<p>NASA has shared a set of stunning images taken from its Hubble telescope and Chandra X-Ray Observatory. It claims that these telescopes can detect different kinds of light which helps them in fully investigating the cosmic phenomena.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The images, uploaded on Instagram, have now gone viral.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The universe emits light and energy through many forms. Chandra’s X-ray-observing abilities let us explore super hot and energetic processes found throughout the universe," wrote NASA in the caption.</p>

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<p>The first image shows R Aquarii, a white dwarf star and a red giant orbiting each other.&nbsp;As they move together, the white dwarf pulls material from the red giant onto its surface, states NASA.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/just-when-bezos-yacht-demands-unexpected-costs-amazon-prime-raises-price-450426"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Just when Bezos’ yacht demands unexpected costs, Amazon Prime raises price</strong></a></p>

<p>The second image displays a Guitar Nebula. This is an X-ray stream, which is pink in colour and it jets out from a pulsar, which is almost perpendicular to the Guitar Nebula.</p>

<p>The last image features Merging galaxies. "A spiral galaxy collides with a smaller galaxy in the upper right corner (not pictured).</p>

<p>The gravitational interaction can create a waves of star formation. X-rays (in purple) have been combined with an optical image from Hubble," states NASA.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The images have left the netizens mesmerised. "NASA&nbsp;you make my day," wrote one person in the comment section. Another person wrote, "This is so beautiful."</p>


NASA has shared a set of stunning images taken from its Hubble telescope and Chandra X-Ray Observatory. It claims that these telescopes can detect different kinds of light which helps them in fully investigating the cosmic phenomena.

NASA has shared a set of stunning images taken from its Hubble telescope and Chandra X-Ray Observatory. It claims that these telescopes can detect different kinds of light which helps them in fully investigating the cosmic phenomena. The images, uploaded on Instagram, have now gone viral. "The universe emits light and energy through many forms. Chandra’s X-ray-observing abilities let us explore super hot and energetic processes found throughout the universe," wrote NASA in the caption. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NASA (@nasa) × The first image shows R Aquarii, a white dwarf star and a red giant orbiting each other. As they move together, the white dwarf pulls material from the red giant onto its surface, states NASA. Also read | Just when Bezos’ yacht demands unexpected costs, Amazon Prime raises price The second image displays a Guitar Nebula. This is an X-ray stream, which is pink in colour and it jets out from a pulsar, which is almost perpendicular to the Guitar Nebula. The last image features Merging galaxies. "A spiral galaxy collides with a smaller galaxy in the upper right corner (not pictured). The gravitational interaction can create a waves of star formation. X-rays (in purple) have been combined with an optical image from Hubble," states NASA. The images have left the netizens mesmerised. "NASA you make my day," wrote one person in the comment section. Another person wrote, "This is so beautiful."

NASA shares stunning images of cosmic phenomena, see viral pictures here

<p>The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has laid out a detailed plan for International Space Station's&nbsp;transition as the space agency has revealed what the future holds for ISS.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ISS is a unique space station currently in lower Earth orbit that facilitates collaborative projects involving five participating space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA and CSA.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, NASA has intended to keep operating the ISS until the end of 2030 as the 444,615kg gigantic structure is set to be taken out of orbit in January 2031 and crashed on Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/russia-ukraine-crisis-deterring-aliens-from-making-their-presence-known-says-ufo-specialist-449854">Russia-Ukraine crisis deterring aliens from making their presence known, says UFO specialist</a></strong></p>

<p>As per the newly published plans, the crash is supposed to be in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean known as Point Nemo - the "spacecraft cemetery".&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA said that ISS is returning enormous scientific, educational and technological developments to benefit people on Earth and is enabling our ability to travel into deep space.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The agency further said that the United States government's commitment to extend ISS' operations until 2030 will enable the country to continue to reap&nbsp;benefits for the next decade.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-identify-interesting-similarity-between-this-exoplanet-and-earth-449674">Scientists identify interesting similarity between this exoplanet and Earth</a></strong></p>

<p>Robyn Gatens, the director of ISS at NASA headquarters said, "This third decade is one of results, building on our successful global partnership to verify exploration and human research technologies to support deep space exploration, continue to return medical and environmental benefits to humanity, and lay the groundwork for a commercial future in low-Earth orbit."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We look forward to maximizing these returns from the space station through 2030 while planning for transition to commercial space destinations that will follow," Gatens added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Phil McAlister, director of commercial space at NASA Headquarters in a statement said, "The private sector is technically and financially capable of developing and operating commercial low-Earth orbit destinations, with NASA's assistance."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We look forward to sharing our lessons learned and operations experience with the private sector to help them develop safe, reliable, and cost-effective destinations in space," McAlister added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;After a delay, SpaceX successfully launches Italian Cosmo-SkyMed satellite</strong></p>

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has laid out a detailed plan for International Space Station's transition as the space agency has revealed what the future holds for ISS.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has laid out a detailed plan for International Space Station's transition as the space agency has revealed what the future holds for ISS. ISS is a unique space station currently in lower Earth orbit that facilitates collaborative projects involving five participating space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA and CSA. However, NASA has intended to keep operating the ISS until the end of 2030 as the 444,615kg gigantic structure is set to be taken out of orbit in January 2031 and crashed on Earth. ALSO READ | Russia-Ukraine crisis deterring aliens from making their presence known, says UFO specialist As per the newly published plans, the crash is supposed to be in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean known as Point Nemo - the "spacecraft cemetery". NASA said that ISS is returning enormous scientific, educational and technological developments to benefit people on Earth and is enabling our ability to travel into deep space. The agency further said that the United States government's commitment to extend ISS' operations until 2030 will enable the country to continue to reap benefits for the next decade. ALSO READ | Scientists identify interesting similarity between this exoplanet and Earth Robyn Gatens, the director of ISS at NASA headquarters said, "This third decade is one of results, building on our successful global partnership to verify exploration and human research technologies to support deep space exploration, continue to return medical and environmental benefits to humanity, and lay the groundwork for a commercial future in low-Earth orbit." "We look forward to maximizing these returns from the space station through 2030 while planning for transition to commercial space destinations that will follow," Gatens added. Phil McAlister, director of commercial space at NASA Headquarters in a statement said, "The private sector is technically and financially capable of developing and operating commercial low-Earth orbit destinations, with NASA's assistance." "We look forward to sharing our lessons learned and operations experience with the private sector to help them develop safe, reliable, and cost-effective destinations in space," McAlister added. ALSO WATCH | After a delay, SpaceX successfully launches Italian Cosmo-SkyMed satellite ×

NASA reveals when it will crash International Space Station on Earth

International Space Station: Humanity's enduring presence in space

NASA confirmed in a new transition plan that the International Space Station (ISS) will continue its operations until 2030 before heading for a watery grave at the most remote point in the Pacific.

NASA to retire International Space Station in January 2031

<p>Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is confident that humans will land on Mars by 2026. As he has been an advocate of hypothetical Mars colonisation, he might have persuaded people that human life outside Earth is possible.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The idea of setting up colonies on Mars has received interest from all corners as space scientists and experts are investigating all possibilities with several Mars missions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In pursuit to pull off the extraordinary, the scientists and Musk's dream can get some help from the recent volcanic eruption near Tonga that unleashed explosive forces that undermined the power of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The undersea eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano was so powerful as it sent tsunami waves across the Pacific Ocean and was heard some 2,300km away in New Zealand. Thousands of homes were destroyed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Locals and survivors had described how the devastating Pacific blast "messed up" their brains. In the aftermath, parts of the nation were covered in ashes, communication with other countries was cut because the undersea lines were damaged. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALOS READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-find-evidence-of-an-extreme-solar-tsunami-deep-within-earths-ice-448784">Scientists find evidence of an extreme solar 'tsunami' deep within Earth's ice</a></strong></p>

<p>The Pacific nation has been reeling as other countries like Australia, New Zealand and India have come forward to help as even drinking water was scarce. But slowly and surely, the disaster-hit nation is pushing forward to reconstruct and reestablish.</p>

<p>Now, scientists are probing the eruption activities to learn and prepare humankind for such occurrences in future with advancements in technology.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Besides, that volcano could offer valuable clues about the formation of other planets like Mars and Venus as it is offering researchers a rare chance to study how water and lava interact.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/water-flowed-on-mars-about-a-billion-years-longer-than-previous-estimates-nasa-448238">Water flowed on Mars about a billion years longer than previous estimates: NASA</a></strong></p>

<p>NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center chief scientist James Garvin told Reuters that NASA experts had been studying the volcano for seven years before it erupted, and were now using forensic techniques to examine the remnants of the islands, Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We took that volume of mass ejected and the energetics to explosively fragment it, and calculated - using fairly classical techniques - how much energy that would take to break rock.... to break it up into little bits and throw it as ash and steam up," Garvin said.</p>

<p>"We did that calculation and we got numbers that range from something equivalent to the blast of a small asteroid that would hit the earth - about 10 metric, megatons of TNT or equivalent - to things even bigger," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Garvin said that by studying the life cycle of the Tonga volcano, scientists have a "rare opportunity" to understand how formations may have been made on other planets like Mars and Venus.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Second earthquake hits Tonga few days after massive volcanic eruption</strong></p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is confident that humans will land on Mars by 2026. As he has been an advocate of hypothetical Mars colonisation, he might have persuaded people that human life outside Earth is possible.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is confident that humans will land on Mars by 2026. As he has been an advocate of hypothetical Mars colonisation, he might have persuaded people that human life outside Earth is possible. The idea of setting up colonies on Mars has received interest from all corners as space scientists and experts are investigating all possibilities with several Mars missions. In pursuit to pull off the extraordinary, the scientists and Musk's dream can get some help from the recent volcanic eruption near Tonga that unleashed explosive forces that undermined the power of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. The undersea eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano was so powerful as it sent tsunami waves across the Pacific Ocean and was heard some 2,300km away in New Zealand. Thousands of homes were destroyed. Locals and survivors had described how the devastating Pacific blast "messed up" their brains. In the aftermath, parts of the nation were covered in ashes, communication with other countries was cut because the undersea lines were damaged. ALOS READ | Scientists find evidence of an extreme solar 'tsunami' deep within Earth's ice The Pacific nation has been reeling as other countries like Australia, New Zealand and India have come forward to help as even drinking water was scarce. But slowly and surely, the disaster-hit nation is pushing forward to reconstruct and reestablish. Now, scientists are probing the eruption activities to learn and prepare humankind for such occurrences in future with advancements in technology. Besides, that volcano could offer valuable clues about the formation of other planets like Mars and Venus as it is offering researchers a rare chance to study how water and lava interact. ALSO READ | Water flowed on Mars about a billion years longer than previous estimates: NASA NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center chief scientist James Garvin told Reuters that NASA experts had been studying the volcano for seven years before it erupted, and were now using forensic techniques to examine the remnants of the islands, Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai. "We took that volume of mass ejected and the energetics to explosively fragment it, and calculated - using fairly classical techniques - how much energy that would take to break rock.... to break it up into little bits and throw it as ash and steam up," Garvin said. "We did that calculation and we got numbers that range from something equivalent to the blast of a small asteroid that would hit the earth - about 10 metric, megatons of TNT or equivalent - to things even bigger," he said. Garvin said that by studying the life cycle of the Tonga volcano, scientists have a "rare opportunity" to understand how formations may have been made on other planets like Mars and Venus. WATCH | Second earthquake hits Tonga few days after massive volcanic eruption × (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk's dream of colonising Mars has a connection with Tonga volcanic eruption

New research on Mars revealed that the thousands of tracks on the red planet are created by tumbling boulders over the years. It also revealed that many such tracks have also faded away with time.

