<p>In a rare health-related pause, NASA has delayed a SpaceX rocket launch of four astronauts to the international space station (ISS). &nbsp;</p>

<p>This is the second postponement of the mission in a week. The agency cited an unspecified medical issue with one of the crew member as the reason behind this decision. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/during-halloween-weekend-solar-flare-helps-northern-lights-become-visible-to-us-425602" hreflang="en">During Halloween weekend, solar flare helps northern lights become visible to US</a></strong></p>

<p>On Monday, the space agency described it as a “minor medical issue” that was “not a medical emergency and not related to Covid”. It declined to elaborate on the nature of the issue or say which astronaut was involved. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Originally set for Sunday, the launch has been postponed until Wednesday because of unsuitable weather conditions and then had been rescheduled for Saturday night, said NASA. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/opinion-would-russia-or-china-help-us-if-we-were-invaded-by-space-aliens-425862" hreflang="en">Opinion: Would Russia or China help us if we were invaded by space aliens?</a></strong></p>

<p>The SpaceX-built vehicle is set to fly this weekend. It consists of a Crew Dragon capsule and a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket. It is now set for liftoff at 11.36 pm on Saturday from NASA’s Kennedy space centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida. &nbsp;</p>

<p>If everything goes smoothly, the three US astronauts and their European Space Agency (ESA) crewmate will reach 22 hours later and dock with the space station 400km (250 miles) above the Earth to begin a six-month science mission. &nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


In a rare health-related pause, NASA has delayed a SpaceX rocket launch of four astronauts to the international space station (ISS). This is the second postponement of the mission in a week.

In a rare health-related pause, NASA has delayed a SpaceX rocket launch of four astronauts to the international space station (ISS). This is the second postponement of the mission in a week. The agency cited an unspecified medical issue with one of the crew member as the reason behind this decision. Also Read: During Halloween weekend, solar flare helps northern lights become visible to US On Monday, the space agency described it as a “minor medical issue” that was “not a medical emergency and not related to Covid”. It declined to elaborate on the nature of the issue or say which astronaut was involved. Originally set for Sunday, the launch has been postponed until Wednesday because of unsuitable weather conditions and then had been rescheduled for Saturday night, said NASA. Also Read: Opinion: Would Russia or China help us if we were invaded by space aliens? The SpaceX-built vehicle is set to fly this weekend. It consists of a Crew Dragon capsule and a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket. It is now set for liftoff at 11.36 pm on Saturday from NASA’s Kennedy space centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida. If everything goes smoothly, the three US astronauts and their European Space Agency (ESA) crewmate will reach 22 hours later and dock with the space station 400km (250 miles) above the Earth to begin a six-month science mission. (With inputs from agencies)

After ‘medical issue’ with astronaut, NASA delays SpaceX rocket launch to ISS

<p>The plentiful but enigmatic material that does not emit light or energy is&nbsp;called&nbsp;dark matter.</p>

<p>Even though it is invisible, it&nbsp;is considered as a fundamental part of all galaxies including our own Milky Way.</p>

<p>It is thought to comprise about a quarter of the universe’s combined mass and energy and about 80 percent of its total mass but has not been directly observed.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-nasa-discovers-first-planet-outside-milky-way-galaxy-424278/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Scientists believe it exists based on the gravitational effects it seems to exert on galaxies.</p>

<p>The universe’s ordinary matter includes things like gas, stars, black holes and planets, not to mention shoes, umbrellas, platypuses and whatever else you might see on Earth.</p>

<p><strong>Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-a-blast-the-rush-of-amateur-astronauts-420637" hreflang="en">What a blast: The rush of amateur astronauts</a></strong></p>

<p>Dark matter may have played a key role in forming the earliest stars, according to researchers who suggest that the mysterious and invisible material may also have been responsible for creating black holes.</p>

<p>As the universe initially was only helium and hydrogen, dark matter was critical in providing the gravitational force to pull these elements together to form stars. Now that there are other objects in the galaxy, dark matter is not needed to form stars.</p>

<p><strong>Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/want-to-become-a-space-tourist-here-is-all-you-need-to-do-399437" hreflang="en">Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do</a></strong></p>

<p>When the light from distant sources like faraway galaxies travels through matter such as another galaxy or a cluster of them, the light is deflected and bends - a phenomenon called ''gravitational lensing.''</p>

<p>The new observations have shown that gravitational lensing effects produced by galaxies residing inside the huge galaxy clusters were far stronger than the current dark matter theory envisioned, suggesting an unexpectedly large concentration of dark matter in these galaxies.</p>

<p>Like dark matter, cosmologists have little idea what dark energy is. They estimate that it accounts for 72 per cent of the universe.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/who-is-winning-space-tourism-race-between-bezos-branson-and-musk-396420" hreflang="en">Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk?</a></strong></p>

<p>An explanation for dark energy is that it is a property of space. Albert Einstein was the first person to realise that empty space is not nothing. Space has amazing properties, many of which are just beginning to be understood.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A property that Einstein discovered is that it is possible for more space to come into existence.</p>

<p>As per the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of a very distant supernovae showed that, a long time ago, the universe was actually expanding more slowly than it is today.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So, the expansion of the universe has not been slowing due to gravity, as everyone thought, it has been accelerating.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-lucy-spacecraft-facing-technical-problems-solar-panels-get-jammed-424985" hreflang="en">NASA's Lucy spacecraft facing technical problems, solar panels get jammed</a></strong></p>

<p>Most astronomers believe dark energy&nbsp;is a form of material that has an inverse gravity, repelling matter that comes close to it. This, scientists theorise, is driving the expansion of the universe, pushing stars, planets, and galaxies farther and farther apart.</p>

<p>Despite both components being visible, we know a lot more about dark matter since its existence was suggested as early as the 1920s, while dark energy wasn't discovered until 1998.</p>

<p>According to a study conducted by Cambridge University, an experiment to detect dark matter may instead have shown the presence of dark energy.</p>

<p>It conducted an underground, large-scale experiment INFN Laboritori Nazionalli del Gran Sasso in Italy and called it XENON1T.</p>

<p>The team constructed a physical model, which used a screening mechanism known as chamelon screening, to show that dark energy particles produced in the Sun's strong electromagnetic fields could explain the signal seen in the XENON1T.</p>

<p>Similarly, another project called PandaX-xT at China Jinping Underground Laboratory could help directly detect dark energy within the next decade.</p>


The plentiful but enigmatic material that does not emit light or energy is called dark matter. Even though it is invisible, it is considered as a fundamental part of all galaxies including our own Milky Way.

The plentiful but enigmatic material that does not emit light or energy is called dark matter. Even though it is invisible, it is considered as a fundamental part of all galaxies including our own Milky Way. It is thought to comprise about a quarter of the universe’s combined mass and energy and about 80 percent of its total mass but has not been directly observed. Scientists believe it exists based on the gravitational effects it seems to exert on galaxies. The universe’s ordinary matter includes things like gas, stars, black holes and planets, not to mention shoes, umbrellas, platypuses and whatever else you might see on Earth. Also see | What a blast: The rush of amateur astronauts Dark matter may have played a key role in forming the earliest stars, according to researchers who suggest that the mysterious and invisible material may also have been responsible for creating black holes. As the universe initially was only helium and hydrogen, dark matter was critical in providing the gravitational force to pull these elements together to form stars. Now that there are other objects in the galaxy, dark matter is not needed to form stars. Also see | Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do When the light from distant sources like faraway galaxies travels through matter such as another galaxy or a cluster of them, the light is deflected and bends - a phenomenon called ''gravitational lensing.'' The new observations have shown that gravitational lensing effects produced by galaxies residing inside the huge galaxy clusters were far stronger than the current dark matter theory envisioned, suggesting an unexpectedly large concentration of dark matter in these galaxies. Like dark matter, cosmologists have little idea what dark energy is. They estimate that it accounts for 72 per cent of the universe. Also see | Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk? An explanation for dark energy is that it is a property of space. Albert Einstein was the first person to realise that empty space is not nothing. Space has amazing properties, many of which are just beginning to be understood. A property that Einstein discovered is that it is possible for more space to come into existence. As per the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of a very distant supernovae showed that, a long time ago, the universe was actually expanding more slowly than it is today. So, the expansion of the universe has not been slowing due to gravity, as everyone thought, it has been accelerating. Also read | NASA's Lucy spacecraft facing technical problems, solar panels get jammed Most astronomers believe dark energy is a form of material that has an inverse gravity, repelling matter that comes close to it. This, scientists theorise, is driving the expansion of the universe, pushing stars, planets, and galaxies farther and farther apart. Despite both components being visible, we know a lot more about dark matter since its existence was suggested as early as the 1920s, while dark energy wasn't discovered until 1998. According to a study conducted by Cambridge University, an experiment to detect dark matter may instead have shown the presence of dark energy. It conducted an underground, large-scale experiment INFN Laboritori Nazionalli del Gran Sasso in Italy and called it XENON1T. The team constructed a physical model, which used a screening mechanism known as chamelon screening, to show that dark energy particles produced in the Sun's strong electromagnetic fields could explain the signal seen in the XENON1T. Similarly, another project called PandaX-xT at China Jinping Underground Laboratory could help directly detect dark energy within the next decade.

Why is mysterious dark energy leading to expansion of the universe?

<p>One of the circular solar panels of NASA's&nbsp;space probe, dubbed&nbsp;Lucy&nbsp;and packed inside a special cargo capsule, has gotten jammed.</p>

<p>The US space agency has said that the panels are being held by a lanyard and are working below 5 to 25 per cent of its total capacity.</p>

<p>According to Harold Levison, the mission’s lead scientist, ''It’s too early to determine longer-range implications to the entire mission.''</p>

<p>''Our team is working this very diligently and carefully to find a workable solution.''</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mysterious-radio-signals-from-proxima-centauri-came-due-to-interference-on-earth-424845" hreflang="en">Mysterious radio signals from Proxima Centauri came due to interference on earth</a></strong></p>

<p>The first-of-its kind mission aims to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, two large clusters of space rocks that scientists believe are remnants of primordial material that formed the solar system's outer planets.</p>

<p>The problem had started after the liftoff of the spacecraft which is 24 feet in diametre. It is essential for both panels to work properly to keep the spacecraft healthy and functioning.</p>

<p>Scientists hope Lucy's close-up fly-by of seven Trojans will yield new clues to how the solar system's planets came to be formed some 4.5 billion years ago and what shaped their present configuration.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/planet-outside-milky-way-galaxy-this-unique-discovery-is-baffling-scientists-424136" hreflang="en">Planet outside Milky Way galaxy: This unique discovery is baffling scientists</a></strong></p>

<p>Believed to be rich in carbon compounds, the asteroids may even provide new insights into the origin of organic materials and life on Earth, NASA said.</p>

<p>No other single science mission has been designed to visit as many different objects independently orbiting the sun in the history of space exploration, it added.</p>

<p>The probe will use rocket thrusters to maneuver in space and two rounded solar arrays, each the width of a school bus, to recharge batteries that will power the instruments contained in the much smaller central body of the spacecraft.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


One of the circular solar panels of NASA's space probe, dubbed Lucy and packed inside a special cargo capsule, has gotten jammed. The US space agency has said that the panels are being held by a lanyard and are working below 5 to 25 per cent of its total capacity.

One of the circular solar panels of NASA's space probe, dubbed Lucy and packed inside a special cargo capsule, has gotten jammed. The US space agency has said that the panels are being held by a lanyard and are working below 5 to 25 per cent of its total capacity. According to Harold Levison, the mission’s lead scientist, ''It’s too early to determine longer-range implications to the entire mission.'' ''Our team is working this very diligently and carefully to find a workable solution.'' Also read | Mysterious radio signals from Proxima Centauri came due to interference on earth The first-of-its kind mission aims to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, two large clusters of space rocks that scientists believe are remnants of primordial material that formed the solar system's outer planets. The problem had started after the liftoff of the spacecraft which is 24 feet in diametre. It is essential for both panels to work properly to keep the spacecraft healthy and functioning. Scientists hope Lucy's close-up fly-by of seven Trojans will yield new clues to how the solar system's planets came to be formed some 4.5 billion years ago and what shaped their present configuration. Also read | Planet outside Milky Way galaxy: This unique discovery is baffling scientists Believed to be rich in carbon compounds, the asteroids may even provide new insights into the origin of organic materials and life on Earth, NASA said. No other single science mission has been designed to visit as many different objects independently orbiting the sun in the history of space exploration, it added. The probe will use rocket thrusters to maneuver in space and two rounded solar arrays, each the width of a school bus, to recharge batteries that will power the instruments contained in the much smaller central body of the spacecraft.

