US President Joe <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/first-ever-summit-of-quad-leaders-set-to-take-place-368123">Biden</a> while congratulating the team of NASA scientists over a virtual interaction said that Indian-Americans are taking over the United States.

Watch:

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The US president made the remark while speaking to Indian-American scientist Swati Mohan who had led the guidance, navigation and control operations of NASA's Mars 2020 mission.

During the interaction, Swati Mohan told&nbsp;Biden: "I'm doing very well, Mr&nbsp;President thank you for taking the time to speak with us," to which the US president responded: "Are you kidding me? what an honour this is. This is an incredible honour&nbsp;and it's amazing. Indian-Americans are taking over the country: you, my vice president, my speechwriter Vinay [White House director of speechwriting Vinay Reddy], I tell you what&nbsp;but thank you, you guys are incredible."

Biden also referred to a large number of people from the Indian-American community getting a place in his administration.&nbsp;

Biden has appointed at least 55 Indian-Americans to key leadership positions in his administration with nearly half of them women and a sizable number of them working in the White House.

US President Joe Biden while congratulating the team of NASA scientists over a virtual interaction said that Indian-Americans are taking over the United States. Watch: The US president made the remark while speaking to Indian-American scientist Swati Mohan who had led the guidance, navigation and control operations of NASA's Mars 2020 mission.

US President Joe Biden while congratulating the team of NASA scientists over a virtual interaction said that Indian-Americans are taking over the United States. Watch: The US president made the remark while speaking to Indian-American scientist Swati Mohan who had led the guidance, navigation and control operations of NASA's Mars 2020 mission. During the interaction, Swati Mohan told Biden: "I'm doing very well, Mr President thank you for taking the time to speak with us," to which the US president responded: "Are you kidding me? what an honour this is. This is an incredible honour and it's amazing. Indian-Americans are taking over the country: you, my vice president, my speechwriter Vinay [White House director of speechwriting Vinay Reddy], I tell you what but thank you, you guys are incredible." Biden also referred to a large number of people from the Indian-American community getting a place in his administration. Biden has appointed at least 55 Indian-Americans to key leadership positions in his administration with nearly half of them women and a sizable number of them working in the White House.

Indian-Americans taking over the country, Biden jokes with NASA's Swati Mohan

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, set to be the largest of its kind&nbsp;concluded its final functional tests at Redondo Beach in California on March 1. 
 
The James Webb Space Telescope is part of an international programme led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) along with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency. When it launches in 2021, the telescope would become the supreme space observatory.

It would open up access to an array of worlds that are situated in the universe. The telescope would be able to view distant words that exist around other stars, along with attempting to understand the circumstances that created our universe. Essentially, the telescope will be the largest and most powerful ever and will help scientists view far off cosmic entities.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-nasa-to-launch-second-commercial-crew-rotation-mission-to-international-space-station-367728" hreflang="en">SpaceX, NASA to launch second Commercial Crew Rotation Mission to International Space Station</a> 
 
Besides simply offering a clearer view of night skies, the telescope would also shed light on the processes that created and shaped not only our own but all galaxies. According to NASA, the testing teams for the telescope were able to successfully achieve two key milestones in terms of performance, with all electronics working as intended which will help the telescope in transmitting and receiving data.

The space agency claims to be prepping the telescope for launch in October. In addition, NASA said that the telescope would be able to withstand the launch environment. Now, the telescope is undergoing a final systems evaluation, with a "ground segment test" scheduled for later. The test in question would help in processing scientific data, which would later be archived.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/is-it-possible-to-travel-faster-than-light-scientists-believe-so-367711" hreflang="en">Is it possible to travel faster than light? Scientists believe so!</a>

Once up and running in space, telescope commands would be transmitted from the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore to one of the Deep Space Network locations in California, Spain, or Australia.&nbsp; 
 
From there, the signals will be forwarded to the observatory which will be over a million kilometres away.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, set to be the largest of its kind concluded its final functional tests at Redondo Beach in California on March 1. The James Webb Space Telescope is part of an international programme led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) along with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, set to be the largest of its kind concluded its final functional tests at Redondo Beach in California on March 1. The James Webb Space Telescope is part of an international programme led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) along with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency. When it launches in 2021, the telescope would become the supreme space observatory. It would open up access to an array of worlds that are situated in the universe. The telescope would be able to view distant words that exist around other stars, along with attempting to understand the circumstances that created our universe. Essentially, the telescope will be the largest and most powerful ever and will help scientists view far off cosmic entities. Also read: SpaceX, NASA to launch second Commercial Crew Rotation Mission to International Space Station Besides simply offering a clearer view of night skies, the telescope would also shed light on the processes that created and shaped not only our own but all galaxies. According to NASA, the testing teams for the telescope were able to successfully achieve two key milestones in terms of performance, with all electronics working as intended which will help the telescope in transmitting and receiving data. The space agency claims to be prepping the telescope for launch in October. In addition, NASA said that the telescope would be able to withstand the launch environment. Now, the telescope is undergoing a final systems evaluation, with a "ground segment test" scheduled for later. The test in question would help in processing scientific data, which would later be archived. Also read: Is it possible to travel faster than light? Scientists believe so! Once up and running in space, telescope commands would be transmitted from the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore to one of the Deep Space Network locations in California, Spain, or Australia. From there, the signals will be forwarded to the observatory which will be over a million kilometres away.

As NASA finishes final tests of James Webb Space Telescope, here's a look at its supreme capabilities

The&nbsp;National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Elon Musk's SpaceX are going to launch the&nbsp;second Commercial Crew Rotation Mission to International Space Station.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission will carry astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of NASA, Akihiko Hoshide of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft launching atop a Falcon 9 rocket on its way to the space station.

The mission is scheduled to lift off no earlier than April 20 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/nasa-vs-musks-spacex-race-to-put-american-boots-on-mars-365406#american-boots-on-the-red-planet-365388">NASA vs Musk's SpaceX: Race to put American boots on Mars</a>

The crew is scheduled for a long-duration stay aboard the orbiting laboratory, spending several months conducting science and maintenance before the four astronauts return to Earth in fall 2021.

NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight completed in 2020 was the final demonstration flight of the Crew Dragon and was followed by NASA completing the certification of the Crew Dragon system ahead of the Crew-1 mission.

All four astronauts were assigned to the Crew-2 mission in July 2020 and began working and training on SpaceX’s next-generation human spacecraft and for their long-duration stay aboard the space station.

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-announces-first-commercial-astronaut-mission-to-orbit-earth-360776">SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth</a>

Lifting off from Launch Pad 39A on a Falcon 9 rocket, Crew Dragon will accelerate its four passengers to approximately 17,500 mph and put it on an intercept course with the International Space Station. The Falcon 9 that will be used to launch this mission uses the same booster as NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1, marking the first time a flight-proven booster will be used for a crewed launch.

Once in orbit, the crew and SpaceX mission control will monitor a series of automatic manoeuvres that will guide the Crew-2 astronauts to their new home in orbit. After a predetermined time in orbit driven by the launch date, Crew Dragon will be in a position to rendezvous and dock with the space station. The spacecraft is designed to dock autonomously with the ability for astronauts aboard the spacecraft to take control and pilot manually, if necessary.

After successfully docking, the astronauts of Crew-2 will be welcomed aboard the station by the Expedition 65 crew, including the Crew-1 astronauts still onboard. The space station’s crew size will again expand to seven people, increasing the amount of crew time available for research.

The Crew Dragon being used for this flight will remain docked to the station for the full length of a long-duration space station expedition, lasting approximately six months. It is the same Crew Dragon capsule, dubbed “Endeavour,” that astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken flew to the space station for their historic Demo-2 mission. The Crew-2 astronauts will spend their time aboard the International Space Station conducting new and exciting scientific research in areas, such as medical technology, human health, and materials to benefit life on Earth.

Crew members will test the Butterfly IQ Ultrasound, a portable ultrasound device used in conjunction with a mobile computing device in the space environment. They also will conduct a variety of tissue engineering investigations, ranging from studies of bone, cardiovascular, muscle and liver health. An experiment from retail store Target will study cotton growth in microgravity to help identify more robust cotton varieties that require less water and pesticide use.

During their stay on the orbiting laboratory, astronauts of Crew-2 will see cargo spacecraft including the Northrop Grumman Cygnus and the SpaceX cargo Dragon. They will conduct a series of spacewalks to install new solar arrays, increasing the station’s total available power from 160 kilowatts to up to 215 kilowatts.

