon. If NASA’s plan holds, its Artemis program will land the first woman and the first person of color on the moon in 2025. And this, NASA says, is just the beginning. The agency envisions at least 10 lunar landings. Its administrator, Bill Nelson, is waging a campaign to beat other nations in placing “boots on the moon” — not just boots but also, in time, a base. And “the sooner we get to the moon,” NASA has said, “the sooner we get American astronauts to Mars.”

But why bother? There is certainly much of interest on Mars — NASA’s newest rover, Perseverance, and its companion, the tiny helicopter Ingenuity, have made that clearer than ever. What is less evident is the role, the value, of human explorers. To most Americans, machines seem sufficient to the task. A Morning Consult poll last year showed a general interest in space exploration but not in having humans do the exploring.

In 1961, when Kennedy proposed to send Americans to the moon, a senator warned that the administration had “a lot of missionary work” to do. That is surely the case today. Mr. Nelson has been making a persistent pitch for funding, but Congress appears unpersuaded. President Biden, for his part, has signaled support for Artemis but is more focused on the nation’s commercial and military capabilities in space, as well as the vantage point that space provides to observe climate change. Vice President Kamala Harris, the chair of the National Space Council, rarely mentions human spaceflight, stressing instead “the responsibility to look to our home planet.”

And reasonably so. Our planet has plenty to worry about, not least the damage we do to its atmosphere. But there is an argument to be made for the human exploration of space — a better argument, at least, than the White House and NASA have put forward. If the administration fails to sharpen and press its case, if it shies from insisting that humans, not just our inventions, should roam the heavens, the United States will likely cede the moon — and a good deal more than that — to more determined competitors.

Chief among them is China. Its goal is plain: to become a “great space power,” as President Xi Jinping has said. China’s Mars rover, arriving on the heels of our own, has been an impressive success; China also has a probe on the far side of the moon — a first for any nation. Its space station is nearly complete, while the International Space Station, after more than two decades orbiting Earth, approaches obsolescence and NASA turns to private companies to build and run its successors. Like the United States, China hopes to build a research station on the lunar surface. Unlike the United States, China gives no reason to doubt its resolve. It will also have a partner: Russia. The two countries have already begun to align their efforts.

Mr. Nelson cites an “aggressive” China as a reason for Americans to “get off our duff,” but a few national security questions require a fuller airing. What if, for example, China stakes out strategic positions on the moon? What if it asserts control over the resources it and other nations are searching for there: silicon, titanium and, not least, the water that is needed to sustain a human settlement? As Namrata Goswami, an expert on China’s space policy, has argued, “An advantage in accessing the vast wealth of the inner solar system could have an effect on the balance of power” on Earth.

If anyone is as bullish on the new frontier as China, it is the billionaires. Their ambitions, too, should spur NASA to stay in the game. Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk might or might not be visionaries, but they are easily the most powerful people on this planet to speak with a straight face about colonizing other ones. Mr. Musk warns of an “extinction event” that will require us to leave Earth behind. There is a certain egalitarianism in the idea of an escape hatch for humanity, though it is the egalitarianism of rats leaving a sinking (or overheating) ship. It would have to get pretty bad down here before ordinary people follow the billionaires into the black void of space rather than bid them adieu. Mr. Musk’s product placement of a Tesla in orbit and Mr. Bezos’ postflight performance in his cowboy hat leave one wary of their motives and nostalgic for the military bearing of Glenn. If space travel lost its novelty in the early 1970s, it might now be in the process of losing its dignity.

Of course, this takes nothing away from the achievements of Mr. Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX. Rarely in any industry has such boldness of imagination been matched by such brilliance in execution. The company is an indispensable partner to NASA; a SpaceX landing system will carry astronauts to and from the moon’s surface.

But there is an essential difference between exploration and colonization, and both are a far cry from commercialization. Left to the billionaires, space is less likely to become a haven for humanity than a playground for its wealthiest members. In that event, there will be no more John Glenns — no more astronauts to look up to and emulate, astronauts whose humility and awe in the vastness of space define them as much as their bravery does.

