In a series of tweets posted from NASA&#39;s official Twitter account, the space technology institute revealed the unknown connection between the coveted Oscar trophy and NASA&#39;s space technology.&nbsp;

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The Oscar trophy gets its unmatchable sheen, year after year, thanks to NASA&#39;s gold coating technology that has also helped in improving the US space agency.

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And the winner is... <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Technology?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA_technology</a>! No one would expect to find space tech at <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAcademy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theAcademy</a> Awards. But it&rsquo;s there. Discover our &ldquo;shining&rdquo; role in the 90 year old <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Oscars?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Oscars</a> ceremony: <a href="https://t.co/24FtHzMaQ4">https://t.co/24FtHzMaQ4</a> <a href="https://t.co/oq03lGrYgp">pic.twitter.com/oq03lGrYgp</a>
&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/970467029873577984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;This weekend&rsquo;s Academy Awards is probably the last place most people would look for NASA technology, but it&rsquo;s there: the coveted Oscar trophy is coated in the same gold that helps telescopes glimpse distant galaxies,&quot; reads one of the tweets.&nbsp;

For over three decades Oscar trophies were cast in tin alloy and gold-plated, but the coating would wear off eventually.

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While <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAcademy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAcademy</a> honors the brightest stars in Hollywood, our satellites &amp; telescopes glimpse the brightest stars in the galaxy. Both have something in common though. Our telescopes &amp; the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Oscars?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Oscars</a> trophies are both plated with the same gold! Learn more: <a href="https://t.co/cM4cNBG6Sr">https://t.co/cM4cNBG6Sr</a> <a href="https://t.co/r5lyGHUFPx">pic.twitter.com/r5lyGHUFPx</a>
&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/970485306481893376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Oscars have been awarded for nearly a century, but some winners found the gold coating wore off. In 2016, Epner Technology began gold-plating the statuettes, using a technique improved in part for the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter. Epner guarantees the coating for life,&quot; as mentioned on NASA&#39;S blog.&nbsp;

Epner guaranteed that the coating will not wear off ever and also offered a lifetime guarantee to replate, for free, in case of any wearing off.&nbsp;

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Tonight&#39;s Academy Awards is probably the last place most people would look for our space technology, but it&rsquo;s there: the coveted <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Oscars?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Oscars</a> trophy is coated in the same gold that helps telescopes glimpse distant galaxies. Get the details: <a href="https://t.co/TEMaNTG2sw">https://t.co/TEMaNTG2sw</a> <a href="https://t.co/1vuIlzb9Lb">pic.twitter.com/1vuIlzb9Lb</a>
&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/970454965721411584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Oscar trophy is coated in the same gold that helps telescopes glimpse distant galaxies, NASA said.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The Oscar trophy is coated in the same gold that helps telescopes glimpse distant galaxies, NASA said

In a series of tweets posted from NASA's official Twitter account, the space technology institute revealed the unknown connection between the coveted Oscar trophy and NASA's space technology. × The Oscar trophy gets its unmatchable sheen, year after year, thanks to NASA's gold coating technology that has also helped in improving the US space agency. And the winner is... @NASA_technology! No one would expect to find space tech at @theAcademy Awards. But it’s there. Discover our “shining” role in the 90 year old #Oscars ceremony: https://t.co/24FtHzMaQ4 pic.twitter.com/oq03lGrYgp — NASA (@NASA) March 5, 2018 × "This weekend’s Academy Awards is probably the last place most people would look for NASA technology, but it’s there: the coveted Oscar trophy is coated in the same gold that helps telescopes glimpse distant galaxies," reads one of the tweets. For over three decades Oscar trophies were cast in tin alloy and gold-plated, but the coating would wear off eventually. While @TheAcademy honors the brightest stars in Hollywood, our satellites & telescopes glimpse the brightest stars in the galaxy. Both have something in common though. Our telescopes & the #Oscars trophies are both plated with the same gold! Learn more: https://t.co/cM4cNBG6Sr pic.twitter.com/r5lyGHUFPx — NASA (@NASA) March 5, 2018 × "Oscars have been awarded for nearly a century, but some winners found the gold coating wore off. In 2016, Epner Technology began gold-plating the statuettes, using a technique improved in part for the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter. Epner guarantees the coating for life," as mentioned on NASA'S blog. Epner guaranteed that the coating will not wear off ever and also offered a lifetime guarantee to replate, for free, in case of any wearing off. Tonight's Academy Awards is probably the last place most people would look for our space technology, but it’s there: the coveted #Oscars trophy is coated in the same gold that helps telescopes glimpse distant galaxies. Get the details: https://t.co/TEMaNTG2sw pic.twitter.com/1vuIlzb9Lb — NASA (@NASA) March 5, 2018 × The Oscar trophy is coated in the same gold that helps telescopes glimpse distant galaxies, NASA said.