Study: Scientists spot thousands of tracks on Mars created by tumbling boulders

<p>NASA has found evidence that water flowed on Mars about a billion years longer than previous estimates.</p>

<p>The new research from the US space agency reveals signs of liquid water on the Red Planet as recently as 2 billion to 2.5 billion years ago.</p>

<p>Previously, it was believed that Mars rippled with rivers and ponds 3 billion years ago.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>As the planet’s atmosphere thinned over time, that water evaporated and left behind a frozen desert. Between 30-99 per cent of the initial water which was on Mars remains trapped inside minerals.</p>

<p>Mars, the fourth planet from the sun, has a diameter of about 4,220 miles (6,791 km), compared to Earth's diameter of about 7,926 miles (12,755 km).</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-mars-rover-probing-undisturbed-ancient-time-capsule-on-red-planet-428788">Also read |&nbsp;NASA's Mars rover probing undisturbed ancient time capsule on Red planet</a></strong></p>

<p>As per NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), the Jezero crater on Mars was the site of an ancient river that has bolstered the search of signs of life on Mars.</p>

<p>NASA astrobiologist Amy Williams and her team in Florida found similarities between features of the cliffs seen from the crater floor and patterns in Earth's river deltas.</p>

<p>The shape of the bottom three layers showed a presence and steady flow of water early on, indicating Mars was "warm and humid enough to support a hydrologic cycle."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-discovers-three-microbes-that-may-help-grow-plants-on-mars-370933">Also read |&nbsp;NASA discovers three microbes that may help grow plants on Mars</a></strong></p>

<p>The top and most recent layers feature boulders measuring more than a metre in diameter scattered about, probably carried there by violent flooding.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But it is the fine-grained sediment of the base layer that will likely be the target of sampling for signs of long-extinct life, if it existed, on Mars.</p>

<p>Scientists Ellen Leask and Bethany Ehlmann found salts were in depressions, once home to shallow ponds, on gently sloping volcanic plains.</p>

<p>“What is amazing is that after more than a decade of providing high-resolution image, stereo, and infrared data, MRO has driven new discoveries about the nature and timing of these river-connected ancient salt ponds,” said Ehlmann.</p>

<p>“Part of the value of MRO is that our view of the planet keeps getting more detailed over time,” said Leslie Tamppari, the mission’s deputy project scientist at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).</p>

<p>“The more of the planet we map with our instruments, the better we can understand its history.”</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>


NASA has found evidence that water flowed on Mars about a billion years longer than previous estimates. The new research from the US space agency reveals signs of liquid water on the Red Planet as recently as 2 billion to 2.

NASA has found evidence that water flowed on Mars about a billion years longer than previous estimates. The new research from the US space agency reveals signs of liquid water on the Red Planet as recently as 2 billion to 2.5 billion years ago. Previously, it was believed that Mars rippled with rivers and ponds 3 billion years ago. As the planet’s atmosphere thinned over time, that water evaporated and left behind a frozen desert. Between 30-99 per cent of the initial water which was on Mars remains trapped inside minerals. Mars, the fourth planet from the sun, has a diameter of about 4,220 miles (6,791 km), compared to Earth's diameter of about 7,926 miles (12,755 km). Also read | NASA's Mars rover probing undisturbed ancient time capsule on Red planet As per NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), the Jezero crater on Mars was the site of an ancient river that has bolstered the search of signs of life on Mars. NASA astrobiologist Amy Williams and her team in Florida found similarities between features of the cliffs seen from the crater floor and patterns in Earth's river deltas. The shape of the bottom three layers showed a presence and steady flow of water early on, indicating Mars was "warm and humid enough to support a hydrologic cycle." Also read | NASA discovers three microbes that may help grow plants on Mars The top and most recent layers feature boulders measuring more than a metre in diameter scattered about, probably carried there by violent flooding. But it is the fine-grained sediment of the base layer that will likely be the target of sampling for signs of long-extinct life, if it existed, on Mars. Scientists Ellen Leask and Bethany Ehlmann found salts were in depressions, once home to shallow ponds, on gently sloping volcanic plains. “What is amazing is that after more than a decade of providing high-resolution image, stereo, and infrared data, MRO has driven new discoveries about the nature and timing of these river-connected ancient salt ponds,” said Ehlmann. “Part of the value of MRO is that our view of the planet keeps getting more detailed over time,” said Leslie Tamppari, the mission’s deputy project scientist at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). “The more of the planet we map with our instruments, the better we can understand its history.” (With inputs from agencies)

Water flowed on Mars about a billion years longer than previous estimates: NASA

<p>The universe is full of wonders. We already know that. But every now and then the huge expanse of (nearly) nothingness springs up a surprise that makes even scientists go "wow!". For us mortals, the play of colours, the explosions, the formations and what not is always a thing of wonder. These images are shared widely, by space agencies like NASA and even by astronauts from around the world. The sheer beauty makes these images go viral.</p>

<p>We bring you some of these space images that stopped people in their tracks.</p>

<p><strong>Hand of God</strong></p>

<p><img alt="NASA Hand of God" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cfe876a2-ef26-459c-8f4f-8c1cd93ded19" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/NASA%20Hand%20of%20God.PNG" /></p>

<p>This was undeniably the most recognisable image NASA posted. &nbsp;The beautuiful golden structure that appears to pop out of nowehere in space is shaped like a hand blessing everyone. NASA explained that the 'hand of God' is a nebula of energy and particles blown by a pulsar. The pulsar had been left behind after explosion of a star. This pulsar is known as PSR B1509-58. It is spins around itself 7 times per second! It is 17,000 lightyears away from Earth.</p>

<p><br />
<strong>The 'Devil's eye'</strong></p>

<p><img alt="NASA The Devil's Eye" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9ec8d364-7270-4f17-8eaa-11d4c467e150" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Devil%27s%20Eye.PNG" /></p>

<p>God has been represented. Now comes the turn of the Devil. This celestial structure looked like an eye that was definitely didn't appear friendly. The eyelashes were blue and the iris was blazing red. Was it the Devil himself? This is Helix Nebula which was clicked by Spitzer telescope. Helix Nebula is 700 light-years away from Earth and located in the Aquarius constellation&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
<strong>Visitor in our backyard</strong></p>

<p><strong><img alt="NASA Comet Leonard" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa9fb670-2f95-41a5-baa8-d291719d604b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Comet%20Leonard.JPG" /></strong></p>

<p>We have a visitor! And he is still in our backyard. Comet Leonard, the brightest comet of the year came into our field of vision in December 2021. Watching this celestial nomad was a once in a lifetime opportunity as it is due to come back near Earth 35,000 years from now, if Sun doesn't gobble it up this time that is. Comet Leonard had a close shave with NASA and European Space Agency's (ESA) solar orbitter. Thankfully, there was no cause for concern.</p>

<p><strong>The 'Running Man nebula'</strong></p>

<p><img alt="NASA Running man nebula" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="692e2861-86d4-4e4c-a5f9-5379beb76154" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Running%20man%20nebula.JPG" /></p>

<p>The Running Man Nebula is 5000 light-years away from Earth. Its scientific designation is NGC 1977. This nebula was in news because NASA captured a pic of 'Herbig Haro object'. Herbig Haro nebula is a type of nebula that forms when gas from a young star collides with surrounding dust and produces shockwaves.</p>

<p><br />
<strong>Prawn nebula</strong></p>

<p><img alt="Prawn Nebula" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="545b4383-baaa-4d92-b021-766df30de26a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Prawn%20nebula.JPG" /></p>

<p>Nebulas are where new stars are formed. In November, NASA clicked an image of Prawn Nebula, a massive solar nursery. The nebula is 250 might-years wide and is situated at a distance of 6000 light-years away from Earth. Formally, the Prawn Nebula is called IC 4628.</p>

<p><strong>Aurora from space</strong></p>

<p><img alt="NASA Aurora" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="54b629dc-8255-4969-950c-95285ca85b8a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Aurora.JPG" /></p>

<p>We are so busy pointing our scopes at stars that we often forget how beautiful our own planet is. Not each of us is lucky enough to go to space and click picture of Earth but astronauts have been doing so for us. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who was stationed in International Space Station has been prolific in clicking such pictures. In September this year, he showed all of us how an Aurora looks from space.</p>

<p><br />
<strong>The 'eye in the sky'</strong></p>

<p><img alt="NASA eye in the sky" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abcc1db4-fb70-441b-935c-79accecf6dfa" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Eye%20in%20the%20sky.JPG" /></p>

<p>This one is not as scary as the 'Devil's eye' but is beautiful nonetheless. This image was clicked by NASA. This is Seyfert galaxy. The galaxy has a supermassive black hole in the centre but it emits a large amount of electromagnetic radiation. The active galactic nucleus with high luminosity gives it an appearance of an 'eye in the sky'</p>

<p><br />
<strong>Eerie glow on Earth</strong></p>

<p><strong><img alt="Earth Blue glow Thomas Pequet" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="85791385-5372-47c4-9187-ceafdce9a18b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Blue%20glow.JPG" /></strong></p>

<p>Thomas Pesquet strikes again! The ESA astronaut captured this image when he was aboard International Space Station (ISS). On October 8, Pesquet posted an image in which part of night side of Earth was visible. The land could be seen lit up with cities and roads and more. But remarkable thing in the photo was a strange blue glow. Pesquet was stumped as to what this would be, as were people on Instagram.</p>

<p>Space and even our planet Earth have many wonders still hidden from us. 2022 will surely send such visual treats our way.</p>


The universe is full of wonders. We already know that. But every now and then the huge expanse of (nearly) nothingness springs up a surprise that makes even scientists go "wow!

The universe is full of wonders. We already know that. But every now and then the huge expanse of (nearly) nothingness springs up a surprise that makes even scientists go "wow!". For us mortals, the play of colours, the explosions, the formations and what not is always a thing of wonder. These images are shared widely, by space agencies like NASA and even by astronauts from around the world. The sheer beauty makes these images go viral. We bring you some of these space images that stopped people in their tracks. Hand of God This was undeniably the most recognisable image NASA posted. The beautuiful golden structure that appears to pop out of nowehere in space is shaped like a hand blessing everyone. NASA explained that the 'hand of God' is a nebula of energy and particles blown by a pulsar. The pulsar had been left behind after explosion of a star. This pulsar is known as PSR B1509-58. It is spins around itself 7 times per second! It is 17,000 lightyears away from Earth. The 'Devil's eye' God has been represented. Now comes the turn of the Devil. This celestial structure looked like an eye that was definitely didn't appear friendly. The eyelashes were blue and the iris was blazing red. Was it the Devil himself? This is Helix Nebula which was clicked by Spitzer telescope. Helix Nebula is 700 light-years away from Earth and located in the Aquarius constellation Visitor in our backyard We have a visitor! And he is still in our backyard. Comet Leonard, the brightest comet of the year came into our field of vision in December 2021. Watching this celestial nomad was a once in a lifetime opportunity as it is due to come back near Earth 35,000 years from now, if Sun doesn't gobble it up this time that is. Comet Leonard had a close shave with NASA and European Space Agency's (ESA) solar orbitter. Thankfully, there was no cause for concern. The 'Running Man nebula' The Running Man Nebula is 5000 light-years away from Earth. Its scientific designation is NGC 1977. This nebula was in news because NASA captured a pic of 'Herbig Haro object'. Herbig Haro nebula is a type of nebula that forms when gas from a young star collides with surrounding dust and produces shockwaves. Prawn nebula Nebulas are where new stars are formed. In November, NASA clicked an image of Prawn Nebula, a massive solar nursery. The nebula is 250 might-years wide and is situated at a distance of 6000 light-years away from Earth. Formally, the Prawn Nebula is called IC 4628. Aurora from space We are so busy pointing our scopes at stars that we often forget how beautiful our own planet is. Not each of us is lucky enough to go to space and click picture of Earth but astronauts have been doing so for us. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who was stationed in International Space Station has been prolific in clicking such pictures. In September this year, he showed all of us how an Aurora looks from space. The 'eye in the sky' This one is not as scary as the 'Devil's eye' but is beautiful nonetheless. This image was clicked by NASA. This is Seyfert galaxy. The galaxy has a supermassive black hole in the centre but it emits a large amount of electromagnetic radiation. The active galactic nucleus with high luminosity gives it an appearance of an 'eye in the sky' Eerie glow on Earth Thomas Pesquet strikes again! The ESA astronaut captured this image when he was aboard International Space Station (ISS). On October 8, Pesquet posted an image in which part of night side of Earth was visible. The land could be seen lit up with cities and roads and more. But remarkable thing in the photo was a strange blue glow. Pesquet was stumped as to what this would be, as were people on Instagram. Space and even our planet Earth have many wonders still hidden from us. 2022 will surely send such visual treats our way.