“The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join in it or not,” Kennedy said in 1962 at Rice University, warning that “no nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space.” Perhaps this logic has lost its power; perhaps Americans don’t care if the billionaires and China have the moon to themselves. The idea of space as a new frontier, too, might be tired, overworked. (During the Super Bowl, a Salesforce ad dismissed it with an “Eh.”) But the thrilling discoveries by Perseverance — the evidence of ancient Martian river deltas and lava flows — give eloquent testimony to the mysteries that await on the frontier. Robots like these are stunningly capable. Still, they cannot invent or imagine; they cannot drive the process of discovery in space any more than they do here on Earth. Only humans can lead, and to lead, humans must go.

Science “is simply the exploration of the unknown,” James Head, a planetary geologist at Brown who helped train the Apollo astronauts, told me, adding that “the moon is unknown. Mars is unknown.” Perhaps this is what NASA should say, and without apology: We don’t know what we’ll find. We don’t know what the moon and Mars can tell us about the origins of the universe and life on Earth and possibly beyond it. And that, above all, is the reason for going. Six days after his return to Earth, Glenn addressed a joint meeting of Congress. “What benefits are we gaining from the money spent?” he asked, acknowledging that it was too early to say. “But exploration and the pursuit of knowledge,” he said, “have always paid dividends in the long run — usually far greater than anything expected at the outset.” Why bother? This is why.

The crowds that cheered the astronaut — about a quarter-million in Washington, four million in New York — adorned themselves in numerous ways. Some wore space helmets fashioned from cardboard and plastic.

