<p>A NASA spacecraft left a mess at an asteroid when it grabbed a load of rubble last year for return to Earth, new pictures revealed Thursday.</p>

<p>The Osiris-Rex spacecraft made one final flyby of asteroid Bennu on April 7 to take photos of the disturbance left by October's sample collection.</p>

<p>A depression is visible where Osiris-Rex penetrated the asteroid's surface. Boulders were hurled by the pressurised nitrogen gas that was fired at the ground to churn up material for vacuuming, and by the spacecraft's getaway thruster.</p>

<p>One 1-ton boulder was flung an estimated 40 feet (12 meters).</p>

<p>The Osiris-Rex team meticulously plotted the final flyover to ensure the best shots.</p>

<p>The pictures were taken around noontime to avoid shadows and better see the changes on Bennu's rocky surface.</p>

<p>''These observations were not in the original mission plan, so we were excited to go back and document what we did,''&nbsp;the University of Arizona's Dathon Golish said in a statement.</p>

<p>Osiris-Rex will depart Bennu's vicinity next month and head back toward Earth with its precious 2-pound (1-kig) sample load. It's due to arrive in 2023.</p>

<p>The solar-orbiting, carbon-rich asteroid is 182 million miles (293 million kilometers) from Earth.</p>

<p>By studying pieces of it, scientists hope to better understand how our solar system's planets formed and how people should react if an asteroid endangers Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A NASA spacecraft left a mess at an asteroid when it grabbed a load of rubble last year for return to Earth, new pictures revealed Thursday. The Osiris-Rex spacecraft made one final flyby of asteroid Bennu on April 7 to take photos of the disturbance left by October's sample collection.

A NASA spacecraft left a mess at an asteroid when it grabbed a load of rubble last year for return to Earth, new pictures revealed Thursday. The Osiris-Rex spacecraft made one final flyby of asteroid Bennu on April 7 to take photos of the disturbance left by October's sample collection. A depression is visible where Osiris-Rex penetrated the asteroid's surface. Boulders were hurled by the pressurised nitrogen gas that was fired at the ground to churn up material for vacuuming, and by the spacecraft's getaway thruster. One 1-ton boulder was flung an estimated 40 feet (12 meters). The Osiris-Rex team meticulously plotted the final flyover to ensure the best shots. The pictures were taken around noontime to avoid shadows and better see the changes on Bennu's rocky surface. ''These observations were not in the original mission plan, so we were excited to go back and document what we did,'' the University of Arizona's Dathon Golish said in a statement. Osiris-Rex will depart Bennu's vicinity next month and head back toward Earth with its precious 2-pound (1-kig) sample load. It's due to arrive in 2023. The solar-orbiting, carbon-rich asteroid is 182 million miles (293 million kilometers) from Earth. By studying pieces of it, scientists hope to better understand how our solar system's planets formed and how people should react if an asteroid endangers Earth. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA spacecraft leaves a mess after grabbing asteroid samples

<p>Black holes are a thing of wonder for an astrophysicist as they are for common people. A celestial body with gravity capable of trapping even light is certain to cause amazement. NASA has posted a video that shows what happens when two black holes pass each other. It sure is a terrifying idea to imagine such a clash considering a single black hole is capable of tearing apart a star that passes by it in space</p>

<p>Black holes cannot be 'seen' as light is unable to escape from them. We have to detect their presence through the effects they cause.</p>

<p>When a black hole tears a nearby star apart, there are ways to detect this celestial event. But what happens when two black holes (two celestial bodies that can't be seen) cross paths?</p>

<p>The idea is mind-boggling but NASA has come to our help</p>

<p>"What happens when two black holes pass by each other? For #BlackHoleWeek, explore how the extreme gravity of two orbiting supermassive black holes distorts our view," NASA has tweeted with a video. The video has got thousands of likes in just a few hours.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What happens when two black holes pass by each other?<br />
<br />
For <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlackHoleWeek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlackHoleWeek</a>, explore how the extreme gravity of two orbiting supermassive black holes distorts our view: <a href="https://t.co/Vj9xDIQSer">https://t.co/Vj9xDIQSer</a> <a href="https://t.co/PPhFUBFalI">pic.twitter.com/PPhFUBFalI</a></p>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1382806746650005506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Watching the dance of the two massively powerful astronomical bodies is both, interesting and humbling.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Black holes are a thing of wonder for an astrophysicist as they are for common people. A celestial body with gravity capable of trapping even light is certain to cause amazement.

Black holes are a thing of wonder for an astrophysicist as they are for common people. A celestial body with gravity capable of trapping even light is certain to cause amazement. NASA has posted a video that shows what happens when two black holes pass each other. It sure is a terrifying idea to imagine such a clash considering a single black hole is capable of tearing apart a star that passes by it in space Black holes cannot be 'seen' as light is unable to escape from them. We have to detect their presence through the effects they cause. When a black hole tears a nearby star apart, there are ways to detect this celestial event. But what happens when two black holes (two celestial bodies that can't be seen) cross paths? The idea is mind-boggling but NASA has come to our help "What happens when two black holes pass by each other? For #BlackHoleWeek, explore how the extreme gravity of two orbiting supermassive black holes distorts our view," NASA has tweeted with a video. The video has got thousands of likes in just a few hours. What happens when two black holes pass by each other? For #BlackHoleWeek, explore how the extreme gravity of two orbiting supermassive black holes distorts our view: https://t.co/Vj9xDIQSer pic.twitter.com/PPhFUBFalI — NASA (@NASA) April 15, 2021 × Watching the dance of the two massively powerful astronomical bodies is both, interesting and humbling.

NASA posts video on what happens when two black holes cross paths in space

<p>An asteroid named 2021 GW4 about the size of a small truck flew harmlessly past Earth on April 12.</p>

<p>This recently detected space rock was travelling at 18,706 miles per hour (30,104 km/h) or 8.36 kilometres per second, relative to Earth.</p>

<p>According to reports, the rock was well inside the ring where many artificial satellites orbit around the Earth at an altitude of 35,786 km.</p>

<p>The asteroid was about 26,200 km away from Earth — less than one-tenth the distance between the Earth and the moon, and quite close as far as asteroid approaches go. The average distance between the Earth and the moon is about 384,400 km.</p>

<p>Asteroid 2021 GW4 was discovered on April 8, 2021, using the 59 inches (1.5 metres) telescope of the Catalina Sky Survey at Mt. Lemmon, Arizona.</p>

<p>According to NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, more than 500 asteroids have been already identified this year.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


An asteroid named 2021 GW4 about the size of a small truck flew harmlessly past Earth on April 12. This recently detected space rock was travelling at 18,706 miles per hour (30,104 km/h) or 8.

An asteroid named 2021 GW4 about the size of a small truck flew harmlessly past Earth on April 12. This recently detected space rock was travelling at 18,706 miles per hour (30,104 km/h) or 8.36 kilometres per second, relative to Earth. According to reports, the rock was well inside the ring where many artificial satellites orbit around the Earth at an altitude of 35,786 km. The asteroid was about 26,200 km away from Earth — less than one-tenth the distance between the Earth and the moon, and quite close as far as asteroid approaches go. The average distance between the Earth and the moon is about 384,400 km. Asteroid 2021 GW4 was discovered on April 8, 2021, using the 59 inches (1.5 metres) telescope of the Catalina Sky Survey at Mt. Lemmon, Arizona. According to NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, more than 500 asteroids have been already identified this year. (With inputs from agencies)

A mini truck-sized asteroid just gave Earth a close shave

<p>The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA has released an image of a sea&nbsp;of dark dunes, sculpted by the wind into long lines, surrounds Mars' northern polar cap and covers an area as big as Texas.</p>

<p>In this false-color image, areas with cooler temperatures are recorded in bluer tints, while warmer features are depicted in yellows and oranges. Thus, the dark, sun-warmed dunes glow with a golden color. This image covers an area 19 miles (30 kilometres) wide.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-hubble-telescope-clicks-haunting-image-of-a-dying-galaxy-377173">NASA's Hubble telescope clicks haunting image of a dying galaxy</a></strong></p>

<p>This scene combines images taken during the period from December 2002 to November 2004 by the Thermal Emission Imaging System instrument on the Mars Odyssey orbiter. It is part of a special set of images marking the 20th anniversary of Odyssey, the longest-working Mars spacecraft in history. The pictured location on Mars is 80.3 degrees north latitude, 172.1 degrees east longitude.</p>

<p>For two decades, the longest-lived spacecraft at the Red Planet has helped locate water ice, assess landing sites, and study the planet’s mysterious moons.</p>

<p>NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft launched 20 years ago on April 7, making it the oldest spacecraft still working at the Red Planet. The orbiter, which takes its name from Arthur C. Clarke’s classic sci-fi novel “2001: A Space Odyssey” (Clarke blessed its use before launch), was sent to map the composition of the Martian surface, providing a window to the past so scientists could piece together how the planet evolved.</p>

<p>But it’s done far more than that, uncovering troves of water ice, serving as a crucial communications link for other spacecraft, and helping to pave the way not just for safer landings but also future astronauts.</p>


The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA has released an image of a sea of dark dunes, sculpted by the wind into long lines, surrounds Mars' northern polar cap and covers an area as big as Texas.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA has released an image of a sea of dark dunes, sculpted by the wind into long lines, surrounds Mars' northern polar cap and covers an area as big as Texas. In this false-color image, areas with cooler temperatures are recorded in bluer tints, while warmer features are depicted in yellows and oranges. Thus, the dark, sun-warmed dunes glow with a golden color. This image covers an area 19 miles (30 kilometres) wide. Also Read | NASA's Hubble telescope clicks haunting image of a dying galaxy This scene combines images taken during the period from December 2002 to November 2004 by the Thermal Emission Imaging System instrument on the Mars Odyssey orbiter. It is part of a special set of images marking the 20th anniversary of Odyssey, the longest-working Mars spacecraft in history. The pictured location on Mars is 80.3 degrees north latitude, 172.1 degrees east longitude. For two decades, the longest-lived spacecraft at the Red Planet has helped locate water ice, assess landing sites, and study the planet’s mysterious moons. NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft launched 20 years ago on April 7, making it the oldest spacecraft still working at the Red Planet. The orbiter, which takes its name from Arthur C. Clarke’s classic sci-fi novel “2001: A Space Odyssey” (Clarke blessed its use before launch), was sent to map the composition of the Martian surface, providing a window to the past so scientists could piece together how the planet evolved. But it’s done far more than that, uncovering troves of water ice, serving as a crucial communications link for other spacecraft, and helping to pave the way not just for safer landings but also future astronauts.

NASA releases stunning image of magical 'sea of dunes' on Mars

<p>Death is a thing that can't be defeated. It comes for us and also for astronomical bodies. An image of a galaxy captured by NASA's Hubble space telescope looks so solemn that it is sure to make anyone looking at it just a little contemplative.</p>

<p>The galaxy is dying!</p>

<p>One look at the image and it seems as if the life force is dissipating away from this celestial structure. The galaxy, named NGC 1947 is 45.7 million light-years away from us. The galaxy is slowly on the decline. The contrast between the dying galaxy and other specs of lively lights is very clear in the picture. While the universe around the galaxy is still rife with activity, the galaxy appears distant from it.</p>

<p>It is a rare type of galaxy called lenticular galaxy. Such galaxies are similar in structure to the Milky Way galaxy but they lack spiral arms.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 'star-stuff' in this galaxy is spent and hence, no new stars are being formed. The present stellar material is fading.</p>

<p>As they travel through space, galaxies usually absorb new material. However, in the case of NGC 1947 such infusion of new material looks difficult at least for now.</p>

<p>And in the absence of new star-stuff, the galaxy is destined to slowly fade away in our universe teeming with stellar activity and life.</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Death is a thing that can't be defeated. It comes for us and also for astronomical bodies. An image of a galaxy captured by NASA's Hubble space telescope looks so solemn that it is sure to make anyone looking at it just a little contemplative.

Death is a thing that can't be defeated. It comes for us and also for astronomical bodies. An image of a galaxy captured by NASA's Hubble space telescope looks so solemn that it is sure to make anyone looking at it just a little contemplative. The galaxy is dying! One look at the image and it seems as if the life force is dissipating away from this celestial structure. The galaxy, named NGC 1947 is 45.7 million light-years away from us. The galaxy is slowly on the decline. The contrast between the dying galaxy and other specs of lively lights is very clear in the picture. While the universe around the galaxy is still rife with activity, the galaxy appears distant from it. It is a rare type of galaxy called lenticular galaxy. Such galaxies are similar in structure to the Milky Way galaxy but they lack spiral arms. The 'star-stuff' in this galaxy is spent and hence, no new stars are being formed. The present stellar material is fading. As they travel through space, galaxies usually absorb new material. However, in the case of NGC 1947 such infusion of new material looks difficult at least for now. And in the absence of new star-stuff, the galaxy is destined to slowly fade away in our universe teeming with stellar activity and life.