NASA's Lucy spacecraft facing technical problems, solar panels get jammed

<p>Do we search for alien life to kill the feeling of loneliness or to search for a new vista of scientific research? The question is complex. Whatever the reason may be, we are keen to see if there's is anyone out there in wide expanse of the space besides us. Till date we have had predictions but not confirmation.</p>

<p>But NASA chief is remarkably open to the possibility of life existing in some corner of space.</p>

<p>Bill Nelson, who was sworn in as administrator of NASA in May was speaking during University of Virginia's Center for Politics.</p>

<p>“My personal opinion is that the universe is so big, and now, there are even theories that there might be other universes. If that’s the case, who am I to say that planet Earth is the only location of a life form that is civilized and organized like ours?” Nelson told Larry Sabato, a professor of politics at UVA. He continued: “Are there other planet Earths out there? I certainly think so, because the universe is so big.”</p>

<p>Nelson is a Congressman and even went to space himself aboard Columbia shuttle in 1986.</p>

<p>Although he was open about possibility of life in space and even termed it as NASA's mission. He was also mindful of the fact that along with searching for intelligent life we should also be alert about damage we are causing to our own planet.</p>

<p>“I’ll tell you what that makes me think. I’d better be a better steward of what we have, because we’re messing it up, and we’re messing it up just the way we’re treating each other,” he said. “So I know what my mission is, to be a better steward of this planet and be a better citizen of planet Earth.”</p>


Do we search for alien life to kill the feeling of loneliness or to search for a new vista of scientific research? The question is complex. Whatever the reason may be, we are keen to see if there's is anyone out there in wide expanse of the space besides us.

Do we search for alien life to kill the feeling of loneliness or to search for a new vista of scientific research? The question is complex. Whatever the reason may be, we are keen to see if there's is anyone out there in wide expanse of the space besides us. Till date we have had predictions but not confirmation. But NASA chief is remarkably open to the possibility of life existing in some corner of space. Bill Nelson, who was sworn in as administrator of NASA in May was speaking during University of Virginia's Center for Politics. “My personal opinion is that the universe is so big, and now, there are even theories that there might be other universes. If that’s the case, who am I to say that planet Earth is the only location of a life form that is civilized and organized like ours?” Nelson told Larry Sabato, a professor of politics at UVA. He continued: “Are there other planet Earths out there? I certainly think so, because the universe is so big.” Nelson is a Congressman and even went to space himself aboard Columbia shuttle in 1986. Although he was open about possibility of life in space and even termed it as NASA's mission. He was also mindful of the fact that along with searching for intelligent life we should also be alert about damage we are causing to our own planet. “I’ll tell you what that makes me think. I’d better be a better steward of what we have, because we’re messing it up, and we’re messing it up just the way we’re treating each other,” he said. “So I know what my mission is, to be a better steward of this planet and be a better citizen of planet Earth.”

Life probably exists elsewhere in universe too, says NASA chief

NASA has discovered the first possible planet outside the Milky Way Galaxy. Located in the 'Whirlpool' Galaxy, the new planet is 28 million light-years away from earth. How was it discovered? Palki Sharma gets you the details.

Gravitas: NASA discovers first planet outside Milky Way Galaxy

<p>A new discovery made by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory is baffling astronomers.</p>

<p>Potentially representing what would be the first planet seen to transit a star outside of the Milky Way, scientists have found evidence for a possible planet candidate in the M51 ("Whirlpool") galaxy.</p>

<p>It is located about 28 million light-years away from Earth. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).</p>

<p>The study, led by&nbsp;Rosanne Di Stefano from the&nbsp;Centre&nbsp;for Astrophysics,&nbsp;was published today in Nature Astronomy.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/blue-origin-owner-jeff-bezos-unveils-plan-to-build-commercial-space-station-424048" hreflang="en">Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos unveils plan to build commercial space station</a></strong></p>

<p>''We are trying to open up a whole new arena for finding other worlds by searching for planet candidates at X-ray wavelengths, a strategy that makes it possible to discover them in other galaxies, said&nbsp;Di Stefano.</p>

<p>Astronomers used the transit technique to detect a dimming of X-rays from an "X-ray binary" which they believe is a planet passing in front of the neutron star or black hole.</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-9">Stars burst to life within clouds of interstellar gas and dust scattered throughout galaxies.</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-9">Leftover material spinning around a new star then coalesces into planets, and circumplanetary disks surrounding some planets similarly yield moons.</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-9"><strong>Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/want-to-become-a-space-tourist-here-is-all-you-need-to-do-399437" hreflang="en">Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do</a></strong></p>

<p>More than 4,400 planets have been discovered outside our solar system, called exoplanets.</p>

<p>Scientists have discovered exoplanets using transits with optical light telescopes, which detect the range of light humans can see with their eyes and more.</p>

<p>This includes both ground-based telescopes and space-based ones like NASA's Kepler mission.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/oxygen-sucking-asteroids-could-have-permanently-altered-earths-atmosphere-422864" hreflang="en">Oxygen sucking asteroids could have permanently altered Earth's atmosphere</a></strong></p>

<p>These optical light transit detections require very high levels of sensitivity because the planet is much smaller than the star it passes in front of, and, therefore, only a tiny fraction of the light is blocked.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA expects to pinpoint thousands more previously unknown worlds, perhaps hundreds of them Earth-sized or ''super-Earth''&nbsp;sized which will&nbsp;not be any larger than or twice as big as our home planet.</p>

<p>Scientists are eager to learn more about how they are born as cold gas and dust consolidate in these disks surrounding new stars.</p>

<p>Those are believed the most likely to feature rocky surfaces or oceans and are thus considered the best candidates for life to evolve.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


A new discovery made by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory is baffling astronomers. Potentially representing what would be the first planet seen to transit a star outside of the Milky Way, scientists have found evidence for a possible planet candidate in the M51 ("Whirlpool") galaxy.

A new discovery made by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory is baffling astronomers. Potentially representing what would be the first planet seen to transit a star outside of the Milky Way, scientists have found evidence for a possible planet candidate in the M51 ("Whirlpool") galaxy. It is located about 28 million light-years away from Earth. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km). The study, led by Rosanne Di Stefano from the Centre for Astrophysics, was published today in Nature Astronomy. Also read | Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos unveils plan to build commercial space station ''We are trying to open up a whole new arena for finding other worlds by searching for planet candidates at X-ray wavelengths, a strategy that makes it possible to discover them in other galaxies, said Di Stefano. Astronomers used the transit technique to detect a dimming of X-rays from an "X-ray binary" which they believe is a planet passing in front of the neutron star or black hole. Stars burst to life within clouds of interstellar gas and dust scattered throughout galaxies. Leftover material spinning around a new star then coalesces into planets, and circumplanetary disks surrounding some planets similarly yield moons. Also see | Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do More than 4,400 planets have been discovered outside our solar system, called exoplanets. Scientists have discovered exoplanets using transits with optical light telescopes, which detect the range of light humans can see with their eyes and more. This includes both ground-based telescopes and space-based ones like NASA's Kepler mission. Also read | Oxygen sucking asteroids could have permanently altered Earth's atmosphere These optical light transit detections require very high levels of sensitivity because the planet is much smaller than the star it passes in front of, and, therefore, only a tiny fraction of the light is blocked. NASA expects to pinpoint thousands more previously unknown worlds, perhaps hundreds of them Earth-sized or ''super-Earth'' sized which will not be any larger than or twice as big as our home planet. Scientists are eager to learn more about how they are born as cold gas and dust consolidate in these disks surrounding new stars. Those are believed the most likely to feature rocky surfaces or oceans and are thus considered the best candidates for life to evolve.

Planet outside Milky Way galaxy: This unique discovery is baffling scientists

<p>Nasa has announced plans to launch an uncrewed flight around the Moon in February 2022 as the US space agency. It said that it is in the final phase of testing to send its Orion capsule on an orbit around the Moon on its Space Launch System rocket.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Our <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAArtemis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAArtemis</a> I mega-Moon rocket is targeted for liftoff in February 2022.<br />
<br />
Here are the small steps in store before the next giant leap: <a href="https://t.co/pTbcWXdFF7">https://t.co/pTbcWXdFF7</a> <a href="https://t.co/W6GLXufmY5">pic.twitter.com/W6GLXufmY5</a></p>
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<p>NASA said that the Artemis 1 mission will “pave the way for a future flight test with the crew” before “more complex missions with astronauts on and around the Moon”.</p>

<p>“Artemis 1 will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human existence to the Moon and beyond prior to the first flight with crew on Artemis 2,” it said.</p>

<p>The space agency will be carrying out a series of tests until February. This will include the interface and the communication systems, and a dress rehearsal several weeks before the launch.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-lucy-spacecraft-faces-issues-with-solar-panel-422107"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;NASA's Lucy spacecraft faces issues with solar panel</strong></a></p>

<p>It also said that it will set a date for the launch if the dress rehearsal is successful.</p>

<p>This comes in after NASA launched spacecraft Lucy, which lifted off on October 16 to explore distant asteroids has faced issues with one of its solar panels.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lucy will explore the Trojan asteroids with a suite of remote sensing instruments. Additionally, the navigation cameras will be used to determine the shapes of the Trojan asteroids.</p>

<p>Jupiter`s Trojan Asteroids are small bodies that are remnants of our early solar system, now trapped in stable orbits associated with, but not close to, the giant planet Jupiter.</p>

<p>These primitive bodies hold vital clues to deciphering the history of the solar system.</p>


Nasa has announced plans to launch an uncrewed flight around the Moon in February 2022 as the US space agency. It said that it is in the final phase of testing to send its Orion capsule on an orbit around the Moon on its Space Launch System rocket.

Nasa has announced plans to launch an uncrewed flight around the Moon in February 2022 as the US space agency. It said that it is in the final phase of testing to send its Orion capsule on an orbit around the Moon on its Space Launch System rocket. Our @NASAArtemis I mega-Moon rocket is targeted for liftoff in February 2022. Here are the small steps in store before the next giant leap: https://t.co/pTbcWXdFF7 pic.twitter.com/W6GLXufmY5 — NASA (@NASA) October 23, 2021 × NASA said that the Artemis 1 mission will “pave the way for a future flight test with the crew” before “more complex missions with astronauts on and around the Moon”. “Artemis 1 will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human existence to the Moon and beyond prior to the first flight with crew on Artemis 2,” it said. The space agency will be carrying out a series of tests until February. This will include the interface and the communication systems, and a dress rehearsal several weeks before the launch. Also read | NASA's Lucy spacecraft faces issues with solar panel It also said that it will set a date for the launch if the dress rehearsal is successful. This comes in after NASA launched spacecraft Lucy, which lifted off on October 16 to explore distant asteroids has faced issues with one of its solar panels. Lucy will explore the Trojan asteroids with a suite of remote sensing instruments. Additionally, the navigation cameras will be used to determine the shapes of the Trojan asteroids. Jupiter`s Trojan Asteroids are small bodies that are remnants of our early solar system, now trapped in stable orbits associated with, but not close to, the giant planet Jupiter. These primitive bodies hold vital clues to deciphering the history of the solar system.

NASA announces plan to launch uncrewed flight around the Moon in February 2022

NASA released its first digital, interactive graphic novel Saturday to commemorate National Comic Book Day. "First Woman: NASA’s Promise for Humanity" envisions the story of Callie Rodriguez, the first woman to explore the Moon.

NASA wants to send a woman on Moon by 2024, Elon Musk sparks new race with his Mars mission

<p>Asteroids may be small as compared to Earth, but their destructive power is huge due to momentum imparted to them by their speed. An asteroid struck Earth millions of years ago and ended the reign of dinosaurs. Such a rogue asteroid will very much be capable of ending human civilisation as we know it. Planetary defence hence is an important aspect of our space studies.</p>

<p>Humankind is taking first steps in this direction. NASA's asteroid deflecting spacecraft has begun final preparations before its lift-off. The spacecraft will lift-off in November this year. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will take it in space.</p>

<p>The spacecraft is now at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. It was transported there on October 2.</p>

<p>"The spacecraft will go through a series of final tests and checks, as well as fueling, in the next few weeks as the team prepares for DART’s scheduled launch," NASA said.</p>

<p>DART is an acronym for Double Asteroid Redirection Test.</p>

<p>"DART will be the world’s first mission to test planetary defense techniques, demonstrating one mitigation method of asteroid deflection, called kinetic impact. DART will impact the small asteroid moonlet Dimorphos, which orbits a larger companion, Didymos, in a binary asteroid system to change its orbital period. Although neither asteroid poses a threat to Earth, the collision with Dimorphos enables researchers to demonstrate the deflection technique along with several new technologies, and collect important data to enhance our modeling and predictive capabilities for asteroid deflection. Those enhancements will help us better prepare should an asteroid ever be discovered as a threat to Earth," NASA said on its website<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Asteroids may be small as compared to Earth, but their destructive power is huge due to momentum imparted to them by their speed. An asteroid struck Earth millions of years ago and ended the reign of dinosaurs.