At the conclusion of the mission, Crew Dragon will autonomously undock with the four astronauts on board, depart the space station and re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. After splashdown just off Florida’s coast, a SpaceX recovery vessel will pick up the crew and bring them back to shore to board a plane for return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The Crew-2 mission continues the efforts of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to restore and maintain American leadership in human spaceflight. Regular, long-duration commercial crew rotation missions enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations taking place onboard the station. Such research benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future exploration of the Moon and Mars starting with the agency’s Artemis program, which will land the first woman and the next man on the lunar surface.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Elon Musk's SpaceX are going to launch the second Commercial Crew Rotation Mission to International Space Station.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Elon Musk's SpaceX are going to launch the second Commercial Crew Rotation Mission to International Space Station. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission will carry astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of NASA, Akihiko Hoshide of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft launching atop a Falcon 9 rocket on its way to the space station. The mission is scheduled to lift off no earlier than April 20 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Also see| NASA vs Musk's SpaceX: Race to put American boots on Mars The crew is scheduled for a long-duration stay aboard the orbiting laboratory, spending several months conducting science and maintenance before the four astronauts return to Earth in fall 2021. NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight completed in 2020 was the final demonstration flight of the Crew Dragon and was followed by NASA completing the certification of the Crew Dragon system ahead of the Crew-1 mission. All four astronauts were assigned to the Crew-2 mission in July 2020 and began working and training on SpaceX’s next-generation human spacecraft and for their long-duration stay aboard the space station. Also read| SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth Lifting off from Launch Pad 39A on a Falcon 9 rocket, Crew Dragon will accelerate its four passengers to approximately 17,500 mph and put it on an intercept course with the International Space Station. The Falcon 9 that will be used to launch this mission uses the same booster as NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1, marking the first time a flight-proven booster will be used for a crewed launch. Once in orbit, the crew and SpaceX mission control will monitor a series of automatic manoeuvres that will guide the Crew-2 astronauts to their new home in orbit. After a predetermined time in orbit driven by the launch date, Crew Dragon will be in a position to rendezvous and dock with the space station. The spacecraft is designed to dock autonomously with the ability for astronauts aboard the spacecraft to take control and pilot manually, if necessary. After successfully docking, the astronauts of Crew-2 will be welcomed aboard the station by the Expedition 65 crew, including the Crew-1 astronauts still onboard. The space station’s crew size will again expand to seven people, increasing the amount of crew time available for research. The Crew Dragon being used for this flight will remain docked to the station for the full length of a long-duration space station expedition, lasting approximately six months. It is the same Crew Dragon capsule, dubbed “Endeavour,” that astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken flew to the space station for their historic Demo-2 mission. The Crew-2 astronauts will spend their time aboard the International Space Station conducting new and exciting scientific research in areas, such as medical technology, human health, and materials to benefit life on Earth. Crew members will test the Butterfly IQ Ultrasound, a portable ultrasound device used in conjunction with a mobile computing device in the space environment. They also will conduct a variety of tissue engineering investigations, ranging from studies of bone, cardiovascular, muscle and liver health. An experiment from retail store Target will study cotton growth in microgravity to help identify more robust cotton varieties that require less water and pesticide use. During their stay on the orbiting laboratory, astronauts of Crew-2 will see cargo spacecraft including the Northrop Grumman Cygnus and the SpaceX cargo Dragon. They will conduct a series of spacewalks to install new solar arrays, increasing the station’s total available power from 160 kilowatts to up to 215 kilowatts. At the conclusion of the mission, Crew Dragon will autonomously undock with the four astronauts on board, depart the space station and re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. After splashdown just off Florida’s coast, a SpaceX recovery vessel will pick up the crew and bring them back to shore to board a plane for return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The Crew-2 mission continues the efforts of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to restore and maintain American leadership in human spaceflight. Regular, long-duration commercial crew rotation missions enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations taking place onboard the station. Such research benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future exploration of the Moon and Mars starting with the agency’s Artemis program, which will land the first woman and the next man on the lunar surface.

SpaceX, NASA to launch second Commercial Crew Rotation Mission to International Space Station

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a wayward comet-like object has been spotted near the family of ancient asteroids.

Watch:

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"The object has settled near a family of captured ancient asteroids, called Trojans," NASA said on its website. The object has been orbiting the Sun alongside Jupiter.

The US space agency said the object belongs to "a class of icy bodies found in space between Jupiter and Neptune" called Centaurs. The object has been captured by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA said the "vagabond object shows signs of comet activity, such as a tail, outgassing in the form of jets, and an enshrouding coma of dust and gas."

Hubble researcher Bryce Bolin of Caltech in Pasadena, California said: “The visitor had to have come into the orbit of Jupiter at just the right trajectory to have this kind of configuration that gives it the appearance of sharing its orbit with the planet. We’re investigating how it was captured by Jupiter and landed among the Trojans. But we think it could be related to the fact that it had a somewhat close encounter with Jupiter."

NASA said the "nomadic object" was first spotted two years ago after Japanese amateur astronomer Seiichi Yoshida tipped off the Hubble team to possible comet activity.

The space agency then scanned data to find the object in fact existed. NASA said the "unexpected guest" will not stay among the asteroid for very long after conducting computer simulations.

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a wayward comet-like object has been spotted near the family of ancient asteroids. Watch: "The object has settled near a family of captured ancient asteroids, called Trojans," NASA said on its website.

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a wayward comet-like object has been spotted near the family of ancient asteroids. Watch: "The object has settled near a family of captured ancient asteroids, called Trojans," NASA said on its website. The object has been orbiting the Sun alongside Jupiter. The US space agency said the object belongs to "a class of icy bodies found in space between Jupiter and Neptune" called Centaurs. The object has been captured by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. NASA said the "vagabond object shows signs of comet activity, such as a tail, outgassing in the form of jets, and an enshrouding coma of dust and gas." Hubble researcher Bryce Bolin of Caltech in Pasadena, California said: “The visitor had to have come into the orbit of Jupiter at just the right trajectory to have this kind of configuration that gives it the appearance of sharing its orbit with the planet. We’re investigating how it was captured by Jupiter and landed among the Trojans. But we think it could be related to the fact that it had a somewhat close encounter with Jupiter." NASA said the "nomadic object" was first spotted two years ago after Japanese amateur astronomer Seiichi Yoshida tipped off the Hubble team to possible comet activity. The space agency then scanned data to find the object in fact existed. NASA said the "unexpected guest" will not stay among the asteroid for very long after conducting computer simulations.

Why a 'vagabond' comet-like object near ancient Trojan asteroids has caught NASA's attention

What's behind these strange stripes in Russia? NASA answers!

The&nbsp;Parker Solar Probe of the&nbsp;National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has captured stunning views of Venus during its close flyby of the planet.

When flying past Venus in July 2020, Parker Solar Probe’s WISPR instrument, (Wide-field Imager for Parker Solar Probe)&nbsp;detected a bright rim around the edge of the planet that may be nightglow,&nbsp;light emitted by oxygen atoms high in the atmosphere that recombine into molecules in the nightside.

The prominent dark feature in the centre of the image is Aphrodite Terra, the largest highland region on the Venusian surface. Bright streaks in WISPR, such as the ones seen here, are typically caused by a combination of charged particles, called cosmic rays, sunlight reflected by grains of space dust, and particles of material expelled from the spacecraft’s structures after impact with those dust grains.

The number of streaks varies along the orbit or when the spacecraft is traveling at different speeds, and scientists are still in discussion about the specific origins of the streaks here. The dark spot appearing on the lower portion of Venus is an artifact from the WISPR instrument.

WISPR is designed to take images of the solar corona and inner heliosphere in visible light, as well as images of the solar wind and its structures as they approach and fly by spacecraft.&nbsp;At Venus, the camera detected a bright rim around the edge of the planet that may be nightglow — light emitted by oxygen atoms high in the atmosphere that recombine into molecules in the nightside. The prominent dark feature in the centre of the image is Aphrodite Terra, the largest highland region on the Venusian surface. The feature appears dark because of its lower temperature, about 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) cooler than its surroundings.

That aspect of the image took the team by surprise, said Angelos Vourlidas, the WISPR project scientist from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, who coordinated a WISPR imaging campaign with Japan’s Venus-orbiting Akatsuki mission. “WISPR is tailored and tested for visible-light observations. We expected to see clouds, but the camera peered right through to the surface.”

“WISPR effectively captured the thermal emission of the Venusian surface,” said Brian Wood, an astrophysicist and WISPR team member from the US&nbsp;Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. “It’s very similar to images acquired by the Akatsuki spacecraft at near-infrared wavelengths.”

This surprising observation sent the WISPR team back to the lab to measure the instrument’s sensitivity to infrared light. If WISPR can indeed pick up near-infrared wavelengths of light, the unforeseen capability would provide new opportunities to study dust around the Sun and in the inner solar system. If it can’t pick up extra infrared wavelengths, then these images — showing signatures of features on Venus’ surface — may have revealed a previously unknown “window” through the Venusian atmosphere.

“Either way,” Vourlidas said, “some exciting science opportunities await us.”

For more insight into the July 2020 images, the WISPR team planned a set of similar observations of the Venusian nightside during Parker Solar Probe’s latest Venus flyby on Feb. 20, 2021. Mission team scientists expect to receive and process that data for analysis by the end of April.

“We are really looking forward to these new images,” said Javier Peralta, a planetary scientist from the Akatsuki team, who first suggested a Parker Solar Probe campaign with Akatsuki, which has been in orbiting Venus since 2015. “If WISPR can sense the thermal emission from the surface of Venus and nightglow — most likely from oxygen — at the limb of the planet, it can make valuable contributions to studies of the Venusian surface.”

Parker Solar Probe is part of NASA’s Living with a Star program to explore aspects of the Sun-Earth system that directly affect life and society. The Living with a Star program is managed by the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Johns Hopkins APL designed, built and operates the spacecraft.

The Parker Solar Probe of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has captured stunning views of Venus during its close flyby of the planet. When flying past Venus in July 2020, Parker Solar Probe’s WISPR instrument, (Wide-field Imager for Parker Solar Probe) detected a bright rim around the edge of the planet that may be nightglow, light emitted by oxygen atoms high in the atmosphere that recombine into molecules in the nightside.

The Parker Solar Probe of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has captured stunning views of Venus during its close flyby of the planet. When flying past Venus in July 2020, Parker Solar Probe’s WISPR instrument, (Wide-field Imager for Parker Solar Probe) detected a bright rim around the edge of the planet that may be nightglow, light emitted by oxygen atoms high in the atmosphere that recombine into molecules in the nightside. The prominent dark feature in the centre of the image is Aphrodite Terra, the largest highland region on the Venusian surface. Bright streaks in WISPR, such as the ones seen here, are typically caused by a combination of charged particles, called cosmic rays, sunlight reflected by grains of space dust, and particles of material expelled from the spacecraft’s structures after impact with those dust grains. The number of streaks varies along the orbit or when the spacecraft is traveling at different speeds, and scientists are still in discussion about the specific origins of the streaks here. The dark spot appearing on the lower portion of Venus is an artifact from the WISPR instrument. WISPR is designed to take images of the solar corona and inner heliosphere in visible light, as well as images of the solar wind and its structures as they approach and fly by spacecraft. At Venus, the camera detected a bright rim around the edge of the planet that may be nightglow — light emitted by oxygen atoms high in the atmosphere that recombine into molecules in the nightside. The prominent dark feature in the centre of the image is Aphrodite Terra, the largest highland region on the Venusian surface. The feature appears dark because of its lower temperature, about 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) cooler than its surroundings. That aspect of the image took the team by surprise, said Angelos Vourlidas, the WISPR project scientist from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, who coordinated a WISPR imaging campaign with Japan’s Venus-orbiting Akatsuki mission. “WISPR is tailored and tested for visible-light observations. We expected to see clouds, but the camera peered right through to the surface.” “WISPR effectively captured the thermal emission of the Venusian surface,” said Brian Wood, an astrophysicist and WISPR team member from the US Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. “It’s very similar to images acquired by the Akatsuki spacecraft at near-infrared wavelengths.” This surprising observation sent the WISPR team back to the lab to measure the instrument’s sensitivity to infrared light. If WISPR can indeed pick up near-infrared wavelengths of light, the unforeseen capability would provide new opportunities to study dust around the Sun and in the inner solar system. If it can’t pick up extra infrared wavelengths, then these images — showing signatures of features on Venus’ surface — may have revealed a previously unknown “window” through the Venusian atmosphere. “Either way,” Vourlidas said, “some exciting science opportunities await us.” For more insight into the July 2020 images, the WISPR team planned a set of similar observations of the Venusian nightside during Parker Solar Probe’s latest Venus flyby on Feb. 20, 2021. Mission team scientists expect to receive and process that data for analysis by the end of April. “We are really looking forward to these new images,” said Javier Peralta, a planetary scientist from the Akatsuki team, who first suggested a Parker Solar Probe campaign with Akatsuki, which has been in orbiting Venus since 2015. “If WISPR can sense the thermal emission from the surface of Venus and nightglow — most likely from oxygen — at the limb of the planet, it can make valuable contributions to studies of the Venusian surface.” Parker Solar Probe is part of NASA’s Living with a Star program to explore aspects of the Sun-Earth system that directly affect life and society. The Living with a Star program is managed by the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Johns Hopkins APL designed, built and operates the spacecraft.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe sends stunning image of Venus and its terrain

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration recently unveiled a new experiment - the Super Soaker mission. Quite literally, the agency created artificial glowing clouds.