Hand of God, Devil's eye and more NASA pics that wowed people around the world

<p>A SpaceX rocket that has lost control has put India's Chandrayaan and NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in danger. They are orbiting the Moon to collect observations about the impact crater.</p>

<p>The debris of the seven-year-old rocket, that had been launched from Florida, can collide with the Moon as well.</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pile-of-space-junk-chinese-citizens-lambast-spacex-after-space-station-near-misses-440415">Also read |&nbsp;'Pile of space junk': Chinese citizens lambast SpaceX after space station near-misses</a></strong></p>

<p>The dry mass of Falcon 9's second stage is about 4 metric tonnes, and it should impact the Moon at a velocity of about 2.58 km/s.</p>

<p>The aim of the booster was to attempt an interplanetary mission to send a space-weather satellite on a million-mile journey.</p>

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<p>''It has been following a somewhat chaotic orbit since February 2015,'' said meteorologist Eric Berger explained in a recent post on Ars Technica.</p>

<p>“This is the first unintentional case [of space junk hitting the moon] of which I am aware,” as per Bill Gray, who writes the widely used Project Pluto software to track near-Earth objects.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">For those asking: yes, an old Falcon 9 second stage left in high orbit in 2015 is going to hit the moon on March 4. It's interesting, but not a big deal.</p>
— Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) <a href="https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1486057487027646466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>This comes after Starlink satellites launched by Elon Musk’s SpaceX nearly struck a Chinese space station called Tiangong.</p>

<p>It had to manoeuvre to avoid colliding with one Starlink satellite in July and with another in October, according to a note submitted by Beijing to the United Nations space agency this month.</p>

<p>Beijing's complaint about Starlink had prompted criticism on Chinese social media of SpaceX's billionaire founder Musk, who is widely admired in China.</p>

<p>SpaceX is a private American company, independent of the US military and civilian space agency NASA.</p>

<p>In March last year, debris from a Falcon 9 rocket launched by US aeronautics company SpaceX fell to Earth in Washington and on the Oregon coast.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


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

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

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

<p>The James Webb Space Telescope meant to 'Unfold the Universe' and give an unprecedented glimpse into the universe has reached its orbital destination around a million miles (1.5 million kilometres) away from planet Earth, NASA informed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US space agency further stated that almost a month after the launch, the telescope fired its thrusters to arrive at its designated spot in orbit around the sun.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At around 2:00pm Eastern Time, the telescope fired its onboard thrusters for nearly five minutes (297 seconds) to complete the final postlaunch course correction to its trajectory.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The latest process has inserted Webb toward its final orbit around the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point, or L2, where it is believed that it will have a wide view of the cosmos.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/weekend-special-will-scientists-reveal-the-secret-behind-presence-of-alien-life-in-universe-446732">Will scientists reveal the secret behind presence of alien life in universe?</a></strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🏠 Home, home on Lagrange! We successfully completed our burn to start <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASAWebb?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NASAWebb</a> on its orbit of the 2nd Lagrange point (L2), about a million miles (1.5 million km) from Earth. It will orbit the Sun, in line with Earth, as it orbits L2. <a href="https://t.co/bsIU3vccAj">https://t.co/bsIU3vccAj</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnfoldTheUniverse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnfoldTheUniverse</a> <a href="https://t.co/WDhuANEP5h">pic.twitter.com/WDhuANEP5h</a></p>
— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1485695028622209032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Webb, welcome home!" said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "Congratulations to the team for all of their hard work ensuring Webb's safe arrival at L2 today. We're one step closer to uncovering the mysteries of the universe. And I can’t wait to see Webb's first new views of the universe this summer!" he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>What's next?</strong></p>

<p>NASA informed that now engineers will begin the sophisticated three-month process of aligning the telescope's optics to nearly nanometer precision. &nbsp;</p>

<p>It is expected that it will take months of work to prepare Webb for its astronomical debut.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After Webb's primary mirror segments and secondary mirror have been deployed from their launch positions. The 18 segments of its principal mirror now need to be aligned to achieve the mirror's proper focus, a process that will take three months to complete.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/in-a-first-astronomers-identify-mysterious-particles-in-primordial-soup-447255">In a first, astronomers identify mysterious particles in 'primordial soup'</a></strong></p>

<p>"During the past month, JWST has achieved amazing success and is a tribute to all the folks who spent many years and even decades to ensure mission success," said Bill Ochs, Webb project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We are now on the verge of aligning the mirrors, instrument activation and commissioning, and the start of wondrous and astonishing discoveries," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The James Webb Space Telescope meant to 'Unfold the Universe' and give an unprecedented glimpse into the universe has reached its orbital destination around a million miles (1.

The James Webb Space Telescope meant to 'Unfold the Universe' and give an unprecedented glimpse into the universe has reached its orbital destination around a million miles (1.5 million kilometres) away from planet Earth, NASA informed. The US space agency further stated that almost a month after the launch, the telescope fired its thrusters to arrive at its designated spot in orbit around the sun. At around 2:00pm Eastern Time, the telescope fired its onboard thrusters for nearly five minutes (297 seconds) to complete the final postlaunch course correction to its trajectory. The latest process has inserted Webb toward its final orbit around the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point, or L2, where it is believed that it will have a wide view of the cosmos. ALSO READ | Will scientists reveal the secret behind presence of alien life in universe? 🏠 Home, home on Lagrange! We successfully completed our burn to start #NASAWebb on its orbit of the 2nd Lagrange point (L2), about a million miles (1.5 million km) from Earth. It will orbit the Sun, in line with Earth, as it orbits L2. https://t.co/bsIU3vccAj #UnfoldTheUniverse pic.twitter.com/WDhuANEP5h — NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) January 24, 2022 × "Webb, welcome home!" said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "Congratulations to the team for all of their hard work ensuring Webb's safe arrival at L2 today. We're one step closer to uncovering the mysteries of the universe. And I can’t wait to see Webb's first new views of the universe this summer!" he added. What's next? NASA informed that now engineers will begin the sophisticated three-month process of aligning the telescope's optics to nearly nanometer precision. It is expected that it will take months of work to prepare Webb for its astronomical debut. After Webb's primary mirror segments and secondary mirror have been deployed from their launch positions. The 18 segments of its principal mirror now need to be aligned to achieve the mirror's proper focus, a process that will take three months to complete. ALSO READ | In a first, astronomers identify mysterious particles in 'primordial soup' "During the past month, JWST has achieved amazing success and is a tribute to all the folks who spent many years and even decades to ensure mission success," said Bill Ochs, Webb project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "We are now on the verge of aligning the mirrors, instrument activation and commissioning, and the start of wondrous and astonishing discoveries," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

What's next after NASA's James Webb Space Telescope reaches final destination, a million miles from Earth?

<p>An image of the Sun emitting a mid-level solar flare has been taken by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on Thursday. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>It had peaked at 1.01 am EST (11.31am IST). The powerful bursts of electromagnetic radiation, which are called solar flares, could last from minutes to hours. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/plan-to-dim-sun-rays-gets-thumbs-down-from-experts-here-is-why-445348" hreflang="en">Plan to ‘dim sun rays’ gets thumbs down from experts. Here is why</a></strong></p>

<p>The NASA, which has classified this flare as an M5.5 class one, has said that it has an X-ray flare of moderate severity.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Sun emitted a significant solar flare early this morning, peaking at 1:01 a.m. ET. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured an image of the event, which was classified as M5.5.<a href="https://t.co/9RsMR5suI3">https://t.co/9RsMR5suI3</a> <a href="https://t.co/zK9mADK47H">pic.twitter.com/zK9mADK47H</a></p>
— NASA Sun &amp; Space (@NASASun) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASASun/status/1484265821950156804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>“The Sun emitted a mid-level solar flare on January 20, 2022, peaking at 1:01 am EST," the US space agency said. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/planet-killer-asteroid-passes-near-earth-track-it-live-here-445708" hreflang="en">Planet-killer asteroid passes near Earth. Track it live here</a></strong></p>

<p>Although the harmful radiation of a flare can't pass through Earth's atmosphere to affect life on the planet, it can impact electric power grids, navigation signals, radio communications, when it is highly intense. It also poses risk to spacecraft and astronauts.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>On website, Space Weather Prediction Center of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said, “Solar flares usually take place in active regions, which are areas on the Sun marked by the presence of strong magnetic fields; typically associated with sunspot groups. As these magnetic fields evolve, they can reach a point of instability and release energy in a variety of forms. These include electromagnetic radiation, which are observed as solar flares.” &nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


An image of the Sun emitting a mid-level solar flare has been taken by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on Thursday. It had peaked at 1.01 am EST (11.31am IST).

An image of the Sun emitting a mid-level solar flare has been taken by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on Thursday. It had peaked at 1.01 am EST (11.31am IST). The powerful bursts of electromagnetic radiation, which are called solar flares, could last from minutes to hours. Also Read: Plan to ‘dim sun rays’ gets thumbs down from experts. Here is why The NASA, which has classified this flare as an M5.5 class one, has said that it has an X-ray flare of moderate severity. The Sun emitted a significant solar flare early this morning, peaking at 1:01 a.m. ET. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured an image of the event, which was classified as M5.5.https://t.co/9RsMR5suI3 pic.twitter.com/zK9mADK47H — NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) January 20, 2022 × “The Sun emitted a mid-level solar flare on January 20, 2022, peaking at 1:01 am EST," the US space agency said. Also Read: Planet-killer asteroid passes near Earth. Track it live here Although the harmful radiation of a flare can't pass through Earth's atmosphere to affect life on the planet, it can impact electric power grids, navigation signals, radio communications, when it is highly intense. It also poses risk to spacecraft and astronauts. On website, Space Weather Prediction Center of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said, “Solar flares usually take place in active regions, which are areas on the Sun marked by the presence of strong magnetic fields; typically associated with sunspot groups. As these magnetic fields evolve, they can reach a point of instability and release energy in a variety of forms. These include electromagnetic radiation, which are observed as solar flares.” (With inputs from agencies)

NASA catches glimpse of Sun emitting mid-level solar flare. Will it harm us?

<p>Astronomers have discovered a black hole that contains 200,000 times the mass of the Sun buried in gas and dust in the galaxy Mrk 462.</p>

<p>Black holes are extremely dense, with gravitational pulls so ferocious, not even light escapes. Cygnus X-1 is the Milky Way’s largest-known stellar-mass black hole and among the strongest X-ray sources seen from Earth.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discover-new-type-of-nebulae-around-binary-stars-443438" hreflang="en">Scientists discover new type of nebulae around binary stars</a></strong></p>

<p>There are three categories of black holes. The smallest, like 'the Unicorn,' are so-called stellar-mass black holes formed by the gravitational collapse of a single star. There are gargantuan 'supermassive' black holes like the one at our galaxy's center, 26,000 light-years from Earth, which is four million times the sun's mass. A few intermediate-mass black holes also have been found with masses somewhere in between.</p>

<p>Mrk 462 contains only several hundred million stars, making it a dwarf galaxy. By contrast, our Milky Way is home to a few hundred billion stars. This is one of the first times that a heavily buried, or "obscured," supermassive black hole has been found in a dwarf galaxy.</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/chemical-leftovers-from-earths-creation-still-lingering-deep-within-our-planet-study-442513">Also read |&nbsp;Chemical leftovers from Earth's creation still lingering deep within our planet: Study</a></strong></p>

<p>The discovery of this supermassive black hole in a relatively small galaxy could help astronomers unravel the mystery surrounding how the very biggest black holes grow. They identified it using by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This black hole in Mrk 462 is among the smallest of the supermassive, or monster, black holes," said Jack Parker of Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, who led the study with colleague Ryan Hickox, also from Dartmouth. "Black holes like this are notoriously hard to find."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-publish-most-detailed-map-to-date-of-black-holes-442056" hreflang="en">Astronomers publish most detailed map to date of black holes</a></strong></p>

<p>The unusually large intensity of high-energy X-rays compared to low energy X-rays, along with comparisons to data at other wavelengths, indicates that the Mrk 462 black hole is heavily obscured by gas.</p>

<p>"Because buried black holes are even harder to detect than exposed ones, finding this example might mean there are a lot more dwarf galaxies out there with similar black holes," said Hickox.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This is important because it could help address a major question in astrophysics: How did black holes get so big so early in the universe?"</p>

<p>A large fraction of dwarf galaxies with supermassive black holes favours the idea that small black hole seeds from the earliest generation of stars grew astonishingly quickly to form the billion solar mass objects in the early universe.</p>

<p>A smaller fraction would tip the scales to favor the idea that black holes began life weighing tens of thousands of Suns.</p>

<p>These expectations apply because the conditions necessary for the direct collapse from a giant cloud to a medium-sized black hole should be rare, so it is not expected that a large fraction of dwarf galaxies would contain supermassive black holes.</p>

<p>Stellar-mass black holes, on the other hand, are expected in every galaxy.</p>

<p>"We can't make strong conclusions from one example, but this result should encourage much more extensive searches for buried black holes in dwarf galaxies," said Parker. "We're excited about what we might learn."<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Astronomers have discovered a black hole that contains 200,000 times the mass of the Sun buried in gas and dust in the galaxy Mrk 462. Black holes are extremely dense, with gravitational pulls so ferocious, not even light escapes.