Asteroids may be small as compared to Earth, but their destructive power is huge due to momentum imparted to them by their speed. An asteroid struck Earth millions of years ago and ended the reign of dinosaurs. Such a rogue asteroid will very much be capable of ending human civilisation as we know it. Planetary defence hence is an important aspect of our space studies. Humankind is taking first steps in this direction. NASA's asteroid deflecting spacecraft has begun final preparations before its lift-off. The spacecraft will lift-off in November this year. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will take it in space. The spacecraft is now at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. It was transported there on October 2. "The spacecraft will go through a series of final tests and checks, as well as fueling, in the next few weeks as the team prepares for DART’s scheduled launch," NASA said. DART is an acronym for Double Asteroid Redirection Test. "DART will be the world’s first mission to test planetary defense techniques, demonstrating one mitigation method of asteroid deflection, called kinetic impact. DART will impact the small asteroid moonlet Dimorphos, which orbits a larger companion, Didymos, in a binary asteroid system to change its orbital period. Although neither asteroid poses a threat to Earth, the collision with Dimorphos enables researchers to demonstrate the deflection technique along with several new technologies, and collect important data to enhance our modeling and predictive capabilities for asteroid deflection. Those enhancements will help us better prepare should an asteroid ever be discovered as a threat to Earth," NASA said on its website

Asteroid-deflecting NASA spacecraft begins final preparations

<p>NASA's newly launched spacecraft Lucy, which lifted off on October 16 to explore distant asteroids has faced issues with one of its solar panels.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Sunday, NASA said that one of Lucy's 24-foot-wide solar panels may not be working well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the 12-year asteroid mission is safe and healthy, one of the two solar array is not be fully latched, NASA said in a statement.</p>

<p>"NASA`s #LucyMission is safe &amp; stable. The two solar arrays have deployed, but one may not be fully latched. The team is analysing data to determine next steps," Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at the agency`s Headquarters in Washington, DC, wrote on Twitter.</p>

<p>NASA said that the team was analysing the problem and will decide on next steps in coming days.</p>

<p>"Lucy spacecraft systems show the spacecraft is operating well and is stable," NASA added in a blogpost.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, it said all other system is working well and both of the solar arrays are producing power and charging the battery .</p>

<p>"All other subsystems are normal. In the current spacecraft attitude, Lucy can continue to operate with no threat to its health and safety. The team is analysing spacecraft data to understand the situation and determine next steps to achieve full deployment of the solar array," the blogpost said.</p>

<p>Lucy`s solar panels are a crucial part of the spacecraft`s ambitious mission to get scientists their first-ever up-close look at asteroids that orbit in the same path as Jupiter, called the Trojans.</p>

<p>Lucy will explore the Trojan asteroids with a suite of remote sensing instruments. Additionally, the navigation cameras will be used to determine the shapes of the Trojan asteroids.</p>

<p>Jupiter`s Trojan Asteroids are small bodies that are remnants of our early solar system, now trapped in stable orbits associated with, but not close to, the giant planet Jupiter.</p>

<p>These primitive bodies hold vital clues to deciphering the history of the solar system.</p>


NASA's newly launched spacecraft Lucy, which lifted off on October 16 to explore distant asteroids has faced issues with one of its solar panels. On Sunday, NASA said that one of Lucy's 24-foot-wide solar panels may not be working well.

NASA's newly launched spacecraft Lucy, which lifted off on October 16 to explore distant asteroids has faced issues with one of its solar panels. On Sunday, NASA said that one of Lucy's 24-foot-wide solar panels may not be working well. While the 12-year asteroid mission is safe and healthy, one of the two solar array is not be fully latched, NASA said in a statement. "NASA`s #LucyMission is safe & stable. The two solar arrays have deployed, but one may not be fully latched. The team is analysing data to determine next steps," Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at the agency`s Headquarters in Washington, DC, wrote on Twitter. NASA said that the team was analysing the problem and will decide on next steps in coming days. "Lucy spacecraft systems show the spacecraft is operating well and is stable," NASA added in a blogpost. Meanwhile, it said all other system is working well and both of the solar arrays are producing power and charging the battery . "All other subsystems are normal. In the current spacecraft attitude, Lucy can continue to operate with no threat to its health and safety. The team is analysing spacecraft data to understand the situation and determine next steps to achieve full deployment of the solar array," the blogpost said. Lucy`s solar panels are a crucial part of the spacecraft`s ambitious mission to get scientists their first-ever up-close look at asteroids that orbit in the same path as Jupiter, called the Trojans. Lucy will explore the Trojan asteroids with a suite of remote sensing instruments. Additionally, the navigation cameras will be used to determine the shapes of the Trojan asteroids. Jupiter`s Trojan Asteroids are small bodies that are remnants of our early solar system, now trapped in stable orbits associated with, but not close to, the giant planet Jupiter. These primitive bodies hold vital clues to deciphering the history of the solar system.

NASA's Lucy spacecraft faces issues with solar panel

<p>One day, astronomers may spot an asteroid months away from a cataclysmic rendezvous with Earth. Our only chance of survival at such a late stage would be to try to use a nuclear explosive to obliterate it.</p>

<p>But would it work?</p>

<p>Unlike some melodramatic Hollywood blockbusters of the 1990s, real-life scientists are largely unconcerned by any planet-sterilizing behemoths. The orbits of almost every asteroid two-thirds of a mile across or larger have been precisely mapped out. “We know they’re not going to be a threat anytime soon,” said Megan Bruck Syal, a planetary defence researcher at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/eight-massive-asteroids-bigger-than-pyramids-to-approach-earth-in-october-november-420486">Eight massive asteroids, bigger than pyramids, to approach Earth in October-November</a></strong></p>

<p>Instead, their focus is on relatively small asteroids, those about the size of football stadiums, notable for their abundance as well as their ability to evade asteroid-hunting observatories. “Those are the ones that we tend to worry more about because they could come out of nowhere,” Bruck Syal said.</p>

<p>Such a diminutive asteroid may not sound like much of a danger compared to the 6.2-mile colossus that slammed into Earth 66 million years ago with apocalyptic results. But a meteor that exploded over Siberia in 1908 was only about 200 feet across — and the blast’s shock wave levelled 800 square miles of forest. “That’s the size of the whole Washington D.C. Metro area,” said Bruck Syal.</p>

<p>Using high-fidelity simulations, scientists reported in a study published this month that a stealthy asteroid as long as 330 feet could be annihilated by a 1-megaton nuclear device, with 99.9% of its mass being blasted out of Earth’s way, if the asteroid is attacked at least two months before impact.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-nasa-is-launching-a-robotic-archaeologist-named-lucy-421079">Why NASA is launching a robotic archaeologist named Lucy</a></strong></p>

<p>Ideally, asteroids targeting our blue marble would be identified decades ahead of time. If so, the hope is that an uncrewed spacecraft could slam into them with sufficient momentum to nudge them out of Earth’s way. This strategy, known as deflection, is getting its first test next year with NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) space mission.</p>

<p>But an asteroid even several years away from Earth may not be suitable for deflection. At that stage, it may be too late to sufficiently alter its trajectory with a nudge. And if any deflection attempt proves overzealous, the asteroid may break up into smaller but still portly pieces that could hit Earth in multiple spots.</p>

<p>Using a nuclear blast to obliterate an interplanetary interloper “will always be the last resort,” said Patrick Michel, an asteroid expert at the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur who was not involved in the study. But if we are short on time, it may be our only hope.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;​​​​​​​<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/lucy-in-the-sky-nasa-space-mission-lifts-off-will-study-jupiters-trojan-asteroids-421268">'Lucy in the sky': NASA space mission lifts off, will study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids</a></strong></p>

<p>A team led by Patrick King, a physicist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, ran 3D simulations to see whether a nuke could provide planetary salvation. Like a wannabe Marco Inaros, a villain from the science fiction series “The Expanse” who schemed to bombard Earth from space, he hurled virtual 330-foot asteroids at our planet along five different orbital paths.</p>

<p>Powerful 1-megaton nuclear devices were sent to greet them.</p>

<p>The simulations showed that when the detonation took place two months or more ahead of the projected impact date, it was sufficient to ensure that almost every asteroid fragment that survived the blast missed Earth. Any fragments that did reach Earth would probably be small enough to burn up in the atmosphere, said Bruck Syal, a study co-author.</p>

<p>This strategy isn’t foolproof. “If you miscalculate the energy you need to destroy it, you may make a lot of fragments,” Michel said — and some may be sizable enough to impact Earth with considerable violence.</p>

<p>Nobody wants to wait until the last moment to see if a nuclear Hail Mary saves the world. But one day humanity may have no choice: NASA estimates that there are 17,000 near-Earth asteroids 460 feet or larger that are yet to be found.</p>

<p>To reduce the odds of an asteroid ambush, scientists are being proactive. A future NASA space telescope aims to spot two-thirds of those miniature menaces. Its hopeful success will come as a relief to planetary defence officers who, perhaps more than anyone else, don’t wanna miss a thing.</p>


One day, astronomers may spot an asteroid months away from a cataclysmic rendezvous with Earth. Our only chance of survival at such a late stage would be to try to use a nuclear explosive to obliterate it.

One day, astronomers may spot an asteroid months away from a cataclysmic rendezvous with Earth. Our only chance of survival at such a late stage would be to try to use a nuclear explosive to obliterate it. But would it work? Unlike some melodramatic Hollywood blockbusters of the 1990s, real-life scientists are largely unconcerned by any planet-sterilizing behemoths. The orbits of almost every asteroid two-thirds of a mile across or larger have been precisely mapped out. “We know they’re not going to be a threat anytime soon,” said Megan Bruck Syal, a planetary defence researcher at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Also read | Eight massive asteroids, bigger than pyramids, to approach Earth in October-November Instead, their focus is on relatively small asteroids, those about the size of football stadiums, notable for their abundance as well as their ability to evade asteroid-hunting observatories. “Those are the ones that we tend to worry more about because they could come out of nowhere,” Bruck Syal said. Such a diminutive asteroid may not sound like much of a danger compared to the 6.2-mile colossus that slammed into Earth 66 million years ago with apocalyptic results. But a meteor that exploded over Siberia in 1908 was only about 200 feet across — and the blast’s shock wave levelled 800 square miles of forest. “That’s the size of the whole Washington D.C. Metro area,” said Bruck Syal. Using high-fidelity simulations, scientists reported in a study published this month that a stealthy asteroid as long as 330 feet could be annihilated by a 1-megaton nuclear device, with 99.9% of its mass being blasted out of Earth’s way, if the asteroid is attacked at least two months before impact. Also read | Why NASA is launching a robotic archaeologist named Lucy Ideally, asteroids targeting our blue marble would be identified decades ahead of time. If so, the hope is that an uncrewed spacecraft could slam into them with sufficient momentum to nudge them out of Earth’s way. This strategy, known as deflection, is getting its first test next year with NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) space mission. But an asteroid even several years away from Earth may not be suitable for deflection. At that stage, it may be too late to sufficiently alter its trajectory with a nudge. And if any deflection attempt proves overzealous, the asteroid may break up into smaller but still portly pieces that could hit Earth in multiple spots. Using a nuclear blast to obliterate an interplanetary interloper “will always be the last resort,” said Patrick Michel, an asteroid expert at the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur who was not involved in the study. But if we are short on time, it may be our only hope. Also read | 'Lucy in the sky': NASA space mission lifts off, will study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids A team led by Patrick King, a physicist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, ran 3D simulations to see whether a nuke could provide planetary salvation. Like a wannabe Marco Inaros, a villain from the science fiction series “The Expanse” who schemed to bombard Earth from space, he hurled virtual 330-foot asteroids at our planet along five different orbital paths. Powerful 1-megaton nuclear devices were sent to greet them. The simulations showed that when the detonation took place two months or more ahead of the projected impact date, it was sufficient to ensure that almost every asteroid fragment that survived the blast missed Earth. Any fragments that did reach Earth would probably be small enough to burn up in the atmosphere, said Bruck Syal, a study co-author. This strategy isn’t foolproof. “If you miscalculate the energy you need to destroy it, you may make a lot of fragments,” Michel said — and some may be sizable enough to impact Earth with considerable violence. Nobody wants to wait until the last moment to see if a nuclear Hail Mary saves the world. But one day humanity may have no choice: NASA estimates that there are 17,000 near-Earth asteroids 460 feet or larger that are yet to be found. To reduce the odds of an asteroid ambush, scientists are being proactive. A future NASA space telescope aims to spot two-thirds of those miniature menaces. Its hopeful success will come as a relief to planetary defence officers who, perhaps more than anyone else, don’t wanna miss a thing.