Oscars 2018: And the winner is... NASA technology

A six-year-old girl named Cara O&#39;Connor from Ireland, who aspires to become a NASA astronaut in the future, urged the space agency to reclassify Pluto as a planet.&nbsp;

As per the report published in The Washington Post, the girl said &ldquo;I listened to a song and at the end of it the song said &ldquo;Bring Pluto Back&rdquo; &mdash; and I would really like that to happen.&rdquo;

In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) classified Pluto was classified as a dwarf planet.&nbsp;

In the letter, she talked about the Kuiper belt, a doughnut-shaped ring beyond Neptune where many dwarf planets are located.

&quot;I really think Pluto should be a main planet again like Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus &amp; Neptune, because in one video I watched called &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s go meet the planets,&rsquo; Pluto was at the very end.&rdquo;&nbsp;

While talking about another video, Cara wrote in that &#39;Pluto was put in the trash can and was scared by planet Earth.&rdquo;

&ldquo;This was really mean, because no one or no planet or dwarf planets should be put in the trash can.&rdquo;

Pleased with her effort to pen her feelings, Director of NASA&#39;s Planetary Science Division James Green praised her for showing interest in the Pluto.&nbsp;

&quot;I agree with you that Pluto is really cool -- in fact, who would have believed that Pluto has a heart? ... It&#39;s a fascinating world that appears to be constantly changing. To me, it&#39;s not so much about whether Pluto is a dwarf planet or not; it&#39;s that Pluto is a fascinating place that we need to continue to study,&quot; Green wrote.&nbsp;

&ldquo;I hope that you will discover a new planet, and I trust that if you continue to do well in school we will see you at NASA one of these days,&rdquo; he added.

In the letter, she talked about the Kuiper belt also

A six-year-old girl named Cara O'Connor from Ireland, who aspires to become a NASA astronaut in the future, urged the space agency to reclassify Pluto as a planet. As per the report published in The Washington Post, the girl said “I listened to a song and at the end of it the song said “Bring Pluto Back” — and I would really like that to happen.” In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) classified Pluto was classified as a dwarf planet. In the letter, she talked about the Kuiper belt, a doughnut-shaped ring beyond Neptune where many dwarf planets are located. "I really think Pluto should be a main planet again like Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus & Neptune, because in one video I watched called ‘Let’s go meet the planets,’ Pluto was at the very end.” While talking about another video, Cara wrote in that 'Pluto was put in the trash can and was scared by planet Earth.” “This was really mean, because no one or no planet or dwarf planets should be put in the trash can.” Pleased with her effort to pen her feelings, Director of NASA's Planetary Science Division James Green praised her for showing interest in the Pluto. "I agree with you that Pluto is really cool -- in fact, who would have believed that Pluto has a heart? ... It's a fascinating world that appears to be constantly changing. To me, it's not so much about whether Pluto is a dwarf planet or not; it's that Pluto is a fascinating place that we need to continue to study," Green wrote. “I hope that you will discover a new planet, and I trust that if you continue to do well in school we will see you at NASA one of these days,” he added.