NASA's Hubble telescope clicks haunting image of a dying galaxy

Emirati national Nora al-Matrooshi, a 27-year-old mechanical engineering graduate currently working at Abu Dhabi’s National Petroleum Construction Company

UAE selects first Arab woman for astronaut training

<p>In a first, the UAE leader has named its first female astronaut for a space programme.</p>

<p>Noura al-Matroushi has been named as the first-ever female astronaut of the country, who has been selected out of 4,000 other applicants in the UAE.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Space was her passion since childhood... Nora AlMatrooshi, the new member of the UAE Astronaut Programme.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAEAstronauts?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UAEAstronauts</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAEAstronautProgramme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UAEAstronautProgramme</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Astronaut_Nora?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Astronaut_Nora</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TheUAETRA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheUAETRA</a> <a href="https://t.co/TEW5uip0EK">pic.twitter.com/TEW5uip0EK</a></p>
— MBR Space Centre (@MBRSpaceCentre) <a href="https://twitter.com/MBRSpaceCentre/status/1380820144675508224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>The announcement was made by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, through a Twitter post.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We announce the first Arab female astronaut, among two new astronauts, selected from over 4,000 candidates to be trained with NASA for future space exploration missions. Congratulations Noura Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla. <a href="https://t.co/bfyquyzqAJ">pic.twitter.com/bfyquyzqAJ</a></p>
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) <a href="https://twitter.com/HHShkMohd/status/1380821550304223234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>"We announce the first Arab female astronaut, among two new astronauts, selected from over 4,000 candidates to be trained with NASA for future space exploration missions. Congratulations Noura Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla,"&nbsp;he tweeted.</p>

<p>Noura al-Matroushi will be accompanied by Mohammed al-Mulla. Both of the chosen astronauts will undergo training at NASA’s&nbsp;Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Space was her passion since childhood... Nora AlMatrooshi, the new member of the UAE Astronaut Programme.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAEAstronauts?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UAEAstronauts</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAEAstronautProgramme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UAEAstronautProgramme</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Astronaut_Nora?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Astronaut_Nora</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TheUAETRA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheUAETRA</a> <a href="https://t.co/TEW5uip0EK">pic.twitter.com/TEW5uip0EK</a></p>
— MBR Space Centre (@MBRSpaceCentre) <a href="https://twitter.com/MBRSpaceCentre/status/1380820144675508224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Born in 1993,&nbsp;Noura al-Matroushi holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the United Arab Emirates University&nbsp;and worked as&nbsp;an engineer at the Abu Dhabi-based National Petroleum Construction Co., according to a promotional video posted.</p>

<p>She has also headed several committees and has an excellent record of volunteer work, along with other achievements such as Mathematics Olympiad and more.</p>


In a first, the UAE leader has named its first female astronaut for a space programme. Noura al-Matroushi has been named as the first-ever female astronaut of the country, who has been selected out of 4,000 other applicants in the UAE.

In a first, the UAE leader has named its first female astronaut for a space programme. Noura al-Matroushi has been named as the first-ever female astronaut of the country, who has been selected out of 4,000 other applicants in the UAE. Space was her passion since childhood... Nora AlMatrooshi, the new member of the UAE Astronaut Programme.#UAEAstronauts #UAEAstronautProgramme@Astronaut_Nora @TheUAETRA pic.twitter.com/TEW5uip0EK — MBR Space Centre (@MBRSpaceCentre) April 10, 2021 × The announcement was made by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, through a Twitter post. We announce the first Arab female astronaut, among two new astronauts, selected from over 4,000 candidates to be trained with NASA for future space exploration missions. Congratulations Noura Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla. pic.twitter.com/bfyquyzqAJ — HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) April 10, 2021 × "We announce the first Arab female astronaut, among two new astronauts, selected from over 4,000 candidates to be trained with NASA for future space exploration missions. Congratulations Noura Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla," he tweeted. Noura al-Matroushi will be accompanied by Mohammed al-Mulla. Both of the chosen astronauts will undergo training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Space was her passion since childhood... Nora AlMatrooshi, the new member of the UAE Astronaut Programme.#UAEAstronauts #UAEAstronautProgramme@Astronaut_Nora @TheUAETRA pic.twitter.com/TEW5uip0EK — MBR Space Centre (@MBRSpaceCentre) April 10, 2021 × Born in 1993, Noura al-Matroushi holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the United Arab Emirates University and worked as an engineer at the Abu Dhabi-based National Petroleum Construction Co., according to a promotional video posted. She has also headed several committees and has an excellent record of volunteer work, along with other achievements such as Mathematics Olympiad and more.

UAE names Noura al-Matroushi as its first female astronaut

<p>NASA has delayed by at least several days the first flight of its mini-helicopter on Mars after a possible tech issue emerged while testing its rotors, the US space agency said Saturday.</p>

<p>Ingenuity's trip, which is to be the first-ever powered, controlled flight on another planet, was set for Sunday but is now on hold until at least April 14.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-insight-lander-detects-two-new-quakes-on-mars-376532">NASA's InSight lander detects two new quakes on Mars</a></strong></p>

<p>A high-speed test of the four-pound (1.8 kilogram) helicopter's rotors on Friday ended earlier than expected due to an alert of a potential issue.</p>

<p>"The helicopter team is reviewing telemetry to diagnose and understand the issue," NASA said in a statement. "Following that, they will reschedule the full-speed test."</p>

<p>NASA noted the copter is "safe and healthy" and had sent information back to Earth.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/russias-soyuz-rocket-placed-into-orbit-with-3-astronauts-on-board-376735">Russia's Soyuz rocket placed into orbit with 3 astronauts on board</a></strong></p>

<p>Initially, the plan for Sunday was to have Ingenuity fly for 30 seconds to take a picture of the Perseverance rover, which touched down on Mars on February 18 with the helicopter attached to its underside.</p>

<p>NASA calls the unprecedented helicopter operation highly risky but says it could reap invaluable data about the conditions on Mars. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The flight is a true challenge because the air on Mars is so thin — less than one per cent of the pressure of Earth's atmosphere.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This means Ingenuity must spin its rotor blades much faster than a helicopter needs to do on Earth in order to fly.</p>

<p>After the flight, Ingenuity will send Perseverance technical data on what it has done, and that information will be transmitted back to Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This will include a black and white photo of the Martian surface that Ingenuity is programmed to snap while flying.</p>

<p>A day later, once its batteries have charged up again, Ingenuity is to transmit another photo — in colour, of the Martian horizon, taken with a different camera.</p>

<p>If the flight is a success, NASA plans another no more than four days later. It plans as many as five altogether, each successively more difficult, over the course of a month.</p>

<p>NASA hopes to make the helicopter rise five meters (16 feet) and then move laterally.</p>

<p>The mission is be the equivalent on Mars of the first powered flight on Earth — by the Wright brothers in 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. A piece of fabric from that plane has been tucked inside Ingenuity in honour of that feat.</p>


NASA has delayed by at least several days the first flight of its mini-helicopter on Mars after a possible tech issue emerged while testing its rotors, the US space agency said Saturday.

NASA has delayed by at least several days the first flight of its mini-helicopter on Mars after a possible tech issue emerged while testing its rotors, the US space agency said Saturday. Ingenuity's trip, which is to be the first-ever powered, controlled flight on another planet, was set for Sunday but is now on hold until at least April 14. Also read | NASA's InSight lander detects two new quakes on Mars A high-speed test of the four-pound (1.8 kilogram) helicopter's rotors on Friday ended earlier than expected due to an alert of a potential issue. "The helicopter team is reviewing telemetry to diagnose and understand the issue," NASA said in a statement. "Following that, they will reschedule the full-speed test." NASA noted the copter is "safe and healthy" and had sent information back to Earth. Also read | Russia's Soyuz rocket placed into orbit with 3 astronauts on board Initially, the plan for Sunday was to have Ingenuity fly for 30 seconds to take a picture of the Perseverance rover, which touched down on Mars on February 18 with the helicopter attached to its underside. NASA calls the unprecedented helicopter operation highly risky but says it could reap invaluable data about the conditions on Mars. The flight is a true challenge because the air on Mars is so thin — less than one per cent of the pressure of Earth's atmosphere. This means Ingenuity must spin its rotor blades much faster than a helicopter needs to do on Earth in order to fly. After the flight, Ingenuity will send Perseverance technical data on what it has done, and that information will be transmitted back to Earth. This will include a black and white photo of the Martian surface that Ingenuity is programmed to snap while flying. A day later, once its batteries have charged up again, Ingenuity is to transmit another photo — in colour, of the Martian horizon, taken with a different camera. If the flight is a success, NASA plans another no more than four days later. It plans as many as five altogether, each successively more difficult, over the course of a month. NASA hopes to make the helicopter rise five meters (16 feet) and then move laterally. The mission is be the equivalent on Mars of the first powered flight on Earth — by the Wright brothers in 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. A piece of fabric from that plane has been tucked inside Ingenuity in honour of that feat.

NASA delays Mars copter flight for tech check

<p>NASA’s InSight spacecraft, the first robotic lander designed to study the deep interior of a distant world,&nbsp;has detected two sizable quakes on Mars.</p>

<p>NASA is investigating the ''Marsquakes'' of 3.3 and 3.1 temblors in a region called Cerebrus Fossae on the red planet, further supporting this notion that this location is seismically active.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">In the last several weeks, listening for the heartbeat of Mars has revealed two strong, clear quakes from a region where I've felt them before: Cerberus Fossae. These two were magnitude 3.3 and 3.1. So far, I’ve recorded more than 500 marsquakes.<br />
<br />
Read: <a href="https://t.co/WKGCVQ1Ro9">https://t.co/WKGCVQ1Ro9</a> <a href="https://t.co/K0FC7r3ATz">pic.twitter.com/K0FC7r3ATz</a></p>
— NASA InSight (@NASAInSight) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAInSight/status/1377648175918444552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>InSight has recorded over 500 earthquakes to date, but because of their clear signals, these are the four best quake records for probing the interior of the planet.<br />
<br />
<strong>Watch: NASA detects two strong quakes on Mars</strong></p>

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<p>''Over the course of the mission, we’ve seen two different types of marsquakes: one that is more ‘Moon-like’ and the other, more ‘Earth-like,'' said&nbsp;Taichi Kawamura of France Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris which helped provide InSight's seismometer. All of the above quakes fell into the prior category.</p>

<p>“The reason why we’re digging into Mars is to better understand not just Mars, but the Earth itself,” said JPL’s Bruce Banerdt, InSight’s principal investigator.</p>

<p>A central question is why Mars, once a relatively warm, wet planet, evolved so differently from Earth into a mostly dry, desolate and cold world, devoid of life.</p>

<p>The answers are believed to have something to do with the as-yet unexplained absence, since Mars’ ancient past, of either a magnetic field or tectonic activity, said NASA’s chief scientist James Green.</p>

<p>While Earth’s tectonics and other forces have erased most evidence of its early history, much of Mars - about one-third the size of Earth - has seemingly remained largely static, creating a geologic time machine for scientists, Green said.</p>

<p><strong>Daredevil landing</strong></p>

<p>InSight’s primary instrument is a French-built seismometer, designed to record the slightest vibrations from “marsquakes” and meteor impacts around the planet. The device, to be placed on the surface by the lander’s robot arm, is so sensitive it can measure a seismic wave just one-half the radius of a hydrogen atom.</p>

<p>John Clinton, a&nbsp;seismologist who InSights Marsquake Service at ETH Zurich said, “It’s wonderful to once again observe marsquakes after a long period of recording wind noise.”</p>

<p>InSight was the eighth spacecraft to have landed successfully on Mars, all of them operated by NASA.</p>

<p>The three-legged lander streaked into the thin Martian atmosphere at 12,300 miles (19,795 km) per hour and plunged 77 miles to the surface within seven minutes, slowed to a gentle touchdown by atmospheric friction, a giant parachute and retro rockets.</p>

<p>The stationary probe was programmed to pause for 16 minutes for the dust to settle, literally, around its landing site, before two disc-shaped solar panels were to be unfurled like wings to provide power to the spacecraft. But scientists did not expect to verify successful deployment of the solar arrays for at least several hours.</p>

<p>The 880-pound (360 kg) InSight - its name is short for Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport,&nbsp;marks the 21st US-launched Mars mission, dating back to the Mariner fly-bys of the 1960s.</p>

<p>Nearly two dozen other Mars missions have been sent from other nations.</p>


NASA’s InSight spacecraft, the first robotic lander designed to study the deep interior of a distant world, has detected two sizable quakes on Mars. NASA is investigating the ''Marsquakes'' of 3.

NASA’s InSight spacecraft, the first robotic lander designed to study the deep interior of a distant world, has detected two sizable quakes on Mars. NASA is investigating the ''Marsquakes'' of 3.3 and 3.1 temblors in a region called Cerebrus Fossae on the red planet, further supporting this notion that this location is seismically active. In the last several weeks, listening for the heartbeat of Mars has revealed two strong, clear quakes from a region where I've felt them before: Cerberus Fossae. These two were magnitude 3.3 and 3.1. So far, I’ve recorded more than 500 marsquakes. Read: https://t.co/WKGCVQ1Ro9 pic.twitter.com/K0FC7r3ATz — NASA InSight (@NASAInSight) April 1, 2021 × InSight has recorded over 500 earthquakes to date, but because of their clear signals, these are the four best quake records for probing the interior of the planet. Watch: NASA detects two strong quakes on Mars ''Over the course of the mission, we’ve seen two different types of marsquakes: one that is more ‘Moon-like’ and the other, more ‘Earth-like,'' said Taichi Kawamura of France Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris which helped provide InSight's seismometer. All of the above quakes fell into the prior category. “The reason why we’re digging into Mars is to better understand not just Mars, but the Earth itself,” said JPL’s Bruce Banerdt, InSight’s principal investigator. A central question is why Mars, once a relatively warm, wet planet, evolved so differently from Earth into a mostly dry, desolate and cold world, devoid of life. The answers are believed to have something to do with the as-yet unexplained absence, since Mars’ ancient past, of either a magnetic field or tectonic activity, said NASA’s chief scientist James Green. While Earth’s tectonics and other forces have erased most evidence of its early history, much of Mars - about one-third the size of Earth - has seemingly remained largely static, creating a geologic time machine for scientists, Green said. Daredevil landing InSight’s primary instrument is a French-built seismometer, designed to record the slightest vibrations from “marsquakes” and meteor impacts around the planet. The device, to be placed on the surface by the lander’s robot arm, is so sensitive it can measure a seismic wave just one-half the radius of a hydrogen atom. John Clinton, a seismologist who InSights Marsquake Service at ETH Zurich said, “It’s wonderful to once again observe marsquakes after a long period of recording wind noise.” InSight was the eighth spacecraft to have landed successfully on Mars, all of them operated by NASA. The three-legged lander streaked into the thin Martian atmosphere at 12,300 miles (19,795 km) per hour and plunged 77 miles to the surface within seven minutes, slowed to a gentle touchdown by atmospheric friction, a giant parachute and retro rockets. The stationary probe was programmed to pause for 16 minutes for the dust to settle, literally, around its landing site, before two disc-shaped solar panels were to be unfurled like wings to provide power to the spacecraft. But scientists did not expect to verify successful deployment of the solar arrays for at least several hours. The 880-pound (360 kg) InSight - its name is short for Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, marks the 21st US-launched Mars mission, dating back to the Mariner fly-bys of the 1960s. Nearly two dozen other Mars missions have been sent from other nations.