How a nuclear bomb could save Earth from a stealthy asteroid

The first woman and the next man to walk on the moon's surface could happen in the next two years, that is if the NASA-led artemis program, a new generation of lunar exploration missions succeeds to fly its Orion spacecraft near the moon in their first un-crewed test. This next report explains.

First woman and the next man to walk on the moon's surface in the next two years

<p>NASA launched a first-of-its kind mission on Saturday to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, two large clusters of space rocks that scientists believe are remnants of primordial material that formed the solar system's outer planets.</p>

<p>The space probe, dubbed Lucy and packed inside a special cargo capsule, lifted off on schedule from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 5:34 a.m. EDT (0934 GMT), NASA said. It was carried aloft by an Atlas V rocket from United Launch Alliance (UAL), a joint venture of Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp.</p>

<p>Lucy's mission is a 12-year expedition to study a record number of asteroids. It will be the first to explore the Trojans, thousands of rocky objects orbiting the sun in two swarms - one ahead of the path of giant gas planet Jupiter and one behind it.</p>

<p>The largest known Trojan asteroids, named for the warriors of Greek mythology, are believed to measure as much as 225 kilometers (140 miles) in diameter.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-star-spins-around-itself-once-every-25-seconds-421138">This star spins around itself once every 25 seconds</a></strong></p>

<p>Scientists hope Lucy's close-up fly-by of seven Trojans will yield new clues to how the solar system's planets came to be formed some 4.5 billion years ago and what shaped their present configuration.</p>

<p>Believed to be rich in carbon compounds, the asteroids may even provide new insights into the origin of organic materials and life on Earth, NASA said.</p>

<p>"The Trojan asteroids are leftovers from the early days of our solar system, effectively the fossils of planet formation," principal mission investigator Harold Levison of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, was quoted by NASA as saying.</p>

<p>No other single science mission has been designed to visit as many different objects independently orbiting the sun in the history of space exploration, NASA said.\</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/first-exoplanet-to-survive-death-of-its-star-provides-hint-of-solar-systems-future-420589">First exoplanet to survive death of its star provides hint of solar system's future</a></strong></p>

<p>As well as the Trojans, Lucy will do a fly-by of an asteroid in the solar system's main asteroid belt, called DonaldJohanson in honor of the lead discoverer of the fossilized human ancestor known as Lucy, from which the NASA mission takes its name. The Lucy fossil, unearthed in Ethiopia in 1974, was in turn named for the Beatles hit "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/astronauts-photo-from-space-reveals-a-strange-blue-glow-on-earth-420466">Astronaut's photo from space reveals a strange blue glow on Earth</a></strong></p>

<p>Lucy the asteroid probe will make spaceflight history in another way. Following a route that circles back to Earth three times for gravitational assists, it will be the first spacecraft ever to return to Earth's vicinity from the outer solar system, according to NASA.</p>

<p>The probe will use rocket thrusters to maneuver in space and two rounded solar arrays, each the width of a school bus, to recharge batteries that will power the instruments contained in the much smaller central body of the spacecraft.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


NASA launched a first-of-its kind mission on Saturday to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, two large clusters of space rocks that scientists believe are remnants of primordial material that formed the solar system's outer planets.

NASA launched a first-of-its kind mission on Saturday to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, two large clusters of space rocks that scientists believe are remnants of primordial material that formed the solar system's outer planets. The space probe, dubbed Lucy and packed inside a special cargo capsule, lifted off on schedule from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 5:34 a.m. EDT (0934 GMT), NASA said. It was carried aloft by an Atlas V rocket from United Launch Alliance (UAL), a joint venture of Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp. Lucy's mission is a 12-year expedition to study a record number of asteroids. It will be the first to explore the Trojans, thousands of rocky objects orbiting the sun in two swarms - one ahead of the path of giant gas planet Jupiter and one behind it. The largest known Trojan asteroids, named for the warriors of Greek mythology, are believed to measure as much as 225 kilometers (140 miles) in diameter. Also Read | This star spins around itself once every 25 seconds Scientists hope Lucy's close-up fly-by of seven Trojans will yield new clues to how the solar system's planets came to be formed some 4.5 billion years ago and what shaped their present configuration. Believed to be rich in carbon compounds, the asteroids may even provide new insights into the origin of organic materials and life on Earth, NASA said. "The Trojan asteroids are leftovers from the early days of our solar system, effectively the fossils of planet formation," principal mission investigator Harold Levison of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, was quoted by NASA as saying. No other single science mission has been designed to visit as many different objects independently orbiting the sun in the history of space exploration, NASA said.\ Also Read | First exoplanet to survive death of its star provides hint of solar system's future As well as the Trojans, Lucy will do a fly-by of an asteroid in the solar system's main asteroid belt, called DonaldJohanson in honor of the lead discoverer of the fossilized human ancestor known as Lucy, from which the NASA mission takes its name. The Lucy fossil, unearthed in Ethiopia in 1974, was in turn named for the Beatles hit "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." Also Read | Astronaut's photo from space reveals a strange blue glow on Earth Lucy the asteroid probe will make spaceflight history in another way. Following a route that circles back to Earth three times for gravitational assists, it will be the first spacecraft ever to return to Earth's vicinity from the outer solar system, according to NASA. The probe will use rocket thrusters to maneuver in space and two rounded solar arrays, each the width of a school bus, to recharge batteries that will power the instruments contained in the much smaller central body of the spacecraft. (With inputs from agencies)

'Lucy in the sky': NASA space mission lifts off, will study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids

<p>Giving a virtual tour to its viewers, NASA shared a stunning video of the Andromeda galaxy. The Andromeda Galaxy is the largest galaxy in the “Local Group”, which happens to be a collection of galaxies that our Milky Way also belongs to.</p>

<p>This Hubble view of a portion of Andromeda reveals millions of stars. A rich mix of old red stars and young blue stars can be seen shining in the video. Since being shared, the video has garnered over 100,000 views. "Hey, neighbor!," NASA wrote in the caption.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Back in 2020, when NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope mapped the immense envelope of gas, called a halo, surrounding the Andromeda galaxy, they were surprised to find that this nearly invisible halo of diffuse plasma extends 1.3 million light-years from the galaxy.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-lucy-mission-to-begin-voyage-to-trojan-asteroids-420877"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;NASA's Lucy mission to begin voyage to Trojan asteroids</strong></a></p>

<p>The Andromeda galaxy, also known as M31, is a majestic spiral of as many as 1 trillion stars and comparable in size to our Milky Way.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At a distance of 2.5 million light-years, it appears as a cigar-shaped smudge of light high in the autumn sky.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Scientists have studied gaseous halos of more distant galaxies, but those galaxies are much smaller in the sky. With its close proximity to Earth, the gaseous halo of Andromeda looms large in the sky. This allowed a far more extensive sampling.</p>


Giving a virtual tour to its viewers, NASA shared a stunning video of the Andromeda galaxy. The Andromeda Galaxy is the largest galaxy in the “Local Group”, which happens to be a collection of galaxies that our Milky Way also belongs to.

Giving a virtual tour to its viewers, NASA shared a stunning video of the Andromeda galaxy. The Andromeda Galaxy is the largest galaxy in the “Local Group”, which happens to be a collection of galaxies that our Milky Way also belongs to. This Hubble view of a portion of Andromeda reveals millions of stars. A rich mix of old red stars and young blue stars can be seen shining in the video. Since being shared, the video has garnered over 100,000 views. "Hey, neighbor!," NASA wrote in the caption. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hubble Space Telescope (@nasahubble) × Back in 2020, when NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope mapped the immense envelope of gas, called a halo, surrounding the Andromeda galaxy, they were surprised to find that this nearly invisible halo of diffuse plasma extends 1.3 million light-years from the galaxy. Also read | NASA's Lucy mission to begin voyage to Trojan asteroids The Andromeda galaxy, also known as M31, is a majestic spiral of as many as 1 trillion stars and comparable in size to our Milky Way. At a distance of 2.5 million light-years, it appears as a cigar-shaped smudge of light high in the autumn sky. Scientists have studied gaseous halos of more distant galaxies, but those galaxies are much smaller in the sky. With its close proximity to Earth, the gaseous halo of Andromeda looms large in the sky. This allowed a far more extensive sampling.

Tour of the neighbouring galaxy: NASA shares stunning video of the Andromeda

<p>NASA is scheduled on Saturday to launch a probe toward clusters of asteroids along Jupiter’s orbital path. They are known as the Trojan swarms, and they represent the final unexplored regions of asteroids in the solar system. The spacecraft, a deep-space robotic archaeologist named Lucy, will seek to answer pressing questions about the origins of the solar system, how the planets migrated to their current orbits and how life might have emerged on Earth.</p>

<p>“We have never gone this far to study asteroids,” said Bill Nelson, the administrator of NASA. “In so doing, we’re going to be able to better understand the formation of the solar system, and better understand ourselves and our development.”</p>

<p>After a six-year cruise, Lucy will fly close to seven Trojan asteroids through 2033, completing wild circuits of the sun that conjure the outline of a Formula 1 racetrack in some graphic renderings.</p>

<p>The spacecraft will study the geology, composition, density and structure of the Trojans, which are small bodies locked in stable points along Jupiter’s orbit of the sun, fixed in their own orbits ahead or behind the massive planet.</p>

<p>“It’s always interesting to go somewhere for the first time,” said Cathy Olkin, the deputy principal investigator of the Lucy mission. “Every time we’ve done that, we’ve learned more and more about our solar system and the area in space that we live in.”</p>

<p>Humanity has explored a variety of small rocky bodies throughout the solar system. The NEAR mission landed on Eros in the inner asteroid belt. The Dawn mission orbited Ceres and Vesta, the two largest worlds in the belt between Mars and Jupiter. Japan’s Hayabusa missions and NASA’s OSIRIS-REX completed close encounters with near earth asteroids. And the New Horizons mission visited Arrokoth, an object in the solar system’s distant Kuiper belt.</p>

<p>But the Trojans in Jupiter’s vicinity have yet to be investigated. About 10,000 such objects have been discovered. When the first was spotted more than a century ago, astronomers began naming them after heroes of Homer’s Iliad. The result was the overall descriptor of “Trojan.”</p>

<p>The mission name “Lucy” is a nod to the 3.2 million-year-old australopithecine skeleton discovered in 1974, which revealed secrets of human evolution. The NASA team hopes that the robotic Lucy does the same for the solar system’s evolution, and prehistory is a recurring theme among the mission’s scientists.</p>

<p>Tom Statler, the Lucy program scientist at NASA, describes Lucy as “planetary archaeology” and compares it to the study of the pyramids in Egypt.</p>

<p>“If you want to understand how the pyramids were built, you can go and look at the outsides of them, you can climb all over them,” Statler said. Doing that, however, will answer very little about how they were actually built.</p>

<p>“If you can find and excavate the abandoned construction site that’s next to the pyramids, however, and you find the tools used to build them, and you find the leftover blocks — the things that got broken and shaped but didn’t get used — then you start getting insight into a pyramid’s interior and how it got there,” he said.</p>

<p>“That’s what we’re doing with asteroids,” he said. “We’re excavating the leftovers from the construction site.”</p>

<p>The mission was born of necessity.</p>

<p>Thirty years ago, the concept of planetary formation was much more orderly than it is today. A star formed in the center of a rotating disc of protoplanetary material. Gradually, the material condensed and collected into eight planets in simple orbits (as well as Pluto).</p>

<p>However, when Hal Levison, a planetary scientist, and fellow theorists tried to simulate the formation of the solar system, they repeatedly ran into a problem: It was virtually impossible to build Uranus and Neptune in their present orbits. To account for those worlds, known as the ice giants, Levison, now the principal investigator of the Lucy mission, and three other researchers developed the Nice model of solar system evolution (named for the city in France).</p>

<p>The model suggests that the giant planets formed much closer to the sun than their current orbits, and that the increasingly eccentric orbits of a young Jupiter and Saturn destabilized and rearranged the solar system. In the process, as the giant planets moved, and Uranus and Neptune bounded outward, they scattered the small bodies of the solar system. Some comets and asteroids were flung to the deep outer solar system, and others were ejected entirely out into the Milky Way.</p>

<p>A small minority of scattered asteroids were ensnared in two of Jupiter’s permanent Lagrange points, which are regions of space where the gravitational and orbital influences of the planet and the sun are balanced. The regions both lead and follow Jupiter in its orbit. Those asteroids are the Trojan swarms.</p>