'Make Pluto a planet again': 6-year-old girl urges NASA

Experts from Georgia Institute of Technology, US reveal that asteroids may help explain how life started on Earth.

According to a study conducted by a team of researchers at the institute, asteroids may act as &#39;time capsules&#39; and may help reveal what molecules originally existed in the solar system.&nbsp;

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&ldquo;We can look to the asteroids to help us understand what chemistry is possible in the universe,&rdquo; noted Nicholas Hud from Georgia Institute of Technology.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s important for us to study materials from asteroids and meteorites, the smaller versions of asteroids that fall to Earth, to test the validity of our models for how molecules in them could have helped give rise to life. We also need to catalogue the molecules from asteroids and meteorites because there might be compounds there that we had not even considered important for starting life,&rdquo; Hud said.

For decades, NASA scientists have been analysing compounds found in asteroids and meteorites. The analysis provides an understanding of what might have been present when the Earth was formed.

&ldquo;Detection of a molecule in an asteroid or meteorite is about the only evidence everyone will accept for that molecule being prebiotic. It is something we can really lean on,&rdquo; he said.

In Hud&#39;s theory, there are many possible ways that the molecules of life could have been formed. He believes that life could have started with &quot;less sophisticated&quot; and &quot;less efficient&quot; molecules than what we see today. Like life itself, these molecules could have evolved over time.

(With inputs from PTI)&nbsp;

Asteroids may act as 'time capsules' and may help reveal what molecules originally existed in the solar system

Experts from Georgia Institute of Technology, US reveal that asteroids may help explain how life started on Earth. According to a study conducted by a team of researchers at the institute, asteroids may act as 'time capsules' and may help reveal what molecules originally existed in the solar system. “We can look to the asteroids to help us understand what chemistry is possible in the universe,” noted Nicholas Hud from Georgia Institute of Technology. “It’s important for us to study materials from asteroids and meteorites, the smaller versions of asteroids that fall to Earth, to test the validity of our models for how molecules in them could have helped give rise to life. We also need to catalogue the molecules from asteroids and meteorites because there might be compounds there that we had not even considered important for starting life,” Hud said. For decades, NASA scientists have been analysing compounds found in asteroids and meteorites. The analysis provides an understanding of what might have been present when the Earth was formed. “Detection of a molecule in an asteroid or meteorite is about the only evidence everyone will accept for that molecule being prebiotic. It is something we can really lean on,” he said. In Hud's theory, there are many possible ways that the molecules of life could have been formed. He believes that life could have started with "less sophisticated" and "less efficient" molecules than what we see today. Like life itself, these molecules could have evolved over time. (With inputs from PTI)

Wonder how life started on Earth? Study asteroids: US experts

While scientists and experts make unfettered efforts towards finding an alternative planet for habitation, space travel continues to baffle astronomy enthusiasts and laymen alike.

After NASA experts and astronauts successfully forayed into space, the prolonged human stay outside the &#39;familiar&#39; and &#39;habitable&#39; realm of the Earth was contemplated.&nbsp;

In December 2015, Tim Peake became the first Briton in space for more than 20 years on board the International Space Station (ISS).&nbsp;

Peake&#39;s life and his struggles, almost 400 kilometres above the Earth, are widely documented and written about. From the technology that made his &#39;nearly alien-like experience&#39; not only just hospitable but also bearable, to techniques that made his stay a safe and healthy one -- every aspect of his life &#39;away from home&#39; has been studied, almost still under a close scrutiny.&nbsp;

Interestingly, and not surprisingly, space food is very much a category in itself. After all, food (just like water and oxygen) holds the utmost importance for human survival.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AZx0RIV0wss" width="560"></iframe>

Ahead, we take a quick look at what &#39;eating&#39; and &#39;preparing&#39; food in space is all about -- how it is constantly restructured to fit an astronaut&#39;s dietary requirement -- to qualify the standards of weight, nutrition and of course, palatability.&nbsp;

NASA&#39;s official website states interesting facts about &#39;eating in space&#39;, how eating or preparing food in space is not similar to the Earth.