NASA's InSight lander detects two new quakes on Mars

<p>A three-man crew docked at the International Space Station Friday after a flight honouring the 60th anniversary of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becoming the first person in space.</p>

<p>NASA's Mark Vande Hei and Russia's Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov will spend six months in the ISS working on biology, biotechnology, and Earth science experiments.</p>

<p>"There is contact!" Russia's space agency Roscosmos wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="ru">Утро 9 апреля на космодроме Байконур, полная фотогалерея: <a href="https://t.co/qvfxW5auup">https://t.co/qvfxW5auup</a> 📸🚀<br />
<br />
Открытие переходных люков между кораблем <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D0%A1%D0%BE%D1%8E%D0%B7%D0%9C%D0%A118?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#СоюзМС18</a> и Международной космической станцией ожидается в 16:00 мск <a href="https://t.co/JOFeBKbjyT">pic.twitter.com/JOFeBKbjyT</a></p>
— РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) <a href="https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1380486998415265794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Hey, Expedition 64 –- set the dinner table... Can't wait to join you on&nbsp;@Space_Station&nbsp;in a few hours!" Vande Hei tweeted to the crew on board the ISS hours before blast-off.</p>

<p>The launch came just ahead of Monday's anniversary of Gagarin's historic flight on April 12, 1961.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/first-man-in-space-the-story-of-yuri-gagarin-376116/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Reminders of his achievement were everywhere at the Russia-operated Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan as Novitsky, Dubrov and Vande Hei prepared for their half-year mission aboard the orbital lab.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;Soyuz&nbsp;MS-18 spacecraft that the trio took off in has been named&nbsp;after the legendary cosmonaut and Gagarin's portrait has been added to its exterior.</p>

<p>Gagarin also came up more than once in the traditional pre-flight press conference on Thursday, where the crew was asked how they planned to mark the anniversary once in space.</p>

<p>"We'll celebrate it together," said 43-year-old Dubrov, who is flying to space for the first time. "And we'll work hard!"&nbsp;</p>

<p>Friday's blast-off was from a different launchpad than the one used for Gagarin's one and only mission, which saw him spend 108 minutes in orbit.</p>

<p>Last used in 2019, the Gagarin launchpad is undergoing upgrades in preparation for a new generation of&nbsp;Soyuz&nbsp;rockets and expected to return to action in 2023.</p>

<p>Gagarin's mission was a propaganda coup for the Soviet Union and a huge win in the space race with the West, which became one of the Cold War's most exciting subplots.</p>

<p>But the anniversary comes at a difficult time for Russia's space industry, which has suffered a number of setbacks recently, from industry corruption scandals to an aborted take-off scuppering a manned mission in 2018.</p>

<p>Perhaps most importantly, Roscosmos and Baikonur last year lost their monopoly over manned ISS launches, as reusable rockets from Elon Musk's Space X delivered NASA astronauts to the station from American soil.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The emergence of commercial competitors has left Roscosmos with a financial headache, NASA has paid the company tens of millions of dollars per seat for astronauts sent to the ISS.</p>

<p>Russian space officials still talk up new ventures, including bringing back samples from Venus and creating a rocket capable of making 100 round trips to space.</p>

<p>Yet the space budget has fallen year by year as President Vladimir Putin prioritises increased military spending.</p>


A three-man crew docked at the International Space Station Friday after a flight honouring the 60th anniversary of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becoming the first person in space.

A three-man crew docked at the International Space Station Friday after a flight honouring the 60th anniversary of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becoming the first person in space. NASA's Mark Vande Hei and Russia's Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov will spend six months in the ISS working on biology, biotechnology, and Earth science experiments. "There is contact!" Russia's space agency Roscosmos wrote on Twitter. Утро 9 апреля на космодроме Байконур, полная фотогалерея: https://t.co/qvfxW5auup 📸🚀 Открытие переходных люков между кораблем #СоюзМС18 и Международной космической станцией ожидается в 16:00 мск pic.twitter.com/JOFeBKbjyT — РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) April 9, 2021 × "Hey, Expedition 64 –- set the dinner table... Can't wait to join you on @Space_Station in a few hours!" Vande Hei tweeted to the crew on board the ISS hours before blast-off. The launch came just ahead of Monday's anniversary of Gagarin's historic flight on April 12, 1961. Reminders of his achievement were everywhere at the Russia-operated Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan as Novitsky, Dubrov and Vande Hei prepared for their half-year mission aboard the orbital lab. The Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft that the trio took off in has been named after the legendary cosmonaut and Gagarin's portrait has been added to its exterior. Gagarin also came up more than once in the traditional pre-flight press conference on Thursday, where the crew was asked how they planned to mark the anniversary once in space. "We'll celebrate it together," said 43-year-old Dubrov, who is flying to space for the first time. "And we'll work hard!" Friday's blast-off was from a different launchpad than the one used for Gagarin's one and only mission, which saw him spend 108 minutes in orbit. Last used in 2019, the Gagarin launchpad is undergoing upgrades in preparation for a new generation of Soyuz rockets and expected to return to action in 2023. Gagarin's mission was a propaganda coup for the Soviet Union and a huge win in the space race with the West, which became one of the Cold War's most exciting subplots. But the anniversary comes at a difficult time for Russia's space industry, which has suffered a number of setbacks recently, from industry corruption scandals to an aborted take-off scuppering a manned mission in 2018. Perhaps most importantly, Roscosmos and Baikonur last year lost their monopoly over manned ISS launches, as reusable rockets from Elon Musk's Space X delivered NASA astronauts to the station from American soil. The emergence of commercial competitors has left Roscosmos with a financial headache, NASA has paid the company tens of millions of dollars per seat for astronauts sent to the ISS. Russian space officials still talk up new ventures, including bringing back samples from Venus and creating a rocket capable of making 100 round trips to space. Yet the space budget has fallen year by year as President Vladimir Putin prioritises increased military spending.

NASA's crew in Soyuz MS-18 docks at ISS after flight honouring Gagarin

<p>Rainbows are pretty common on Earth, but our celestial neighbour Mars recently witnessed a “rainbow” of its own, unlike anything we have ever seen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A prerequisite for rainbows is naturally rain and sunlight on Earth. Mars, on the other hand, has a much drier atmosphere.</p>

<h6><img alt="rainbow" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2fe53a2e-094e-48f6-855f-e4f0228f8788" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/oof%20%281%29_0.jpg" /><br />
<em><strong>Image courtesy:&nbsp;NASA/JPL-Caltech</strong></em></h6>

<p>NASA’s Perseverance rover continues to offer riveting insight into life on the Red Planet, and its Hazard Avoidance Camera has now clicked an image of what appears to be a “rainbow”.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/an-astronomer-has-created-video-on-saturns-spinning-rings-375558" hreflang="en">An astronomer has created video on Saturn's spinning rings</a></p>

<p>But Mars does not get enough rain to sustain rainbows, so it qualifies more as a “dustbow”. Scientists across the world prefer the term, as&nbsp;the "dustbow" was caused by dust instead of water droplets.</p>

<p>But it is entirely possible that there was no “bow” at all, that it showed up on the camera as a result of a lens flare, whereby rays of light enter the camera and scatter light across the lens.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/an-exploding-star-may-have-killed-life-on-earth-millions-of-years-ago-375348" hreflang="en">An exploding star may have killed life on Earth millions of years ago</a></p>

<p>Even though “dustbows” may be new for all of us, Mars is no stranger to “icebows”, as put forward by NASA during an ask-me-anything session in 2015.</p>

<p>“Icebows” on Mars were first observed in 1990s during the Pathfinder mission. The aircraft photographed clouds above the Martian sky, which they thought was caused by ice particles.</p>


Rainbows are pretty common on Earth, but our celestial neighbour Mars recently witnessed a “rainbow” of its own, unlike anything we have ever seen. A prerequisite for rainbows is naturally rain and sunlight on Earth.

Rainbows are pretty common on Earth, but our celestial neighbour Mars recently witnessed a “rainbow” of its own, unlike anything we have ever seen. A prerequisite for rainbows is naturally rain and sunlight on Earth. Mars, on the other hand, has a much drier atmosphere. Image courtesy: NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA’s Perseverance rover continues to offer riveting insight into life on the Red Planet, and its Hazard Avoidance Camera has now clicked an image of what appears to be a “rainbow”. Also read: An astronomer has created video on Saturn's spinning rings But Mars does not get enough rain to sustain rainbows, so it qualifies more as a “dustbow”. Scientists across the world prefer the term, as the "dustbow" was caused by dust instead of water droplets. But it is entirely possible that there was no “bow” at all, that it showed up on the camera as a result of a lens flare, whereby rays of light enter the camera and scatter light across the lens. Also read: An exploding star may have killed life on Earth millions of years ago Even though “dustbows” may be new for all of us, Mars is no stranger to “icebows”, as put forward by NASA during an ask-me-anything session in 2015. “Icebows” on Mars were first observed in 1990s during the Pathfinder mission. The aircraft photographed clouds above the Martian sky, which they thought was caused by ice particles.

Did NASA's Perseverance rover just capture a 'rainbow' on Mars? Image inside!

<p>The team of scientists and engineers behind NASA’s Curiosity rover has named a hill along the rover’s path on Mars in honour of recently deceased mission scientist Rafael Navarro-Gonzalez.</p>

<p>A craggy hump that stretches 120 meters tall, ‘Rafael Navarro Mountain’ is located on Mount Sharp in northwest Gale Crater, NASA said on Monday.</p>

<p>Navarro-Gonzalez died on January 28 from complications related to Covid-19.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A leading astrobiologist in Mexico, he was a co-investigator on the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM), a portable chemistry lab aboard Curiosity that has been sniffing out the chemical makeup of Martian soil, rocks, and air.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As such, he helped lead the team that identified ancient organic compounds on Mars; his many accomplishments also included identifying the role of volcanic lightning in the origin of life on Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Navarro-Gonzalez was a researcher at Nuclear Sciences Institute at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City.</p>

<p>"We are truly honoured to have a prominent hill named after our dad; it’s his and our dream come true to see this happen," wrote Navarro-Gonzalez’s children, Rafael and Karina Navarro Aceves, in a statement to NASA.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rafael Navarro Mountain sits at a major geological transition in Gale Crater from a clay-rich region to one that is rich in sulfate minerals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Analysing sulfate minerals may help scientists better understand the major shift in the Martian climate from wetter to drier conditions, according to Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity’s project scientist based at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The team of scientists and engineers behind NASA’s Curiosity rover has named a hill along the rover’s path on Mars in honour of recently deceased mission scientist Rafael Navarro-Gonzalez.