<p>Today, the Nice model offers the predominant understanding of how a disc of dust and gas about 4.6 billion years ago became a system of planets circling a sun. Moreover, telescope observations of exoplanets prompted a broader scientific reevaluation of how star systems, including our own, can form. Some distant stars are orbited by giant planets that are closer to them than Mercury is to our sun.</p>

<p>Levison came to believe that the planetary science community’s ideas about planetary formation outpaced the data it had available. The best way to constrain variables in the Nice model would be to account for the origins of the Trojans.</p>

<p>“One of the surprising things about the Trojan population is that they are physically very different from one another but occupy a really small region of space,” he said. “That diversity in that small region is telling us something important about the early evolution of the solar system.”</p>

<p>To understand the secrets locked in the Trojans’ orbits, Levison needed to persuade NASA to build a spacecraft to study them and determine what formed where. Lucy is the result. It was chosen for flight in 2014 through NASA’s Discovery Program, in which scientists compete over smaller mission proposals.</p>

<p>Studying camera imagery will be an important part of the Lucy team’s scientific efforts. By counting the number of craters spotted on each asteroid, an object’s surface age is revealed. (Older surfaces will have been hit by more impactors and thus show more craters.) The scientists will also analyze the returned images for the distribution of color across the asteroids’ surfaces, which can be an indicator of what the rocks are made of: Thermal measurements will help identify the compositions and structures of the asteroids. They will also use infrared spectra to measure the presence of minerals, ices and organic molecules.</p>

<p>NASA is interested in finding primordial organic material on asteroids because billions of years ago, they may have seeded Earth with the chemical ingredients necessary for life.</p>

<p>Despite the Trojans sharing an orbit with Jupiter, Lucy will not visit Jupiter. Before the spacecraft even launches from Earth, it will be closer to Jupiter than when it visits the Trojans.</p>

<p>During its 12-year mission it will be powered by two giant solar arrays that are stowed at launch and gradually expand outward like folding fans. Lucy’s roller coaster-like trajectory will carry it farther than any solar-powered spacecraft has ever flown. And it will be moving at about 6 miles per second at its fastest clip.</p>

<p>“Its speed will be like running a 10K every second,” Olkin said.</p>

<p>The spacecraft will be in a sophisticated orbit of loop-the-loops across the solar system, circling the sun, borrowing gravity from Earth for free propulsion to Jupiter’s orbital path at a point known as Lagrange 4. Gravity will take it back around the sun to the Earth, whose gravity will again hurl it outward, this time to Lagrange 5, and back, the process repeating. The trajectory is driven by the positions of planets and gravity assists, meaning the spacecraft, if nothing stops it, will continue to do this for hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of years.</p>

<p>Each encounter will be at an altitude of 600 miles or less from the Trojan’s surface. After the final flyby, depending on Lucy’s health, NASA can target future asteroids and other celestial objects for analyses.</p>

<p>“As we are flying past a Trojan asteroid, we are taking data,” Olkin said.</p>


NASA is scheduled on Saturday to launch a probe toward clusters of asteroids along Jupiter’s orbital path. They are known as the Trojan swarms, and they represent the final unexplored regions of asteroids in the solar system.

NASA is scheduled on Saturday to launch a probe toward clusters of asteroids along Jupiter’s orbital path. They are known as the Trojan swarms, and they represent the final unexplored regions of asteroids in the solar system. The spacecraft, a deep-space robotic archaeologist named Lucy, will seek to answer pressing questions about the origins of the solar system, how the planets migrated to their current orbits and how life might have emerged on Earth. “We have never gone this far to study asteroids,” said Bill Nelson, the administrator of NASA. “In so doing, we’re going to be able to better understand the formation of the solar system, and better understand ourselves and our development.” After a six-year cruise, Lucy will fly close to seven Trojan asteroids through 2033, completing wild circuits of the sun that conjure the outline of a Formula 1 racetrack in some graphic renderings. The spacecraft will study the geology, composition, density and structure of the Trojans, which are small bodies locked in stable points along Jupiter’s orbit of the sun, fixed in their own orbits ahead or behind the massive planet. “It’s always interesting to go somewhere for the first time,” said Cathy Olkin, the deputy principal investigator of the Lucy mission. “Every time we’ve done that, we’ve learned more and more about our solar system and the area in space that we live in.” Humanity has explored a variety of small rocky bodies throughout the solar system. The NEAR mission landed on Eros in the inner asteroid belt. The Dawn mission orbited Ceres and Vesta, the two largest worlds in the belt between Mars and Jupiter. Japan’s Hayabusa missions and NASA’s OSIRIS-REX completed close encounters with near earth asteroids. And the New Horizons mission visited Arrokoth, an object in the solar system’s distant Kuiper belt. But the Trojans in Jupiter’s vicinity have yet to be investigated. About 10,000 such objects have been discovered. When the first was spotted more than a century ago, astronomers began naming them after heroes of Homer’s Iliad. The result was the overall descriptor of “Trojan.” The mission name “Lucy” is a nod to the 3.2 million-year-old australopithecine skeleton discovered in 1974, which revealed secrets of human evolution. The NASA team hopes that the robotic Lucy does the same for the solar system’s evolution, and prehistory is a recurring theme among the mission’s scientists. Tom Statler, the Lucy program scientist at NASA, describes Lucy as “planetary archaeology” and compares it to the study of the pyramids in Egypt. “If you want to understand how the pyramids were built, you can go and look at the outsides of them, you can climb all over them,” Statler said. Doing that, however, will answer very little about how they were actually built. “If you can find and excavate the abandoned construction site that’s next to the pyramids, however, and you find the tools used to build them, and you find the leftover blocks — the things that got broken and shaped but didn’t get used — then you start getting insight into a pyramid’s interior and how it got there,” he said. “That’s what we’re doing with asteroids,” he said. “We’re excavating the leftovers from the construction site.” The mission was born of necessity. Thirty years ago, the concept of planetary formation was much more orderly than it is today. A star formed in the center of a rotating disc of protoplanetary material. Gradually, the material condensed and collected into eight planets in simple orbits (as well as Pluto). However, when Hal Levison, a planetary scientist, and fellow theorists tried to simulate the formation of the solar system, they repeatedly ran into a problem: It was virtually impossible to build Uranus and Neptune in their present orbits. To account for those worlds, known as the ice giants, Levison, now the principal investigator of the Lucy mission, and three other researchers developed the Nice model of solar system evolution (named for the city in France). The model suggests that the giant planets formed much closer to the sun than their current orbits, and that the increasingly eccentric orbits of a young Jupiter and Saturn destabilized and rearranged the solar system. In the process, as the giant planets moved, and Uranus and Neptune bounded outward, they scattered the small bodies of the solar system. Some comets and asteroids were flung to the deep outer solar system, and others were ejected entirely out into the Milky Way. A small minority of scattered asteroids were ensnared in two of Jupiter’s permanent Lagrange points, which are regions of space where the gravitational and orbital influences of the planet and the sun are balanced. The regions both lead and follow Jupiter in its orbit. Those asteroids are the Trojan swarms. Today, the Nice model offers the predominant understanding of how a disc of dust and gas about 4.6 billion years ago became a system of planets circling a sun. Moreover, telescope observations of exoplanets prompted a broader scientific reevaluation of how star systems, including our own, can form. Some distant stars are orbited by giant planets that are closer to them than Mercury is to our sun. Levison came to believe that the planetary science community’s ideas about planetary formation outpaced the data it had available. The best way to constrain variables in the Nice model would be to account for the origins of the Trojans. “One of the surprising things about the Trojan population is that they are physically very different from one another but occupy a really small region of space,” he said. “That diversity in that small region is telling us something important about the early evolution of the solar system.” To understand the secrets locked in the Trojans’ orbits, Levison needed to persuade NASA to build a spacecraft to study them and determine what formed where. Lucy is the result. It was chosen for flight in 2014 through NASA’s Discovery Program, in which scientists compete over smaller mission proposals. Studying camera imagery will be an important part of the Lucy team’s scientific efforts. By counting the number of craters spotted on each asteroid, an object’s surface age is revealed. (Older surfaces will have been hit by more impactors and thus show more craters.) The scientists will also analyze the returned images for the distribution of color across the asteroids’ surfaces, which can be an indicator of what the rocks are made of: Thermal measurements will help identify the compositions and structures of the asteroids. They will also use infrared spectra to measure the presence of minerals, ices and organic molecules. NASA is interested in finding primordial organic material on asteroids because billions of years ago, they may have seeded Earth with the chemical ingredients necessary for life. Despite the Trojans sharing an orbit with Jupiter, Lucy will not visit Jupiter. Before the spacecraft even launches from Earth, it will be closer to Jupiter than when it visits the Trojans. During its 12-year mission it will be powered by two giant solar arrays that are stowed at launch and gradually expand outward like folding fans. Lucy’s roller coaster-like trajectory will carry it farther than any solar-powered spacecraft has ever flown. And it will be moving at about 6 miles per second at its fastest clip. “Its speed will be like running a 10K every second,” Olkin said. The spacecraft will be in a sophisticated orbit of loop-the-loops across the solar system, circling the sun, borrowing gravity from Earth for free propulsion to Jupiter’s orbital path at a point known as Lagrange 4. Gravity will take it back around the sun to the Earth, whose gravity will again hurl it outward, this time to Lagrange 5, and back, the process repeating. The trajectory is driven by the positions of planets and gravity assists, meaning the spacecraft, if nothing stops it, will continue to do this for hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of years. Each encounter will be at an altitude of 600 miles or less from the Trojan’s surface. After the final flyby, depending on Lucy’s health, NASA can target future asteroids and other celestial objects for analyses. “As we are flying past a Trojan asteroid, we are taking data,” Olkin said.

Why NASA is launching a robotic archaeologist named Lucy

<p>Lucy, NASA's first mission to the Trojan asteroids, is all set to explore the solar system and discover its secrets.</p>

<p>Astronomers believe that these primitive bodies are remnants of the material that formed the outer planets.</p>

<p>Trojan asteroids can be divided into two groups. The first ahead of Jupiter and the other behind it.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/first-exoplanet-to-survive-death-of-its-star-provides-hint-of-solar-systems-future-420589" hreflang="en">First exoplanet to survive death of its star provides hint of solar system's future</a></strong></p>

<p>In a gravitational balance act, they get their stability from the sun and Jupiter.</p>

<p>The name of the mission was derived from a human ancestor's fossils. The skeleton provides rare insight into the evolution of human beings.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mystery-of-two-identical-galaxies-solved-420507" hreflang="en">Mystery of two 'identical galaxies' solved</a></strong></p>

<p>Lucy will cover eight asteroids in a span of 12 years. Four out of these asteroids are a part of 'two-for-the-price-of-one' binary systems.</p>

<p>NASA will launch a spacecraft impactor Dart that will visit enticing space rocks closer to home.</p>

<p>The test, that could save Earth from an incoming asteroid, will end with Dart ramming the main asteroid's moonlet to change its orbit.</p>


Lucy, NASA's first mission to the Trojan asteroids, is all set to explore the solar system and discover its secrets. Astronomers believe that these primitive bodies are remnants of the material that formed the outer planets.

Lucy, NASA's first mission to the Trojan asteroids, is all set to explore the solar system and discover its secrets. Astronomers believe that these primitive bodies are remnants of the material that formed the outer planets. Trojan asteroids can be divided into two groups. The first ahead of Jupiter and the other behind it. Also read | First exoplanet to survive death of its star provides hint of solar system's future In a gravitational balance act, they get their stability from the sun and Jupiter. The name of the mission was derived from a human ancestor's fossils. The skeleton provides rare insight into the evolution of human beings. Also read | Mystery of two 'identical galaxies' solved Lucy will cover eight asteroids in a span of 12 years. Four out of these asteroids are a part of 'two-for-the-price-of-one' binary systems. NASA will launch a spacecraft impactor Dart that will visit enticing space rocks closer to home. The test, that could save Earth from an incoming asteroid, will end with Dart ramming the main asteroid's moonlet to change its orbit.