The supply&nbsp;

Some foods, like brownies and fruits, can be eaten in their natural form.&nbsp;

&quot;Of course, an oven is provided in the space station to heat foods to the proper temperature. There are no refrigerators in space, so space food must be stored and prepared properly to avoid spoilage, especially on a longer mission,&quot; noted the website.&nbsp;

While condiments like as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise are available, salt and pepper are always available in liquid form simply because nothing can be sprinkled in space, it simply floats away.&nbsp;

&quot;There is a danger they could clog air vents, contaminate equipment or get stuck in an astronaut&#39;s eyes, mouth or nose,&quot; noted NASA.&nbsp;

The meals

Astronauts eat three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their meals are tailormade and cleared by certified nutritionists to ensure that they don&#39;t fall deficient in essential nutrients and minerals crucial for their survival in space.&nbsp;

&quot;Calorie requirements differ for astronauts. For instance, a small woman would require only about 1,900 calories a day, while a large man would require about 3,200 calories,&quot; explains NASA.&nbsp;

While an astronaut can choose from a variety of foods ranging from fruits, nuts, chicken, beef, seafood, candy, brownies, the available options for drinks and beverages include coffee, tea, orange juice, fruit punches and lemonade.

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4exaXdPKS3Y" width="560"></iframe>

The packing&nbsp;

Space food is typically packaged in disposable packing. Astronauts are directed to throw away the packages after they are done eating. Food for space is packaged in a way to avoid spoilage, preventing them from flying away.&nbsp;

&quot;The food packaging is designed to be flexible and easier to use, as well as to maximize space when storing or disposing of food containers,&quot; as mentioned on the official website.&nbsp;

Plates and wrappers are disposable. The cutlery is usually used again -- not washed but wiped clean using wet wipes.

The challenges

Among few things that simply don&#39;t get well with space&#39;s environment include soft drinks -- because of microgravity. Ice cream would need freezers that&#39;s why they are ruled out while pizzas &quot;have not been perfected yet. Beyond that, astronauts can eat anything you might order from a typical menu.&quot;

Thanks to technological innovations, space food is now way better than what it was years ago, there were times when astronauts used to eat &quot;dried food from metal tubes that squeezed out like toothpaste. It was not very tasty. Space food has become more like the food we eat on Earth.&quot;

In one of the features published on NASA&#39;s website, Vickie Kloeris, sub-system manager for the International Space Station food aptly notes, &quot;Astronauts are people, they have likes and dislikes and we try to meet their preferences.&quot;&nbsp;

He noted that astronauts are now staying in space for longer and need tasty nutritious meals, something which is now close to achieving a level of perfection, however, the Space Station pizza party may still be a dream yet to come true.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

After NASA experts and astronauts successfully forayed into space, the prolonged human stay outside the 'familiar' and 'habitable' realm of the Earth was contemplated