Astronomers have discovered a black hole that contains 200,000 times the mass of the Sun buried in gas and dust in the galaxy Mrk 462. Black holes are extremely dense, with gravitational pulls so ferocious, not even light escapes. Cygnus X-1 is the Milky Way’s largest-known stellar-mass black hole and among the strongest X-ray sources seen from Earth. Also read | Scientists discover new type of nebulae around binary stars There are three categories of black holes. The smallest, like 'the Unicorn,' are so-called stellar-mass black holes formed by the gravitational collapse of a single star. There are gargantuan 'supermassive' black holes like the one at our galaxy's center, 26,000 light-years from Earth, which is four million times the sun's mass. A few intermediate-mass black holes also have been found with masses somewhere in between. Mrk 462 contains only several hundred million stars, making it a dwarf galaxy. By contrast, our Milky Way is home to a few hundred billion stars. This is one of the first times that a heavily buried, or "obscured," supermassive black hole has been found in a dwarf galaxy. Also read | Chemical leftovers from Earth's creation still lingering deep within our planet: Study The discovery of this supermassive black hole in a relatively small galaxy could help astronomers unravel the mystery surrounding how the very biggest black holes grow. They identified it using by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. "This black hole in Mrk 462 is among the smallest of the supermassive, or monster, black holes," said Jack Parker of Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, who led the study with colleague Ryan Hickox, also from Dartmouth. "Black holes like this are notoriously hard to find." Also read | Astronomers publish most detailed map to date of black holes The unusually large intensity of high-energy X-rays compared to low energy X-rays, along with comparisons to data at other wavelengths, indicates that the Mrk 462 black hole is heavily obscured by gas. "Because buried black holes are even harder to detect than exposed ones, finding this example might mean there are a lot more dwarf galaxies out there with similar black holes," said Hickox. "This is important because it could help address a major question in astrophysics: How did black holes get so big so early in the universe?" A large fraction of dwarf galaxies with supermassive black holes favours the idea that small black hole seeds from the earliest generation of stars grew astonishingly quickly to form the billion solar mass objects in the early universe. A smaller fraction would tip the scales to favor the idea that black holes began life weighing tens of thousands of Suns. These expectations apply because the conditions necessary for the direct collapse from a giant cloud to a medium-sized black hole should be rare, so it is not expected that a large fraction of dwarf galaxies would contain supermassive black holes. Stellar-mass black holes, on the other hand, are expected in every galaxy. "We can't make strong conclusions from one example, but this result should encourage much more extensive searches for buried black holes in dwarf galaxies," said Parker. "We're excited about what we might learn." (With inputs from agencies)

Astronomers discover black hole that contains 200,000 times mass of the Sun buried in gas

A 104-metre-wide asteroid, which will be within 3.48 million miles of Earth, is going to pass near the planet. The asteroid has been labelled as a “potentially hazardous object”. The rock, which seems to be bigger than the iconic Big Ben, has been named Asteroid 2013 YD48 by NASA.

It’s time to ‘look up’: Witness building-sized asteroid pass near Earth

<p>2021 was a busy year when it came to space exploration leaps and celestial events. Humankind's urge to conquer new frontiers of the endless expanse knew no bounds. 2022 appears to promise the same and more. Here's a look at some of the major things lined up in the new year.</p>

<p><strong>January</strong></p>

<p>Initial milestones have already been reached in deploying the most powerful telescope made by humanity. James Webb Space telescope has been fully deployed. But what remains are some crucial calibrations that will need to be completed before the telescope sets its sight on previously unknown corners of the space.</p>

<p><strong>February</strong></p>

<p>Space tourism is slowly taking steps towards becoming more available, to the elite at least. But more progress is expected in coming years. Next space tourists to visit International Space Station would be three men from the US, Canada and Israel. There will travel to the ISS aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon and will be led by the company Axiom.</p>

<p><strong>March</strong></p>

<p>NASA wants to place a space station named Gateway in orbit around the Moon. But first, it will have to study how would it be to place a spacecraft in such an orbit.</p>

<p>For this, it plans to put a microwave-sized satellite in orbit around the Moon. The Capstone mission, as it is called, would be launched by Rocket Lab from New Zealand.</p>

<p><strong>April</strong></p>

<p>SpaceX's Crew Dragon is likely to launch Crew-4 to replace Crew-3 on the International Space Station. One of the new team, Jessica Watkins, would be the first Black woman to become a full crew member aboard the space station.</p>

<p><strong>May&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>NASA has picked Boeing along with SpaceX to build spacecrafts to launch crew in space. While SpaceX has done it multiple times till now, Boeing's Starliner program has encountered problems. It is planning to attempt an uncrewed orbital test trip to space station before its first astronaut flight.</p>

<p>In the same month, China is expected to further its space station program. Chinese astronauts are already working aboard Tianhe, the first module of the Tiangong space station. In 2022, China plans to launch two laboratory sections of the space station.</p>

<p><strong>July</strong></p>

<p>Russia is planning to return to Moon. Its final Moon mission, Luna 24 ended in 1976. Luna-25 mission would see a launch towards Moon's south pole.</p>

<p>India may launch Chandrayaan-3 mission to the Moon. Indian spacecraft successfully orbitted Moon in 2019. But attempts to land a surface rover ended in a dramatic crash. India is trying again.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>August</strong></p>

<p>The month of August may see South Korea launching its first Moon mission. The Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter will orbit Earth’s moon. It will test and demonstrate a number of technologies. The mission will be launched by SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.</p>

<p>In the same month, NASA plans to launch a mission towards an asteroid which is made up mainly of metal. The asteroid is called Psyche. The mission bears the same name.</p>

<p><strong>September</strong></p>

<p>September may witness launch of Europe and Russia launching Rosalind Franklin rover to Mars</p>

<p>In the same month, NASA's DART mission may crash into an asteroid.</p>

<p>NASA also plans to complete a flyby of Jupiter's satellite Europa in its Juno mission</p>


2021 was a busy year when it came to space exploration leaps and celestial events. Humankind's urge to conquer new frontiers of the endless expanse knew no bounds.

2021 was a busy year when it came to space exploration leaps and celestial events. Humankind's urge to conquer new frontiers of the endless expanse knew no bounds. 2022 appears to promise the same and more. Here's a look at some of the major things lined up in the new year. January Initial milestones have already been reached in deploying the most powerful telescope made by humanity. James Webb Space telescope has been fully deployed. But what remains are some crucial calibrations that will need to be completed before the telescope sets its sight on previously unknown corners of the space. February Space tourism is slowly taking steps towards becoming more available, to the elite at least. But more progress is expected in coming years. Next space tourists to visit International Space Station would be three men from the US, Canada and Israel. There will travel to the ISS aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon and will be led by the company Axiom. March NASA wants to place a space station named Gateway in orbit around the Moon. But first, it will have to study how would it be to place a spacecraft in such an orbit. For this, it plans to put a microwave-sized satellite in orbit around the Moon. The Capstone mission, as it is called, would be launched by Rocket Lab from New Zealand. April SpaceX's Crew Dragon is likely to launch Crew-4 to replace Crew-3 on the International Space Station. One of the new team, Jessica Watkins, would be the first Black woman to become a full crew member aboard the space station. May NASA has picked Boeing along with SpaceX to build spacecrafts to launch crew in space. While SpaceX has done it multiple times till now, Boeing's Starliner program has encountered problems. It is planning to attempt an uncrewed orbital test trip to space station before its first astronaut flight. In the same month, China is expected to further its space station program. Chinese astronauts are already working aboard Tianhe, the first module of the Tiangong space station. In 2022, China plans to launch two laboratory sections of the space station. July Russia is planning to return to Moon. Its final Moon mission, Luna 24 ended in 1976. Luna-25 mission would see a launch towards Moon's south pole. India may launch Chandrayaan-3 mission to the Moon. Indian spacecraft successfully orbitted Moon in 2019. But attempts to land a surface rover ended in a dramatic crash. India is trying again. August The month of August may see South Korea launching its first Moon mission. The Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter will orbit Earth’s moon. It will test and demonstrate a number of technologies. The mission will be launched by SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. In the same month, NASA plans to launch a mission towards an asteroid which is made up mainly of metal. The asteroid is called Psyche. The mission bears the same name. September September may witness launch of Europe and Russia launching Rosalind Franklin rover to Mars In the same month, NASA's DART mission may crash into an asteroid. NASA also plans to complete a flyby of Jupiter's satellite Europa in its Juno mission

NASA missions and more: Here's what 2022 holds for space exploration

<p>James Webb Space Telescope was to open a whole new vista for humanity in space. This much was definitely known. But deployment of the most powerful telescope ever built was a challenge as it needed careful unfolding of its components. The major milestone was achieved on Saturday (January 8) as the tricky, two-week-long deployment process was completed. The final golden mirror panel was unfolded.</p>

<p>Teams in NASA's James Webb Space Telescope's control room cheered on confirmation that the space telescope's final wing was deployed and latched into place.</p>

<p><img alt="James Webb" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="871da599-9cfe-4159-9915-991a97268c7d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9VT8VZ.jpg" /></p>

<p>"I'm emotional about it -- what an amazing milestone," Thomas Zurbuchen, a senior NASA engineer, said during the live video feed as stargazers worldwide celebrated.</p>

<p>Because the telescope was too large to fit into a rocket's nose cone in its operational configuration, it was transported folded up.</p>

<p>Unfurling has been a complex and risky task -- "arguably the most challenging deployment program ever done by NASA," said NASA engineer Mike Menzel.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-resolve-mystery-of-cube-spotted-on-moons-dark-side-443232">Astronomers resolve mystery of 'cube' spotted on Moon's dark side</a></strong></p>

<p>On Saturday morning, engineers sent a command from the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland for the final section of golden mirror to unfold.</p>

<p>According to NASA, after the mirror was latched into place at 1:17 PM (1817 GMT), "the team declared all major deployments successfully completed."</p>

<p>"I want to tell you just how excited and emotional I am right now," said Zurbuchen on the live video feed. "We have a deployed telescope on orbit."</p>

<p>Webb, the successor to Hubble, blasted off in an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana on December 25, and is heading to its orbital point, a million miles (1.6 million kilometers) from Earth.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/in-a-first-astronomers-watch-a-dying-star-explode-in-real-time-442861">In a first, astronomers watch a dying star explode in real time</a></strong></p>

<p>Though Webb will reach its space destination, known as the second Lagrange point, in a matter of weeks, it still has around another five and a half months of setup to go.</p>

<p>"While the journey is not complete, I join the Webb team in breathing a little easier and imagining the future breakthroughs bound to inspire the world," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.</p>

<p>Next steps include aligning the telescope's optics, and calibrating its scientific instruments.</p>

<p><strong>Far reaches of the Universe</strong></p>

<p>Its infrared technology will allow it to see the first stars and galaxies that formed 13.5 billion years ago, giving astronomers new insight into the earliest epoch of the Universe.</p>

<p>Earlier this week, the telescope deployed its five-layered sunshield -- a 70-foot (21 meter) long, kite-shaped apparatus that acts like a parasol, ensuring Webb's instruments are kept in the shade so they can detect faint infrared signals from the far reaches of the Universe.</p>

<p>The sunshield will be permanently positioned between the telescope and the Sun, Earth and Moon, with the Sun-facing side built to withstand 230 degrees Fahrenheit (110 degrees Celsius).</p>

<p>Visible and ultraviolet light emitted by the very first luminous objects has been stretched by the Universe's expansion, and arrives today in the form of infrared, which Webb is equipped to detect with unprecedented clarity.</p>

<p>Its mission also includes the study of distant planets to determine their origin, evolution, and habitability.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


James Webb Space Telescope was to open a whole new vista for humanity in space. This much was definitely known. But deployment of the most powerful telescope ever built was a challenge as it needed careful unfolding of its components.