How did they do this? 
NASA fired a mini rocket into the Earth's upper atmosphere, which was then detonated to create the artificial clouds. These clouds are referred to as polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) and constitute ice crystals that are high up in the atmosphere. These clouds glow for they are able to capture sunlight.

Related video:&nbsp;NASA's astrobiology rover Perseverance makes historic Mars landing

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Why is this important? 
These clouds can help point to key components that are responsible for maintaining life on Earth, and could offer insight into the atmosphere's conditions. This experiment was peculiarly challenging for the PMCs were created in January, which is not the most ideal time for their formation.

The NASA team shot up a small suborbital rocket from Alaska to a height of 85 kilometres (53 miles), following which an explosion was triggered. After this, 219 kilograms (485 pounds) of water was released into the atmosphere.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/rare-backwards-spinning-star-spotted-in-a-distant-planetary-system-by-scientists-364030" hreflang="en">Rare backwards-spinning star spotted in a distant planetary system by scientists</a>

18 seconds after the explosion, a ground-based laser detected the glow of PMCs, which then shed light on how the process occurred, and how it was able to cool the atmosphere.

The scientists found that the vapour in the upper atmosphere in the aftermath of the explosion was able to significantly lower the temperature in the region.&nbsp; It was owing to this temperature that these artificial glowing clouds came into being.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-is-offering-500000-to-cooks-who-can-make-other-worldly-meals-for-astronauts-363813" hreflang="en">NASA is offering $500,000 to cooks who can make other worldly meals for astronauts</a>

In the aftermath of the satellite and rocket launches, water vapour is generally released. Scientists believe that as the space surrounding Earth becomes more crowded with satellites, such glowing clouds may become more common to the observer.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration recently unveiled a new experiment - the Super Soaker mission. Quite literally, the agency created artificial glowing clouds.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration recently unveiled a new experiment - the Super Soaker mission. Quite literally, the agency created artificial glowing clouds. How did they do this? NASA fired a mini rocket into the Earth's upper atmosphere, which was then detonated to create the artificial clouds. These clouds are referred to as polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) and constitute ice crystals that are high up in the atmosphere. These clouds glow for they are able to capture sunlight. Related video: NASA's astrobiology rover Perseverance makes historic Mars landing Why is this important? These clouds can help point to key components that are responsible for maintaining life on Earth, and could offer insight into the atmosphere's conditions. This experiment was peculiarly challenging for the PMCs were created in January, which is not the most ideal time for their formation. The NASA team shot up a small suborbital rocket from Alaska to a height of 85 kilometres (53 miles), following which an explosion was triggered. After this, 219 kilograms (485 pounds) of water was released into the atmosphere. Also read: Rare backwards-spinning star spotted in a distant planetary system by scientists 18 seconds after the explosion, a ground-based laser detected the glow of PMCs, which then shed light on how the process occurred, and how it was able to cool the atmosphere. The scientists found that the vapour in the upper atmosphere in the aftermath of the explosion was able to significantly lower the temperature in the region. It was owing to this temperature that these artificial glowing clouds came into being. Also read: NASA is offering $500,000 to cooks who can make other worldly meals for astronauts In the aftermath of the satellite and rocket launches, water vapour is generally released. Scientists believe that as the space surrounding Earth becomes more crowded with satellites, such glowing clouds may become more common to the observer.

NASA recently created artificial glowing clouds in the Earth's atmosphere!

School students in India have discovered 18 asteroids&nbsp;as part of a global science programme, according to the&nbsp;International Astronomical Union (IAU), an organisation that assigns official names and designations to celestial bodies.

The International Asteroid Discovery Project was conducted by STEM and Space, an organisation working towards the learning of astronomy and space science in India, along with the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) as part of a NASA citizen science project.

Over the last two years, 150 students from all around India participated in this two-month-long campaign to find asteroids, making this the largest asteroid discovery project in India, Mila Mitra, Co-founder and Academic Head of STEM and Space said.

In the project, the students from India, and across the globe analysed the high-quality astronomical data provided by IASC, an online scientific program for kids to discover Asteroids and Near-Earth Objects (NEO).

NEOs are rocky objects in an orbit between Mars and Jupiter, which pose a challenge to Earth as they may get perturbed out of their orbit and pose a threat of impact. 
According to Mitra and her team, NASA has initiated programs like IASC to track such asteroids regularly, also open to citizen scientists and students to enable the discovery and tracking of more asteroids.

She explained that in the project the students use advanced software analysis, "spending nearly two-three hours each day" to look for asteroids and report their findings. 
Of the 372 preliminary asteroids flagged by the students, 18 were finally declared to be "provisional" or confirmed discoveries of asteroids, Mitra noted.

"IAU confirmed these findings last month," the STEM and Space co-founder added.

Mitra believes brings such programs can bring the experiential learning of science, technology, engineering and medicine, or STEM, via the domain of space with a gamut of hands-on learning workshops.

However, she said more efforts need to be taken to extend the reach of such programs to government-run schools and those in rural parts of the country to make the citizen science projects more equitable.

Mitra noted that all the discoverers received Provisional Discovery Certificates from IASC and NASA for their scientific contribution in discovering asteroids.

School students in India have discovered 18 asteroids as part of a global science programme, according to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), an organisation that assigns official names and designations to celestial bodies.

School students in India have discovered 18 asteroids as part of a global science programme, according to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), an organisation that assigns official names and designations to celestial bodies. The International Asteroid Discovery Project was conducted by STEM and Space, an organisation working towards the learning of astronomy and space science in India, along with the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) as part of a NASA citizen science project. Over the last two years, 150 students from all around India participated in this two-month-long campaign to find asteroids, making this the largest asteroid discovery project in India, Mila Mitra, Co-founder and Academic Head of STEM and Space said. In the project, the students from India, and across the globe analysed the high-quality astronomical data provided by IASC, an online scientific program for kids to discover Asteroids and Near-Earth Objects (NEO). NEOs are rocky objects in an orbit between Mars and Jupiter, which pose a challenge to Earth as they may get perturbed out of their orbit and pose a threat of impact. According to Mitra and her team, NASA has initiated programs like IASC to track such asteroids regularly, also open to citizen scientists and students to enable the discovery and tracking of more asteroids. She explained that in the project the students use advanced software analysis, "spending nearly two-three hours each day" to look for asteroids and report their findings. Of the 372 preliminary asteroids flagged by the students, 18 were finally declared to be "provisional" or confirmed discoveries of asteroids, Mitra noted. "IAU confirmed these findings last month," the STEM and Space co-founder added. Mitra believes brings such programs can bring the experiential learning of science, technology, engineering and medicine, or STEM, via the domain of space with a gamut of hands-on learning workshops. However, she said more efforts need to be taken to extend the reach of such programs to government-run schools and those in rural parts of the country to make the citizen science projects more equitable. Mitra noted that all the discoverers received Provisional Discovery Certificates from IASC and NASA for their scientific contribution in discovering asteroids.

Indian school students discover 18 new asteroids

US space agency NASA released a brilliant panoramic view on Wednesday of the landing site of the Perseverance rover on Mars. The panorama shows the rim of the Jezero Crater. Perseverance landed at the crator last week. Cliff face of an ancient river delta is visible in the panorama as well.

The panorama was taken by the mast of the rover that is equipped with dual, zoomable cameras that can take high-def video and images.

"We're nestled right in a sweet spot, where you can see different features similar in many ways to features found by Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity at their landing sites," said Jim Bell of Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration.

Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity were previous missions to Mars.

NASA said the rover's cameras will help scientists assess the geologic history and atmospheric conditions of Jezero Crater and identify rocks and sediment worthy of a closer examination and collection for eventual return to Earth.

On Monday, the US space agency released the first audio from Mars, a faint crackling recording of a gust of wind captured by the rover's microphone.

NASA also released video of the landing of the rover, which is on a mission to search for signs of past life on the Red Planet.

(With AFP inputs)

US space agency NASA released a brilliant panoramic view on Wednesday of the landing site of the Perseverance rover on Mars. The panorama shows the rim of the Jezero Crater.

US space agency NASA released a brilliant panoramic view on Wednesday of the landing site of the Perseverance rover on Mars. The panorama shows the rim of the Jezero Crater. Perseverance landed at the crator last week. Cliff face of an ancient river delta is visible in the panorama as well. The panorama was taken by the mast of the rover that is equipped with dual, zoomable cameras that can take high-def video and images. "We're nestled right in a sweet spot, where you can see different features similar in many ways to features found by Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity at their landing sites," said Jim Bell of Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration. Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity were previous missions to Mars. NASA said the rover's cameras will help scientists assess the geologic history and atmospheric conditions of Jezero Crater and identify rocks and sediment worthy of a closer examination and collection for eventual return to Earth. On Monday, the US space agency released the first audio from Mars, a faint crackling recording of a gust of wind captured by the rover's microphone. NASA also released video of the landing of the rover, which is on a mission to search for signs of past life on the Red Planet. (With AFP inputs)

NASA releases 360-degree panorama of Mars

Respecting the contributions of NASA's first African-American female engineer, Mary Jackson, the space organisation has decided to rename its Washington DC's headquarters.