While scientists and experts make unfettered efforts towards finding an alternative planet for habitation, space travel continues to baffle astronomy enthusiasts and laymen alike. After NASA experts and astronauts successfully forayed into space, the prolonged human stay outside the 'familiar' and 'habitable' realm of the Earth was contemplated. In December 2015, Tim Peake became the first Briton in space for more than 20 years on board the International Space Station (ISS). Peake's life and his struggles, almost 400 kilometres above the Earth, are widely documented and written about. From the technology that made his 'nearly alien-like experience' not only just hospitable but also bearable, to techniques that made his stay a safe and healthy one -- every aspect of his life 'away from home' has been studied, almost still under a close scrutiny. Interestingly, and not surprisingly, space food is very much a category in itself. After all, food (just like water and oxygen) holds the utmost importance for human survival. Ahead, we take a quick look at what 'eating' and 'preparing' food in space is all about -- how it is constantly restructured to fit an astronaut's dietary requirement -- to qualify the standards of weight, nutrition and of course, palatability. NASA's official website states interesting facts about 'eating in space', how eating or preparing food in space is not similar to the Earth. The supply Some foods, like brownies and fruits, can be eaten in their natural form. "Of course, an oven is provided in the space station to heat foods to the proper temperature. There are no refrigerators in space, so space food must be stored and prepared properly to avoid spoilage, especially on a longer mission," noted the website. While condiments like as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise are available, salt and pepper are always available in liquid form simply because nothing can be sprinkled in space, it simply floats away. "There is a danger they could clog air vents, contaminate equipment or get stuck in an astronaut's eyes, mouth or nose," noted NASA. The meals Astronauts eat three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their meals are tailormade and cleared by certified nutritionists to ensure that they don't fall deficient in essential nutrients and minerals crucial for their survival in space. "Calorie requirements differ for astronauts. For instance, a small woman would require only about 1,900 calories a day, while a large man would require about 3,200 calories," explains NASA. While an astronaut can choose from a variety of foods ranging from fruits, nuts, chicken, beef, seafood, candy, brownies, the available options for drinks and beverages include coffee, tea, orange juice, fruit punches and lemonade. The packing Space food is typically packaged in disposable packing. Astronauts are directed to throw away the packages after they are done eating. Food for space is packaged in a way to avoid spoilage, preventing them from flying away. "The food packaging is designed to be flexible and easier to use, as well as to maximize space when storing or disposing of food containers," as mentioned on the official website. Plates and wrappers are disposable. The cutlery is usually used again -- not washed but wiped clean using wet wipes. The challenges Among few things that simply don't get well with space's environment include soft drinks -- because of microgravity. Ice cream would need freezers that's why they are ruled out while pizzas "have not been perfected yet. Beyond that, astronauts can eat anything you might order from a typical menu." Thanks to technological innovations, space food is now way better than what it was years ago, there were times when astronauts used to eat "dried food from metal tubes that squeezed out like toothpaste. It was not very tasty. Space food has become more like the food we eat on Earth." In one of the features published on NASA's website, Vickie Kloeris, sub-system manager for the International Space Station food aptly notes, "Astronauts are people, they have likes and dislikes and we try to meet their preferences." He noted that astronauts are now staying in space for longer and need tasty nutritious meals, something which is now close to achieving a level of perfection, however, the Space Station pizza party may still be a dream yet to come true.

Food in space: Astronauts binge on brownies, seafood while pizzas are still being perfected

Scientists have confirmed nearly 100 new planets outside our solar system, bringing the total number of exoplanets found using NASA&rsquo;s K2 mission to almost 300.

&ldquo;We started out analysing 275 candidates, of which 149 were validated as real exoplanets. In turn, 95 of these planets have proved to be new discoveries,&rdquo; said Andrew Mayo, a doctoral student at the Technical University of Denmark.

&ldquo;This research has been underway since the first K2 data release in 2014,&rdquo; said Mayo, the main author of the research published in the Astronomical Journal.

Mayo and his colleagues analysed hundreds of signals of potential exoplanets to determine which signals were created by exoplanets and which were caused by other sources.

&ldquo;We found that some of the signals were caused by multiple star systems or noise from the spacecraft. But we also detected planets that range from sub-Earth-sized to the size of Jupiter and larger,&rdquo; said Mayo.

One of the planets detected was orbiting a very bright star. The Kepler spacecraft was launched in 2009 to hunt for exoplanets in a single patch of sky, but in 2013, a mechanical failure crippled the telescope. However, astronomers and engineers devised a way to repurpose and save the space telescope by changing its field of view periodically.

This solution paved the way for the follow-up K2 mission, which is still ongoing as the spacecraft searches for exoplanet transits.These transits can be found by registering dips in light caused by the shadow of an exoplanet as it crosses in front of its host star. The dips are indications of exoplanets, which must then be examined more closely in order to confirm their nature.The first planet orbiting a star similar to our own sun was detected in 1995. Today some 3,600 exoplanets have been found, ranging from rocky Earth-sized planets to large gas giants like Jupiter.