James Webb Space Telescope was to open a whole new vista for humanity in space. This much was definitely known. But deployment of the most powerful telescope ever built was a challenge as it needed careful unfolding of its components. The major milestone was achieved on Saturday (January 8) as the tricky, two-week-long deployment process was completed. The final golden mirror panel was unfolded. Teams in NASA's James Webb Space Telescope's control room cheered on confirmation that the space telescope's final wing was deployed and latched into place. "I'm emotional about it -- what an amazing milestone," Thomas Zurbuchen, a senior NASA engineer, said during the live video feed as stargazers worldwide celebrated. Because the telescope was too large to fit into a rocket's nose cone in its operational configuration, it was transported folded up. Unfurling has been a complex and risky task -- "arguably the most challenging deployment program ever done by NASA," said NASA engineer Mike Menzel. Also Read | Astronomers resolve mystery of 'cube' spotted on Moon's dark side On Saturday morning, engineers sent a command from the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland for the final section of golden mirror to unfold. According to NASA, after the mirror was latched into place at 1:17 PM (1817 GMT), "the team declared all major deployments successfully completed." "I want to tell you just how excited and emotional I am right now," said Zurbuchen on the live video feed. "We have a deployed telescope on orbit." Webb, the successor to Hubble, blasted off in an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana on December 25, and is heading to its orbital point, a million miles (1.6 million kilometers) from Earth. Also Read | In a first, astronomers watch a dying star explode in real time Though Webb will reach its space destination, known as the second Lagrange point, in a matter of weeks, it still has around another five and a half months of setup to go. "While the journey is not complete, I join the Webb team in breathing a little easier and imagining the future breakthroughs bound to inspire the world," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. Next steps include aligning the telescope's optics, and calibrating its scientific instruments. Far reaches of the Universe Its infrared technology will allow it to see the first stars and galaxies that formed 13.5 billion years ago, giving astronomers new insight into the earliest epoch of the Universe. Earlier this week, the telescope deployed its five-layered sunshield -- a 70-foot (21 meter) long, kite-shaped apparatus that acts like a parasol, ensuring Webb's instruments are kept in the shade so they can detect faint infrared signals from the far reaches of the Universe. The sunshield will be permanently positioned between the telescope and the Sun, Earth and Moon, with the Sun-facing side built to withstand 230 degrees Fahrenheit (110 degrees Celsius). Visible and ultraviolet light emitted by the very first luminous objects has been stretched by the Universe's expansion, and arrives today in the form of infrared, which Webb is equipped to detect with unprecedented clarity. Its mission also includes the study of distant planets to determine their origin, evolution, and habitability. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA fully deploys James Webb telescope in space

NASA's new space telescope opened its huge, gold-plated, flower-shaped mirror on 8 January, 2022, the final step in the observatory's dramatic unfurling. The last portion of the 21-foot (6.5-meter) mirror swung into place at flight controllers' command, completing the unfolding of the James Webb Space Telescope.

James Webb telescope unfurls gold-plated mirror on its successful deployment

<p>The most powerful telescope ever launched into space is nearing the end of a meticulous assembly process that has kept astronomers on edge for weeks.</p>

<p>Since its Christmas morning launch, the James Webb Space Telescope has made all the right moves. Now it is entering the final stretch of its complex deployment phase.</p>

<p>In these terminal steps, two panels on either side of the telescope’s array of 18 gold-plated hexagonal mirrors, folded back during launch, must snap into place to complete Webb’s honeycomb-like reflector. The 21-foot-wide mirror sends light from the cosmos into a secondary mirror, which then bounces the light into the telescope’s main infrared sensor.</p>

<p>Unfolding the mirrors is a crucial milestone along the way to using the telescope for scientific studies of the Big Bang, exoplanets, black holes and our solar system. Once it is complete, NASA considers the telescope “fully deployed.”</p>

<p><strong>When will the Webb telescope finish unfolding and how can I watch it?</strong></p>

<p>The telescope’s unfolding phase is expected to wrap up Saturday morning, after the mirror segment’s right-side panel of its three remaining mirrors is secured into place. The left side completed its deployment Friday, a process that took 5 1/2 hours.</p>

<p>On Saturday, engineers will command the telescope to release a set of latches that held the panel in place during launch. Then, for about five minutes, the panel will slowly swing open so that the three hexagonal mirrors tessellate snugly with the other 15.</p>

<p>During the operation, NASA will host a livestream on NASA TV and YouTube beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern time Saturday. It will show mission managers monitoring the deployment from the flight control room of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, the telescope’s central operations hub. Deployment is expected to end a few hours later, around 1:30 p.m.</p>

<p>But you won’t be able to see what’s happening on the telescope itself.</p>

<p><strong>Why aren’t there cameras on the telescope?</strong></p>

<p>Rockets and some spacecraft carry built-in cameras so engineers on Earth can monitor their behavior in space. So, one would expect engineers to pack cameras aboard the James Webb Space Telescope, the most expensive and technically complex observatory ever launched to space, with 344 “single points of failure.”</p>

<p>Think again.</p>

<p>There are no monitoring cameras on the telescope. Instead, engineers depend on switches, sensors and motors to track its health during deployment.</p>

<p>NASA ditched the idea of including surveillance cameras on Webb because of technical complexities and risk. The telescope’s novel size and shape — with one side of its sunshield deflecting enormous amounts of heat and sunlight and the other instrument-heavy side basking in frigid darkness — would require multiple custom-built cameras. Wires and mounts for those cameras would add weight and risk to an already heavy telescope, the agency explained in a blog post.</p>

<p>“It’s not as straightforward as adding a doorbell cam or even a rocket cam,” said Paul Geithner, NASA’s deputy project manager for the technical side of the Webb program.</p>

<p><strong>What has happened to the telescope so far?</strong></p>

<p>Since Webb’s launch, engineers have completed over a dozen main steps in the deployment phase to bring the telescope to its final form, involving hundreds of moving parts such as switches, motors, pulleys and cables. The process began less than 30 minutes after launch last month, when Webb’s solar array deployed — the only step caught on video as the telescope parted ways in space with its rocket, which had an onboard camera.</p>

<p>The telescope has passed a number of milestones since, doing well to defuse astronomers’ anxiety and quell fears that a structure as intricate as Webb was bound to run into snags along its million-mile trek to the place in space where it will stay. The telescope powered on, deployed antennas, mechanically unfolded various limbs and, in the most technically complex milestone, delicately stretched taut five layers of a tennis-court-size plastic sheet designed to shield the telescope’s ultrasensitive camera sensors from the sun’s heat.</p>

<p><strong>Why is the telescope so important to scientists?</strong></p>

<p>The Webb telescope was designed to probe a crucial stretch of early cosmic history, known to astronomers as the dark ages.</p>

<p>Cosmologists surmise that the first stars appeared when the universe was only about 100 million years old. (Today it is 13.8 billion years old.) The farthest and earliest galaxy seen by astronomers, using the Hubble Space Telescope, dates to when the universe was older, 400 million years after the Big Bang. What happened during those intervening 300 million years when the universe took luminous flight, how the Big Bang turned into a sky full of constellations and life, is a mystery.</p>

<p>The telescope will also help astronomers better study supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies and planets orbiting other stars in our galaxy.</p>

<p>To achieve these scientific observations, the Webb telescope relies on a primary mirror 6.5 meters in diameter, compared with the mirror on the Hubble, which is 2.4 meters. That gives it about seven times as much light-gathering capability and thus the ability to see further into the past.</p>

<p>Another crucial difference is that it is equipped with cameras and other instruments sensitive to infrared, or “heat,” radiation. The expansion of the universe causes the light that would normally be in visible wavelengths to shift into longer infrared wavelengths normally invisible to human eyes.</p>

<p>Engineers had to invent 10 new technologies along the way to make the telescope more sensitive than the Hubble. Over-optimistic schedule projections, occasional development accidents and disorganized cost reporting dragged the timeline out to 2021 and ballooned the overall cost to $10 billion.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The most powerful telescope ever launched into space is nearing the end of a meticulous assembly process that has kept astronomers on edge for weeks. Since its Christmas morning launch, the James Webb Space Telescope has made all the right moves.

The most powerful telescope ever launched into space is nearing the end of a meticulous assembly process that has kept astronomers on edge for weeks. Since its Christmas morning launch, the James Webb Space Telescope has made all the right moves. Now it is entering the final stretch of its complex deployment phase. In these terminal steps, two panels on either side of the telescope’s array of 18 gold-plated hexagonal mirrors, folded back during launch, must snap into place to complete Webb’s honeycomb-like reflector. The 21-foot-wide mirror sends light from the cosmos into a secondary mirror, which then bounces the light into the telescope’s main infrared sensor. Unfolding the mirrors is a crucial milestone along the way to using the telescope for scientific studies of the Big Bang, exoplanets, black holes and our solar system. Once it is complete, NASA considers the telescope “fully deployed.” When will the Webb telescope finish unfolding and how can I watch it? The telescope’s unfolding phase is expected to wrap up Saturday morning, after the mirror segment’s right-side panel of its three remaining mirrors is secured into place. The left side completed its deployment Friday, a process that took 5 1/2 hours. On Saturday, engineers will command the telescope to release a set of latches that held the panel in place during launch. Then, for about five minutes, the panel will slowly swing open so that the three hexagonal mirrors tessellate snugly with the other 15. During the operation, NASA will host a livestream on NASA TV and YouTube beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern time Saturday. It will show mission managers monitoring the deployment from the flight control room of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, the telescope’s central operations hub. Deployment is expected to end a few hours later, around 1:30 p.m. But you won’t be able to see what’s happening on the telescope itself. Why aren’t there cameras on the telescope? Rockets and some spacecraft carry built-in cameras so engineers on Earth can monitor their behavior in space. So, one would expect engineers to pack cameras aboard the James Webb Space Telescope, the most expensive and technically complex observatory ever launched to space, with 344 “single points of failure.” Think again. There are no monitoring cameras on the telescope. Instead, engineers depend on switches, sensors and motors to track its health during deployment. NASA ditched the idea of including surveillance cameras on Webb because of technical complexities and risk. The telescope’s novel size and shape — with one side of its sunshield deflecting enormous amounts of heat and sunlight and the other instrument-heavy side basking in frigid darkness — would require multiple custom-built cameras. Wires and mounts for those cameras would add weight and risk to an already heavy telescope, the agency explained in a blog post. “It’s not as straightforward as adding a doorbell cam or even a rocket cam,” said Paul Geithner, NASA’s deputy project manager for the technical side of the Webb program. What has happened to the telescope so far? Since Webb’s launch, engineers have completed over a dozen main steps in the deployment phase to bring the telescope to its final form, involving hundreds of moving parts such as switches, motors, pulleys and cables. The process began less than 30 minutes after launch last month, when Webb’s solar array deployed — the only step caught on video as the telescope parted ways in space with its rocket, which had an onboard camera. The telescope has passed a number of milestones since, doing well to defuse astronomers’ anxiety and quell fears that a structure as intricate as Webb was bound to run into snags along its million-mile trek to the place in space where it will stay. The telescope powered on, deployed antennas, mechanically unfolded various limbs and, in the most technically complex milestone, delicately stretched taut five layers of a tennis-court-size plastic sheet designed to shield the telescope’s ultrasensitive camera sensors from the sun’s heat. Why is the telescope so important to scientists? The Webb telescope was designed to probe a crucial stretch of early cosmic history, known to astronomers as the dark ages. Cosmologists surmise that the first stars appeared when the universe was only about 100 million years old. (Today it is 13.8 billion years old.) The farthest and earliest galaxy seen by astronomers, using the Hubble Space Telescope, dates to when the universe was older, 400 million years after the Big Bang. What happened during those intervening 300 million years when the universe took luminous flight, how the Big Bang turned into a sky full of constellations and life, is a mystery. The telescope will also help astronomers better study supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies and planets orbiting other stars in our galaxy. To achieve these scientific observations, the Webb telescope relies on a primary mirror 6.5 meters in diameter, compared with the mirror on the Hubble, which is 2.4 meters. That gives it about seven times as much light-gathering capability and thus the ability to see further into the past. Another crucial difference is that it is equipped with cameras and other instruments sensitive to infrared, or “heat,” radiation. The expansion of the universe causes the light that would normally be in visible wavelengths to shift into longer infrared wavelengths normally invisible to human eyes. Engineers had to invent 10 new technologies along the way to make the telescope more sensitive than the Hubble. Over-optimistic schedule projections, occasional development accidents and disorganized cost reporting dragged the timeline out to 2021 and ballooned the overall cost to $10 billion.