The team of scientists and engineers behind NASA’s Curiosity rover has named a hill along the rover’s path on Mars in honour of recently deceased mission scientist Rafael Navarro-Gonzalez. A craggy hump that stretches 120 meters tall, ‘Rafael Navarro Mountain’ is located on Mount Sharp in northwest Gale Crater, NASA said on Monday. Navarro-Gonzalez died on January 28 from complications related to Covid-19. A leading astrobiologist in Mexico, he was a co-investigator on the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM), a portable chemistry lab aboard Curiosity that has been sniffing out the chemical makeup of Martian soil, rocks, and air. As such, he helped lead the team that identified ancient organic compounds on Mars; his many accomplishments also included identifying the role of volcanic lightning in the origin of life on Earth. Navarro-Gonzalez was a researcher at Nuclear Sciences Institute at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City. "We are truly honoured to have a prominent hill named after our dad; it’s his and our dream come true to see this happen," wrote Navarro-Gonzalez’s children, Rafael and Karina Navarro Aceves, in a statement to NASA. Rafael Navarro Mountain sits at a major geological transition in Gale Crater from a clay-rich region to one that is rich in sulfate minerals. Analysing sulfate minerals may help scientists better understand the major shift in the Martian climate from wetter to drier conditions, according to Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity’s project scientist based at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA’s Curiosity rover team names Martian hill after deceased scientist

<p>NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity has been dropped on the surface of the Red Planet ahead of its historic first flight scheduled for April 11.</p>

<p>Ingenuity flew to Mars while being attached to the belly of NASA’s Perseverance rover, which made a February 18 touch down on the Red Planet.</p>

<p>"#MarsHelicopter touchdown confirmed! Its 293 million mile (471 million km) journey aboard @NASAPersevere ended with the final drop of 4 inches (10 cm) from the rover’s belly to the surface of Mars today," NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, tweeted late on Saturday.</p>

<p>"Next milestone? Survive the night."</p>

<p>The US space agency last week announced the decision to push back the date of the first attempt to fly the helicopter on Mars from April 8 to 11.</p>

<p>Flying in a controlled manner on Mars is far more difficult than flying on Earth.</p>

<p>The Red Planet has significant gravity (about one-third that of Earth’s), but its atmosphere is just 1 per cent as dense as Earth’s at the surface.</p>

<p>During Martian daytime, the planet’s surface receives only about half the amount of solar energy that reaches Earth during its daytime, and nighttime temperatures can drop as low as minus 90 degrees Celsius, which can freeze and crack unprotected electrical components.</p>

<p>To fit within the available accommodations provided by the Perseverance rover, the Ingenuity helicopter must be small.</p>

<p>To fly in the Mars environment, it must be lightweight. To survive the frigid Martian nights, it must have enough energy to power internal heaters.</p>

<p>The system, from the performance of its rotors in rarified air to its solar panels, electrical heaters, and other components, has been tested and retested in the vacuum chambers and test labs of NASA’s JPL in Southern California.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity has been dropped on the surface of the Red Planet ahead of its historic first flight scheduled for April 11. Ingenuity flew to Mars while being attached to the belly of NASA’s Perseverance rover, which made a February 18 touch down on the Red Planet.

NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity has been dropped on the surface of the Red Planet ahead of its historic first flight scheduled for April 11. Ingenuity flew to Mars while being attached to the belly of NASA’s Perseverance rover, which made a February 18 touch down on the Red Planet. "#MarsHelicopter touchdown confirmed! Its 293 million mile (471 million km) journey aboard @NASAPersevere ended with the final drop of 4 inches (10 cm) from the rover’s belly to the surface of Mars today," NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, tweeted late on Saturday. "Next milestone? Survive the night." The US space agency last week announced the decision to push back the date of the first attempt to fly the helicopter on Mars from April 8 to 11. Flying in a controlled manner on Mars is far more difficult than flying on Earth. The Red Planet has significant gravity (about one-third that of Earth’s), but its atmosphere is just 1 per cent as dense as Earth’s at the surface. During Martian daytime, the planet’s surface receives only about half the amount of solar energy that reaches Earth during its daytime, and nighttime temperatures can drop as low as minus 90 degrees Celsius, which can freeze and crack unprotected electrical components. To fit within the available accommodations provided by the Perseverance rover, the Ingenuity helicopter must be small. To fly in the Mars environment, it must be lightweight. To survive the frigid Martian nights, it must have enough energy to power internal heaters. The system, from the performance of its rotors in rarified air to its solar panels, electrical heaters, and other components, has been tested and retested in the vacuum chambers and test labs of NASA’s JPL in Southern California. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter touches down on Mars’ surface

<p>In a first, astronomers&nbsp;have&nbsp;detected X-Rays from Uranus&nbsp;using Chandra X-ray Observatory. This result may help scientists learn more about this enigmatic ice giant planet in our solar system.</p>

<p>Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and has two sets of rings around its equator. The planet, which has four times the diameter of Earth, rotates on its side, making it different from all other planets in the solar system.</p>

<p>Since Voyager 2 was the only spacecraft to ever fly by Uranus, astronomers currently rely on telescopes much closer to Earth, like Chandra and the Hubble Space Telescope, to learn about this distant and cold planet that is made up almost entirely of hydrogen and helium.</p>

<p><strong>Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uranus-wasnt-always-tilted-find-out-what-actually-happened-291104">Uranus wasn't always tilted: Find out what actually happened!</a></strong></p>

<p>In the new study, researchers used Chandra observations taken in Uranus in 2002 and then again in 2017. They saw a clear detection of X-rays from the first observation, just analysed recently, and a possible flare of X-rays in those obtained fifteen years later.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U6_gHa32dew" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>The main graphic shows a Chandra X-ray image of Uranus from 2002 (in pink) superimposed on an optical image from the Keck-I Telescope obtained in a separate study in 2004. The latter shows the planet at approximately the same orientation as it was during the 2002 Chandra observations.</p>

<p>What could cause Uranus to emit X-rays? The answer: mainly the Sun. Astronomers have observed that both Jupiter and Saturn scatter X-ray light given off by the Sun, similar to how Earth's atmosphere scatters the Sun's light.</p>

<p>While the authors of the new Uranus study initially expected that most of the X-rays detected would also be from scattering, there are tantalising hints that at least one other source of X-rays is present. If further observations confirm this, it could have intriguing implications for understanding Uranus.</p>

<p>One possibility is that the rings of Uranus are producing X-rays themselves, which is the case for Saturn's rings. Uranus is surrounded by charged particles such as electrons and protons in its nearby space environment.</p>

<p>If these energetic particles collide with the rings, they could cause the rings to glow in X-rays. Another possibility is that at least some of the X-rays come from auroras on Uranus, a phenomenon that has previously been observed on this planet at other wavelengths.</p>

<p>On Earth, we can see colorful light shows in the sky called auroras, which happen when high-energy particles interact with the atmosphere. X-rays are emitted in Earth's auroras, produced by energetic electrons after they travel down the planet's magnetic field lines to its poles and are slowed down by the atmosphere. Jupiter has auroras, too.</p>

<p>The X-rays from auroras on Jupiter come from two sources: electrons traveling down magnetic field lines, as on Earth, and positively charged atoms and molecules raining down at Jupiter's polar regions. However, scientists are less certain about what causes auroras on Uranus. Chandra's observations may help figure out this mystery.</p>

<p>Uranus is an especially interesting target for X-ray observations because of the unusual orientations of its spin axis and its magnetic field. While the rotation and magnetic field axes of the other planets of the solar system are almost perpendicular to the plane of their orbit, the rotation axis of Uranus is nearly parallel to its path around the Sun. Furthermore, while Uranus is tilted on its side, its magnetic field is tilted by a different amount, and offset from the planet's center. This may cause its auroras to be unusually complex and variable. Determining the sources of the X-rays from Uranus could help astronomers better understand how more exotic objects in space, such as growing black holes and neutron stars, emit X-rays.</p>

<p>A paper describing these results appears in the most recent issue of the Journal of Geophysical Research and is available online. The authors are William Dunn (University College London, United Kingdom), Jan-Uwe Ness (University of Marseille, France), Laurent Lamy (Paris Observatory, France), Grant Tremblay (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard &amp; Smithsonian), Graziella Branduardi-Raymont (University College London), Bradford Snios (CfA), Ralph Kraft (CfA), Z. Yao (Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing), Affelia Wibisono (University College London).</p>

<p>NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's Chandra X-ray Center controls science from Cambridge Massachusetts and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.</p>


In a first, astronomers have detected X-Rays from Uranus using Chandra X-ray Observatory. This result may help scientists learn more about this enigmatic ice giant planet in our solar system.

In a first, astronomers have detected X-Rays from Uranus using Chandra X-ray Observatory. This result may help scientists learn more about this enigmatic ice giant planet in our solar system. Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and has two sets of rings around its equator. The planet, which has four times the diameter of Earth, rotates on its side, making it different from all other planets in the solar system. Since Voyager 2 was the only spacecraft to ever fly by Uranus, astronomers currently rely on telescopes much closer to Earth, like Chandra and the Hubble Space Telescope, to learn about this distant and cold planet that is made up almost entirely of hydrogen and helium. Also read| Uranus wasn't always tilted: Find out what actually happened! In the new study, researchers used Chandra observations taken in Uranus in 2002 and then again in 2017. They saw a clear detection of X-rays from the first observation, just analysed recently, and a possible flare of X-rays in those obtained fifteen years later. The main graphic shows a Chandra X-ray image of Uranus from 2002 (in pink) superimposed on an optical image from the Keck-I Telescope obtained in a separate study in 2004. The latter shows the planet at approximately the same orientation as it was during the 2002 Chandra observations. What could cause Uranus to emit X-rays? The answer: mainly the Sun. Astronomers have observed that both Jupiter and Saturn scatter X-ray light given off by the Sun, similar to how Earth's atmosphere scatters the Sun's light. While the authors of the new Uranus study initially expected that most of the X-rays detected would also be from scattering, there are tantalising hints that at least one other source of X-rays is present. If further observations confirm this, it could have intriguing implications for understanding Uranus. One possibility is that the rings of Uranus are producing X-rays themselves, which is the case for Saturn's rings. Uranus is surrounded by charged particles such as electrons and protons in its nearby space environment. If these energetic particles collide with the rings, they could cause the rings to glow in X-rays. Another possibility is that at least some of the X-rays come from auroras on Uranus, a phenomenon that has previously been observed on this planet at other wavelengths. On Earth, we can see colorful light shows in the sky called auroras, which happen when high-energy particles interact with the atmosphere. X-rays are emitted in Earth's auroras, produced by energetic electrons after they travel down the planet's magnetic field lines to its poles and are slowed down by the atmosphere. Jupiter has auroras, too. The X-rays from auroras on Jupiter come from two sources: electrons traveling down magnetic field lines, as on Earth, and positively charged atoms and molecules raining down at Jupiter's polar regions. However, scientists are less certain about what causes auroras on Uranus. Chandra's observations may help figure out this mystery. Uranus is an especially interesting target for X-ray observations because of the unusual orientations of its spin axis and its magnetic field. While the rotation and magnetic field axes of the other planets of the solar system are almost perpendicular to the plane of their orbit, the rotation axis of Uranus is nearly parallel to its path around the Sun. Furthermore, while Uranus is tilted on its side, its magnetic field is tilted by a different amount, and offset from the planet's center. This may cause its auroras to be unusually complex and variable. Determining the sources of the X-rays from Uranus could help astronomers better understand how more exotic objects in space, such as growing black holes and neutron stars, emit X-rays. A paper describing these results appears in the most recent issue of the Journal of Geophysical Research and is available online. The authors are William Dunn (University College London, United Kingdom), Jan-Uwe Ness (University of Marseille, France), Laurent Lamy (Paris Observatory, France), Grant Tremblay (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian), Graziella Branduardi-Raymont (University College London), Bradford Snios (CfA), Ralph Kraft (CfA), Z. Yao (Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing), Affelia Wibisono (University College London). NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's Chandra X-ray Center controls science from Cambridge Massachusetts and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.

Scientists discover X-rays coming from Uranus for the first time

<p>The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Hubble Telescope has released a stunning image of the Veil Nebula&nbsp;bringing out fine details of the it’s delicate threads and filaments of ionised gas.</p>

<p dir="ltr">To create this colourful image, observations taken by Hubble's&nbsp;Wide Field Camera 3&nbsp;instrument through 5 different filters were used. The new post-processing methods have further enhanced details of emissions from doubly ionised oxygen (seen here in blues), ionised hydrogen and ionised nitrogen (seen here in reds).</p>

<p dir="ltr">The Veil Nebula lies around 2100 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Cygnus (The Swan), making it a relatively close neighbour in astronomical terms. Only a small portion of the nebula was captured in this image.</p>

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-resolves-the-mystery-of-blue-ring-nebula-reveal-stellar-missing-link-344087">NASA resolves the mystery of Blue Ring Nebula, reveal stellar missing link</a></strong></p>

<p dir="ltr">The Veil Nebula is the visible portion of the nearby Cygnus Loop, a supernova remnant formed roughly 10,000 years ago by the death of a massive star. The Veil Nebula’s progenitor star, which was 20 times the mass of the Sun, lived fast and died young, ending its life in a cataclysmic release of energy. Despite this stellar violence, the shockwaves and debris from the supernova sculpted the Veil Nebula’s delicate tracery of ionised gas,&nbsp;creating a scene of surprising astronomical beauty.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C4JihreUQiI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Astronomers suspect that before the Veil Nebula’s source star exploded it expelled a strong stellar wind. This wind blew a large cavity into the surrounding interstellar gas. As the shock wave from the supernova expands outwards, it encounters the walls of this cavity — and forms the nebula’s distinctive structures. Bright filaments are produced as the shock wave interacts with a relatively dense cavity wall, whilst fainter structures are generated by regions nearly devoid of material. The Veil Nebula’s colourful appearance is generated by variations in the temperatures and densities of the chemical elements present.</p>

<p>The blue coloured features, outlining the cavity wall, appear smooth and curved in comparison to the fluffy green and red coloured ones. This is because the gas traced by the blue filter has more recently encountered the nebula’s shock wave, thus still maintain the original shape of the shock front. These features also contain hotter gas than the red and green coloured ones.&nbsp;The latter excited longer ago and have subsequently diffused into more chaotic structures.</p>

<p>Hidden amongst these bright, chaotic structures lie a few thin, sharply edged, red coloured filaments. These faint hydrogen emission features are created through a totally different mechanism than that which generates their fluffy red companions, and they provide scientists with a snapshot of the shock front. The red colour arises after gas is swept into the shock wave,&nbsp;which is moving at almost 1.5 million kilometres per hour, and the hydrogen within the gas is excited by particle collisions right at the shock front itself.</p>