&ldquo;We validated a planet on a 10-day orbit around a star called HD 212657, which is now the brightest star found by either the Kepler or K2 missions to host a validated planet. Planets around bright stars are important because astronomers can learn a lot about them from ground-based observatories,&rdquo; said Mayo.

&ldquo;Exoplanets are a very exciting field of space science. As more planets are discovered, astronomers will develop a much better picture of the nature of exoplanets which in turn will allow us to place our own solar system into a galactic context,&rdquo; he said.

Mayo and his colleagues analysed hundreds of signals of potential exoplanets to determine which signals were created by exoplanets and which were caused by other sources

Scientists have confirmed nearly 100 new planets outside our solar system, bringing the total number of exoplanets found using NASA’s K2 mission to almost 300. “We started out analysing 275 candidates, of which 149 were validated as real exoplanets. In turn, 95 of these planets have proved to be new discoveries,” said Andrew Mayo, a doctoral student at the Technical University of Denmark. “This research has been underway since the first K2 data release in 2014,” said Mayo, the main author of the research published in the Astronomical Journal. Mayo and his colleagues analysed hundreds of signals of potential exoplanets to determine which signals were created by exoplanets and which were caused by other sources. “We found that some of the signals were caused by multiple star systems or noise from the spacecraft. But we also detected planets that range from sub-Earth-sized to the size of Jupiter and larger,” said Mayo. One of the planets detected was orbiting a very bright star. The Kepler spacecraft was launched in 2009 to hunt for exoplanets in a single patch of sky, but in 2013, a mechanical failure crippled the telescope. However, astronomers and engineers devised a way to repurpose and save the space telescope by changing its field of view periodically. This solution paved the way for the follow-up K2 mission, which is still ongoing as the spacecraft searches for exoplanet transits.These transits can be found by registering dips in light caused by the shadow of an exoplanet as it crosses in front of its host star. The dips are indications of exoplanets, which must then be examined more closely in order to confirm their nature.The first planet orbiting a star similar to our own sun was detected in 1995. Today some 3,600 exoplanets have been found, ranging from rocky Earth-sized planets to large gas giants like Jupiter. “We validated a planet on a 10-day orbit around a star called HD 212657, which is now the brightest star found by either the Kepler or K2 missions to host a validated planet. Planets around bright stars are important because astronomers can learn a lot about them from ground-based observatories,” said Mayo. “Exoplanets are a very exciting field of space science. As more planets are discovered, astronomers will develop a much better picture of the nature of exoplanets which in turn will allow us to place our own solar system into a galactic context,” he said.

NASA discovers 100 new planets beyond our solar system

Last year was the second warmest on record, according to a NASA analysis which shows a continuing long-term warming trend.

Globally averaged temperatures in 2017 were 0.90 degrees Celsius warmer than 1951 to 1980 mean, according to scientists at NASA&#39;s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York. That is second only to global temperatures in 2016.

In a separate, independent analysis, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) concluded that 2017 was the third-warmest year on their record.

The difference in rankings is due to the different methods used by the two agencies to analyse global temperatures, although over the long-term the agencies&#39; records remain in strong agreement.

Both analyses show that the five warmest years on record all have taken place since 2010.

Since weather station locations and measurement practices change over time, there are uncertainties in the interpretation of specific year-to-year global mean temperature differences.

&quot;Despite colder than average temperatures in any one part of the world, temperatures over the planet as a whole continue the rapid warming trend we&#39;ve seen over the last 40 years,&quot; said GISS Director Gavin Schmidt.

The planet&#39;s average surface temperature has risen a little more than 1 degree Celsius during the last century or so, a change driven largely by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere.

Last year was the third consecutive year in which global temperatures were more than one degree Celsius above late nineteenth-century levels.

Phenomena such as El Nino or La Nina, which warm or cool the upper tropical Pacific Ocean and cause corresponding variations in global wind and weather patterns, contribute to short-term variations in global average temperature.