The James Webb Space Telescope finishes unfolding: How to watch

<p>NASA is going to launch a mission to what could almost be considered a journey to the centre of the Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US space agency's Psyche mission is a journey to a unique metal-rich asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The spacecraft is scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/researchers-design-flying-saucer-that-can-levitate-on-moon-asteroids-441035" hreflang="en">Researchers design 'flying saucer' that can levitate on moon, asteroids</a></strong></p>

<p>Wall Street research firm Bernstein notes that a big asteroid called 16 Psyche, measuring some 200 km, may contain 17 million billion tones of nickel-iron, enough to satisfy mankind’s current demand for millions of years.</p>

<p>Deep within rocky, terrestrial planets, including Earth, scientists infer the presence of metallic cores, but these lie unreachably far below the planets' rocky mantles and crusts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As we cannot see or measure Earth's core directly, Psyche offers a unique window into the violent history of collisions and accretion that created terrestrial planets.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discover-hidden-passageway-beneath-panama-through-which-wind-from-earths-middle-layer-blows-440199" hreflang="en">Scientists discover hidden passageway beneath Panama through which wind from Earth's middle layer blows</a></strong></p>

<p>The Psyche spacecraft will give us more than a glimpse of our deep past; we could see the beginnings of our technological future.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Instead of traditional rocket fuel, Psyche will gradually build up speed using ion propulsion. Electricity from the space probe’s solar panels will power a new type of thruster, called a Hall thruster, for the first time in deep space.</p>

<p>Psyche will take a swing past Mars for a gravitational push during its 3.5-year cruise to the asteroid, then spend 21 months measuring and mapping, gradually tightening its orbit until it passes just above the surface.</p>

<p>The real value in asteroid mining is for further space travel, and so hydrogen and oxygen reserves are as attractive as any metal.</p>

<p>The energy released when hydrogen and oxygen combine to make water can power rockets. The presence of both elements in compounds found on asteroids offers scope to set up space factories to make fuel for missions to Mars and beyond as well as offering “pit stops” to extend the lives of satellites.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


NASA is going to launch a mission to what could almost be considered a journey to the centre of the Earth. The US space agency's Psyche mission is a journey to a unique metal-rich asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.

NASA is going to launch a mission to what could almost be considered a journey to the centre of the Earth. The US space agency's Psyche mission is a journey to a unique metal-rich asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. Also read | Researchers design 'flying saucer' that can levitate on moon, asteroids Wall Street research firm Bernstein notes that a big asteroid called 16 Psyche, measuring some 200 km, may contain 17 million billion tones of nickel-iron, enough to satisfy mankind’s current demand for millions of years. Deep within rocky, terrestrial planets, including Earth, scientists infer the presence of metallic cores, but these lie unreachably far below the planets' rocky mantles and crusts. As we cannot see or measure Earth's core directly, Psyche offers a unique window into the violent history of collisions and accretion that created terrestrial planets. Also read | Scientists discover hidden passageway beneath Panama through which wind from Earth's middle layer blows The Psyche spacecraft will give us more than a glimpse of our deep past; we could see the beginnings of our technological future. Instead of traditional rocket fuel, Psyche will gradually build up speed using ion propulsion. Electricity from the space probe’s solar panels will power a new type of thruster, called a Hall thruster, for the first time in deep space. Psyche will take a swing past Mars for a gravitational push during its 3.5-year cruise to the asteroid, then spend 21 months measuring and mapping, gradually tightening its orbit until it passes just above the surface. The real value in asteroid mining is for further space travel, and so hydrogen and oxygen reserves are as attractive as any metal. The energy released when hydrogen and oxygen combine to make water can power rockets. The presence of both elements in compounds found on asteroids offers scope to set up space factories to make fuel for missions to Mars and beyond as well as offering “pit stops” to extend the lives of satellites. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA to launch mission to massive, metal-rich asteroid called 'Psyche'

<p>A fish declared extinct in the wild is being successfully reintroduced to its habitat. The Tequila fish, was 'missing' from the wild since 2003. But now, more than 1500 Tequila fish have been released in the wild in Southwest Mexico and their numbers are increasing.</p>

<p>The fish were grown in a joint effort between the UK and Michoacana University in Mexico. The decades-long effort has born fruit now.</p>

<p>The project started in 1998 when scientists at the university received five pairs of fish from Chester Zoo. These fish were carefully kept in university's labs. Over the years, these fish founded a colony. The scientists carefully grew these fish by providing them required nutrition and conditions.</p>

<p>However, it is often seen that animals bred in captivity cannot survive in the wild as there are factors like predators, competition for food, adverse environmental conditions that limit their growth. Hence, 'training' is needed.</p>

<p>When the colony of Tequila fish grew to have 40 pairs in lab, scientists introduced them to an artificial pond for their 'training'. Here, the fish were subjected naturally to factors they did not encounter in the lab. The fish flourished in the artificial pond and the numbers increased to 10,000. This indicated that they were coping well to conditions.</p>

<p>It was then the scientists decided to reintroduce the fish in the wild.</p>

<p>Reintroduction of the Tequila fish can become a model for freshwater species that are currently under threat.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


A fish declared extinct in the wild is being successfully reintroduced to its habitat. The Tequila fish, was 'missing' from the wild since 2003. But now, more than 1500 Tequila fish have been released in the wild in Southwest Mexico and their numbers are increasing.

A fish declared extinct in the wild is being successfully reintroduced to its habitat. The Tequila fish, was 'missing' from the wild since 2003. But now, more than 1500 Tequila fish have been released in the wild in Southwest Mexico and their numbers are increasing. The fish were grown in a joint effort between the UK and Michoacana University in Mexico. The decades-long effort has born fruit now. The project started in 1998 when scientists at the university received five pairs of fish from Chester Zoo. These fish were carefully kept in university's labs. Over the years, these fish founded a colony. The scientists carefully grew these fish by providing them required nutrition and conditions. However, it is often seen that animals bred in captivity cannot survive in the wild as there are factors like predators, competition for food, adverse environmental conditions that limit their growth. Hence, 'training' is needed. When the colony of Tequila fish grew to have 40 pairs in lab, scientists introduced them to an artificial pond for their 'training'. Here, the fish were subjected naturally to factors they did not encounter in the lab. The fish flourished in the artificial pond and the numbers increased to 10,000. This indicated that they were coping well to conditions. It was then the scientists decided to reintroduce the fish in the wild. Reintroduction of the Tequila fish can become a model for freshwater species that are currently under threat.

Researchers design 'flying saucer' that can levitate on moon, asteroids

<p>The National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA) is enlisting help of 24 theologians as part of its efforts to determine how different religions around the world would react to contact with aliens, reported Technotrendz. A reverend is already working with NASA.</p>

<p>Rev Dr Andrew Davison, a British priest and theologist at Cambridge University has a degree in Biochemistry. Next year, he is releasing his book on the subject. In his book he is going to raise questions that ask how will discovery of life affect beliefs of religious people across the world.</p>

<p>Search for alien life has been a matter of fascination for humankind for centuries. As tools of modern science became more and more available, scientists have cast an informed gaze at the universe in search of alien life.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There are several candidates in our solar system itself. Scientists think that Europa, the icy moon of planet Jupiter has liquid oceans under its surface that may support life. Scientists also think that microbes exist in clouds of Venus.</p>

<p>Humanity is soon to get fresh 'eyes' in the sky. James Webb space telescope was launched on December 26. This will be humanity's main space telescope over the ageing Hubble space telescope. We will soon be able to see corners of universe that were unobservable to us before this. Will we find an alien spaceship flying in deep space? Time will soon tell.</p>


The National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA) is enlisting help of 24 theologians as part of its efforts to determine how different religions around the world would react to contact with aliens, reported Technotrendz.

The National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA) is enlisting help of 24 theologians as part of its efforts to determine how different religions around the world would react to contact with aliens, reported Technotrendz. A reverend is already working with NASA. Rev Dr Andrew Davison, a British priest and theologist at Cambridge University has a degree in Biochemistry. Next year, he is releasing his book on the subject. In his book he is going to raise questions that ask how will discovery of life affect beliefs of religious people across the world. Search for alien life has been a matter of fascination for humankind for centuries. As tools of modern science became more and more available, scientists have cast an informed gaze at the universe in search of alien life. There are several candidates in our solar system itself. Scientists think that Europa, the icy moon of planet Jupiter has liquid oceans under its surface that may support life. Scientists also think that microbes exist in clouds of Venus. Humanity is soon to get fresh 'eyes' in the sky. James Webb space telescope was launched on December 26. This will be humanity's main space telescope over the ageing Hubble space telescope. We will soon be able to see corners of universe that were unobservable to us before this. Will we find an alien spaceship flying in deep space? Time will soon tell.

NASA is hiring priests to prepare humans for contact with aliens

The world's most powerful space telescope on Saturday blasted off into orbit, headed to an outpost 1.5 million kilometres (930,000 miles) from Earth. This launch has now opened a new era in astronomy.

James Webb space telescope launched successfully, NASA happy with initial progress

The $10bn James Webb telescope has left Earth on its mission to show the first stars to light up the Universe. Its flight to orbit lasted just under half an hour, with a signal confirming a successful outcome picked up by a ground antenna at Malindi in Kenya.