<p>Despite utilising six full Hubble fields of view, these new WFC3 images cover just a tiny fraction of the nebula’s outer limb. Located on the west side of the supernova remnant, this section of the outer shell is in a region known as&nbsp;NGC 6960&nbsp;or&nbsp;more colloquially the Witch’s Broom Nebula.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Hubble Telescope has released a stunning image of the Veil Nebula bringing out fine details of the it’s delicate threads and filaments of ionised gas.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Hubble Telescope has released a stunning image of the Veil Nebula bringing out fine details of the it’s delicate threads and filaments of ionised gas. To create this colourful image, observations taken by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 instrument through 5 different filters were used. The new post-processing methods have further enhanced details of emissions from doubly ionised oxygen (seen here in blues), ionised hydrogen and ionised nitrogen (seen here in reds). The Veil Nebula lies around 2100 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Cygnus (The Swan), making it a relatively close neighbour in astronomical terms. Only a small portion of the nebula was captured in this image. Also read| NASA resolves the mystery of Blue Ring Nebula, reveal stellar missing link The Veil Nebula is the visible portion of the nearby Cygnus Loop, a supernova remnant formed roughly 10,000 years ago by the death of a massive star. The Veil Nebula’s progenitor star, which was 20 times the mass of the Sun, lived fast and died young, ending its life in a cataclysmic release of energy. Despite this stellar violence, the shockwaves and debris from the supernova sculpted the Veil Nebula’s delicate tracery of ionised gas, creating a scene of surprising astronomical beauty. Astronomers suspect that before the Veil Nebula’s source star exploded it expelled a strong stellar wind. This wind blew a large cavity into the surrounding interstellar gas. As the shock wave from the supernova expands outwards, it encounters the walls of this cavity — and forms the nebula’s distinctive structures. Bright filaments are produced as the shock wave interacts with a relatively dense cavity wall, whilst fainter structures are generated by regions nearly devoid of material. The Veil Nebula’s colourful appearance is generated by variations in the temperatures and densities of the chemical elements present. The blue coloured features, outlining the cavity wall, appear smooth and curved in comparison to the fluffy green and red coloured ones. This is because the gas traced by the blue filter has more recently encountered the nebula’s shock wave, thus still maintain the original shape of the shock front. These features also contain hotter gas than the red and green coloured ones. The latter excited longer ago and have subsequently diffused into more chaotic structures. Hidden amongst these bright, chaotic structures lie a few thin, sharply edged, red coloured filaments. These faint hydrogen emission features are created through a totally different mechanism than that which generates their fluffy red companions, and they provide scientists with a snapshot of the shock front. The red colour arises after gas is swept into the shock wave, which is moving at almost 1.5 million kilometres per hour, and the hydrogen within the gas is excited by particle collisions right at the shock front itself. Despite utilising six full Hubble fields of view, these new WFC3 images cover just a tiny fraction of the nebula’s outer limb. Located on the west side of the supernova remnant, this section of the outer shell is in a region known as NGC 6960 or more colloquially the Witch’s Broom Nebula.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captures stunning image of Veil Nebula

<p>Astronomers have discovered a previously&nbsp;unknown ancient crater lake on Mars, in a recent study.</p>

<p>In a study published in Planetary Science Journal, a team led by researchers from Brown University in the US describe an as-yet to be unnamed crater with some puzzling characteristics.<br />
<br />
The crater's floor has unmistakable geologic evidence of ancient stream beds and ponds, yet there's no evidence of inlet channels where water could have entered the crater from outside, and no evidence of groundwater activity where it could have bubbled up from below.</p>

<p><strong>Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mars-glaciers-give-insights-on-the-planets-many-ice-ages-358330">Mars' glaciers give insights on the planet's many ice ages</a></strong></p>

<p>The researchers conclude that the system was likely fed by runoff from a long-lost Martian glacier.<br />
<br />
Water flowed into the crater atop the glacier, which meant it did not leave behind a valley as it would have had it flowed directly on the ground.<br />
<br />
The water eventually emptied into the low-lying crater floor, where it left its geological mark on the bare Martian soil.<br />
<br />
The type of lake described in this study differs starkly from other Martian crater lakes, like those at Gale and Jezero craters where NASA rovers are currently exploring.<br />
<br />
"This is a previously unrecognized type of hydrological system on Mars," said Ben Boatwright, PhD student at Brown University.<br />
<br />
"In lake systems characterised so far, we see evidence of drainage coming from outside the crater, breaching the crater wall and in some cases flowing out the other side. But that`s not what is happening here. Everything is happening inside the crater, and that`s very different than what`s been characterised before."<br />
<br />
Importantly, Boatwright said, the crater provides key clues about the early climate of Mars. There`s little doubt that the Martian climate was once warmer and wetter than the frozen desert the planet is today.<br />
<br />
What`s less clear, however, is whether Mars had an Earthlike climate with continually flowing water for millennia, or whether it was mostly cold and icy with fleeting periods of warmth and melting.<br />
<br />
Climate simulations for early Mars suggest temperatures rarely peaking above freezing, but geological evidence for cold and icy conditions has been sparse, Boatwright said. This new evidence of ancient glaciation could change that.<br />
<br />
"The cold and icy scenario has been largely theoretical -- something that arises from climate models," Boatwright said.<br />
<br />
"But the evidence for glaciation we see here helps to bridge the gap between theory and observation. I think that's really the big takeaway here."<br />
<br />
Boatwright was able to map out the details of the crater`s lake system using high-resolution images taken by NASA`s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.</p>


Astronomers have discovered a previously unknown ancient crater lake on Mars, in a recent study. In a study published in Planetary Science Journal, a team led by researchers from Brown University in the US describe an as-yet to be unnamed crater with some puzzling characteristics.

Astronomers have discovered a previously unknown ancient crater lake on Mars, in a recent study. In a study published in Planetary Science Journal, a team led by researchers from Brown University in the US describe an as-yet to be unnamed crater with some puzzling characteristics. The crater's floor has unmistakable geologic evidence of ancient stream beds and ponds, yet there's no evidence of inlet channels where water could have entered the crater from outside, and no evidence of groundwater activity where it could have bubbled up from below. Also read| Mars' glaciers give insights on the planet's many ice ages The researchers conclude that the system was likely fed by runoff from a long-lost Martian glacier. Water flowed into the crater atop the glacier, which meant it did not leave behind a valley as it would have had it flowed directly on the ground. The water eventually emptied into the low-lying crater floor, where it left its geological mark on the bare Martian soil. The type of lake described in this study differs starkly from other Martian crater lakes, like those at Gale and Jezero craters where NASA rovers are currently exploring. "This is a previously unrecognized type of hydrological system on Mars," said Ben Boatwright, PhD student at Brown University. "In lake systems characterised so far, we see evidence of drainage coming from outside the crater, breaching the crater wall and in some cases flowing out the other side. But that`s not what is happening here. Everything is happening inside the crater, and that`s very different than what`s been characterised before." Importantly, Boatwright said, the crater provides key clues about the early climate of Mars. There`s little doubt that the Martian climate was once warmer and wetter than the frozen desert the planet is today. What`s less clear, however, is whether Mars had an Earthlike climate with continually flowing water for millennia, or whether it was mostly cold and icy with fleeting periods of warmth and melting. Climate simulations for early Mars suggest temperatures rarely peaking above freezing, but geological evidence for cold and icy conditions has been sparse, Boatwright said. This new evidence of ancient glaciation could change that. "The cold and icy scenario has been largely theoretical -- something that arises from climate models," Boatwright said. "But the evidence for glaciation we see here helps to bridge the gap between theory and observation. I think that's really the big takeaway here." Boatwright was able to map out the details of the crater`s lake system using high-resolution images taken by NASA`s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Astronomers discover previously unknown ancient crater lake on Mars

<p>Suez Canal was blocked for days as a giant vessel, Ever Given, blocked one of the busiest sea routes of the world.</p>

<p>Now, that the vessel has refloated, the US space agency NASA has shared nighttime images of the traffic jam.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-suez-canal-reopens-cargo-ship-elise-blocks-river-arun-in-sussex-374670">After Suez Canal reopens, cargo ship Elise blocks River Arun in Sussex</a></strong></p>

<p>The images were captured by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8&nbsp;and showed several ships waiting in the Gulf of Suez, the northwestern arm of the Red Sea.</p>

<p>These images were shared by NASA Earth's Twitter account. "Hundreds of ships were left idling around the Suez Canal as engineers worked to dislodge a grounded vessel blocking the key shipping route in Egypt," the tweet read.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hundreds of ships were left idling around the Suez Canal as engineers worked to dislodge a grounded vessel blocking the key shipping route in Egypt. The Landsat 8 satellite captured this image of the queue of ships on March 27, 2021. <a href="https://t.co/vOYCt8g7qS">https://t.co/vOYCt8g7qS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/suezcanal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#suezcanal</a> <a href="https://t.co/THVN30kf0f">pic.twitter.com/THVN30kf0f</a></p>
— NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAEarth/status/1376652996696801284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>"The line of ships waiting to get through the #SuezCanal was also visible to a sensor on the NOAA-NASA Suomi NPP satellite. The sensor can detect even faint nighttime light signals," another tweet showed the difference in traffic over a period of days.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The line of ships waiting to get through the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SuezCanal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SuezCanal</a> was also visible to a sensor on the NOAA-NASA Suomi NPP satellite. The sensor can detect even faint nighttime light signals. <a href="https://t.co/uTKWcofDk1">https://t.co/uTKWcofDk1</a> <a href="https://t.co/u441B8zZPh">pic.twitter.com/u441B8zZPh</a></p>
— NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAEarth/status/1376957274682486785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>These images have been captured through the&nbsp;Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite.</p>

<p>Experts believe that while the traffic began moving on March 29, it will still take some more time for the traffic to completely simmer down to normal. Earlier, on March 28, 367 ships were waiting, as per&nbsp;the canal service company Leth Agencies. It also added that&nbsp;154 were waiting to the north near Port Said; 42 were in Great Bitter Lake; and 171 were south of stranded ship in the Red Sea</p>


Suez Canal was blocked for days as a giant vessel, Ever Given, blocked one of the busiest sea routes of the world. Now, that the vessel has refloated, the US space agency NASA has shared nighttime images of the traffic jam.

Suez Canal was blocked for days as a giant vessel, Ever Given, blocked one of the busiest sea routes of the world. Now, that the vessel has refloated, the US space agency NASA has shared nighttime images of the traffic jam. Also read | After Suez Canal reopens, cargo ship Elise blocks River Arun in Sussex The images were captured by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8 and showed several ships waiting in the Gulf of Suez, the northwestern arm of the Red Sea. These images were shared by NASA Earth's Twitter account. "Hundreds of ships were left idling around the Suez Canal as engineers worked to dislodge a grounded vessel blocking the key shipping route in Egypt," the tweet read. Hundreds of ships were left idling around the Suez Canal as engineers worked to dislodge a grounded vessel blocking the key shipping route in Egypt. The Landsat 8 satellite captured this image of the queue of ships on March 27, 2021. https://t.co/vOYCt8g7qS #suezcanal pic.twitter.com/THVN30kf0f — NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) March 29, 2021 × "The line of ships waiting to get through the #SuezCanal was also visible to a sensor on the NOAA-NASA Suomi NPP satellite. The sensor can detect even faint nighttime light signals," another tweet showed the difference in traffic over a period of days. The line of ships waiting to get through the #SuezCanal was also visible to a sensor on the NOAA-NASA Suomi NPP satellite. The sensor can detect even faint nighttime light signals. https://t.co/uTKWcofDk1 pic.twitter.com/u441B8zZPh — NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) March 30, 2021 × These images have been captured through the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite. Experts believe that while the traffic began moving on March 29, it will still take some more time for the traffic to completely simmer down to normal. Earlier, on March 28, 367 ships were waiting, as per the canal service company Leth Agencies. It also added that 154 were waiting to the north near Port Said; 42 were in Great Bitter Lake; and 171 were south of stranded ship in the Red Sea

NASA shares nighttime satellite images of traffic jam at Suez Canal

<p>Elon Musk's SpaceX on Wednesday named&nbsp;two citizen astronauts, including a&nbsp;college science professor and an aerospace data analyst&nbsp;for its first all-civilian spaceflight&nbsp;in history.</p>

<p>The two latest citizen astronauts were introduced at a news briefing livestreamed from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida by SpaceX human spaceflight chief Benji Reed and billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, who conceived the mission in part as a charity drive.</p>

<p>Isaacman, founder and CEO of e-commerce firm Shift4 Payments, is forking over an unspecified but presumably exorbitant sum to fellow billionaire and SpaceX owner Elon Musk to fly himself and three others into orbit aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.</p>

<p><strong>Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/bone-cancer-survivor-hayley-arceneaux-to-join-billionaire-jared-isaacman-on-spacex-all-civilian-trip-365462">Bone cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux to join billionaire Jared Isaacman on SpaceX 'all-civilian' trip</a></strong></p>

<p>The flight, scheduled for no earlier than September&nbsp;15, is expected to last three to four days from launch to splashdown.</p>

<p>"When this mission is complete, people are going to look at it and say this was the first time that everyday people could go to space," Isaacman, 38, told reporters.</p>

<p>Dubbed Inspiration4, the mission is designed primarily to raise awareness and support for one of Isaacman's favorite causes, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a leading pediatric cancer center. He has pledged $100 million personally to the institute.</p>

<p>Assuming the role of mission "commander," Isaacman in February designated St. Jude physician's assistant Haley Arceneaux, 29, a bone cancer survivor and onetime patient at the Tennessee-based hospital, as his first crewmate.</p>

<p>Announced on Tuesday, Chris Sembroski, 41, a Seattle-area aerospace industry employee and US&nbsp;Air Force veteran, was selected through a sweepstakes that drew 72,000 applicants and has raised $113 million in St. Jude donations.</p>

<p>Sian Proctor, 51, a geoscience professor at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Arizona, and entrepreneur who was once a NASA astronaut candidate, was chosen separately through an online business contest run by Shift4 Payments.</p>

<p>All four will undergo extensive training modeled after the curriculum NASA astronauts use to prepare for SpaceX missions.</p>

<p>The Inspiration4 mission may mark a new era in spaceflight, but it is not the only all-civilian crewed rocket launch in the works.</p>

<p>British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic enterprise is developing a spaceplane to carry paying customers on suborbital excursions.</p>

<p>SpaceX plans a separate launch, possibly next year, of a retired NASA astronaut, a former Israeli fighter pilot and two other people in conjunction with Houston-based private spaceflight company Axiom Space.</p>

<p>Musk also intends to fly Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa around the moon in 2023. Fees charged for those flights will help finance the development of Musk's new, heavy-lift Starship rocket for missions to the moon and Mars.</p>

<p>Inspiration4 is about more than a billionaire's joyride through space, organizers say, promising the crew will conduct a number of as-yet undetermined science experiments during its brief voyage.</p>


Elon Musk's SpaceX on Wednesday named two citizen astronauts, including a college science professor and an aerospace data analyst for its first all-civilian spaceflight in history.