The crowds that cheered the astronaut — about a quarter-million in Washington, four million in New York — adorned themselves in numerous ways. Some wore space helmets fashioned from cardboard and plastic. Others, less showily, wore buttons proclaiming John Glenn “the New Frontier man of the year,” a nod to John F. Kennedy’s famous phrase. Sixty years ago, Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth, opening up the frontier of human exploration in space — a frontier that stretched to the moon and beyond. The flight of Friendship 7 made it all seem possible. Glenn’s feat marked the start of a spectacular decade: spacewalks, trips around the moon, six lunar landings. Then the frontier receded. Since 1972, no human being has ventured outside Earth’s orbit. A generation has reached middle age without any memory of Americans on the moon. That could change soon. If NASA’s plan holds, its Artemis program will land the first woman and the first person of color on the moon in 2025. And this, NASA says, is just the beginning. The agency envisions at least 10 lunar landings. Its administrator, Bill Nelson, is waging a campaign to beat other nations in placing “boots on the moon” — not just boots but also, in time, a base. And “the sooner we get to the moon,” NASA has said, “the sooner we get American astronauts to Mars.” But why bother? There is certainly much of interest on Mars — NASA’s newest rover, Perseverance, and its companion, the tiny helicopter Ingenuity, have made that clearer than ever. What is less evident is the role, the value, of human explorers. To most Americans, machines seem sufficient to the task. A Morning Consult poll last year showed a general interest in space exploration but not in having humans do the exploring. In 1961, when Kennedy proposed to send Americans to the moon, a senator warned that the administration had “a lot of missionary work” to do. That is surely the case today. Mr. Nelson has been making a persistent pitch for funding, but Congress appears unpersuaded. President Biden, for his part, has signaled support for Artemis but is more focused on the nation’s commercial and military capabilities in space, as well as the vantage point that space provides to observe climate change. Vice President Kamala Harris, the chair of the National Space Council, rarely mentions human spaceflight, stressing instead “the responsibility to look to our home planet.” And reasonably so. Our planet has plenty to worry about, not least the damage we do to its atmosphere. But there is an argument to be made for the human exploration of space — a better argument, at least, than the White House and NASA have put forward. If the administration fails to sharpen and press its case, if it shies from insisting that humans, not just our inventions, should roam the heavens, the United States will likely cede the moon — and a good deal more than that — to more determined competitors. Chief among them is China. Its goal is plain: to become a “great space power,” as President Xi Jinping has said. China’s Mars rover, arriving on the heels of our own, has been an impressive success; China also has a probe on the far side of the moon — a first for any nation. Its space station is nearly complete, while the International Space Station, after more than two decades orbiting Earth, approaches obsolescence and NASA turns to private companies to build and run its successors. Like the United States, China hopes to build a research station on the lunar surface. Unlike the United States, China gives no reason to doubt its resolve. It will also have a partner: Russia. The two countries have already begun to align their efforts. Mr. Nelson cites an “aggressive” China as a reason for Americans to “get off our duff,” but a few national security questions require a fuller airing. What if, for example, China stakes out strategic positions on the moon? What if it asserts control over the resources it and other nations are searching for there: silicon, titanium and, not least, the water that is needed to sustain a human settlement? As Namrata Goswami, an expert on China’s space policy, has argued, “An advantage in accessing the vast wealth of the inner solar system could have an effect on the balance of power” on Earth. If anyone is as bullish on the new frontier as China, it is the billionaires. Their ambitions, too, should spur NASA to stay in the game. Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk might or might not be visionaries, but they are easily the most powerful people on this planet to speak with a straight face about colonizing other ones. Mr. Musk warns of an “extinction event” that will require us to leave Earth behind. There is a certain egalitarianism in the idea of an escape hatch for humanity, though it is the egalitarianism of rats leaving a sinking (or overheating) ship. It would have to get pretty bad down here before ordinary people follow the billionaires into the black void of space rather than bid them adieu. Mr. Musk’s product placement of a Tesla in orbit and Mr. Bezos’ postflight performance in his cowboy hat leave one wary of their motives and nostalgic for the military bearing of Glenn. If space travel lost its novelty in the early 1970s, it might now be in the process of losing its dignity. Of course, this takes nothing away from the achievements of Mr. Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX. Rarely in any industry has such boldness of imagination been matched by such brilliance in execution. The company is an indispensable partner to NASA; a SpaceX landing system will carry astronauts to and from the moon’s surface. But there is an essential difference between exploration and colonization, and both are a far cry from commercialization. Left to the billionaires, space is less likely to become a haven for humanity than a playground for its wealthiest members. In that event, there will be no more John Glenns — no more astronauts to look up to and emulate, astronauts whose humility and awe in the vastness of space define them as much as their bravery does. “The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join in it or not,” Kennedy said in 1962 at Rice University, warning that “no nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space.” Perhaps this logic has lost its power; perhaps Americans don’t care if the billionaires and China have the moon to themselves. The idea of space as a new frontier, too, might be tired, overworked. (During the Super Bowl, a Salesforce ad dismissed it with an “Eh.”) But the thrilling discoveries by Perseverance — the evidence of ancient Martian river deltas and lava flows — give eloquent testimony to the mysteries that await on the frontier. Robots like these are stunningly capable. Still, they cannot invent or imagine; they cannot drive the process of discovery in space any more than they do here on Earth. Only humans can lead, and to lead, humans must go. Science “is simply the exploration of the unknown,” James Head, a planetary geologist at Brown who helped train the Apollo astronauts, told me, adding that “the moon is unknown. Mars is unknown.” Perhaps this is what NASA should say, and without apology: We don’t know what we’ll find. We don’t know what the moon and Mars can tell us about the origins of the universe and life on Earth and possibly beyond it. And that, above all, is the reason for going. Six days after his return to Earth, Glenn addressed a joint meeting of Congress. “What benefits are we gaining from the money spent?” he asked, acknowledging that it was too early to say. “But exploration and the pursuit of knowledge,” he said, “have always paid dividends in the long run — usually far greater than anything expected at the outset.” Why bother? This is why.

Don’t cede the Space Race to China and the billionaires

One year on Mars: Here are milestones achieved by NASA's Perseverance rover

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