NASA happy with the successful launch of the $10 billion James Webb telescope

<p>On Christmas, NASA seems to have given a memorable present to the world by successfully launching James Webb Space Telescope from French Guiana. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We have LIFTOFF of the <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAWebb</a> Space Telescope!<br />
<br />
At 7:20am ET (12:20 UTC), the beginning of a new, exciting decade of science climbed to the sky. Webb’s mission to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnfoldTheUniverse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnfoldTheUniverse</a> will change our understanding of space as we know it. <a href="https://t.co/Al8Wi5c0K6">pic.twitter.com/Al8Wi5c0K6</a></p>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1474717083883778057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>The much-awaited launch had witnessed several hiccups in the past. But finally, the revolutionary instrument was launched by an Ariane 5 rocket early on Saturday. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/explainer-what-is-james-webb-space-telescope-that-is-set-to-be-launched-today-439852" hreflang="en">Explainer: What is James Webb Space Telescope that is set to be launched today</a></strong></p>

<p>The powerful $9 billion telescope has been built to explore the farthest points of the universe and get numerous answers. It will mainly view the cosmos in the infrared spectrum. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here is that moment, preserved for posterity! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnfoldTheUniverse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnfoldTheUniverse</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASAWebb?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NASAWebb</a> <a href="https://t.co/p5KpZGVB1C">pic.twitter.com/p5KpZGVB1C</a></p>
— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1474717872878456839?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>The launch, which happened on South America’s northeastern coast, seems to have opened a new era of astronomical exploration. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASAWebb?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NASAWebb</a> is safely in space with its solar array drawing power from the Sun! Its reaction wheels will keep the spacecraft pointed in the right direction so that its sunshield can protect the telescope from radiation and heat: <a href="https://t.co/NZJ7sSJ8fX">https://t.co/NZJ7sSJ8fX</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnfoldTheUniverse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnfoldTheUniverse</a> <a href="https://t.co/s4nfqvKJZD">pic.twitter.com/s4nfqvKJZD</a></p>
— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1474730704940548096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>The lift-off occurred at about 7.30 am EST (1230 GMT) from the European Space Agency's (ESA) launch base. The event was also shown live. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/christmas-at-moon-nasa-celebrates-iconic-earthrise-moment-re-shares-apollo-8s-message-439753" hreflang="en">'Christmas at Moon': NASA celebrates iconic 'Earthrise' moment, re-shares Apollo 8's message</a></strong></p>

<p>After a 26-minute ride into the space, the 14,000-pound instrument is expected to get released from the French-built rocket. It will slowly open up into nearly the size of a tennis court in the coming 13 days as it sails onwards. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASAWebb?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NASAWebb</a> is safely in space with its solar array drawing power from the Sun! Its reaction wheels will keep the spacecraft pointed in the right direction so that its sunshield can protect the telescope from radiation and heat: <a href="https://t.co/NZJ7sSJ8fX">https://t.co/NZJ7sSJ8fX</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnfoldTheUniverse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnfoldTheUniverse</a> <a href="https://t.co/s4nfqvKJZD">pic.twitter.com/s4nfqvKJZD</a></p>
— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1474730704940548096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Moving for around two more weeks in space, the new telescope will reach its destination in solar orbit, which is around one million miles from Earth. The special orbital path of the telescope will ensure it is in constant alignment with Earth as the planet and telescope will move around the sun in sync. &nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


On Christmas, NASA seems to have given a memorable present to the world by successfully launching James Webb Space Telescope from French Guiana. We have LIFTOFF of the @NASAWebb Space Telescope!

On Christmas, NASA seems to have given a memorable present to the world by successfully launching James Webb Space Telescope from French Guiana. We have LIFTOFF of the @NASAWebb Space Telescope! At 7:20am ET (12:20 UTC), the beginning of a new, exciting decade of science climbed to the sky. Webb’s mission to #UnfoldTheUniverse will change our understanding of space as we know it. pic.twitter.com/Al8Wi5c0K6 — NASA (@NASA) December 25, 2021 × The much-awaited launch had witnessed several hiccups in the past. But finally, the revolutionary instrument was launched by an Ariane 5 rocket early on Saturday. Also Read | Explainer: What is James Webb Space Telescope that is set to be launched today The powerful $9 billion telescope has been built to explore the farthest points of the universe and get numerous answers. It will mainly view the cosmos in the infrared spectrum. Here is that moment, preserved for posterity! #UnfoldTheUniverse #NASAWebb pic.twitter.com/p5KpZGVB1C — NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) December 25, 2021 × The launch, which happened on South America’s northeastern coast, seems to have opened a new era of astronomical exploration. #NASAWebb is safely in space with its solar array drawing power from the Sun! Its reaction wheels will keep the spacecraft pointed in the right direction so that its sunshield can protect the telescope from radiation and heat: https://t.co/NZJ7sSJ8fX#UnfoldTheUniverse pic.twitter.com/s4nfqvKJZD — NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) December 25, 2021 × The lift-off occurred at about 7.30 am EST (1230 GMT) from the European Space Agency's (ESA) launch base. The event was also shown live. Also Read | 'Christmas at Moon': NASA celebrates iconic 'Earthrise' moment, re-shares Apollo 8's message After a 26-minute ride into the space, the 14,000-pound instrument is expected to get released from the French-built rocket. It will slowly open up into nearly the size of a tennis court in the coming 13 days as it sails onwards. #NASAWebb is safely in space with its solar array drawing power from the Sun! Its reaction wheels will keep the spacecraft pointed in the right direction so that its sunshield can protect the telescope from radiation and heat: https://t.co/NZJ7sSJ8fX#UnfoldTheUniverse pic.twitter.com/s4nfqvKJZD — NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) December 25, 2021 × Moving for around two more weeks in space, the new telescope will reach its destination in solar orbit, which is around one million miles from Earth. The special orbital path of the telescope will ensure it is in constant alignment with Earth as the planet and telescope will move around the sun in sync. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Finally, revolutionary James Webb Space Telescope scales sky on Christmas

<p>A sense of excitement has engrossed the scientific community as NASA readies to launch the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)—the largest space telescope ever and the most noteworthy after Hubble— which seeks to unveil many secrets of the universe, especially related to the formation of stars and galaxies in the early period after the Big Bang.</p>

<p>The powerful infrared telescope, which is hailed by NASA as the “premiere space-science observatory of the next decade”, is packed inside the cargo bay of an Ariane 5 rocket and poised for blastoff at 12.20 GMT (5:50 pm Indian Standard Time) from the European Space Agency`s (ESA) launch base in French Guiana.</p>

<p>If all goes according to plan, the 14,000-pound instrument will be released from the French-built rocket after a 26-minute ride into space.</p>

<p><strong>What is the James Webb Space Telescope?</strong></p>

<p>The telescope is named after James Edwin Webb—one of the architects of the Apollo Moon programme, and the space agencies of the US, Europe and Canada, who are all partners on the project. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The JWST is a product of an international partnership between NASA, ESA, and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). It is not just the largest but also the most powerful telescope ever to be launched into space.</p>

<p>The ESA is providing the launch service to the telescope as part of the international agreement.</p>

<p>It's a project that has taken 30 years and cost $10 billion to design and build. It is regarded as one of the grand scientific endeavours of the 21st Century.</p>

<p>JWST will also be positioned much deeper into the space, about a million miles from Earth, at a spot known as L2. It is one of the five points, known as Lagrange’s points, in any revolving two-body system like Earth and Sun, where the gravitational forces of the two large bodies cancel each other out.</p>

<p><strong>What is the difference between JSWT and Hubble?</strong></p>

<p>The primary difference between the Hubble and the JWST is the wavelength of light that they are designed to image.</p>

<p>Hubble is sensitive to ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light (200-2,400 nanometers). In contrast, JWST is focused mostly on the infrared spectrum (600-28,000 nanometers), with some limited capability of seeing some red/orange visible light, but not the other colours.</p>

<p>This change in technology will help scientists to dwell more deeply into the past and get a first-hand look at how the universe originated.</p>

<p>Scientists from 44 countries will be able to make use of the JSWT telescope, with proposals including using the infrared capabilities to penetrate the supermassive black holes at the centre of galaxies, including our own.</p>

<p><strong>Where to watch the launch?</strong></p>

<p>NASA will run a live stream on its YouTube channel and on its Twitter and Facebook accounts as well. Moreover, the ESA will also be running its own live stream in French and Spanish languages on its website.</p>


A sense of excitement has engrossed the scientific community as NASA readies to launch the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)—the largest space telescope ever and the most noteworthy after Hubble— which seeks to unveil many secrets of the universe, especially related to the formation of stars and galaxies in the early period after the Big Bang.

A sense of excitement has engrossed the scientific community as NASA readies to launch the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)—the largest space telescope ever and the most noteworthy after Hubble— which seeks to unveil many secrets of the universe, especially related to the formation of stars and galaxies in the early period after the Big Bang. The powerful infrared telescope, which is hailed by NASA as the “premiere space-science observatory of the next decade”, is packed inside the cargo bay of an Ariane 5 rocket and poised for blastoff at 12.20 GMT (5:50 pm Indian Standard Time) from the European Space Agency`s (ESA) launch base in French Guiana. If all goes according to plan, the 14,000-pound instrument will be released from the French-built rocket after a 26-minute ride into space. What is the James Webb Space Telescope? The telescope is named after James Edwin Webb—one of the architects of the Apollo Moon programme, and the space agencies of the US, Europe and Canada, who are all partners on the project. The JWST is a product of an international partnership between NASA, ESA, and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). It is not just the largest but also the most powerful telescope ever to be launched into space. The ESA is providing the launch service to the telescope as part of the international agreement. It's a project that has taken 30 years and cost $10 billion to design and build. It is regarded as one of the grand scientific endeavours of the 21st Century. JWST will also be positioned much deeper into the space, about a million miles from Earth, at a spot known as L2. It is one of the five points, known as Lagrange’s points, in any revolving two-body system like Earth and Sun, where the gravitational forces of the two large bodies cancel each other out. What is the difference between JSWT and Hubble? The primary difference between the Hubble and the JWST is the wavelength of light that they are designed to image. Hubble is sensitive to ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light (200-2,400 nanometers). In contrast, JWST is focused mostly on the infrared spectrum (600-28,000 nanometers), with some limited capability of seeing some red/orange visible light, but not the other colours. This change in technology will help scientists to dwell more deeply into the past and get a first-hand look at how the universe originated. Scientists from 44 countries will be able to make use of the JSWT telescope, with proposals including using the infrared capabilities to penetrate the supermassive black holes at the centre of galaxies, including our own. Where to watch the launch? NASA will run a live stream on its YouTube channel and on its Twitter and Facebook accounts as well. Moreover, the ESA will also be running its own live stream in French and Spanish languages on its website.

Explainer: What is James Webb Space Telescope that is set to be launched today

<p>NASA has shared an iconic image of 'Earthrise' that was snapped on December 24 in 1968, when Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders became the first humans to witness the beautiful scenes of Earth rising above the Moon's barren surface.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apollo 8 was the first mission when a manned spacecraft left Earth orbit and also reached another astronomical object. The crew orbited the Moon without landing and then returned home safely.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a latest Instagram post, NASA re-shared one of the most iconic images of the planet Earth, celebrating fifty-three years of the event.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/dinosaurs-killing-asteroid-caused-prolonged-darkness-on-earth-study-reveals-439636">Dinosaurs-killing asteroid caused prolonged darkness on Earth, study reveals</a></strong></p>

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<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/christmas-present-finally-10-billion-james-webb-space-telescope-reaches-launch-pad-for-lift-off-439688">Christmas present? Finally, $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope reaches launch pad for lift-off</a></strong></p>

<p>On that particular evening, the astronauts held a live broadcast from lunar orbit. They showed pictures of the Earth and Moon as seen from their spacecraft.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 'Earthrise' image was snapped by Anders, who had once told that despite all the training and preparation for an exploration of the moon, the astronauts ended up discovering Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Here the message:</strong></p>

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<p>The mission began on December 21 and after circling the moon 10 times on Christmas Eve, it was time to come home.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Christmas morning, mission control waited for word that Apollo 8's engine initiated. They soon got confirmation when Lovell said, "Roger, please be informed there is a Santa Claus."</p>


NASA has shared an iconic image of 'Earthrise' that was snapped on December 24 in 1968, when Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders became the first humans to witness the beautiful scenes of Earth rising above the Moon's barren surface.