A warming El Nino event was in effect for most of 2015 and the first third of 2016.

Even without an El Nino event - and with a La Nina starting in the later months of 2017 - last year&#39;s temperatures ranked between 2015 and 2016 in NASA&#39;s records.

In an analysis where the effects of the recent El Nino and La Nina patterns were statistically removed from the record, 2017 would have been the warmest year on record.

Weather dynamics often affect regional temperatures, so not every region on Earth experienced similar amounts of warming.

Warming trends are strongest in the Arctic regions, where 2017 saw the continued loss of sea ice.

NASA&#39;s temperature analyses incorporate surface temperature measurements from 6,300 weather stations, ship- and buoy-based observations of sea surface temperatures, and temperature measurements from Antarctic research stations.&nbsp;

Globally averaged temperatures in 2017 were 0.90 degrees Celsius warmer than 1951 to 1980 mean, according to scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York. That is second only to global temperatures in 2016

Last year was the second warmest on record, according to a NASA analysis which shows a continuing long-term warming trend. Globally averaged temperatures in 2017 were 0.90 degrees Celsius warmer than 1951 to 1980 mean, according to scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York. That is second only to global temperatures in 2016. In a separate, independent analysis, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) concluded that 2017 was the third-warmest year on their record. The difference in rankings is due to the different methods used by the two agencies to analyse global temperatures, although over the long-term the agencies' records remain in strong agreement. Both analyses show that the five warmest years on record all have taken place since 2010. Since weather station locations and measurement practices change over time, there are uncertainties in the interpretation of specific year-to-year global mean temperature differences. "Despite colder than average temperatures in any one part of the world, temperatures over the planet as a whole continue the rapid warming trend we've seen over the last 40 years," said GISS Director Gavin Schmidt. The planet's average surface temperature has risen a little more than 1 degree Celsius during the last century or so, a change driven largely by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere. Last year was the third consecutive year in which global temperatures were more than one degree Celsius above late nineteenth-century levels. Phenomena such as El Nino or La Nina, which warm or cool the upper tropical Pacific Ocean and cause corresponding variations in global wind and weather patterns, contribute to short-term variations in global average temperature. A warming El Nino event was in effect for most of 2015 and the first third of 2016. Even without an El Nino event - and with a La Nina starting in the later months of 2017 - last year's temperatures ranked between 2015 and 2016 in NASA's records. In an analysis where the effects of the recent El Nino and La Nina patterns were statistically removed from the record, 2017 would have been the warmest year on record. Weather dynamics often affect regional temperatures, so not every region on Earth experienced similar amounts of warming. Warming trends are strongest in the Arctic regions, where 2017 saw the continued loss of sea ice. NASA's temperature analyses incorporate surface temperature measurements from 6,300 weather stations, ship- and buoy-based observations of sea surface temperatures, and temperature measurements from Antarctic research stations.

2017 may be second warmest year on record: NASA

An asteroid larger than the world&#39;s tallest building Burj Khalifa is set to skim past Earth in February, reports said on Friday.&nbsp;

The rock, dubbed as 2002 AJ129, measuring up to 1.1 kilometres in diameters, will fly past Earth on February 4. It will be larger than the world&#39;s tallest building the Burj Khalifa which stands 0.8 kilometres high.

Reports said that the asteroid will miss our planet by 2.6 million miles, which could still be &quot;potentially hazardous,&quot; as per US space agency NASA.&nbsp;

If the 1.1 kilometre-wide asteroid was to strike us, it would likely send up enough soil and dust to blanket the planet and plunge Earth into darkness or could send our planet into a mini ice age.&nbsp;

February&#39;s asteroid is not expected to hit Earth, NASA informed, which details the rock as part of its research into close approaches to the Earth by near-Earth objects (NEOs).