Elon Musk's SpaceX on Wednesday named two citizen astronauts, including a college science professor and an aerospace data analyst for its first all-civilian spaceflight in history. The two latest citizen astronauts were introduced at a news briefing livestreamed from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida by SpaceX human spaceflight chief Benji Reed and billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, who conceived the mission in part as a charity drive. Isaacman, founder and CEO of e-commerce firm Shift4 Payments, is forking over an unspecified but presumably exorbitant sum to fellow billionaire and SpaceX owner Elon Musk to fly himself and three others into orbit aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. Also read| Bone cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux to join billionaire Jared Isaacman on SpaceX 'all-civilian' trip The flight, scheduled for no earlier than September 15, is expected to last three to four days from launch to splashdown. "When this mission is complete, people are going to look at it and say this was the first time that everyday people could go to space," Isaacman, 38, told reporters. Dubbed Inspiration4, the mission is designed primarily to raise awareness and support for one of Isaacman's favorite causes, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a leading pediatric cancer center. He has pledged $100 million personally to the institute. Assuming the role of mission "commander," Isaacman in February designated St. Jude physician's assistant Haley Arceneaux, 29, a bone cancer survivor and onetime patient at the Tennessee-based hospital, as his first crewmate. Announced on Tuesday, Chris Sembroski, 41, a Seattle-area aerospace industry employee and US Air Force veteran, was selected through a sweepstakes that drew 72,000 applicants and has raised $113 million in St. Jude donations. Sian Proctor, 51, a geoscience professor at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Arizona, and entrepreneur who was once a NASA astronaut candidate, was chosen separately through an online business contest run by Shift4 Payments. All four will undergo extensive training modeled after the curriculum NASA astronauts use to prepare for SpaceX missions. The Inspiration4 mission may mark a new era in spaceflight, but it is not the only all-civilian crewed rocket launch in the works. British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic enterprise is developing a spaceplane to carry paying customers on suborbital excursions. SpaceX plans a separate launch, possibly next year, of a retired NASA astronaut, a former Israeli fighter pilot and two other people in conjunction with Houston-based private spaceflight company Axiom Space. Musk also intends to fly Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa around the moon in 2023. Fees charged for those flights will help finance the development of Musk's new, heavy-lift Starship rocket for missions to the moon and Mars. Inspiration4 is about more than a billionaire's joyride through space, organizers say, promising the crew will conduct a number of as-yet undetermined science experiments during its brief voyage.

SpaceX names two citizen astronauts for first all-civilian spaceflight

<p>NASA began water drop tests on its Orion spacecraft that has been selected as a space vehicle for its ambitious Artemis space missions. The tests began at Langley Research Center's Landing and Impact Research Facility in Hampton, Virginia</p>

<p>Engineers began carrying out tests that will yield vital data that will give more idea about what astronauts will go through when they return to Earth after a space mission.</p>

<p>The tests began earlier this week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The @NASA_Orion spacecraft is making a big splash! Engineers at @NASA_Langley began a series of four water impact drop tests to better understand what Orion &amp; its crew may experience when they land in the Pacific Ocean after #Artemis missions to the Moon," tweeted Kathy Lueder, head of NASA's human spaceflight program</p>

<p>These tests may appear to be unimportant to a casual eye but in reality, they are absolutely necessary to ensure safety of the astronauts during 'reentry', the part of the space mission when space capsule with astronauts onboard attempts to land on Earth in oceans. The slightest miscalculation during the re-entry has the potential for the space capsule to explode, instantly killing the astronauts.</p>

<p>NASA suffered such a situation in which astronaut Kalpana Chawla was killed along with her crewmates in the year 2000.</p>

<p><strong>About Orion spacecraft</strong></p>

<p>Orion spacecraft is built to take humans "farther than they've ever gone before", says NASA. Orion spacecraft has been chosen to be a space capsule in Artemis missions, which will see first woman landing on the Moon and humans setting foot on Mars.</p>


NASA began water drop tests on its Orion spacecraft that has been selected as a space vehicle for its ambitious Artemis space missions. The tests began at Langley Research Center's Landing and Impact Research Facility in Hampton, Virginia Engineers began carrying out tests that will yield vital data that will give more idea about what astronauts will go through when they return to Earth after a space mission.

NASA began water drop tests on its Orion spacecraft that has been selected as a space vehicle for its ambitious Artemis space missions. The tests began at Langley Research Center's Landing and Impact Research Facility in Hampton, Virginia Engineers began carrying out tests that will yield vital data that will give more idea about what astronauts will go through when they return to Earth after a space mission. The tests began earlier this week. "The @NASA_Orion spacecraft is making a big splash! Engineers at @NASA_Langley began a series of four water impact drop tests to better understand what Orion & its crew may experience when they land in the Pacific Ocean after #Artemis missions to the Moon," tweeted Kathy Lueder, head of NASA's human spaceflight program These tests may appear to be unimportant to a casual eye but in reality, they are absolutely necessary to ensure safety of the astronauts during 'reentry', the part of the space mission when space capsule with astronauts onboard attempts to land on Earth in oceans. The slightest miscalculation during the re-entry has the potential for the space capsule to explode, instantly killing the astronauts. NASA suffered such a situation in which astronaut Kalpana Chawla was killed along with her crewmates in the year 2000. About Orion spacecraft Orion spacecraft is built to take humans "farther than they've ever gone before", says NASA. Orion spacecraft has been chosen to be a space capsule in Artemis missions, which will see first woman landing on the Moon and humans setting foot on Mars.

NASA begins water drop tests on Orion spacecraft

<p>Images from Mars are aplenty these days. And it's not a surprise as NASA has landed a Perseverance rover on the surface of the Red Planet. But NASA has more eyes on Mars. In addition to 'boots on ground', so to speak, NASA's 'Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter' (MRO) is currently in orbit around Mars.</p>

<p>The MRO has sent a brilliant image of Mars's frosty dunes. NASA has posted the picture on Instagram.</p>

<p>"...Our Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) beamed back another striking image taken on the Red Planet captured by our powerful HiRISE camera, this time showing the stunning image of frosty sand dunes. The field of sand dunes occupies a crater that stretches for 5 kilometers, found in the high-latitudes of Mars’ northern plains. The stripes and other features are the result of sublimated ice that comes with the ‘seasonal thaw." says NASA in its Instagram post. The post is heading fast towards 1 million likes.</p>

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<p>The image has been clicked by the MRO using HiRise, a camera it has on board.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter keeps an eye on Mars' geology and climate. It provides valuable information that can come in handy to decide about future landings on Mars. MRO was launched in the year 2006 and was placed in orbit around Mars in 2015.</p>


Images from Mars are aplenty these days. And it's not a surprise as NASA has landed a Perseverance rover on the surface of the Red Planet. But NASA has more eyes on Mars.

Images from Mars are aplenty these days. And it's not a surprise as NASA has landed a Perseverance rover on the surface of the Red Planet. But NASA has more eyes on Mars. In addition to 'boots on ground', so to speak, NASA's 'Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter' (MRO) is currently in orbit around Mars. The MRO has sent a brilliant image of Mars's frosty dunes. NASA has posted the picture on Instagram. "...Our Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) beamed back another striking image taken on the Red Planet captured by our powerful HiRISE camera, this time showing the stunning image of frosty sand dunes. The field of sand dunes occupies a crater that stretches for 5 kilometers, found in the high-latitudes of Mars’ northern plains. The stripes and other features are the result of sublimated ice that comes with the ‘seasonal thaw." says NASA in its Instagram post. The post is heading fast towards 1 million likes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NASA (@nasa) × The image has been clicked by the MRO using HiRise, a camera it has on board. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter keeps an eye on Mars' geology and climate. It provides valuable information that can come in handy to decide about future landings on Mars. MRO was launched in the year 2006 and was placed in orbit around Mars in 2015.

NASA posts brilliant image of frosty sand dunes on Mars

<p>A spectacular display of lights that streamed across the night sky over the US Pacific Northwest triggered several conspiracy theories on Thursday.</p>

<p>However,&nbsp;the National Weather Service (NWS) said it&nbsp;was probably debris from a&nbsp;SpaceX&nbsp;mission re-entering the atmosphere.</p>

<p>"While we await further confirmation on the details, here's the unofficial information we have so far. The widely reported bright objects in the sky were the debris from a Falcon 9 rocket 2nd stage," NWS Seattle tweeted.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Videos posted on social media showed a thick cluster of glowing dots with blazing trails of light moving slowly across the sky before fizzling out, with users speculating the phenomenon might be a meteor shower or even, jokingly, an alien invasion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Local media reported multiple sightings just after 9 pm local time, with videos posted online from Washington state and Oregon.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NWS Seattle said the sight was more likely to be caused by space debris rather than a meteor or similar object because the latter would be moving far faster, a conclusion backed up by several meteorologists quoted by local media.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Jonathan McDowell from Harvard's Center for Astrophysics also pointed to the Falcon 9 rocket stage as the source of the firework-like display.</p>

<p>"The Falcon 9 second stage from the Mar 4 Starlink launch failed to make a deorbit burn and is now re-entering after 22 days in orbit," he tweeted, referring to a rocket launched on March 4 to carry 60 Starlink internet relay satellites into orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A deorbit burn is a firing of a spacecraft’s thrusters to slow the vehicle and begin its descent, according to NASA's website.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>McDowell tweeted that while "we could predict this rocket stage would re-enter today", the speed at which it was travelling meant it was difficult to predict where it would be seen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There were no immediate reports of damage, with NWS Seattle saying there were no expected impacts on the ground.&nbsp;</p>


A spectacular display of lights that streamed across the night sky over the US Pacific Northwest triggered several conspiracy theories on Thursday. However, the National Weather Service (NWS) said it was probably debris from a SpaceX mission re-entering the atmosphere.

A spectacular display of lights that streamed across the night sky over the US Pacific Northwest triggered several conspiracy theories on Thursday. However, the National Weather Service (NWS) said it was probably debris from a SpaceX mission re-entering the atmosphere. "While we await further confirmation on the details, here's the unofficial information we have so far. The widely reported bright objects in the sky were the debris from a Falcon 9 rocket 2nd stage," NWS Seattle tweeted. Videos posted on social media showed a thick cluster of glowing dots with blazing trails of light moving slowly across the sky before fizzling out, with users speculating the phenomenon might be a meteor shower or even, jokingly, an alien invasion. Local media reported multiple sightings just after 9 pm local time, with videos posted online from Washington state and Oregon. NWS Seattle said the sight was more likely to be caused by space debris rather than a meteor or similar object because the latter would be moving far faster, a conclusion backed up by several meteorologists quoted by local media. Jonathan McDowell from Harvard's Center for Astrophysics also pointed to the Falcon 9 rocket stage as the source of the firework-like display. "The Falcon 9 second stage from the Mar 4 Starlink launch failed to make a deorbit burn and is now re-entering after 22 days in orbit," he tweeted, referring to a rocket launched on March 4 to carry 60 Starlink internet relay satellites into orbit. A deorbit burn is a firing of a spacecraft’s thrusters to slow the vehicle and begin its descent, according to NASA's website. McDowell tweeted that while "we could predict this rocket stage would re-enter today", the speed at which it was travelling meant it was difficult to predict where it would be seen. There were no immediate reports of damage, with NWS Seattle saying there were no expected impacts on the ground.