NASA has shared an iconic image of 'Earthrise' that was snapped on December 24 in 1968, when Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders became the first humans to witness the beautiful scenes of Earth rising above the Moon's barren surface. Apollo 8 was the first mission when a manned spacecraft left Earth orbit and also reached another astronomical object. The crew orbited the Moon without landing and then returned home safely. In a latest Instagram post, NASA re-shared one of the most iconic images of the planet Earth, celebrating fifty-three years of the event. ALSO READ | Dinosaurs-killing asteroid caused prolonged darkness on Earth, study reveals View this post on Instagram A post shared by NASA (@nasa) × ALSO READ | Christmas present? Finally, $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope reaches launch pad for lift-off On that particular evening, the astronauts held a live broadcast from lunar orbit. They showed pictures of the Earth and Moon as seen from their spacecraft. The 'Earthrise' image was snapped by Anders, who had once told that despite all the training and preparation for an exploration of the moon, the astronauts ended up discovering Earth. Here the message: × The mission began on December 21 and after circling the moon 10 times on Christmas Eve, it was time to come home. On Christmas morning, mission control waited for word that Apollo 8's engine initiated. They soon got confirmation when Lovell said, "Roger, please be informed there is a Santa Claus."

'Christmas at Moon': NASA celebrates iconic 'Earthrise' moment, re-shares Apollo 8's message

Nasa is all set to launch its biggest telescope into the orbit in a few hours from now. It is also almost a hundred times more powerful than Hubble and will explore the possibilities of life beyond earth.

A new frontier in space exploration

<p>Finally, NASA's next-generation James Webb Space Telescope has reached the launch pad. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The launch of the telescope had witnessed several hiccups in the past. It has taken over two decades to develop it. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Due to launch on Saturday, the $10 billion telescope will blast off from Kourou, French Guiana. The launch has a 32-minute window, which opens at 7.20 am EST (1220 GMT). &nbsp;</p>

<p>It will be put into space on an Ariane 5 rocket, which is being operated by European launch provider Arianespace. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-artemis-1-moon-mission-postponed-439150" hreflang="en">NASA's Artemis 1 Moon mission postponed</a></strong></p>

<p>The launch’s live coverage will be provided on NASA’s website. &nbsp;</p>

<p>“The James Webb Space Telescope and the Ariane 5 rocket it’s riding on are all settled in their final position on Earth,” NASA announced on Twitter. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">✅ Rollout complete!<br />
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The James Webb Space Telescope and the <a href="https://twitter.com/ariane5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ariane5</a> rocket it’s riding on are all settled in their final position on Earth. Next step: launch on Dec. 25 at 7:20 am ET (12:20 UTC) to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnfoldTheUniverse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnfoldTheUniverse</a>: <a href="https://t.co/ip2P4oAxJW">https://t.co/ip2P4oAxJW</a><br />
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📸: NASA/Bill Ingalls <a href="https://t.co/kkk4JDd5tu">pic.twitter.com/kkk4JDd5tu</a></p>
— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1474083585216892939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to the agency, the Ariane 5 rocket topped by the long-awaited space telescope rolled out from Arianespace's final assembly building at about 11 am EST (1600 GMT). The rocket had also arrived by 1 pm EST (1800 GMT). &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-find-170-rogue-planets-439445" hreflang="en">Scientists find 170 'rogue' planets</a></strong></p>

<p>It is considered to be the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>If the rocket is not able to get launched on Saturday, opportunities will continue almost daily till the end of the year. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


Finally, NASA's next-generation James Webb Space Telescope has reached the launch pad. The launch of the telescope had witnessed several hiccups in the past. It has taken over two decades to develop it.

Finally, NASA's next-generation James Webb Space Telescope has reached the launch pad. The launch of the telescope had witnessed several hiccups in the past. It has taken over two decades to develop it. Due to launch on Saturday, the $10 billion telescope will blast off from Kourou, French Guiana. The launch has a 32-minute window, which opens at 7.20 am EST (1220 GMT). It will be put into space on an Ariane 5 rocket, which is being operated by European launch provider Arianespace. Also Read: NASA's Artemis 1 Moon mission postponed The launch’s live coverage will be provided on NASA’s website. “The James Webb Space Telescope and the Ariane 5 rocket it’s riding on are all settled in their final position on Earth,” NASA announced on Twitter. ✅ Rollout complete! The James Webb Space Telescope and the @ariane5 rocket it’s riding on are all settled in their final position on Earth. Next step: launch on Dec. 25 at 7:20 am ET (12:20 UTC) to #UnfoldTheUniverse: https://t.co/ip2P4oAxJW 📸: NASA/Bill Ingalls pic.twitter.com/kkk4JDd5tu — NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) December 23, 2021 × According to the agency, the Ariane 5 rocket topped by the long-awaited space telescope rolled out from Arianespace's final assembly building at about 11 am EST (1600 GMT). The rocket had also arrived by 1 pm EST (1800 GMT). Also Read: Scientists find 170 'rogue' planets It is considered to be the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. If the rocket is not able to get launched on Saturday, opportunities will continue almost daily till the end of the year. (With inputs from agencies)

Christmas present? Finally, $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope reaches launch pad for lift-off

<p>Two explorers, Justin Packshaw and Jamie Facer, have taken up a 3600-km-long trek across Antarctica. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>These bravehearts are walking on foot during a major part of the kitesurf trek amid temperatures falling to -55 degrees Celsius, putting extreme pressure on their bodies and mind. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/study-finds-more-indication-of-life-on-venus-439137" hreflang="en">Study finds more indication of life on Venus</a></strong></p>

<p>These explorers, who are working with NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), are also hauling a 200-kilogram sledge to ensure researchers get ample information for mission to Mars and the Moon.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Explorers <a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Packshaw?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Justin_Packshaw</a> and Jamie Facer-Childs are on a 3600-km kitesurf trek across <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antarctica?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Antarctica</a>. As well as gathering information how the body responds to extremes, they are making unique measurements that will help complement ESA’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CryoSat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CryoSat</a> mission 👉<a href="https://t.co/1QIEJ4RmG4">https://t.co/1QIEJ4RmG4</a> <a href="https://t.co/ahLbnRMKtb">pic.twitter.com/ahLbnRMKtb</a></p>
— ESA (@esa) <a href="https://twitter.com/esa/status/1471473955966013444?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>The 80-day long journey looks to help the researchers understand how the body responds to such extremes, which is present on planets like Mars and take measurements of the icy environment.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Would you kitesurf <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antarctica?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Antarctica</a> for science? <a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_Packshaw?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Justin_Packshaw</a> and Jamie Facer Childs are doing exactly that!<br />
<br />
Follow along their their 80-day ‘Chasing the Light’ expedition to cross Antarctica from coast to coast while gathering scientific data: <a href="https://t.co/e60SKQqNHR">https://t.co/e60SKQqNHR</a> <a href="https://t.co/LaiVZSzyTN">pic.twitter.com/LaiVZSzyTN</a></p>
— ESA EarthObservation (@ESA_EO) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESA_EO/status/1473570998079430656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Over a month ago, the trek began from the Novolazarevskaya research station to travel Antarctica from coast to coast. It is a part of the ‘Chasing the Light’ expedition. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/sway-talks-matterhorn-moves-back-and-forth-every-two-seconds-study-439547" hreflang="en">Sway talks: Matterhorn moves back and forth every two seconds: Study</a></strong></p>

<p>Not just this, these explorers also look to monitor developments undergoing in Antarctica. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Brief 2" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a25c25a9-c66b-426b-bfcb-7c762bf325ec" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Trek2.jpg" /></p>

<p>This comes as climate change has been triggering heavy melting. The measurements, which are being taken, include radiation levels, wind speed or direction at surface level, temperature gradients from surface level and ice conditions. &nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Two explorers, Justin Packshaw and Jamie Facer, have taken up a 3600-km-long trek across Antarctica. These bravehearts are walking on foot during a major part of the kitesurf trek amid temperatures falling to -55 degrees Celsius, putting extreme pressure on their bodies and mind.

Two explorers, Justin Packshaw and Jamie Facer, have taken up a 3600-km-long trek across Antarctica. These bravehearts are walking on foot during a major part of the kitesurf trek amid temperatures falling to -55 degrees Celsius, putting extreme pressure on their bodies and mind. Also Read: Study finds more indication of life on Venus These explorers, who are working with NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), are also hauling a 200-kilogram sledge to ensure researchers get ample information for mission to Mars and the Moon. Explorers @Justin_Packshaw and Jamie Facer-Childs are on a 3600-km kitesurf trek across #Antarctica. As well as gathering information how the body responds to extremes, they are making unique measurements that will help complement ESA’s #CryoSat mission 👉https://t.co/1QIEJ4RmG4 pic.twitter.com/ahLbnRMKtb — ESA (@esa) December 16, 2021 × The 80-day long journey looks to help the researchers understand how the body responds to such extremes, which is present on planets like Mars and take measurements of the icy environment. Would you kitesurf #Antarctica for science? @Justin_Packshaw and Jamie Facer Childs are doing exactly that! Follow along their their 80-day ‘Chasing the Light’ expedition to cross Antarctica from coast to coast while gathering scientific data: https://t.co/e60SKQqNHR pic.twitter.com/LaiVZSzyTN — ESA EarthObservation (@ESA_EO) December 22, 2021 × Over a month ago, the trek began from the Novolazarevskaya research station to travel Antarctica from coast to coast. It is a part of the ‘Chasing the Light’ expedition. Also Read | Sway talks: Matterhorn moves back and forth every two seconds: Study Not just this, these explorers also look to monitor developments undergoing in Antarctica. This comes as climate change has been triggering heavy melting. The measurements, which are being taken, include radiation levels, wind speed or direction at surface level, temperature gradients from surface level and ice conditions. (With inputs from agencies)

Two explorers push limits in 3600-km-long trek across Antarctica, but why?

<p>US space agency NASA has postponed its uncrewed Artemis 1 Moon mission. The mission has been delayed to March next year. The postponement has come about due to issue with the engine.</p>

<p>Artemis I is an uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft around the Moon. It was initially slated for launch in February 2022 before missions with astronauts.</p>

<p>NASA is now targeting a launch in March or April 2022, the space agency said in a statement.</p>

<p>During a recent core stage power test, engineers identified an issue with one of the RS-25 engine flight controllers.</p>

<p>The flight controller works as the "brain" for each RS-25 engine, communicating with the SLS rocket to provide precision control of the engine as well as internal health diagnostics. Each controller is equipped with two channels so that there is a back-up, should an issue arise with one of the channels during launch or ascent. In the recent testing, channel B of the controller on engine four failed to power up consistently.</p>

<p>"After performing a series of inspections and troubleshooting, engineers determined the best course of action is to replace the engine controller, returning the rocket to full functionality and redundancy while continuing to investigate and identify a root cause," NASA officials said in the statement.</p>

<p>"NASA is developing a plan and updated schedule to replace the engine controller while continuing integrated testing and reviewing launch opportunities in March and April."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


US space agency NASA has postponed its uncrewed Artemis 1 Moon mission. The mission has been delayed to March next year. The postponement has come about due to issue with the engine.

US space agency NASA has postponed its uncrewed Artemis 1 Moon mission. The mission has been delayed to March next year. The postponement has come about due to issue with the engine. Artemis I is an uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft around the Moon. It was initially slated for launch in February 2022 before missions with astronauts. NASA is now targeting a launch in March or April 2022, the space agency said in a statement. During a recent core stage power test, engineers identified an issue with one of the RS-25 engine flight controllers. The flight controller works as the "brain" for each RS-25 engine, communicating with the SLS rocket to provide precision control of the engine as well as internal health diagnostics. Each controller is equipped with two channels so that there is a back-up, should an issue arise with one of the channels during launch or ascent. In the recent testing, channel B of the controller on engine four failed to power up consistently. "After performing a series of inspections and troubleshooting, engineers determined the best course of action is to replace the engine controller, returning the rocket to full functionality and redundancy while continuing to investigate and identify a root cause," NASA officials said in the statement. "NASA is developing a plan and updated schedule to replace the engine controller while continuing integrated testing and reviewing launch opportunities in March and April." (With inputs from agencies)

NASA's Artemis 1 Moon mission postponed

The James Webb space telescope, the successor of NASA's Hubble telescope is all set to take the space flight. It is the most expensive and powerful space observatory.

NASA's Hubble telescope successor 'The James Webb Space Telescope' ready to take flight

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope will usher in a new era in astronomy as it gathers information on the universe's earliest stages, star formation, and whether planets beyond our solar system may be suitable for life.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to take flight soon

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