NASA's Lucy mission to begin voyage to Trojan asteroids

<p>The first installment of US Vice President Kamala Harris’ YouTube Originals space series has gone viral. It has been widely mocked on several platforms by many netizens too.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Five child actors have been featured in the video. These teenagers had also given audition for their roles in the project. These include Trevor Bernardino, Derrick Brooks II, Emily Kim, Zhoriel Tapo and Sydney Schmooke. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Last week, YouTube Originals had announced ‘Get Curious with Vice President Harris’ series. The project, which was produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment, aims to get more children interested in space. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/197-billion-years-old-moon-rocks-set-new-record-for-youngest-lunar-material-419893" hreflang="en">1.97 billion years old Moon rocks set new record for youngest lunar material</a></strong></p>

<p>Sinking Ship Entertainment is an Emmy award-winning media company based in Toronto. The series was filmed in August and released during World Space Week. &nbsp;</p>

<p>In the video, a group of children meet Harris at her residence, the Naval Observatory. The leader introduces herself as the chairwoman of the National Space Council. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-unearth-secret-of-no-star-formation-in-some-early-galaxies-419676" hreflang="en">Astronomers unearth secret of no star formation in some early galaxies</a></strong></p>

<p>Before meeting the vice president, children are greeted by NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough from the International Space Station through virtual link. Kimbrough leads kids on a scavenger hunt to find the tools to build a telescope.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Only actors could act like <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> is interesting or entertaining... <a href="https://t.co/nX0LDQB3Rc">https://t.co/nX0LDQB3Rc</a></p>
— Tas Salad (@salad_tas) <a href="https://twitter.com/salad_tas/status/1447782995314679812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>By Monday, the video had garnered some 114,000 views on YouTube, and 1,900 likes and 2,800 dislikes, as shared online by the vice president’s supporters. A trailer for the show also drew 48 likes and 136 dislikes. On both the videos, comments have been disabled. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


The first installment of US Vice President Kamala Harris’ YouTube Originals space series has gone viral. It has been widely mocked on several platforms by many netizens too.

The first installment of US Vice President Kamala Harris’ YouTube Originals space series has gone viral. It has been widely mocked on several platforms by many netizens too. × Five child actors have been featured in the video. These teenagers had also given audition for their roles in the project. These include Trevor Bernardino, Derrick Brooks II, Emily Kim, Zhoriel Tapo and Sydney Schmooke. Last week, YouTube Originals had announced ‘Get Curious with Vice President Harris’ series. The project, which was produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment, aims to get more children interested in space. Also Read: 1.97 billion years old Moon rocks set new record for youngest lunar material Sinking Ship Entertainment is an Emmy award-winning media company based in Toronto. The series was filmed in August and released during World Space Week. In the video, a group of children meet Harris at her residence, the Naval Observatory. The leader introduces herself as the chairwoman of the National Space Council. Also Read: Astronomers unearth secret of no star formation in some early galaxies Before meeting the vice president, children are greeted by NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough from the International Space Station through virtual link. Kimbrough leads kids on a scavenger hunt to find the tools to build a telescope. Only actors could act like @VP is interesting or entertaining... https://t.co/nX0LDQB3Rc — Tas Salad (@salad_tas) October 12, 2021 × By Monday, the video had garnered some 114,000 views on YouTube, and 1,900 likes and 2,800 dislikes, as shared online by the vice president’s supporters. A trailer for the show also drew 48 likes and 136 dislikes. On both the videos, comments have been disabled. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: US Vice President Harris' NASA video with child actors gets mocked, goes viral

Images sent back by NASA's Perseverance rover have unveiled the existence of a 3.7-billion-year-old ancient river delta that will now guide scientists in their search for evidence of ancient life.

Images taken by NASA's Perseverance Rover reveal Jezero Crater's watery past

<p>NASA posts spectacular image of things across the universe. One may be forgiven to think that NASA's lenses are always focussed at distant stars and galaxies. The space agency posts n-number of photos of distant celestial bodies after all! But NASA has a close eye on our planetary neighbourhood as well. And the results are no less breathtaking.</p>

<p>This time NASA has wowed people by posting a unique visualisation of Saturn, the most recognisable planet in our solar system. The ringed beauty is a sight to behold on its own. The majestic planet and its rings can easily be spotted in the night sky using even a mid-sized telescope.</p>

<p>So what's special about this new video?</p>

<p>NASA's visualisation, made based on images from Hubble Space Telescope show a 'moon parade'. This is to say that Saturn's moons can be seen in this video along with the beautuful planet. The sight mesmesrises the viewers.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-images-from-mars-rover-show-ancient-river-delta-in-jezero-crater-419119">First images from Mars rover show ancient river delta in Jezero crater</a></strong></p>

<p>"Time for a moon parade. Four of Saturn’s moons move across the face of their planet in this spectacular Hubble visualization...," NASA has said in its Instagram post. In the video, a shadow on one of the moons ON Saturn can also be seen. Check it out. Make sure you keep sound on.</p>

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<p>Like any other NASA post, this one has got thumbs up from Instagram people. At the time of publishing of this story, the video has got more than 90,000 likes.<br />
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NASA posts spectacular image of things across the universe. One may be forgiven to think that NASA's lenses are always focussed at distant stars and galaxies. The space agency posts n-number of photos of distant celestial bodies after all!

NASA posts spectacular image of things across the universe. One may be forgiven to think that NASA's lenses are always focussed at distant stars and galaxies. The space agency posts n-number of photos of distant celestial bodies after all! But NASA has a close eye on our planetary neighbourhood as well. And the results are no less breathtaking. This time NASA has wowed people by posting a unique visualisation of Saturn, the most recognisable planet in our solar system. The ringed beauty is a sight to behold on its own. The majestic planet and its rings can easily be spotted in the night sky using even a mid-sized telescope. So what's special about this new video? NASA's visualisation, made based on images from Hubble Space Telescope show a 'moon parade'. This is to say that Saturn's moons can be seen in this video along with the beautuful planet. The sight mesmesrises the viewers. Also Read | First images from Mars rover show ancient river delta in Jezero crater "Time for a moon parade. Four of Saturn’s moons move across the face of their planet in this spectacular Hubble visualization...," NASA has said in its Instagram post. In the video, a shadow on one of the moons ON Saturn can also be seen. Check it out. Make sure you keep sound on. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hubble Space Telescope (@nasahubble) × Like any other NASA post, this one has got thumbs up from Instagram people. At the time of publishing of this story, the video has got more than 90,000 likes.

NASA posts video of 'moon parade' with Saturn in background

<p>What if an asteroid is headed on a collision course? What would we do to escape the fate of dinosaurs? Well, we have nuclear weapons that can possibly be fired at the asteroid. But what if the broken pieces are still large enough to create major mayhem on Earth?</p>

<p>Questions like these are important for our planetary defence. And we need a plan in place to better tackle such a situation when it occurs.</p>

<p>Perhaps as a step in that direction, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is planning to intentionally crash a spacecraft into a moon of an asteroid to see what happens to its orbit.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/winds-on-jupiter-are-speeding-up-and-no-one-knows-why-416727">Winds on Jupiter are speeding up and no one knows why</a></strong></p>

<p>NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission (DART) is set to lift-off this November. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will be used for this.</p>

<p>The mission is targetting Dimorphos, a small moon that revolves around the asteroid Didymos.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-has-captured-image-of-eye-in-the-sky-418294">NASA has captured image of 'eye in the sky'</a></strong></p>

<p>Didymos is a Near Earth Object (NEO). These are space objects whose orbits bring them within 30 million miles radius around Earth.</p>

<p>Didymos (the asteroid) and Dimorphos (the moon) will come within a distance of 6,835,083 miles (11 million kilometers).</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/cosmic-music-check-out-nasa-post-on-heavenly-sounds-from-galaxys-centre-418128">'Cosmic Music': Check out NASA post on 'heavenly' sounds from galaxy's centre</a></strong></p>

<p>The NASA spacecraft will deliberately crash into Dimorphos and see what happens to its motion in space. It is estimated that motion of the moon will change by 1 per cent. Though this doesn't sound much, it would affect the period of revolution by about seven minutes.</p>

<p>A DART program executive at NASA headquarters has been quoted by CNN as saying that the mission was the first step to test methods for hazardous asteroid deflection.</p>


What if an asteroid is headed on a collision course? What would we do to escape the fate of dinosaurs? Well, we have nuclear weapons that can possibly be fired at the asteroid.

What if an asteroid is headed on a collision course? What would we do to escape the fate of dinosaurs? Well, we have nuclear weapons that can possibly be fired at the asteroid. But what if the broken pieces are still large enough to create major mayhem on Earth? Questions like these are important for our planetary defence. And we need a plan in place to better tackle such a situation when it occurs. Perhaps as a step in that direction, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is planning to intentionally crash a spacecraft into a moon of an asteroid to see what happens to its orbit. Also Read | Winds on Jupiter are speeding up and no one knows why NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission (DART) is set to lift-off this November. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will be used for this. The mission is targetting Dimorphos, a small moon that revolves around the asteroid Didymos. Also Read | NASA has captured image of 'eye in the sky' Didymos is a Near Earth Object (NEO). These are space objects whose orbits bring them within 30 million miles radius around Earth. Didymos (the asteroid) and Dimorphos (the moon) will come within a distance of 6,835,083 miles (11 million kilometers). Also Read | 'Cosmic Music': Check out NASA post on 'heavenly' sounds from galaxy's centre The NASA spacecraft will deliberately crash into Dimorphos and see what happens to its motion in space. It is estimated that motion of the moon will change by 1 per cent. Though this doesn't sound much, it would affect the period of revolution by about seven minutes. A DART program executive at NASA headquarters has been quoted by CNN as saying that the mission was the first step to test methods for hazardous asteroid deflection.

NASA to crash spacecraft into asteroid's moon to save Earth

<p>We all are used to looking at pictures of galaxies with less-than-impressive galactic centre. But NASA has now shared a brilliant image of a galaxy that looks like a celestial eye.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The galaxy has a supermassive black hole at its centre. But the galactic nucleus emits large amount of electromagnetic radiation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The galaxy is called Seyfert Galaxy. In the scientific circles, it is identified as NGC 5728.</p>

<p>Seyfert galaxy looks like a normal galaxy but it has an active galactic nucleus that has unusually high luminosity.</p>

<p>This galaxy comes under the class of galaxies that are known to be most luminous source of electromagnetic radiation.</p>

<p>The image shared by NASA has been captured by Hubble Space telescope</p>

<p>It is estimated that luminosity of Seyfert galaxy is 10^8 to 10^11 times solar luminosity. The stunning image of the galaxy was captured by Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) of Hubble Space telescope.</p>


We all are used to looking at pictures of galaxies with less-than-impressive galactic centre. But NASA has now shared a brilliant image of a galaxy that looks like a celestial eye.

We all are used to looking at pictures of galaxies with less-than-impressive galactic centre. But NASA has now shared a brilliant image of a galaxy that looks like a celestial eye. The galaxy has a supermassive black hole at its centre. But the galactic nucleus emits large amount of electromagnetic radiation. The galaxy is called Seyfert Galaxy. In the scientific circles, it is identified as NGC 5728. Seyfert galaxy looks like a normal galaxy but it has an active galactic nucleus that has unusually high luminosity. This galaxy comes under the class of galaxies that are known to be most luminous source of electromagnetic radiation. The image shared by NASA has been captured by Hubble Space telescope It is estimated that luminosity of Seyfert galaxy is 10^8 to 10^11 times solar luminosity. The stunning image of the galaxy was captured by Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) of Hubble Space telescope.

NASA has captured image of 'eye in the sky'

<p>That space is filled with breathtaking visual treats is something that is commonly known. But who knew space sounded divine? We may have grown up on tv shows and movies using the usual zip-zap-zoom to represent what they thought were sounds in space. But now NASA has put all speculations to rest by posting a video that is simply marvellous.</p>

<p>The video contains sound coming from centre of our milky way galaxy. The amazing and soothing sound clip posted by NASA is sure to keep you transfixed and even put you in a zen mode. The sound clip has been made using a technique called data sonification.</p>

<p>"...This sonification of the Milky Way's center combines data from the Hubble Space Telescope, the Spitzer Spac Telescope, and @nasachandraxray...." says NASA in its Instagram post.</p>

<p>"...The light of objects located towards the top of the image is pitched higher, while the intensity of the light controls the volume. Stars and compact sources are converted to individual notes while extended clouds of gas and dust produce an evolving drone," the space agency explains further.</p>

<p>Listen to the sublime cosmic music</p>

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<p>Understandably, the post has more than 200,000 views. An Instagram user, clearly impressed by the music has even asked NASA to 'drop on Spotify in comments. His comment alone has got 66 likes.</p>


That space is filled with breathtaking visual treats is something that is commonly known. But who knew space sounded divine? We may have grown up on tv shows and movies using the usual zip-zap-zoom to represent what they thought were sounds in space.