On Friday, in a ceremony held at the Washington building, the headquarters' name was formally changed in Jackson's honour.

Jackson started her career with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in April 1951.

Also read|<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/space-station-launch-honours-black-nasa-mathematician-in-hidden-figures-film-365210">&nbsp;Space station launch honours Black NASA mathematician in 'Hidden Figures' film</a>

She worked with NASA for 34 years where she started as a mathematician conducting research but went on to become the first African-American female engineer.

Jackson, later, moved into administration and worked as NASA's equal opportunity officer, with the aim to promote equality and provide similar opportunities to people from different backgrounds.

"She helped us propel the dawn of the Space Age through her work as a ‘human computer’. Now, our headquarters building will be named in her honor," NASA said in a tweet.

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She helped us propel the dawn of the Space Age through her work as a ‘human computer’. Now, our headquarters building will be named in her honor. Get to know Mary W. Jackson, our first African American female engineer: <a href="https://t.co/QvrTKd3L2Z">https://t.co/QvrTKd3L2Z</a> <a href="https://t.co/pJd6h8AttM">pic.twitter.com/pJd6h8AttM</a>
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She was also honoured with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor of the country, in 2019.&nbsp;

The mathematician especially rose to fame after she was featured as one of the subjects of the book "Hidden Figures", which was later turned into a movie.

"NASA facilities across the country are named after people who dedicated their lives to push the frontiers of the aerospace industry. The nation is beginning to awaken to the greater need to honor the full diversity of people who helped pioneer our great nation," former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who is the first woman, African-American and Asian origin VP of the country, also tweeted in the praise of Jackson.

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Mary W. Jackson, one of the ‘Hidden Figures,’ was critical to getting American astronauts into space. She broke barriers at home, persevered, and inspired the next generation of engineers, scientists, and explorers. I’m pleased to see <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA</a>’s DC headquarters named in her honor. <a href="https://t.co/R0eD72COHB">https://t.co/R0eD72COHB</a>
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1365382749671088129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"Mary W. Jackson, one of the ‘Hidden Figures,’ was critical to getting American astronauts into space. She broke barriers at home, persevered, and inspired the next generation of engineers, scientists, and explorers. I’m pleased to see @NASA’s DC headquarters named in her honor," she said.

Respecting the contributions of NASA's first African-American female engineer, Mary Jackson, the space organisation has decided to rename its Washington DC's headquarters.

Respecting the contributions of NASA's first African-American female engineer, Mary Jackson, the space organisation has decided to rename its Washington DC's headquarters. On Friday, in a ceremony held at the Washington building, the headquarters' name was formally changed in Jackson's honour. Jackson started her career with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in April 1951. Also read| Space station launch honours Black NASA mathematician in 'Hidden Figures' film She worked with NASA for 34 years where she started as a mathematician conducting research but went on to become the first African-American female engineer. Jackson, later, moved into administration and worked as NASA's equal opportunity officer, with the aim to promote equality and provide similar opportunities to people from different backgrounds. "She helped us propel the dawn of the Space Age through her work as a ‘human computer’. Now, our headquarters building will be named in her honor," NASA said in a tweet. She helped us propel the dawn of the Space Age through her work as a ‘human computer’. Now, our headquarters building will be named in her honor. Get to know Mary W. Jackson, our first African American female engineer: https://t.co/QvrTKd3L2Z pic.twitter.com/pJd6h8AttM — NASA (@NASA) February 26, 2021 × She was also honoured with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor of the country, in 2019. The mathematician especially rose to fame after she was featured as one of the subjects of the book "Hidden Figures", which was later turned into a movie. "NASA facilities across the country are named after people who dedicated their lives to push the frontiers of the aerospace industry. The nation is beginning to awaken to the greater need to honor the full diversity of people who helped pioneer our great nation," former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is the first woman, African-American and Asian origin VP of the country, also tweeted in the praise of Jackson. Mary W. Jackson, one of the ‘Hidden Figures,’ was critical to getting American astronauts into space. She broke barriers at home, persevered, and inspired the next generation of engineers, scientists, and explorers. I’m pleased to see @NASA’s DC headquarters named in her honor. https://t.co/R0eD72COHB — Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) February 26, 2021 × "Mary W. Jackson, one of the ‘Hidden Figures,’ was critical to getting American astronauts into space. She broke barriers at home, persevered, and inspired the next generation of engineers, scientists, and explorers. I’m pleased to see @NASA’s DC headquarters named in her honor," she said.

NASA renames headquarters to honour  'hidden figures' scientist Mary Jackson

Do you know what Mars sounds like? NASA's Perseverance rover has sent the first-ever audio clip from the red planet. WION's Palki Sharma tells you what this means for the field of space exploration.

Gravitas: This is what Mars sounds like

As NASA's perseverance rover landed on Mars on Thursday, it was Indian-American scientist Dr Swati Mohan who confirmed the mission success. WION brings you more.

WION Fineprint: Indian-American scientist behind NASA's perseverance rover

NASA released video captured by of its own landing on the surface of the Red Planet last week. The roughly three minute video, released by NASA on Monday (February 22) shows the final minutes of Perseverance's entry, descent and landing on the surface of Mars. Perseverance is seen landing in a swirl of sand and small rocks kicked up from the planet's surface by the rover's powerful rocket engines. Five cameras located on three different components of the spacecraft collected the imagery, according to NASA.

Perseverance rover releases first ever video of landing on Mars surface

&nbsp;Some microbes found on Earth may temporarily survive on the surface of Mars, according to a study that could be vital for the success of future missions to the Red Planet.

It comes after&nbsp;the Perseverance rover of&nbsp;the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) touched down on Mars last week.

Scientists at the US space agency and German Aerospace Centre&nbsp;tested the endurance of microorganisms to Martian conditions by launching them into the stratosphere, the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere which closely represents key conditions on Mars.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/as-eyes-set-on-nasas-perseverance-world-races-to-find-mars-mysteries-364447" hreflang="en">As eyes set on NASA's Perseverance, world races to find Mars mysteries</a>

The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, paves the way for understanding not only the threat of microbes to space missions but also the opportunities for resource independence from Earth.

"We successfully tested a new way of exposing bacteria and fungi to Mars-like conditions by using a scientific balloon to fly our experimental equipment up to Earth`s stratosphere," said Marta Filipa Cortesao, joint first author of this study from the German Aerospace Centre in Cologne, Germany. 
 
"Some microbes, in particular spores from the black mold fungus, were able to survive the trip, even when exposed to very high UV (ultraviolet) radiation." 
 
Understanding the endurance of microbes to space travel is vital for the success of future missions.

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When searching for extra-terrestrial life, we need to be sure that anything we discover has not just travelled with us from Earth. 
 
"With crewed long-term missions to Mars, we need to know how human-associated micro-organisms would survive on the Red Planet, as some may pose a health risk to astronauts," said joint first author Katharina Siems, also based at the German Aerospace Centre. 
 
"In addition, some microbes could be invaluable for space exploration. They could help us produce food and material supplies independently from Earth, which will be crucial when far away from home." 
 
Many key characteristics of the environment at the Martian surface cannot be found or easily replicated at the surface of our planet. However, above the ozone layer in Earth's middle stratosphere, the conditions are remarkably similar. 
 
"We launched the microbes into the stratosphere inside the MARSBOx (Microbes in Atmosphere for Radiation, Survival and Biological Outcomes experiment) payload, which was kept at Martian pressure and filled with artificial Martian atmosphere throughout the mission," explained Cortesao. 
 
"While not all the microbes survived the trip, one previously detected on the International Space Station, the black mold Aspergillus niger, could be revived after it returned home," explains Siems, who highlights the importance of this ongoing research.

Some microbes found on Earth may temporarily survive on the surface of Mars, according to a study that could be vital for the success of future missions to the Red Planet.

Some microbes found on Earth may temporarily survive on the surface of Mars, according to a study that could be vital for the success of future missions to the Red Planet. It comes after the Perseverance rover of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) touched down on Mars last week. Scientists at the US space agency and German Aerospace Centre tested the endurance of microorganisms to Martian conditions by launching them into the stratosphere, the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere which closely represents key conditions on Mars. Also read: As eyes set on NASA's Perseverance, world races to find Mars mysteries The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, paves the way for understanding not only the threat of microbes to space missions but also the opportunities for resource independence from Earth. "We successfully tested a new way of exposing bacteria and fungi to Mars-like conditions by using a scientific balloon to fly our experimental equipment up to Earth`s stratosphere," said Marta Filipa Cortesao, joint first author of this study from the German Aerospace Centre in Cologne, Germany. "Some microbes, in particular spores from the black mold fungus, were able to survive the trip, even when exposed to very high UV (ultraviolet) radiation." Understanding the endurance of microbes to space travel is vital for the success of future missions. When searching for extra-terrestrial life, we need to be sure that anything we discover has not just travelled with us from Earth. "With crewed long-term missions to Mars, we need to know how human-associated micro-organisms would survive on the Red Planet, as some may pose a health risk to astronauts," said joint first author Katharina Siems, also based at the German Aerospace Centre. "In addition, some microbes could be invaluable for space exploration. They could help us produce food and material supplies independently from Earth, which will be crucial when far away from home." Many key characteristics of the environment at the Martian surface cannot be found or easily replicated at the surface of our planet. However, above the ozone layer in Earth's middle stratosphere, the conditions are remarkably similar. "We launched the microbes into the stratosphere inside the MARSBOx (Microbes in Atmosphere for Radiation, Survival and Biological Outcomes experiment) payload, which was kept at Martian pressure and filled with artificial Martian atmosphere throughout the mission," explained Cortesao. "While not all the microbes survived the trip, one previously detected on the International Space Station, the black mold Aspergillus niger, could be revived after it returned home," explains Siems, who highlights the importance of this ongoing research.

Study reveals microbes from Earth could temporarily survive on Mars

Bone cancer survivor&nbsp;Hayley Arceneaux will join&nbsp;billionaire Jared Isaacman on SpaceX's&nbsp;first all-civilian mission into Earth's orbit.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital announced Monday that the 29-year-old physician assistant,&nbsp;a former patient hired last spring,&nbsp;will launch later this year alongside a billionaire who's using his purchased spaceflight as a charitable fundraiser.