'Alien invasion': Spectacular display of lights across US sparks conspiracy theories

<p>While the world has been riveted by the escapades of NASA's Perseverance&nbsp;Mars&nbsp;rover, a group of Swiss primary school children has been eagerly preparing their own mission to the red planet.</p>

<p>Some of Switzerland's top space experts, including the country's only astronaut, Claude Nicollier, evaluated the detailed mission plan the children had developed over nine months. They were given the all-clear for lift-off on March 8.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/perseverance-searches-for-life-on-mars-369682/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>The children "exploded with joy" when they heard, their teacher at the Vivalys private school near Lausanne, Sebastien Roussel, said.</p>

<p>"It was like watching the NASA engineers' ecstatic reaction when Perseverance touched down."</p>

<p>Their destination? A Mars space station conveniently situated a bus-ride away in a secluded wooded area on the outskirts of Lausanne in western Switzerland.</p>

<p>Here, the 16 eight- and nine-year-olds will spend three days carrying out experiments similar to some conducted by actual astronauts, including attempting to grow plants to sustain them on the long journey.</p>

<p>And while the idyllic, snow-sprinkled surroundings are far less hostile than the windswept, dusty surface of Mars, the children wear suits and helmets whenever they step outside.</p>

<p>In a bid to simulate a true space mission, all the children's meals consist of freeze-dried space food. Initial plans for them to sleep on site were meanwhile scrapped due to the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>

<p>During the months of preparation, the children participated in workshops on astronomy and rocket engineering hosted by students at the neighbouring EPFL -- among the most prestigious technical universities in Europe.</p>

<p>The mission required them to use mathematics to calculate the distance to Mars, and they have also sharpened their language skills, learning how to spell the names of the planets.</p>

<p>The first experiment the team embarks upon after arriving at the space station is launching home-made paper rockets into space.</p>

<p>Perseverance's images from Mars have also left some children eager to see humans walk on the red planet.</p>


While the world has been riveted by the escapades of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, a group of Swiss primary school children has been eagerly preparing their own mission to the red planet.

While the world has been riveted by the escapades of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, a group of Swiss primary school children has been eagerly preparing their own mission to the red planet. Some of Switzerland's top space experts, including the country's only astronaut, Claude Nicollier, evaluated the detailed mission plan the children had developed over nine months. They were given the all-clear for lift-off on March 8. The children "exploded with joy" when they heard, their teacher at the Vivalys private school near Lausanne, Sebastien Roussel, said. "It was like watching the NASA engineers' ecstatic reaction when Perseverance touched down." Their destination? A Mars space station conveniently situated a bus-ride away in a secluded wooded area on the outskirts of Lausanne in western Switzerland. Here, the 16 eight- and nine-year-olds will spend three days carrying out experiments similar to some conducted by actual astronauts, including attempting to grow plants to sustain them on the long journey. And while the idyllic, snow-sprinkled surroundings are far less hostile than the windswept, dusty surface of Mars, the children wear suits and helmets whenever they step outside. In a bid to simulate a true space mission, all the children's meals consist of freeze-dried space food. Initial plans for them to sleep on site were meanwhile scrapped due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During the months of preparation, the children participated in workshops on astronomy and rocket engineering hosted by students at the neighbouring EPFL -- among the most prestigious technical universities in Europe. The mission required them to use mathematics to calculate the distance to Mars, and they have also sharpened their language skills, learning how to spell the names of the planets. The first experiment the team embarks upon after arriving at the space station is launching home-made paper rockets into space. Perseverance's images from Mars have also left some children eager to see humans walk on the red planet.

Students of Swiss primary school preparing for their mission to Mars

<p>The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) On Wednesday released audio tracks that let us listen to ‘music’ comprise translated visual data into sounds.</p>

<p>The resulting ‘music’ gives people an entirely different way to experience a particular image, including observations of space from various missions like the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The latest installments in the series cover three particular space scenes.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mg7whxKFQsk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>In the latest instalment in NASA’s data sonification series, observations by the Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes have been converted into sound, producing audio tapestries that complement the visual representations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The latest instalment incorporates three captivating vistas: the Chandra Deep Field South, the Cat’s Eye Nebula and Messier 51, the Whirlpool galaxy.<br />
<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HfFoUWm3NDA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Chandra Deep Field South — a deep look into the southern hemisphere of the sky -- is on the lighter end of the sound spectrum. "This is the deepest image ever taken in X-rays, representing over seven million seconds of Chandra observing time," said NASA in a statement on Wednesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The wide range of musical frequencies represents the full range of X-ray frequencies collected by Chandra of this region," said NASA.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kM2_Zq7DqUo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>"To listen to these data, there is a radar-like scan that moves clockwise emanating from the center point to produce pitch," said NASA. "Light that is further from the center is heard as higher pitches while brighter light is louder."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) On Wednesday released audio tracks that let us listen to ‘music’ comprise translated visual data into sounds.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) On Wednesday released audio tracks that let us listen to ‘music’ comprise translated visual data into sounds. The resulting ‘music’ gives people an entirely different way to experience a particular image, including observations of space from various missions like the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The latest installments in the series cover three particular space scenes. In the latest instalment in NASA’s data sonification series, observations by the Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes have been converted into sound, producing audio tapestries that complement the visual representations. The latest instalment incorporates three captivating vistas: the Chandra Deep Field South, the Cat’s Eye Nebula and Messier 51, the Whirlpool galaxy. Chandra Deep Field South — a deep look into the southern hemisphere of the sky -- is on the lighter end of the sound spectrum. "This is the deepest image ever taken in X-rays, representing over seven million seconds of Chandra observing time," said NASA in a statement on Wednesday. "The wide range of musical frequencies represents the full range of X-ray frequencies collected by Chandra of this region," said NASA. "To listen to these data, there is a radar-like scan that moves clockwise emanating from the center point to produce pitch," said NASA. "Light that is further from the center is heard as higher pitches while brighter light is louder." (With inputs from agencies)

Hear galaxies and black holes translated into music from NASA data

<p>NASA is targeting early April for the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter to make the first attempt at powered, controlled flight on another planet, the space agency said Tuesday.</p>

<p>Right now, the ultra-light aircraft remains fixed to the belly of the Perseverance rover, which touched down on the Red Planet on February 18.</p>

<p><strong>Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-capture-polarised-light-swirling-around-black-holes-magnetic-fields-372929" hreflang="en">Astronomers capture polarised light swirling around black hole's magnetic fields</a></strong></p>

<p>On Sunday, Perseverance dropped the debris shield that had protected Ingenuity during landing and is currently making its way to the "airfield" where Ingenuity will attempt its flights.</p>

<p>Once there, it will have 30 Martian sols -- equal to 31 Earth days -- to carry out its mission.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The best guess we have right now is April 8," for the first flight, said Bob Balaram, Mars Helicopter chief engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, though he added it could be sooner or later by a few days.</p>

<p>Balaram revealed for the first time that Ingenuity is carrying a small piece of cloth that covered one of the wings of the Wright brothers' first aircraft that achieved the first powered flight on Earth at Kitty Hawk in 1903, to pay tribute to the milestone.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/perseverance-searches-for-life-on-mars-369682/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Ingenuity will be attempting to fly in an atmosphere that is one per cent the density of Earth's, which makes achieving lift harder -- but will be assisted by gravity that is one-third our planet's.</p>

<p>The first flight will involve&nbsp;climbing at a rate of about three feet (one meter) per second to a height of 10 feet (three meters), hovering there for 30 seconds, then descending back to the surface.</p>

<p>Ingenuity will be taking high-resolution photography as it flies.</p>

<p>Before any of this happens, however, Ingenuity needs to be placed at its launching site, and set upright, a process that will take a few more days.</p>

<p>Once Perseverance drops off the helicopter, it needs to drive away about five meters within 25 hours so it doesn't cast a shadow on Ingenuity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>That's the number of time Ingenuity's batteries will be able to run a heater without needing to recharge via its solar panels.</p>

<p>This part is critical to surviving the night time temperatures which can plunge as low as minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 90 degrees Celsius).</p>

<p>If left unheated, the helicopter's unshielded electrical components will freeze and crack, killing the mission before it even begins.</p>

<p>If things however go to plan, Perseverance will take up a position at a distance to record Ingenuity's exploits with its own cameras.</p>

<p>Up to five flights of gradual difficulty are planned over the course of the month.</p>

<p>The four-pound (1.8-kilogram) rotorcraft cost NASA around $85 million to develop and is considered a proof of concept that could revolutionize&nbsp;space exploration.</p>

<p>Future aircraft could cover ground much more quickly than rovers, and explore more rugged terrain.</p>

<p>The next one planned is Dragonfly, a rotorcraft-lander that&nbsp;will launch in 2026 and arrive at Saturn's icy moon Titan in 2034.</p>


NASA is targeting early April for the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter to make the first attempt at powered, controlled flight on another planet, the space agency said Tuesday.

NASA is targeting early April for the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter to make the first attempt at powered, controlled flight on another planet, the space agency said Tuesday. Right now, the ultra-light aircraft remains fixed to the belly of the Perseverance rover, which touched down on the Red Planet on February 18. Also read| Astronomers capture polarised light swirling around black hole's magnetic fields On Sunday, Perseverance dropped the debris shield that had protected Ingenuity during landing and is currently making its way to the "airfield" where Ingenuity will attempt its flights. Once there, it will have 30 Martian sols -- equal to 31 Earth days -- to carry out its mission. "The best guess we have right now is April 8," for the first flight, said Bob Balaram, Mars Helicopter chief engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, though he added it could be sooner or later by a few days. Balaram revealed for the first time that Ingenuity is carrying a small piece of cloth that covered one of the wings of the Wright brothers' first aircraft that achieved the first powered flight on Earth at Kitty Hawk in 1903, to pay tribute to the milestone. Ingenuity will be attempting to fly in an atmosphere that is one per cent the density of Earth's, which makes achieving lift harder -- but will be assisted by gravity that is one-third our planet's. The first flight will involve climbing at a rate of about three feet (one meter) per second to a height of 10 feet (three meters), hovering there for 30 seconds, then descending back to the surface. Ingenuity will be taking high-resolution photography as it flies. Before any of this happens, however, Ingenuity needs to be placed at its launching site, and set upright, a process that will take a few more days. Once Perseverance drops off the helicopter, it needs to drive away about five meters within 25 hours so it doesn't cast a shadow on Ingenuity. That's the number of time Ingenuity's batteries will be able to run a heater without needing to recharge via its solar panels. This part is critical to surviving the night time temperatures which can plunge as low as minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 90 degrees Celsius). If left unheated, the helicopter's unshielded electrical components will freeze and crack, killing the mission before it even begins. If things however go to plan, Perseverance will take up a position at a distance to record Ingenuity's exploits with its own cameras. Up to five flights of gradual difficulty are planned over the course of the month. The four-pound (1.8-kilogram) rotorcraft cost NASA around $85 million to develop and is considered a proof of concept that could revolutionize space exploration. Future aircraft could cover ground much more quickly than rovers, and explore more rugged terrain. The next one planned is Dragonfly, a rotorcraft-lander that will launch in 2026 and arrive at Saturn's icy moon Titan in 2034.

First flight of NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter to take place in early April

NASA has announced a new spacesuit for the upcoming Artemis moon missions scheduled later this decade, the next challenge is figuring out the final version of the technology embedded inside.

NASA turns to college students to design new spacesuits

<p>Kangana Ranaut recently hyped two NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) interns as they sported bindi on their forehead.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pictures of the sisters made it to the social media and soon caught the attention of Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut who heaped praises on them for being “inclined to Hinduism”. Sisters Puja and Pratima were seen posing for the said picture in NASA sweatshirts.</p>

<p><strong>Kangana Ranaut</strong> wrote, "Anyone with scientific bend of mind will naturally be inclined to Hinduism, so lovely to see virat Hindus that too girls and also wearing bindis as one of the brightest scientists of NASA... devotion is the most profound dimension of intelligence."</p>

<p>She had quote-tweeted a NASA scientist who shared pictures of the sisters: "Puja and Pratima Roy are two sisters currently majoring in Computer Engineering Technology and interning at @NASAGlenn .”</p>

<p>On the work front, Kangana will be seen in ‘Tejas’. She recently completed work on ‘Dhaakad’ and also has biopic, ‘Thalaivi’.&nbsp;</p>


Kangana Ranaut recently hyped two NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) interns as they sported bindi on their forehead. Pictures of the sisters made it to the social media and soon caught the attention of Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut who heaped praises on them for being “inclined to Hinduism”.

Kangana Ranaut recently hyped two NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) interns as they sported bindi on their forehead. Pictures of the sisters made it to the social media and soon caught the attention of Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut who heaped praises on them for being “inclined to Hinduism”. Sisters Puja and Pratima were seen posing for the said picture in NASA sweatshirts. Kangana Ranaut wrote, "Anyone with scientific bend of mind will naturally be inclined to Hinduism, so lovely to see virat Hindus that too girls and also wearing bindis as one of the brightest scientists of NASA... devotion is the most profound dimension of intelligence." She had quote-tweeted a NASA scientist who shared pictures of the sisters: "Puja and Pratima Roy are two sisters currently majoring in Computer Engineering Technology and interning at @NASAGlenn .” On the work front, Kangana will be seen in ‘Tejas’. She recently completed work on ‘Dhaakad’ and also has biopic, ‘Thalaivi’.

Kangana Ranaut is thrilled at NASA interns wearing bindi; check out her post

Space administration is partnering with teams on college campuses across America to develop a new spacesuit technology that will help astronauts returning to the moon and eventually reach mars

NASA partnering with teams on College Campuses to develop innovative spacesuits for Astronauts

<p>“If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I bet they’d live a lot differently”</p>

<p>Many of us know this iconic line from the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. But it's not always possible for us to look at the infinite beauty of the universe each night.</p>

<p>In smartphone era, we are busier looking down at our phones rather than up in the sky.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But thanks to NASA, we can marvel at the beauty of stars and planets on our devices. NASA hasn't disappointed this time as well. It has posted yet another brilliant image of starscape far far away. It's a galaxy, and it's fifth brightest in the sky.</p>

<p>The name of the galaxy is Centaurus A. NASA has clicked the beautiful galaxy with the help of its James Webb Space telescope.</p>

<p>The galaxy is a beautiful splash of pink. But its colours tell a deeper story.</p>

<p>"...Each light wavelength tells us something different! Dark dust lanes and young blue star clusters, which crisscross its central region, can be seen in visible and near-infrared light. But by switching to X-ray and radio light views, a much more active scene unfolds: spectacular jets of material have erupted from its active supermassive black hole sending material into space well beyond the galaxy's limits," NASA has said in its Instagram post.<br />
⁣</p>

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<p>Centaurus-A galaxy is also known as NGC 5128. It is 10-16 million lightyears away from Earth. It is one of the closest radio galaxies to Earth. At the centre of the galaxy there is a supermassive black hole 55 million times the mass of the Sun.</p>


“If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I bet they’d live a lot differently” Many of us know this iconic line from the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes.