That space is filled with breathtaking visual treats is something that is commonly known. But who knew space sounded divine? We may have grown up on tv shows and movies using the usual zip-zap-zoom to represent what they thought were sounds in space. But now NASA has put all speculations to rest by posting a video that is simply marvellous. The video contains sound coming from centre of our milky way galaxy. The amazing and soothing sound clip posted by NASA is sure to keep you transfixed and even put you in a zen mode. The sound clip has been made using a technique called data sonification. "...This sonification of the Milky Way's center combines data from the Hubble Space Telescope, the Spitzer Spac Telescope, and @nasachandraxray...." says NASA in its Instagram post. "...The light of objects located towards the top of the image is pitched higher, while the intensity of the light controls the volume. Stars and compact sources are converted to individual notes while extended clouds of gas and dust produce an evolving drone," the space agency explains further. Listen to the sublime cosmic music View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hubble Space Telescope (@nasahubble) × Understandably, the post has more than 200,000 views. An Instagram user, clearly impressed by the music has even asked NASA to 'drop on Spotify in comments. His comment alone has got 66 likes.

'Cosmic Music': Check out NASA post on 'heavenly' sounds from galaxy's centre

<p>When anyone says galaxy, it brings to mind a pool of stars, planets and even existence of life. With various processes, explosions, star births, a notion of liveliness is associated with the word 'galaxy'. But when we say 'dead' galaxies. An unknown gloom sets in.</p>

<p>Using NASA's Hubble Space telescope and Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA), astronomers have found at least six, massive galaxies which were 'dead' at the time universe was 3 billion years old.</p>

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<p>Cold Hydrogen is required to form new stars. These dead galaxies had run out of cold hydrogen. Since there was no fuel, the galaxies could not make new stars and thus, were 'empty'.</p>

<p>As per scientists, these galaxies being dead was a surprising thing as when the universe was 3 billion years old, there was a spurt of star formation. It was the 'peak epoch' of star formation.</p>

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<p>NASA has said there is generally less likelihood of these galaxies rejuvenating even after minor mergers with nearby small galaxies.</p>

<p>Study of these dead galaxies has been published in the journal Nature.</p>


When anyone says galaxy, it brings to mind a pool of stars, planets and even existence of life. With various processes, explosions, star births, a notion of liveliness is associated with the word 'galaxy'.

When anyone says galaxy, it brings to mind a pool of stars, planets and even existence of life. With various processes, explosions, star births, a notion of liveliness is associated with the word 'galaxy'. But when we say 'dead' galaxies. An unknown gloom sets in. Using NASA's Hubble Space telescope and Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA), astronomers have found at least six, massive galaxies which were 'dead' at the time universe was 3 billion years old. Also Read | Winds on Jupiter are speeding up and no one knows why Cold Hydrogen is required to form new stars. These dead galaxies had run out of cold hydrogen. Since there was no fuel, the galaxies could not make new stars and thus, were 'empty'. As per scientists, these galaxies being dead was a surprising thing as when the universe was 3 billion years old, there was a spurt of star formation. It was the 'peak epoch' of star formation. Also Read | Astronaut posts breathtaking photo of aurora taken from above Earth NASA has said there is generally less likelihood of these galaxies rejuvenating even after minor mergers with nearby small galaxies. Study of these dead galaxies has been published in the journal Nature.

NASA's Hubble space telescope finds dead galaxies

NASA is set to send up Landsat 9, the latest imaging satellite which will monitor how our Earth is changing. Due for launch into orbit on Monday (27 September 2021) the satellite will play a critical role in allowing us to understand and manage our natural resources sustainably.

Observing Earth from space with latest satellite technology

<p>The US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Monday successfully launched Landsat 9 which is a powerful satellite built to monitor Earth's land surface. The launch took place at 2:12 pm EDT from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Landsat 9 is a joiNT NASA and US Geological Survey (USGS) mission. The satellite was carried by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Vandenberg`s Space Launch Complex 3E.</p>

<p>Norway`s Svalbard satellite-monitoring ground station acquired signals from the spacecraft about 83 minutes after launch. Landsat 9 is performing as expected and will eventually settle into its final orbit that takes it over the planet`s poles, at an altitude of about 438 miles (705 kilometres).</p>

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<p>"NASA uses the unique assets of our own unprecedented fleet, as well as the instruments of other nations, to study our own planet and its climate systems," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson."With a 50-year data bank to build on, Landsat 9 will take this historic and invaluable global program to the next level. We look forward to working with our partners at the US Geological Survey and the Department of the Interior again on Landsat Next, because we never stop advancing our work to understand our planet," added Nelson.</p>

<p>"Today`s successful launch is a major milestone in the nearly 50-year joint partnership between USGS and NASA who, for decades, have partnered to collect valuable scientific information and use that data to shape policy with the utmost scientific integrity," said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.</p>

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<p>"As the impacts of the climate crisis intensify in the United States and across the globe, Landsat 9 will provide data and imagery to help make science-based decisions on key issues including water use, wildfire impacts, coral reef degradation, glacier and ice-shelf retreat, and tropical deforestation," added Haaland.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The first Landsat satellite launched in 1972. Since then, the US space agency has always kept a Landsat in orbit to collect images of the physical material covering our planet`s surface and changes to land usage.The images allow researchers to monitor phenomena including agricultural productivity, forest extent and health, water quality, coral reef habitat health, and glacier dynamics. "The Landsat mission is like no other," said Karen St. Germain, director of the Earth Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Monday successfully launched Landsat 9 which is a powerful satellite built to monitor Earth's land surface.

The US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Monday successfully launched Landsat 9 which is a powerful satellite built to monitor Earth's land surface. The launch took place at 2:12 pm EDT from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Landsat 9 is a joiNT NASA and US Geological Survey (USGS) mission. The satellite was carried by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Vandenberg`s Space Launch Complex 3E. Norway`s Svalbard satellite-monitoring ground station acquired signals from the spacecraft about 83 minutes after launch. Landsat 9 is performing as expected and will eventually settle into its final orbit that takes it over the planet`s poles, at an altitude of about 438 miles (705 kilometres). Also Read | Astronaut posts breathtaking photo of aurora taken from above Earth "NASA uses the unique assets of our own unprecedented fleet, as well as the instruments of other nations, to study our own planet and its climate systems," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson."With a 50-year data bank to build on, Landsat 9 will take this historic and invaluable global program to the next level. We look forward to working with our partners at the US Geological Survey and the Department of the Interior again on Landsat Next, because we never stop advancing our work to understand our planet," added Nelson. "Today`s successful launch is a major milestone in the nearly 50-year joint partnership between USGS and NASA who, for decades, have partnered to collect valuable scientific information and use that data to shape policy with the utmost scientific integrity," said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. Also Read | NASA posts image of 'Hand of God', netizens are awestruck "As the impacts of the climate crisis intensify in the United States and across the globe, Landsat 9 will provide data and imagery to help make science-based decisions on key issues including water use, wildfire impacts, coral reef degradation, glacier and ice-shelf retreat, and tropical deforestation," added Haaland. Also Read | A super-huge comet is hurtling through space towards solar system The first Landsat satellite launched in 1972. Since then, the US space agency has always kept a Landsat in orbit to collect images of the physical material covering our planet`s surface and changes to land usage.The images allow researchers to monitor phenomena including agricultural productivity, forest extent and health, water quality, coral reef habitat health, and glacier dynamics. "The Landsat mission is like no other," said Karen St. Germain, director of the Earth Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA launches Landsat 9 satellite to monitor Earth's surface

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="3">US space agency NASA's Landsat-9 satellite will not be alone when it takes out from Vanderburg Space Force Base on Monday; the cargo fairing will have several other passengers.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="5">The mission will send the spacecraft "CuPID" and "CUTE" into orbit to study the immensity of space and the phenomena that exist there.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="6">Aside from the two, two other classified satellites belonging to the US Space Force will be put into orbit.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="7">Both CuPID and CUTE, according to Nasa, are Cubesats, a type of very small research satellite that was relatively affordable to create.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="8">"Both CuPID and CUTE are smaller than microwave ovens, yet they will address issues about vast questions in space from their vantage positions in low-Earth orbit," Nasa stated in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="9">The CuPID will investigate the Earth's magnetic field's borders to examine how solar energy can penetrate our planet's magnetic barrier, while the CUTE will focus its telescope on planets outside our solar system to see how quickly their atmospheres are leaving.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="10">The space agency said that the launch is scheduled to take place at 2.11pm EDT (11.41pm IST).</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="11">The satellite will be launched from Space Launch Complex 3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 401 rocket.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="12">Landsat-9 will carry on the history of monitoring Earth's land and coastal regions that began with the first satellite in the series in 1972, according to Nasa.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="13">NASA said in a statement that the rocket will deliver Landsat 9 to its orbit 438 miles above Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="14"><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


US space agency NASA's Landsat-9 satellite will not be alone when it takes out from Vanderburg Space Force Base on Monday; the cargo fairing will have several other passengers.

US space agency NASA's Landsat-9 satellite will not be alone when it takes out from Vanderburg Space Force Base on Monday; the cargo fairing will have several other passengers. The mission will send the spacecraft "CuPID" and "CUTE" into orbit to study the immensity of space and the phenomena that exist there. Aside from the two, two other classified satellites belonging to the US Space Force will be put into orbit. Both CuPID and CUTE, according to Nasa, are Cubesats, a type of very small research satellite that was relatively affordable to create. "Both CuPID and CUTE are smaller than microwave ovens, yet they will address issues about vast questions in space from their vantage positions in low-Earth orbit," Nasa stated in a statement. The CuPID will investigate the Earth's magnetic field's borders to examine how solar energy can penetrate our planet's magnetic barrier, while the CUTE will focus its telescope on planets outside our solar system to see how quickly their atmospheres are leaving. The space agency said that the launch is scheduled to take place at 2.11pm EDT (11.41pm IST). The satellite will be launched from Space Launch Complex 3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 401 rocket. Landsat-9 will carry on the history of monitoring Earth's land and coastal regions that began with the first satellite in the series in 1972, according to Nasa. NASA said in a statement that the rocket will deliver Landsat 9 to its orbit 438 miles above Earth. (With inputs from agencies)

CuPID & CUTE: NASA to launch 1 Earth-observing satellite, 4 CubeSats

<p>According to NASA, the <strong>InSight</strong> lander recorded "the biggest, longest-lasting marsquakes the mission has ever detected."</p>

<p>NASA said the "marsquakes" was about 4.2 in magnitude and it occurred for nearly 30 minutes.</p>

<p>The <strong>US space agency </strong>informed that it was the third time such a major quake was detected within a month.</p>

<p>The agency said similar quakes were recorded on August 25. The InSight lander has been studying<strong> seismic waves</strong> in order to better understand the interior of the Red Planet.</p>

<p><strong>NASA </strong>scientists claimed that the August 25 quake had "slow, low-frequency vibrations" when the 4.2 magnitude quake was assessed however the 4.1 magnitude marsquake showed "high-frequency vibrations".</p>

<p>The lander has been on Mars for over 1,000 days as it continues to explore Mars. The mission is under&nbsp;collaboration&nbsp;among several countries including France and Germany.</p>

<p>German Aerospace Center (DLR) has reportedly provided the seismic experiment instrument which has become the key component for the lander.</p>

<p>Switzerland, UK, Poland and Spain have also contributed to InSight's mission. According to NASA, Spain provided crucial temperature and wind sensors.</p>

<p>(With inputs from Agencies)</p>


According to NASA, the InSight lander recorded "the biggest, longest-lasting marsquakes the mission has ever detected." NASA said the "marsquakes" was about 4.2 in magnitude and it occurred for nearly 30 minutes.

According to NASA, the InSight lander recorded "the biggest, longest-lasting marsquakes the mission has ever detected." NASA said the "marsquakes" was about 4.2 in magnitude and it occurred for nearly 30 minutes. The US space agency informed that it was the third time such a major quake was detected within a month. The agency said similar quakes were recorded on August 25. The InSight lander has been studying seismic waves in order to better understand the interior of the Red Planet. NASA scientists claimed that the August 25 quake had "slow, low-frequency vibrations" when the 4.2 magnitude quake was assessed however the 4.1 magnitude marsquake showed "high-frequency vibrations". The lander has been on Mars for over 1,000 days as it continues to explore Mars. The mission is under collaboration among several countries including France and Germany. German Aerospace Center (DLR) has reportedly provided the seismic experiment instrument which has become the key component for the lander. Switzerland, UK, Poland and Spain have also contributed to InSight's mission. According to NASA, Spain provided crucial temperature and wind sensors. (With inputs from Agencies)

NASA's InSight lander detects huge 'marsquakes'

<p>NASA is splitting its human spaceflight department into two separate bodies - one centered on big, future-oriented missions to the moon and Mars, the other on the International Space Station and other operations closer to Earth.</p>

<p>The reorganization, announced by NASA chief Bill Nelson on Tuesday, reflects an evolving relationship between private companies, such as SpaceX, that have increasingly commercialised rocket travel and the federal agency that had exercised a US&nbsp;monopoly over spaceflight for decades.</p>

<p>Nelson said the shake-up was also spurred by a recent proliferation of flights and commercial investment in low-Earth orbit even as NASA steps up its development of deep-space aspirations.</p>

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<p>"Today is more than organizational change," Nelson said at a press briefing. "It's setting the stage for the next 20 years, it's defining NASA's future in a growing space economy."</p>

<p>The move breaks up NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, currently headed by Kathy Leuders, into two separate branches.</p>

<p>Leuders will keep her associate administrator title as head of the new Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, focusing on NASA's most ambitious, long-term programs, such as plans to return astronauts to the moon under project Artemis, and eventual human exploration of Mars.</p>

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<p>A retired deputy associate administrator, James Free, who played key roles in NASA's space station and commercial crew and cargo programs, will return to the agency as head of the new Space Operations Mission Directorate.</p>

<p>His branch will primarily oversee more routine launch and spaceflight activities, including missions involving the space station and privatization of low-Earth orbit, as well as sustaining lunar operations once those have been established.</p>

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<p>"This approach with two areas focused on human spaceflight allows one mission directorate to operate in space while the other builds future space systems," NASA said in a press release announcing the move.</p>

<p>The announcement came less than a week after SpaceX, which had already flown numerous astronaut missions and cargo payloads to the space station for NASA, launched the first all-civilian crew ever to reach orbit and returned them safely to Earth.</p>


NASA is splitting its human spaceflight department into two separate bodies - one centered on big, future-oriented missions to the moon and Mars, the other on the International Space Station and other operations closer to Earth.