Arceneaux will become the youngest American in space&nbsp;beating NASA record-holder Sally Ride by over two years&nbsp;when she blasts off this fall with entrepreneur Jared Isaacman and two yet-to-be-chosen contest winners. She'll also be the first to launch with a prosthesis.

The second seat will&nbsp;be drawn from those who enter the raffle and are encouraged to donate to the hospital.

A third will be picked by a panel of judges from entrepreneurs who use an e-commerce tool from&nbsp;Isaacman's company, Shift4 Payments.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-announces-first-commercial-astronaut-mission-to-orbit-earth-360776">SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth</a>

Isaacman announced his space mission on February 1, pledging to raise $200 million for St. Jude, half of that his own contribution.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime adventure: a journey into outer space on the first all-civilian space flight," according to a website dedicated to the mission.

All three crewmembers "will receive commercial astronaut training by SpaceX on the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft," as well as orbital mechanics and stress testing, including operating in micro- or zero gravity, the statement said.

SpaceX says that during the multi-day mission, the astronauts will orbit Earth every 90 minutes.

After the mission, the spacecraft will reenter the atmosphere for a water landing off the Florida coast.

In mid-November 2020, four astronauts were successfully carried into orbit by a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule and boarded the International Space Station.

The Dragon capsule had just a week prior become the first spacecraft to be certified by NASA since the Space Shuttle nearly 40 years ago. Its launch vehicle is the reusable SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.&nbsp;

At the end of its missions, the Crew Dragon deploys parachutes and then splashes down in the water, just as in the Apollo era.

NASA turned to SpaceX and Boeing after shuttering the checkered Space Shuttle program in 2011, which failed in its main objectives of making space travel affordable and safe.

The agency will have spent more than $8 billion on the Commercial Crew program by 2024, with the hope that the private sector can take care of NASA's needs in "low Earth orbit" so it is freed up to focus on return missions to the Moon and then on to Mars.

In addition to the first commercial mission, SpaceX is scheduled to launch two more crewed flights for NASA in 2021, including one in the spring, and four cargo refueling missions over the next 15 months.

Bone cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux will join billionaire Jared Isaacman on SpaceX's first all-civilian mission into Earth's orbit. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital announced Monday that the 29-year-old physician assistant, a former patient hired last spring, will launch later this year alongside a billionaire who's using his purchased spaceflight as a charitable fundraiser.

Bone cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux will join billionaire Jared Isaacman on SpaceX's first all-civilian mission into Earth's orbit. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital announced Monday that the 29-year-old physician assistant, a former patient hired last spring, will launch later this year alongside a billionaire who's using his purchased spaceflight as a charitable fundraiser. Arceneaux will become the youngest American in space beating NASA record-holder Sally Ride by over two years when she blasts off this fall with entrepreneur Jared Isaacman and two yet-to-be-chosen contest winners. She'll also be the first to launch with a prosthesis. The second seat will be drawn from those who enter the raffle and are encouraged to donate to the hospital. A third will be picked by a panel of judges from entrepreneurs who use an e-commerce tool from Isaacman's company, Shift4 Payments. Also read: SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth Isaacman announced his space mission on February 1, pledging to raise $200 million for St. Jude, half of that his own contribution. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime adventure: a journey into outer space on the first all-civilian space flight," according to a website dedicated to the mission. All three crewmembers "will receive commercial astronaut training by SpaceX on the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft," as well as orbital mechanics and stress testing, including operating in micro- or zero gravity, the statement said. SpaceX says that during the multi-day mission, the astronauts will orbit Earth every 90 minutes. After the mission, the spacecraft will reenter the atmosphere for a water landing off the Florida coast. In mid-November 2020, four astronauts were successfully carried into orbit by a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule and boarded the International Space Station. The Dragon capsule had just a week prior become the first spacecraft to be certified by NASA since the Space Shuttle nearly 40 years ago. Its launch vehicle is the reusable SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. At the end of its missions, the Crew Dragon deploys parachutes and then splashes down in the water, just as in the Apollo era. NASA turned to SpaceX and Boeing after shuttering the checkered Space Shuttle program in 2011, which failed in its main objectives of making space travel affordable and safe. The agency will have spent more than $8 billion on the Commercial Crew program by 2024, with the hope that the private sector can take care of NASA's needs in "low Earth orbit" so it is freed up to focus on return missions to the Moon and then on to Mars. In addition to the first commercial mission, SpaceX is scheduled to launch two more crewed flights for NASA in 2021, including one in the spring, and four cargo refueling missions over the next 15 months.

Bone cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux to join billionaire Jared Isaacman on SpaceX 'all-civilian' trip

A space station supply ship named after the Black NASA mathematician featured in the movie 'Hidden Figures'&nbsp;rocketed into orbit Sunday, the 59th anniversary of John Glenn's historic launch.

Northrop Grumman's Cygnus capsule&nbsp;dubbed the ''S.S. Katherine Johnson''&nbsp;should reach the International Space Station on Monday following its launch from Virginia's eastern shore.

Johnson died almost exactly a year ago at age 101.

''Mrs. Johnson was selected for her hand-written calculations that helped launch the first Americans into space, as well as her accomplishments in breaking glass ceiling after glass ceiling as a Black woman,''&nbsp;Frank DeMauro, a Northrop Grumman vice president, said on the eve of liftoff.

''A homework assignment for all of you is to go watch that movie after the Cygnus launch.''

Johnson's numbers contributed to the February&nbsp;20, 1962, flight in which Glenn became the first American to orbit the world. The film, released in late 2016, depicted the effort put forth by Johnson and other Black women at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, during the early days of space exploration. Langley is 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the launch site at Wallops Island.

Northrop Grumman launched the 4-ton shipment for NASA in the early afternoon from Wallops, where temperatures were just above freezing. The Antares rocket was visible from the Carolinas to Connecticut, at least where skies were clear.

This will be the space station's second delivery in less than a week. A Russian capsule pulled up Wednesday with apples and oranges, among other things.

''Oh, we love fresh food!!!''&nbsp;tweeted Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi. He noted that the space station flew over Virginia just 10 minutes ahead of Sunday's launch.

Noguchi and his six US&nbsp;And Russian crewmates can expect more apples once the Cygnus arrives, along with tomatoes, nuts, smoked salmon, Parmesan and cheddar cheeses, caramels, and coconut strips.

The capsule also holds 120,000 tiny roundworms for a muscle experiment, as well as off-the-shelf computer equipment to increase data processing speed at the space station. Also flying: radiation detectors intended for NASA's astronaut moon-landing program, and a new system to convert more of the astronauts' urine into drinking water.

It is Northrop Grumman's 15th station supply run for NASA. SpaceX is NASA's other shipper.

A space station supply ship named after the Black NASA mathematician featured in the movie 'Hidden Figures' rocketed into orbit Sunday, the 59th anniversary of John Glenn's historic launch.

A space station supply ship named after the Black NASA mathematician featured in the movie 'Hidden Figures' rocketed into orbit Sunday, the 59th anniversary of John Glenn's historic launch. Northrop Grumman's Cygnus capsule dubbed the ''S.S. Katherine Johnson'' should reach the International Space Station on Monday following its launch from Virginia's eastern shore. Johnson died almost exactly a year ago at age 101. ''Mrs. Johnson was selected for her hand-written calculations that helped launch the first Americans into space, as well as her accomplishments in breaking glass ceiling after glass ceiling as a Black woman,'' Frank DeMauro, a Northrop Grumman vice president, said on the eve of liftoff. ''A homework assignment for all of you is to go watch that movie after the Cygnus launch.'' Johnson's numbers contributed to the February 20, 1962, flight in which Glenn became the first American to orbit the world. The film, released in late 2016, depicted the effort put forth by Johnson and other Black women at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, during the early days of space exploration. Langley is 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the launch site at Wallops Island. Northrop Grumman launched the 4-ton shipment for NASA in the early afternoon from Wallops, where temperatures were just above freezing. The Antares rocket was visible from the Carolinas to Connecticut, at least where skies were clear. This will be the space station's second delivery in less than a week. A Russian capsule pulled up Wednesday with apples and oranges, among other things. ''Oh, we love fresh food!!!'' tweeted Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi. He noted that the space station flew over Virginia just 10 minutes ahead of Sunday's launch. Noguchi and his six US And Russian crewmates can expect more apples once the Cygnus arrives, along with tomatoes, nuts, smoked salmon, Parmesan and cheddar cheeses, caramels, and coconut strips. The capsule also holds 120,000 tiny roundworms for a muscle experiment, as well as off-the-shelf computer equipment to increase data processing speed at the space station. Also flying: radiation detectors intended for NASA's astronaut moon-landing program, and a new system to convert more of the astronauts' urine into drinking water. It is Northrop Grumman's 15th station supply run for NASA. SpaceX is NASA's other shipper.

Space station launch honours Black NASA mathematician in 'Hidden Figures' film

NASA's Mars rover Perseverance, the most advanced astrobiology lab ever sent to another world, streaked through the Martian atmosphere on Thursday and landed safely inside a vast crater, the first stop on a search for traces of ancient microbial life on the Red Planet.

NASA's astrobiology rover Perseverance makes historic Mars landing

NASA on Friday released spectacular new images from its Mars mission, which saw the successful landing of the rover Perseverance. New images are coloured as opposed to black and white ones sent by the rover earlier. New images also include the one taken when the rover was being lowered on the surface of Mars. Such an image has been captured for the first time.

The high-resolution still was extracted from a video taken by the descent stage of the spacecraft that had transported the rover from Earth.

At that moment, the descent stage was using its six-engined jetpack to slow to a speed of about 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers) per hour as part of the "skycrane maneuver," the final phase of landing.

"You can see the dust kicked up by the rover's engines," said Adam Steltzner, Perseverance's chief engineer, who estimated the shot was taken about two meters (six feet) or so above the ground.

The three straight lines are mechanical bridles holding the rover underneath the descent stage, while the curly cable was used to transmit the data from the cameras to Perseverance.

As the rover touched down on the surface, it cut the 21-foot-long cables tugs allowing the descent stage to fly away for its own landing.