“If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I bet they’d live a lot differently” Many of us know this iconic line from the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. But it's not always possible for us to look at the infinite beauty of the universe each night. In smartphone era, we are busier looking down at our phones rather than up in the sky. But thanks to NASA, we can marvel at the beauty of stars and planets on our devices. NASA hasn't disappointed this time as well. It has posted yet another brilliant image of starscape far far away. It's a galaxy, and it's fifth brightest in the sky. The name of the galaxy is Centaurus A. NASA has clicked the beautiful galaxy with the help of its James Webb Space telescope. The galaxy is a beautiful splash of pink. But its colours tell a deeper story. "...Each light wavelength tells us something different! Dark dust lanes and young blue star clusters, which crisscross its central region, can be seen in visible and near-infrared light. But by switching to X-ray and radio light views, a much more active scene unfolds: spectacular jets of material have erupted from its active supermassive black hole sending material into space well beyond the galaxy's limits," NASA has said in its Instagram post. ⁣ View this post on Instagram A post shared by NASA (@nasa) × Centaurus-A galaxy is also known as NGC 5128. It is 10-16 million lightyears away from Earth. It is one of the closest radio galaxies to Earth. At the centre of the galaxy there is a supermassive black hole 55 million times the mass of the Sun.

NASA posts beautiful photo of fifth brightest galaxy in the sky

<p>Aerospace firms on Thursday credited NASA with a successful test of engines on a Boeing-built rocket for Artemis missions that aim to return US&nbsp;astronauts to the moon by 2024, more than half a century since the last lunar walk.</p>

<p>NASA simulated a launch by firing the engines of the core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket while it was anchored to a tower at its Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.</p>

<p>The four RS-25 engines roared to life for the full eight minutes of the test and filled the surrounding area and sky with clouds of white smoke. After the engines cut off, NASA employees could be heard applauding on the space agency`s live-streaming video, and many aerospace firms publicly congratulated NASA on a successful test.</p>

<p>A previous test in January ended after about a minute - well short of the roughly four minutes engineers needed to gather enough data.</p>

<p>The Space Launch System is now expected to go to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for integration with Lockheed Martin Corp`s Orion spacecraft.</p>

<p>NASA aims to send an uncrewed spacecraft to orbit the moon in November and return U.S. astronauts to the moon by 2024, but the SLS program is three years behind schedule and nearly $3 billion over budget.</p>

<p>President Joe Biden has tapped former Democratic senator and astronaut Bill Nelson to run the U.S. space agency, according to two people familiar with the decision.</p>

<p>It was a much-sought-after victory for Boeing after multiple setbacks.</p>

<p>Boeing lost a race for its Starliner crew capsule to be the first to carry astronauts from U.S. soil to the International Space Station in nearly a decade to Elon Musk`s SpaceX.</p>

<p>Jeff Bezos` Blue Origin is also racing to send its own crewed mission to space for the first time.</p>


Aerospace firms on Thursday credited NASA with a successful test of engines on a Boeing-built rocket for Artemis missions that aim to return US astronauts to the moon by 2024, more than half a century since the last lunar walk.

Aerospace firms on Thursday credited NASA with a successful test of engines on a Boeing-built rocket for Artemis missions that aim to return US astronauts to the moon by 2024, more than half a century since the last lunar walk. NASA simulated a launch by firing the engines of the core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket while it was anchored to a tower at its Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The four RS-25 engines roared to life for the full eight minutes of the test and filled the surrounding area and sky with clouds of white smoke. After the engines cut off, NASA employees could be heard applauding on the space agency`s live-streaming video, and many aerospace firms publicly congratulated NASA on a successful test. A previous test in January ended after about a minute - well short of the roughly four minutes engineers needed to gather enough data. The Space Launch System is now expected to go to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for integration with Lockheed Martin Corp`s Orion spacecraft. NASA aims to send an uncrewed spacecraft to orbit the moon in November and return U.S. astronauts to the moon by 2024, but the SLS program is three years behind schedule and nearly $3 billion over budget. President Joe Biden has tapped former Democratic senator and astronaut Bill Nelson to run the U.S. space agency, according to two people familiar with the decision. It was a much-sought-after victory for Boeing after multiple setbacks. Boeing lost a race for its Starliner crew capsule to be the first to carry astronauts from U.S. soil to the International Space Station in nearly a decade to Elon Musk`s SpaceX. Jeff Bezos` Blue Origin is also racing to send its own crewed mission to space for the first time.

NASA completes major test on rocket that could take humans back to the moon

<p>NASA's Mars rover Perseverance has sent back first-ever sounds of driving on the Martian surface.</p>

<p>The 16-minute raw audio released by Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California on Wednesday is from Persevarance's six metal wheels and suspension on its first test drive two weeks ago.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nasas-astrobiology-rover-perseverance-makes-historic-mars-landing-365101/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>"If I heard these sounds driving my car, I'd pull over and call for a tow," Dave Gruel, an engineer on the rover team, said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"But if you take a minute to consider what you're hearing and where it was recorded, it makes perfect sense," he further added in a written statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-discovers-three-microbes-that-may-help-grow-plants-on-mars-370933">NASA discovers three microbes that may help grow plants on Mars</a></strong></p>

<p>Perseverance, the biggest and most advanced rover ever sent to Mars landed near an ancient river delta on February 18 to discover the origins of past life.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Samples will be collected from the Red Planet's most promising rocks for eventual return to Earth for analysis.</p>

<p>The rover is embedded with two microphones and one has already has captured the sounds of wind and rock-zapping lasers.</p>

<p>The other microphone was intended to record the descent and landing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This second mike failed to record the rover's arrival at Mars but was able to record the sounds of first test drive on March 4.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


NASA's Mars rover Perseverance has sent back first-ever sounds of driving on the Martian surface. The 16-minute raw audio released by Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California on Wednesday is from Persevarance's six metal wheels and suspension on its first test drive two weeks ago.

NASA's Mars rover Perseverance has sent back first-ever sounds of driving on the Martian surface. The 16-minute raw audio released by Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California on Wednesday is from Persevarance's six metal wheels and suspension on its first test drive two weeks ago. Watch | "If I heard these sounds driving my car, I'd pull over and call for a tow," Dave Gruel, an engineer on the rover team, said. "But if you take a minute to consider what you're hearing and where it was recorded, it makes perfect sense," he further added in a written statement. Also read | NASA discovers three microbes that may help grow plants on Mars Perseverance, the biggest and most advanced rover ever sent to Mars landed near an ancient river delta on February 18 to discover the origins of past life. Samples will be collected from the Red Planet's most promising rocks for eventual return to Earth for analysis. The rover is embedded with two microphones and one has already has captured the sounds of wind and rock-zapping lasers. The other microphone was intended to record the descent and landing. This second mike failed to record the rover's arrival at Mars but was able to record the sounds of first test drive on March 4.

What is the sound of driving on Mars? NASA's probe finds

<p>The Juno spacecraft of the&nbsp;National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has revealed the&nbsp;dark origins of Jupiter's mysterious auroral storms, in a recent study.</p>

<p>The findings of the research, published in the journal AGU Advances state that the&nbsp;Ultraviolet Spectrograph instrument of the Juno mission, the gas-giant orbiter is illuminating the provenance of Jovian polar light.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-discovers-three-microbes-that-may-help-grow-plants-on-mars-370933">NASA discovers three microbes that may help grow plants on Mars</a></strong></p>

<p>It reveals&nbsp;for the first time the birth of auroral dawn storms – the early morning brightening unique to Jupiter’s spectacular aurorae. These immense, transient displays of light occur at both Jovian poles and had previously been observed only by ground-based and Earth-orbiting observatories, notably NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jQNLMoot-Bs" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>First discovered by Hubble’s Faint Object Camera in 1994, dawn storms consist of short-lived but intense brightening and broadening of Jupiter’s main auroral oval – an oblong curtain of light that surrounds both poles – near where the atmosphere emerges from the darkness in the early morning region.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-detects-fm-signals-from-jupiters-moon-ganymede-for-the-first-time-356822">NASA detects FM signals from Jupiter's moon Ganymede for the first time</a></strong></p>

<p>Before Juno, observations of Jovian ultraviolet aurora had offered only side views, hiding everything happening on the nightside of the planet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to&nbsp;Bertrand Bonfond, a researcher from the University of Liège in Belgium and lead author of the study,&nbsp;“Observing Jupiter’s aurora from Earth does not allow you to see beyond the limb, into the nightside of Jupiter’s poles. Explorations by other spacecraft – Voyager, Galileo, Cassini – happened from relatively large distances and did not fly over the poles, so they could not see the complete picture.”</p>

<p>&nbsp;“That’s why the Juno data is a real game-changer, allowing us a better understanding of what is happening on the nightside, where the dawn storms are born.”</p>

<p>Researchers found dawn storms are born on the nightside of the gas giant. As the planet rotates, the soon-to-be dawn storm rotates with it into the dayside, where these complex and intensely bright auroral features grow even more luminous, emitting anywhere from hundreds to thousands of gigawatts of ultraviolet light into space.</p>

<p>The jump in brightness implies that dawn storms are dumping at least 10 times more energy into Jupiter's upper atmosphere than typical aurora.</p>

<p>The interior of Jupiter is just as intriguing as the planet’s dazzling surface, with a swirling mixture of liquid hydrogen and helium at its centre, vast atmospheric jet streams and exotic gravitational properties.</p>

<p>Data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft, orbiting the solar system’s largest planet since 2016, is providing researchers with what they called unprecedented insight into Jupiter’s internal dynamics and structure. Until now, scientists have had scant information about what lies below Jupiter’s thick red, brown, yellow and white clouds.</p>

<p>Jupiter is a type of planet called a gas giant, as opposed to rocky planets like Earth and Mars, and its composition is 99 percent hydrogen and helium. Juno’s data showed that as you go deeper under the surface, Jupiter’s gas becomes ionized and eventually turns into a hot, dense metallic liquid.</p>


The Juno spacecraft of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has revealed the dark origins of Jupiter's mysterious auroral storms, in a recent study.

The Juno spacecraft of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has revealed the dark origins of Jupiter's mysterious auroral storms, in a recent study. The findings of the research, published in the journal AGU Advances state that the Ultraviolet Spectrograph instrument of the Juno mission, the gas-giant orbiter is illuminating the provenance of Jovian polar light. Also read: NASA discovers three microbes that may help grow plants on Mars It reveals for the first time the birth of auroral dawn storms – the early morning brightening unique to Jupiter’s spectacular aurorae. These immense, transient displays of light occur at both Jovian poles and had previously been observed only by ground-based and Earth-orbiting observatories, notably NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. First discovered by Hubble’s Faint Object Camera in 1994, dawn storms consist of short-lived but intense brightening and broadening of Jupiter’s main auroral oval – an oblong curtain of light that surrounds both poles – near where the atmosphere emerges from the darkness in the early morning region. Also read: NASA detects FM signals from Jupiter's moon Ganymede for the first time Before Juno, observations of Jovian ultraviolet aurora had offered only side views, hiding everything happening on the nightside of the planet. According to Bertrand Bonfond, a researcher from the University of Liège in Belgium and lead author of the study, “Observing Jupiter’s aurora from Earth does not allow you to see beyond the limb, into the nightside of Jupiter’s poles. Explorations by other spacecraft – Voyager, Galileo, Cassini – happened from relatively large distances and did not fly over the poles, so they could not see the complete picture.” “That’s why the Juno data is a real game-changer, allowing us a better understanding of what is happening on the nightside, where the dawn storms are born.” Researchers found dawn storms are born on the nightside of the gas giant. As the planet rotates, the soon-to-be dawn storm rotates with it into the dayside, where these complex and intensely bright auroral features grow even more luminous, emitting anywhere from hundreds to thousands of gigawatts of ultraviolet light into space. The jump in brightness implies that dawn storms are dumping at least 10 times more energy into Jupiter's upper atmosphere than typical aurora. The interior of Jupiter is just as intriguing as the planet’s dazzling surface, with a swirling mixture of liquid hydrogen and helium at its centre, vast atmospheric jet streams and exotic gravitational properties. Data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft, orbiting the solar system’s largest planet since 2016, is providing researchers with what they called unprecedented insight into Jupiter’s internal dynamics and structure. Until now, scientists have had scant information about what lies below Jupiter’s thick red, brown, yellow and white clouds. Jupiter is a type of planet called a gas giant, as opposed to rocky planets like Earth and Mars, and its composition is 99 percent hydrogen and helium. Juno’s data showed that as you go deeper under the surface, Jupiter’s gas becomes ionized and eventually turns into a hot, dense metallic liquid.

NASA's Juno spacecraft unveils dark origins of Jupiter's mysterious auroral storms for first time

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