NASA is splitting its human spaceflight department into two separate bodies - one centered on big, future-oriented missions to the moon and Mars, the other on the International Space Station and other operations closer to Earth. The reorganization, announced by NASA chief Bill Nelson on Tuesday, reflects an evolving relationship between private companies, such as SpaceX, that have increasingly commercialised rocket travel and the federal agency that had exercised a US monopoly over spaceflight for decades. Nelson said the shake-up was also spurred by a recent proliferation of flights and commercial investment in low-Earth orbit even as NASA steps up its development of deep-space aspirations. Also Read | Cracks on ISS a 'serious issue', says former NASA astronaut "Today is more than organizational change," Nelson said at a press briefing. "It's setting the stage for the next 20 years, it's defining NASA's future in a growing space economy." The move breaks up NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, currently headed by Kathy Leuders, into two separate branches. Leuders will keep her associate administrator title as head of the new Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, focusing on NASA's most ambitious, long-term programs, such as plans to return astronauts to the moon under project Artemis, and eventual human exploration of Mars. Also Read | NASA's Ingenuity helicopter is finding it tougher to fly on Mars A retired deputy associate administrator, James Free, who played key roles in NASA's space station and commercial crew and cargo programs, will return to the agency as head of the new Space Operations Mission Directorate. His branch will primarily oversee more routine launch and spaceflight activities, including missions involving the space station and privatization of low-Earth orbit, as well as sustaining lunar operations once those have been established. Also Read | NASA's Hubble Telescope captures massive 'eye' of dying star "This approach with two areas focused on human spaceflight allows one mission directorate to operate in space while the other builds future space systems," NASA said in a press release announcing the move. The announcement came less than a week after SpaceX, which had already flown numerous astronaut missions and cargo payloads to the space station for NASA, launched the first all-civilian crew ever to reach orbit and returned them safely to Earth.

NASA splits human spaceflight unit in two, reflecting new orbital economy

<p>Former NASA astronaut Bill Shepherd has expressed concerns over cracks developing in International Space Station (ISS). He has stated that development of cracks is a "fairly serious issue". He was speaking during US Congressional Committee hearing.</p>

<p>During the hearing, Shepherd said that "there are probably other cracks we haven't found yet."</p>

<p>Russian Cosmonaut Vladimir Solovyov in August spoke of the cracks in International Space Station's Zarya module. Solovyov is the flight director of Russian segment of the ISS. NASA has been maintaining that the cracks do not pose threat to astronauts at present. Shepherd's words throw a fresh light on the matter. He has added that the cracks are not long enough to cause a "serious problem".</p>

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<p>Shepherd himself has flown in orbit in space shuttles four times. He commanded the first crew to ISS in 2000.</p>

<p>This is not the first time ISS has faced issues in 20 years of its functioning. The space station is ageing. Russian side of the space station has some of the oldest components.</p>

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<p>In September 2019, Zvezda module of the ISS started leaking air. The module has living quarters for the cosmonauts. The hole was eventually patched and there was no threat to life.</p>

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<p>Russia's latest module Nauka, launched in July, shortly after docking with the ISS, unexpectedly started firing its thrusters. This caused the ISS to sping around 540 degrees and flip upside down.</p>


Former NASA astronaut Bill Shepherd has expressed concerns over cracks developing in International Space Station (ISS). He has stated that development of cracks is a "fairly serious issue".

Former NASA astronaut Bill Shepherd has expressed concerns over cracks developing in International Space Station (ISS). He has stated that development of cracks is a "fairly serious issue". He was speaking during US Congressional Committee hearing. During the hearing, Shepherd said that "there are probably other cracks we haven't found yet." Russian Cosmonaut Vladimir Solovyov in August spoke of the cracks in International Space Station's Zarya module. Solovyov is the flight director of Russian segment of the ISS. NASA has been maintaining that the cracks do not pose threat to astronauts at present. Shepherd's words throw a fresh light on the matter. He has added that the cracks are not long enough to cause a "serious problem". Also Read | At ISS, Sun rises and sets every 45 minutes, NASA tells why Shepherd himself has flown in orbit in space shuttles four times. He commanded the first crew to ISS in 2000. This is not the first time ISS has faced issues in 20 years of its functioning. The space station is ageing. Russian side of the space station has some of the oldest components. Also Read | NASA to send ice-seeking rover to Moon In September 2019, Zvezda module of the ISS started leaking air. The module has living quarters for the cosmonauts. The hole was eventually patched and there was no threat to life. Also Read | NASA's Ingenuity helicopter is finding it tougher to fly on Mars Russia's latest module Nauka, launched in July, shortly after docking with the ISS, unexpectedly started firing its thrusters. This caused the ISS to sping around 540 degrees and flip upside down.

Cracks on ISS a 'serious issue', says former NASA astronaut

<p>NASA's Hubble Telescope has captured the 'eye' of a massive dying star that is 15,000 light-years away.</p>

<p>Hubble has released images of a stellar explosion of the AG Carinae, a luminous blue variable star. It is among the biggest and brightest stars in the galaxy.</p>

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<p>About 55 to 70 times the mass of the Sun, AG Carinae is unstable and a few million years old.</p>

<p>Luminous blue variables (LBVs) have the highest mass-loss rates. They are highly irregular and fluctuate quite significantly.</p>

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<p>This fluctuation pushes radiation pressure outward. Its death throes are wilder than most stars.</p>

<p>As it begins to run out of fuel to fuse into hydrogen, its eruptive variability begins to exhibit its characteristics.</p>

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<p>With the material of its stellar core heating, the star begins to contract.</p>

<p>Waging a tug-of-war between radiation to avoid self-destruction and gravity, it is surrounded by a halo of gas and dust.</p>

<p>Like a boiling teapot boiling off its lid, the star's outer layer was blown into space&nbsp;</p>

<p>Different types of materials are represented by different colors. Ionised gas ejected from the star is represented by red while blue shows the dust around the star.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


NASA's Hubble Telescope has captured the 'eye' of a massive dying star that is 15,000 light-years away. Hubble has released images of a stellar explosion of the AG Carinae, a luminous blue variable star.

NASA's Hubble Telescope has captured the 'eye' of a massive dying star that is 15,000 light-years away. Hubble has released images of a stellar explosion of the AG Carinae, a luminous blue variable star. It is among the biggest and brightest stars in the galaxy. Also read | NASA's Ingenuity helicopter takes 3D photo of rock structure on Mars About 55 to 70 times the mass of the Sun, AG Carinae is unstable and a few million years old. Luminous blue variables (LBVs) have the highest mass-loss rates. They are highly irregular and fluctuate quite significantly. Also read | At ISS, Sun rises and sets every 45 minutes, NASA tells why This fluctuation pushes radiation pressure outward. Its death throes are wilder than most stars. As it begins to run out of fuel to fuse into hydrogen, its eruptive variability begins to exhibit its characteristics. Also read | This asteroid may have formed its own moons With the material of its stellar core heating, the star begins to contract. Waging a tug-of-war between radiation to avoid self-destruction and gravity, it is surrounded by a halo of gas and dust. Like a boiling teapot boiling off its lid, the star's outer layer was blown into space Different types of materials are represented by different colors. Ionised gas ejected from the star is represented by red while blue shows the dust around the star.

NASA's Hubble Telescope captures massive 'eye' of dying star

<p>NASA on Monday said that it would send an ice-seeking rover to the Moon in 2023. The rover will land on a region of Moon's south pole called Nobile Crater.</p>

<p>NASA plans to confirm presence of water ice just below the surface of the Moon. This water ice may one day be converted into rocket fuel for missions to Mars and even deeper in space.</p>

<p>"Nobile Crater is an impact crater near the south pole that was born through a collision with another smaller celestial body," Lori Glaze, director of NASA's planetary science division told reporters.</p>

<p>Nobile Crater is one of solar system's coldest regions. So far, it has only been probed from afar &nbsp;using sensors such as those aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite.</p>

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<p>"The rover is going to get up close and personal with the lunar soil, even drilling several feet down," said Glazer.</p>

<p>The robot is called Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Its dimensions are similar to a golf cart -- &nbsp;five feet by five feet by eight feet (1.5 meters by 1.5 meters by 2.5 meters) and looks somewhat similar to droids seen in Star Wars. It weighs 950 pounds (430 kilograms).</p>

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<p>Unlike rovers used on Mars, VIPER can be piloted in near real time, because the distance from Earth is much shorter -- only around 200,000 miles (300,000 kilometers) or 1.3 light seconds.</p>

<p>The rover is also faster, topping out at 0.5 mph (0.8 kph).</p>

<p>Solar-powered VIPER comes with a 50-hour battery, is built to withstand extreme temperatures, and can "crab walk" sideways so that its panels keep pointing toward the Sun to maintain charging.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/at-iss-sun-rises-and-sets-every-45-minutes-nasa-tells-why-412923">At ISS, Sun rises and sets every 45 minutes, NASA tells why</a></strong></p>

<p>In terms of the mission's scientific goals, the VIPER team wants to know how frozen water reached the Moon in the first place, how it remained preserved for billions of years, how it escapes and where the water goes now.</p>

<p>The mission is part of Artemis, America's plan to return humans to the Moon.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The first crewed mission is technically set for 2024, but will likely take place significantly later as various aspects are running behind schedule.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


NASA on Monday said that it would send an ice-seeking rover to the Moon in 2023. The rover will land on a region of Moon's south pole called Nobile Crater. NASA plans to confirm presence of water ice just below the surface of the Moon.

NASA on Monday said that it would send an ice-seeking rover to the Moon in 2023. The rover will land on a region of Moon's south pole called Nobile Crater. NASA plans to confirm presence of water ice just below the surface of the Moon. This water ice may one day be converted into rocket fuel for missions to Mars and even deeper in space. "Nobile Crater is an impact crater near the south pole that was born through a collision with another smaller celestial body," Lori Glaze, director of NASA's planetary science division told reporters. Nobile Crater is one of solar system's coldest regions. So far, it has only been probed from afar using sensors such as those aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite. Also Read | NASA's Ingenuity helicopter takes 3D photo of rock structure on Mars "The rover is going to get up close and personal with the lunar soil, even drilling several feet down," said Glazer. The robot is called Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER. Its dimensions are similar to a golf cart -- five feet by five feet by eight feet (1.5 meters by 1.5 meters by 2.5 meters) and looks somewhat similar to droids seen in Star Wars. It weighs 950 pounds (430 kilograms). Also Read | ISRO to experiment vertical landing of rockets aims to make GSLV Mk3 reusable Unlike rovers used on Mars, VIPER can be piloted in near real time, because the distance from Earth is much shorter -- only around 200,000 miles (300,000 kilometers) or 1.3 light seconds. The rover is also faster, topping out at 0.5 mph (0.8 kph). Solar-powered VIPER comes with a 50-hour battery, is built to withstand extreme temperatures, and can "crab walk" sideways so that its panels keep pointing toward the Sun to maintain charging. Also Read | At ISS, Sun rises and sets every 45 minutes, NASA tells why In terms of the mission's scientific goals, the VIPER team wants to know how frozen water reached the Moon in the first place, how it remained preserved for billions of years, how it escapes and where the water goes now. The mission is part of Artemis, America's plan to return humans to the Moon. The first crewed mission is technically set for 2024, but will likely take place significantly later as various aspects are running behind schedule. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA to send ice-seeking rover to Moon

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