<img alt="NASA Mars perseverance" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dceb0ac2-1a64-426f-867c-f7af3fa2f02e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_93D9UC.jpg" />

Another new image, taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, captures Perseverance as it was parachuting down through the atmosphere at hundreds of miles an hour.

Jezero crator where Perseverance has landed has a river and deep lake existed billions of years ago.

A second colour image shows one of the rover's six wheels, with several honeycombed rocks thought to be more than 3.6 billion years old lying next to it.

<img alt="NASA Mars perseverance" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6db402ac-e9e8-471f-8ece-e7c4a33d78da" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_93E28D.jpg" />

"One of the questions we'll ask first is whether these rocks represent a volcanic or sedimentary origin," said NASA deputy project scientist Katie Stack Morgan.

Volcanic rocks in particular can be dated with very high precision once the samples are brought back to Earth on a future return mission -- an exciting development from a planetary science perspective.

As the first images came in, "it was exhilarating, the team went wild," said mission operations system manager Pauline Hwang.

Check out | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/nasas-perseverance-rover-beams-first-pictures-from-martian-surface-364748">NASA's Perseverance rover beams first pictures from Martian surface</a>

"The science team immediately started looking at all those rocks and zooming in and going, 'What is that!' -- it couldn't have been better."

The first two images were released on Thursday shortly after the rover landed, but they were lower resolution and in black-and-white because of the limited data rate available.

NASA hopes to have more high resolution photos and videos in the coming days, but doesn't know yet if it has successfully recorded sound on Mars for the first time using microphones.

That might be known later this weekend or early next week, said Steltzner.

NASA on Friday released spectacular new images from its Mars mission, which saw the successful landing of the rover Perseverance. New images are coloured as opposed to black and white ones sent by the rover earlier.

NASA on Friday released spectacular new images from its Mars mission, which saw the successful landing of the rover Perseverance. New images are coloured as opposed to black and white ones sent by the rover earlier. New images also include the one taken when the rover was being lowered on the surface of Mars. Such an image has been captured for the first time. The high-resolution still was extracted from a video taken by the descent stage of the spacecraft that had transported the rover from Earth. At that moment, the descent stage was using its six-engined jetpack to slow to a speed of about 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers) per hour as part of the "skycrane maneuver," the final phase of landing. "You can see the dust kicked up by the rover's engines," said Adam Steltzner, Perseverance's chief engineer, who estimated the shot was taken about two meters (six feet) or so above the ground. The three straight lines are mechanical bridles holding the rover underneath the descent stage, while the curly cable was used to transmit the data from the cameras to Perseverance. As the rover touched down on the surface, it cut the 21-foot-long cables tugs allowing the descent stage to fly away for its own landing. Another new image, taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, captures Perseverance as it was parachuting down through the atmosphere at hundreds of miles an hour. Jezero crator where Perseverance has landed has a river and deep lake existed billions of years ago. A second colour image shows one of the rover's six wheels, with several honeycombed rocks thought to be more than 3.6 billion years old lying next to it. "One of the questions we'll ask first is whether these rocks represent a volcanic or sedimentary origin," said NASA deputy project scientist Katie Stack Morgan. Volcanic rocks in particular can be dated with very high precision once the samples are brought back to Earth on a future return mission -- an exciting development from a planetary science perspective. As the first images came in, "it was exhilarating, the team went wild," said mission operations system manager Pauline Hwang. Check out | NASA's Perseverance rover beams first pictures from Martian surface "The science team immediately started looking at all those rocks and zooming in and going, 'What is that!' -- it couldn't have been better." The first two images were released on Thursday shortly after the rover landed, but they were lower resolution and in black-and-white because of the limited data rate available. NASA hopes to have more high resolution photos and videos in the coming days, but doesn't know yet if it has successfully recorded sound on Mars for the first time using microphones. That might be known later this weekend or early next week, said Steltzner.

Mars landing: NASA's Perseverance sends spectacular new colour images

NASA's Mars rover Perseverance, the most advanced astrobiology lab ever sent to another world, transmitted the first ever color images from the Red Planet on Thursday (February 18).

Perseverance rover sends first color images from Mars

NASA's Mars rover Perseverence succssfully touched down on the red planet in early hours of Friday (Indian time). It will now carry out observations for life on Mars that may have existed billions of years ago. Meanwhile, various Spanish cities have seen massive violence over jailing of a rapper. Read this and more in our Morning News Brief

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/touchdown-confirmed-nasas-perseverance-rover-lands-on-mars-364653">'Touchdown confirmed': NASA's Perseverance rover lands on Mars</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/touchdown-confirmed-nasas-perseverance-rover-lands-on-mars-364653"><img alt="NASA Mars touchdown" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c2a1e827-55b4-4710-b2ad-4dad12580722" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Mars_1.JPG" /></a> 
 
US President Biden congratulated NASA and said that the event has proved once again that with the power of science and American ingenuity, nothing is beyond the realm of possibility.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-administration-offers-talks-with-iran-over-nuclear-deal-364657">Biden administration offers talks with Iran over nuclear deal</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-administration-offers-talks-with-iran-over-nuclear-deal-364657"><img alt="Biden nuclear deal" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cfe032af-1d6f-4a19-a383-a2a6156f8008" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Iran%20nuclear%20deal.JPG" /></a> 
 
Iran's Rouhani government has demanded an end to the sanctions before joining the US at the negotiating table.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spain-hundreds-protest-for-third-night-after-rappers-jailing-364655">Spain: Hundreds protest for third night after rapper's jailing</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spain-hundreds-protest-for-third-night-after-rappers-jailing-364655"><img alt="Spain violence" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a5aa5a57-9d78-479d-8ffb-d9cd05e30d0e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Spain.JPG" /></a> 
 
Known for his hard-left views, the rapper was arrested after failing to turn himself in on Friday to start a nine-month sentence over tweets calling former king Juan Carlos I a mafia boss

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/republican-senator-ted-cruz-faces-criticism-over-trip-as-texas-battles-winter-storm-364666">Republican Senator Ted Cruz faces criticism over trip as Texas battles winter storm</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/republican-senator-ted-cruz-faces-criticism-over-trip-as-texas-battles-winter-storm-364666"><img alt="Ted Cruz" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9a19f698-4079-471c-96c9-4d8537477e04" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Ted%20Cruz.JPG" /></a> 
 
The lack of power has cut off water supplies for millions, further strained hospitals' ability to treat patients amid a pandemic in Texas

41 students still missing in Nigeria’s latest school kidnapping

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NASA's Mars rover Perseverence succssfully touched down on the red planet in early hours of Friday (Indian time). It will now carry out observations for life on Mars that may have existed billions of years ago.

NASA's Mars rover Perseverence succssfully touched down on the red planet in early hours of Friday (Indian time). It will now carry out observations for life on Mars that may have existed billions of years ago. Meanwhile, various Spanish cities have seen massive violence over jailing of a rapper. Read this and more in our Morning News Brief 'Touchdown confirmed': NASA's Perseverance rover lands on Mars US President Biden congratulated NASA and said that the event has proved once again that with the power of science and American ingenuity, nothing is beyond the realm of possibility. Biden administration offers talks with Iran over nuclear deal Iran's Rouhani government has demanded an end to the sanctions before joining the US at the negotiating table. Spain: Hundreds protest for third night after rapper's jailing Known for his hard-left views, the rapper was arrested after failing to turn himself in on Friday to start a nine-month sentence over tweets calling former king Juan Carlos I a mafia boss Republican Senator Ted Cruz faces criticism over trip as Texas battles winter storm The lack of power has cut off water supplies for millions, further strained hospitals' ability to treat patients amid a pandemic in Texas 41 students still missing in Nigeria’s latest school kidnapping ×

Morning news brief: NASA rover reaches Mars, Spain violence, and more

After hurtling through space for 7 months, NASA's perseverance rover is all set for its daredevil descent. Can the cutting edge rover stick the landing, or will the notorious bot-killing planet claim another victim?

WION Special: The Race to Mars

The biggest crater of the moon, which covers nearly a quarter of its surface, has revealed new information regarding its formation and scientists believe it has ''tremendous implications''.

The study published in JGR planets shows an analysis of the&nbsp;South Pole-Aitken Basin (SPA), that is 2500km in diametres and approximately 8.2 km deep, that has refined the timeline of the development of lunar mantle and crust.

According to&nbsp;Daniel Moriarty,&nbsp;planetary geologist of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and&nbsp;the lead researcher of the study, ''These results&nbsp;have important implications for understanding the formation and evolution of the Moon.''

Like the Earth, the Moon is layered into a crust and mantle. The Moon's layering was shaped by an early global melting event known as the “Lunar Magma Ocean.”

As the magma ocean solidified, dense minerals sank to form the mantle, while less dense minerals floated to form the crust.

Elements such as thorium are not easily incorporated into mineral structures and remain in the liquid. Because of this, a thorium-rich dreg layer was sandwiched between the crust and mantle. These dregs are very dense and are expected to sink into the underlying mantle during or soon after crystallization.

The Moon's largest and oldest impact basin excavated material from this dense, thorium-rich layer before it sank.

The exposed material was then diluted and obscured by four billion years of impact cratering and volcanic eruptions. However, we identify several pristine exposures created by recent craters.

The impact basin also melted rocks from greater depths than the rocks it ejected. These melted rocks exhibit a much different composition.

This indicates that the lunar upper mantle included two compositionally distinct layers that were exposed in different ways by this large impact event. These results have important implications for understanding the formation and evolution of the Moon.

The researchers&nbsp;wrote in their paper ''Formation of the South Pole-Aitken Basin is among the most ancient and important events in lunar history. Not only did it affect the thermal and chemical evolution of the lunar mantle, but it preserved heterogeneous mantle materials on the lunar surface in the form of ejecta and impact melt.''

''As we enter into a new age of international and commercial lunar exploration, these mantle materials at the lunar surface must be considered amongst the highest-priority targets for the advancement of planetary science," they added.

The biggest crater of the moon, which covers nearly a quarter of its surface, has revealed new information regarding its formation and scientists believe it has ''tremendous implications''.

The biggest crater of the moon, which covers nearly a quarter of its surface, has revealed new information regarding its formation and scientists believe it has ''tremendous implications''. The study published in JGR planets shows an analysis of the South Pole-Aitken Basin (SPA), that is 2500km in diametres and approximately 8.2 km deep, that has refined the timeline of the development of lunar mantle and crust. According to Daniel Moriarty, planetary geologist of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and the lead researcher of the study, ''These results have important implications for understanding the formation and evolution of the Moon.'' Like the Earth, the Moon is layered into a crust and mantle. The Moon's layering was shaped by an early global melting event known as the “Lunar Magma Ocean.” As the magma ocean solidified, dense minerals sank to form the mantle, while less dense minerals floated to form the crust. Elements such as thorium are not easily incorporated into mineral structures and remain in the liquid. Because of this, a thorium-rich dreg layer was sandwiched between the crust and mantle. These dregs are very dense and are expected to sink into the underlying mantle during or soon after crystallization. The Moon's largest and oldest impact basin excavated material from this dense, thorium-rich layer before it sank. The exposed material was then diluted and obscured by four billion years of impact cratering and volcanic eruptions. However, we identify several pristine exposures created by recent craters. The impact basin also melted rocks from greater depths than the rocks it ejected. These melted rocks exhibit a much different composition. This indicates that the lunar upper mantle included two compositionally distinct layers that were exposed in different ways by this large impact event. These results have important implications for understanding the formation and evolution of the Moon. The researchers wrote in their paper ''Formation of the South Pole-Aitken Basin is among the most ancient and important events in lunar history. Not only did it affect the thermal and chemical evolution of the lunar mantle, but it preserved heterogeneous mantle materials on the lunar surface in the form of ejecta and impact melt.'' ''As we enter into a new age of international and commercial lunar exploration, these mantle materials at the lunar surface must be considered amongst the highest-priority targets for the advancement of planetary science," they added.

'Tremendous implications': Moon's biggest crater reveals lunar formation secrets

The world is advancing using technology and science, and the space organisation NASA is hoping to turn the tide for good by flying a helicopter on the planet Mars.

NASA is hoping to be able to fly a helicopter to Mars for the first time. However, this chopper will have to face a lot of challenges, which would be more and different from the usual spacecraft.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-is-offering-500000-to-cooks-who-can-make-other-worldly-meals-for-astronauts-363813">NASA is offering $500,000 to cooks who can make other worldly meals for astronauts</a>

Being transported aboard the Mars 2020 spacecraft, which will be arriving at Mars on Thursday, the small Ingenuity helicopter will also have to face the challenge of battling the atmosphere of Mars, which is just one per cent the density of Earth's.

The 'helicopter', in reality, looks more like a mini-drone of Earth and weighs nearly four pounds (1.8 kilograms). This 'mini drone' has blades which are much larger than usual and can therefore spin nearly five times faster than the same speed required to generate the lift on Earth — 2,400 revolutions per minute.

With four feet, a box-like body, and four carbon-fibre blades arranged in two rotors spinning in opposite directions, Ingenuity comes also gains help from Mars' gravitational force, which is a third of the planet Earth.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/seven-minutes-of-terror-nasa-perseverance-rovers-landing-on-mars-explained-363582" hreflang="en">‘Seven minutes of terror’: Nasa Perseverance rover’s landing on Mars explained</a>

Ingenuity is also equipped with two cameras, computers and navigation sensors. The helicopter uses solar cells to recharge its batteries, of which majority of it is used to stay warm on cold Martian nights with the temperature falling to minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 90 degrees Celsius).

As of now, the helicopter is being transported to Mars through Perseverance Rover. It will drop Ingenuity to the Martian ground upon landing, and will then drive away on its own path.

Ingenuity will fly at altitudes of 10-15 feet (3-5 meters) and travel as far as 160 feet (50 meters) from its starting area and back. Each of these flights will last up to a minute and half, which is much more in comparison to Wright Brothers' 12-seconds flight in North Carolina, back in 1903.

The helicopter will not be controlled by joystick from Earth due to its distance from the Earth, and has therefore been designed to fly autonomously. Its onboard computers will work with its sensors and cameras to keep it on a path programmed by its engineers.

If the mission is successful, it "basically opens up a whole new dimension of exploring Mars," said Bob Balaram, Ingenuity's chief engineer.

The world is advancing using technology and science, and the space organisation NASA is hoping to turn the tide for good by flying a helicopter on the planet Mars.

The world is advancing using technology and science, and the space organisation NASA is hoping to turn the tide for good by flying a helicopter on the planet Mars. NASA is hoping to be able to fly a helicopter to Mars for the first time. However, this chopper will have to face a lot of challenges, which would be more and different from the usual spacecraft. Also read| NASA is offering $500,000 to cooks who can make other worldly meals for astronauts Being transported aboard the Mars 2020 spacecraft, which will be arriving at Mars on Thursday, the small Ingenuity helicopter will also have to face the challenge of battling the atmosphere of Mars, which is just one per cent the density of Earth's. The 'helicopter', in reality, looks more like a mini-drone of Earth and weighs nearly four pounds (1.8 kilograms). This 'mini drone' has blades which are much larger than usual and can therefore spin nearly five times faster than the same speed required to generate the lift on Earth — 2,400 revolutions per minute. With four feet, a box-like body, and four carbon-fibre blades arranged in two rotors spinning in opposite directions, Ingenuity comes also gains help from Mars' gravitational force, which is a third of the planet Earth. Also read| ‘Seven minutes of terror’: Nasa Perseverance rover’s landing on Mars explained Ingenuity is also equipped with two cameras, computers and navigation sensors. The helicopter uses solar cells to recharge its batteries, of which majority of it is used to stay warm on cold Martian nights with the temperature falling to minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 90 degrees Celsius). As of now, the helicopter is being transported to Mars through Perseverance Rover. It will drop Ingenuity to the Martian ground upon landing, and will then drive away on its own path. Ingenuity will fly at altitudes of 10-15 feet (3-5 meters) and travel as far as 160 feet (50 meters) from its starting area and back. Each of these flights will last up to a minute and half, which is much more in comparison to Wright Brothers' 12-seconds flight in North Carolina, back in 1903. The helicopter will not be controlled by joystick from Earth due to its distance from the Earth, and has therefore been designed to fly autonomously. Its onboard computers will work with its sensors and cameras to keep it on a path programmed by its engineers. If the mission is successful, it "basically opens up a whole new dimension of exploring Mars," said Bob Balaram, Ingenuity's chief engineer.

NASA hopes to fly 'Ingenuity' helicopter on Mars

NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover is arguably humanity's most ambitious project yet and it will reach Mars on the 18th of February.

NASA Mars Mission: Perseverance Rover will reach Mars on Feb 18

Consider yourself an out worldly cook? NASA may have the perfect job for you.&nbsp;The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is offering a whopping $500,000 to the winners of its "Deep Space Food Challenge". The victors will be required to cook meals for astronauts who will head to Mars.

The agency, in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency, is looking for people to come up with new technologies and apparatuses to feed astronauts embarking on space expeditions. 
 
Think it is an easy job? Think again. 
Astronauts require careful diets to keep them energised in the far reaches of the universe. Just recently, food researchers came up with a chocolate bar which carries high amounts of calories to ensure astronauts are high on energy. At the same time, the goal is to ensure the weight of food onboard space flights remains low.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/seven-minutes-of-terror-nasa-perseverance-rovers-landing-on-mars-explained-363582" hreflang="en">‘Seven minutes of terror’: Nasa Perseverance rover’s landing on Mars explained</a>

Over the last few years, NASA has been exploring ways to grow fruits and vegetables in space to provide healthier food options to astronauts.

What does the challenge aim to accomplish? 
Scientists are looking at new ways to feed astronauts, especially the ones expected to head to Mars. The interstellar journey to Mars is roughly three years long, and requires its astronauts remain fit and equipped to deal with challenges new terrain on Mars might pose.

Besides providing healthy food to the voyagers, the aim of the mission is to produce new ways to grow food not only in space but in difficult terrains on Earth.

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Think you have what it takes to keep our space voyagers healthy? You have until May 28 to sign up for the challenge. By July 30, the participants are expected to present their projects to the space agencies. 
 
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-releases-stunning-photo-of-gold-peruvian-amazon-rivers-363426" hreflang="en">NASA releases stunning photo of 'gold' Peruvian Amazon rivers</a>

The top 20 teams will be the winners and will share half a million USD. In essence, every winner will get $25,000 each. But there's a catch - only people based in the US can avail the prize. Canadians too can sign up. Winners from Canada will receive between Canadian $30,000-380,000.

Not from North America? Fret not, for you can still apply and win, even if you will not receive the prize money.

Consider yourself an out worldly cook? NASA may have the perfect job for you. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is offering a whopping $500,000 to the winners of its "Deep Space Food Challenge".

Consider yourself an out worldly cook? NASA may have the perfect job for you. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is offering a whopping $500,000 to the winners of its "Deep Space Food Challenge". The victors will be required to cook meals for astronauts who will head to Mars. The agency, in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency, is looking for people to come up with new technologies and apparatuses to feed astronauts embarking on space expeditions. Think it is an easy job? Think again. Astronauts require careful diets to keep them energised in the far reaches of the universe. Just recently, food researchers came up with a chocolate bar which carries high amounts of calories to ensure astronauts are high on energy. At the same time, the goal is to ensure the weight of food onboard space flights remains low. Also read: ‘Seven minutes of terror’: Nasa Perseverance rover’s landing on Mars explained Over the last few years, NASA has been exploring ways to grow fruits and vegetables in space to provide healthier food options to astronauts. What does the challenge aim to accomplish? Scientists are looking at new ways to feed astronauts, especially the ones expected to head to Mars. The interstellar journey to Mars is roughly three years long, and requires its astronauts remain fit and equipped to deal with challenges new terrain on Mars might pose. Besides providing healthy food to the voyagers, the aim of the mission is to produce new ways to grow food not only in space but in difficult terrains on Earth. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Deep Space Food Challenge (@deepspacefoodchallenge) × Think you have what it takes to keep our space voyagers healthy? You have until May 28 to sign up for the challenge. By July 30, the participants are expected to present their projects to the space agencies. Also read: NASA releases stunning photo of 'gold' Peruvian Amazon rivers The top 20 teams will be the winners and will share half a million USD. In essence, every winner will get $25,000 each. But there's a catch - only people based in the US can avail the prize. Canadians too can sign up. Winners from Canada will receive between Canadian $30,000-380,000. Not from North America? Fret not, for you can still apply and win, even if you will not receive the prize money.

NASA is offering $500,000 to cooks who can make other worldly meals for astronauts

At least 60 people have been injured after oil and gas tankers got destroyed by multiple blasts causing a massive fire at Afghanistan's biggest trade crossing with Iran, officials said on Sunday.

Fire Truck Explodes: Over 300 fuel vehicled gutted in fire

14 years old Alex Mather submitted the winning name 'Perseverance' as part of a naming contest of NASA's next Mars Rover.

14-year old boy names NASA's Mars Rover

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has released stunning images of&nbsp;numerous gold prospecting pits in eastern Peru.

The pictures&nbsp;captured by a crew member of Expedition 64 at&nbsp;the International Space Station (ISS) shows&nbsp;Amazon rivers and&nbsp;pits, usually hidden from an astronaut’s view by cloud cover or outside the Sun’s&nbsp;glint point, stand out brilliantly in this image due to the reflected sunlight.&nbsp;

The river and the pits cut through the otherwise unbroken Amazon rainforest in Peru’s Madre de Dios state.

In this very wet climate, the prospecting pits appear as hundreds of tightly packed water-filled basins. Likely dug by independent miners, each pit is surrounded by de-vegetated areas of muddy soil.

These deforested tracts follow the courses of ancient rivers that deposited sediments, including gold.&nbsp;

Peru is the sixth-largest producer of gold in the world, and Madre de Dios is home to one of the largest independent gold mining industries in the world. Mining is the&nbsp;main cause of deforestation&nbsp;in the region, and it also can cause mercury pollution from the gold-extraction process.

Yet tens of thousands of people earn their living from this unregistered mining.

The small town of Nueva Arequipa is just visible along the&nbsp;Southern Interoceanic Highway. Inaugurated in 2011, the highway, is the only road connection between Brazil and Peru. It was intended to stimulate trade and tourism, but due to the great expansion of surface prospecting,&nbsp;deforestation may be the larger result&nbsp;of the highway. Some areas in the state are protected from mining, such as the Tambopata National Reserve.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has released stunning images of numerous gold prospecting pits in eastern Peru. The pictures captured by a crew member of Expedition 64 at the International Space Station (ISS) shows Amazon rivers and pits, usually hidden from an astronaut’s view by cloud cover or outside the Sun’s glint point, stand out brilliantly in this image due to the reflected sunlight.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has released stunning images of numerous gold prospecting pits in eastern Peru. The pictures captured by a crew member of Expedition 64 at the International Space Station (ISS) shows Amazon rivers and pits, usually hidden from an astronaut’s view by cloud cover or outside the Sun’s glint point, stand out brilliantly in this image due to the reflected sunlight. The river and the pits cut through the otherwise unbroken Amazon rainforest in Peru’s Madre de Dios state. In this very wet climate, the prospecting pits appear as hundreds of tightly packed water-filled basins. Likely dug by independent miners, each pit is surrounded by de-vegetated areas of muddy soil. These deforested tracts follow the courses of ancient rivers that deposited sediments, including gold. Peru is the sixth-largest producer of gold in the world, and Madre de Dios is home to one of the largest independent gold mining industries in the world. Mining is the main cause of deforestation in the region, and it also can cause mercury pollution from the gold-extraction process. Yet tens of thousands of people earn their living from this unregistered mining. The small town of Nueva Arequipa is just visible along the Southern Interoceanic Highway. Inaugurated in 2011, the highway, is the only road connection between Brazil and Peru. It was intended to stimulate trade and tourism, but due to the great expansion of surface prospecting, deforestation may be the larger result of the highway. Some areas in the state are protected from mining, such as the Tambopata National Reserve.

NASA releases stunning photo of 'gold' Peruvian Amazon rivers

Reaching Mars is the pinnacle of scientific prowess and perhaps, a crowning moment for any nation. But the race to the red planet also stands to crowd its orbit.

Three separate missions to Mars launched by the United States, China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) all reached their destination in July, 2020 after taking flight within just 11 days of each other.

UAE's Hope mission lifted off on July 19, China's Tianwen-I on July 23 and US' mission on July 30.

Why July? Because the month offered a unique launch window with minimum fuel requirements.

The UAE's hope was the first to arrive. Al Amal will spend 687 days — a period equivalent to one year on Mars — gathering information on the Martian atmosphere and surveying the planet’s weather patterns throughout its four seasons.

Omran Sharaf, Project Director, Emirates Mars Mission, to this end, said, "For us as a nation, we look at this mission as 90 per cent of it has been achieved. Because this mission was never about just reaching Mars. The government was very clear since day one when this mission was announced that reaching Mars is just a means for a much bigger objective and goals."

The foray into space is part of the UAE's diversification drive. Once the oil taps run dry, they will have to fall back on science and technology.

And space missions will be crucial here.

Following Hope, the Chinese probe reached Mars. Inside the spacecraft, there was a rover of the size of a golf cart.

In a few months time, it will detach from the orbiter, and descend to the martian surface.

Later this month, another visitor will descend on Mars -- probe missions from NASA.

Wu Yanhua, deputy director of the China National Space Administration, said, "We had success this time. But it's just the first step of our long march. We will carefully prepare for and carry out orbiting, landing and detection in the future. We look forward to a big success of the mission."

By February 18, NASA's Mars 2020 should also be in orbit.

Like China, the American mission too is hoping to land a rover.

Collectively, these missions will enhance our knowledge about Mars and its habitability.

The success of the UAE's Hope mission is also an open challenge. It shatters the perception that only world powers can reach for the stars.

Robert Zubrin, president of the Mars society, says, "You know, if the UAE can launch a Mars mission, then Switzerland can launch a Mars mission, and New Zealand can launch one, and South Korea or Taiwan can launch. They all have resources on that scale. So, in a certain sense, it throws down a challenge. Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, name it, okay. Why haven't you done a Mars mission?"

Reaching Mars is the pinnacle of scientific prowess and perhaps, a crowning moment for any nation. But the race to the red planet also stands to crowd its orbit.

Reaching Mars is the pinnacle of scientific prowess and perhaps, a crowning moment for any nation. But the race to the red planet also stands to crowd its orbit. Three separate missions to Mars launched by the United States, China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) all reached their destination in July, 2020 after taking flight within just 11 days of each other. UAE's Hope mission lifted off on July 19, China's Tianwen-I on July 23 and US' mission on July 30. Why July? Because the month offered a unique launch window with minimum fuel requirements. The UAE's hope was the first to arrive. Al Amal will spend 687 days — a period equivalent to one year on Mars — gathering information on the Martian atmosphere and surveying the planet’s weather patterns throughout its four seasons. Omran Sharaf, Project Director, Emirates Mars Mission, to this end, said, "For us as a nation, we look at this mission as 90 per cent of it has been achieved. Because this mission was never about just reaching Mars. The government was very clear since day one when this mission was announced that reaching Mars is just a means for a much bigger objective and goals." The foray into space is part of the UAE's diversification drive. Once the oil taps run dry, they will have to fall back on science and technology. And space missions will be crucial here. Following Hope, the Chinese probe reached Mars. Inside the spacecraft, there was a rover of the size of a golf cart. In a few months time, it will detach from the orbiter, and descend to the martian surface. Later this month, another visitor will descend on Mars -- probe missions from NASA. Wu Yanhua, deputy director of the China National Space Administration, said, "We had success this time. But it's just the first step of our long march. We will carefully prepare for and carry out orbiting, landing and detection in the future. We look forward to a big success of the mission." By February 18, NASA's Mars 2020 should also be in orbit. Like China, the American mission too is hoping to land a rover. Collectively, these missions will enhance our knowledge about Mars and its habitability. The success of the UAE's Hope mission is also an open challenge. It shatters the perception that only world powers can reach for the stars. Robert Zubrin, president of the Mars society, says, "You know, if the UAE can launch a Mars mission, then Switzerland can launch a Mars mission, and New Zealand can launch one, and South Korea or Taiwan can launch. They all have resources on that scale. So, in a certain sense, it throws down a challenge. Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, name it, okay. Why haven't you done a Mars mission?"

The Red Planet is about to get a little crowded

NASA has warned that a monstrous 220-meter asteroid is headed Earth’s way early in the new year.

Year 2020’s final asteroid, 2020 YB4, measuring just 36 metres in diameter or roughly half the wingspan of a 747, passed by the Earth shortly after 6 am UTC at a distance of 6.1 million kilometres.

Keeping up with the trend, in the first days of January, three additional, small Near Earth Objects (NEOs) will grace the Earth with their presence.&nbsp;

The 15-metre asteroid 2019 YB4 will fly by at a safe distance of 6.4 million kilometres. It will be followed up by two more chunks of cosmic debris in the form of the 15-meter 2020 YA1 and the 21-meter 2020 YP4, which will pass by at 
1.5 and 2.1 million kilometers respectively, the next day.

A bigger asteroid will shoot past Earth on January 3, as the relatively mountainous 2003 AF23, measuring an impressive 220m in diameter or about as wide as the Golden Gate Bridge is tall, at 6.9 million kilometers.

NASA has warned that a monstrous 220-meter asteroid is headed Earth’s way early in the new year. Year 2020’s final asteroid, 2020 YB4, measuring just 36 metres in diameter or roughly half the wingspan of a 747, passed by the Earth shortly after 6 am UTC at a distance of 6.

NASA has warned that a monstrous 220-meter asteroid is headed Earth’s way early in the new year. Year 2020’s final asteroid, 2020 YB4, measuring just 36 metres in diameter or roughly half the wingspan of a 747, passed by the Earth shortly after 6 am UTC at a distance of 6.1 million kilometres. Keeping up with the trend, in the first days of January, three additional, small Near Earth Objects (NEOs) will grace the Earth with their presence. The 15-metre asteroid 2019 YB4 will fly by at a safe distance of 6.4 million kilometres. It will be followed up by two more chunks of cosmic debris in the form of the 15-meter 2020 YA1 and the 21-meter 2020 YP4, which will pass by at 1.5 and 2.1 million kilometers respectively, the next day. A bigger asteroid will shoot past Earth on January 3, as the relatively mountainous 2003 AF23, measuring an impressive 220m in diameter or about as wide as the Golden Gate Bridge is tall, at 6.9 million kilometers.

A huge asteroid and three small NEOs will shoot past Earth in early Jan, NASA warns

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