The rock, dubbed as 2002 AJ129, measuring up to 1.1 kilometers in diameters, will fly past Earth on February 4. It will be larger than the world's tallest building the Burj Khalifa which stands 0.8km high

An asteroid larger than the world's tallest building Burj Khalifa is set to skim past Earth in February, reports said on Friday. The rock, dubbed as 2002 AJ129, measuring up to 1.1 kilometres in diameters, will fly past Earth on February 4. It will be larger than the world's tallest building the Burj Khalifa which stands 0.8 kilometres high. Reports said that the asteroid will miss our planet by 2.6 million miles, which could still be "potentially hazardous," as per US space agency NASA. If the 1.1 kilometre-wide asteroid was to strike us, it would likely send up enough soil and dust to blanket the planet and plunge Earth into darkness or could send our planet into a mini ice age. February's asteroid is not expected to hit Earth, NASA informed, which details the rock as part of its research into close approaches to the Earth by near-Earth objects (NEOs).

Astroid larger than Burj Khalifa to skim past Earth in February

Could the International Space Station become a commercial venture run by private industry?&nbsp;

That is the wish of the White House, which hopes to end funding for the costly program within a few years, The Washington Post reported Sunday.

The US plan, the paper said, involves privatising the ISS, a low-orbit space station piloted by the US space agency NASA and developed jointly with its Russian counterpart.

The station has allowed international crews -- notably in collaboration with the Canadian, European and Japanese space agencies -- to pursue scientific research in the environment of a low Earth orbit.

&quot;The decision to end direct federal support for the ISS in 2025 does not imply that the platform itself will be deorbited at that time,&quot; says an internal NASA document obtained by the Post. &quot;It is possible that industry could continue to operate certain elements or capabilities of the ISS as part of a future commercial platform.&quot;

&quot;NASA will expand international and commercial partnerships over the next seven years in order to ensure continued human access to and presence in low Earth orbit,&quot; the document says.

A budget request to be issued Monday by the Trump administration will call for $150 million to be spent on the ISS in the 2019 fiscal year, and more in succeeding years, &quot;to enable the development and maturation of commercial entities and capabilities which will ensure that commercial successors to the ISS... are operational when they are needed.&quot;

To ensure a smooth transition, the White House would ask the private sector to provide market analyses and development plans, the Post reported.

The plan is expected to face stiff opposition. The United States has already spent some $100 billion to launch, operate and support the orbital station.

Beginning during the presidency of George W Bush (2001-2009), NASA has subcontracted certain ISS support operations, starting with the supply flights now carried out by the SpaceX and Orbital ATK companies -- a trend that gained speed during the Obama presidency.

It was not clear, however, how private companies might profit from taking over the aging station -- its first section was launched in 1998.

NASA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

White House hopes to end funding for the costly program within a few years

Could the International Space Station become a commercial venture run by private industry? That is the wish of the White House, which hopes to end funding for the costly program within a few years, The Washington Post reported Sunday. The US plan, the paper said, involves privatising the ISS, a low-orbit space station piloted by the US space agency NASA and developed jointly with its Russian counterpart. The station has allowed international crews -- notably in collaboration with the Canadian, European and Japanese space agencies -- to pursue scientific research in the environment of a low Earth orbit. "The decision to end direct federal support for the ISS in 2025 does not imply that the platform itself will be deorbited at that time," says an internal NASA document obtained by the Post. "It is possible that industry could continue to operate certain elements or capabilities of the ISS as part of a future commercial platform." "NASA will expand international and commercial partnerships over the next seven years in order to ensure continued human access to and presence in low Earth orbit," the document says. A budget request to be issued Monday by the Trump administration will call for $150 million to be spent on the ISS in the 2019 fiscal year, and more in succeeding years, "to enable the development and maturation of commercial entities and capabilities which will ensure that commercial successors to the ISS... are operational when they are needed." To ensure a smooth transition, the White House would ask the private sector to provide market analyses and development plans, the Post reported. The plan is expected to face stiff opposition. The United States has already spent some $100 billion to launch, operate and support the orbital station. Beginning during the presidency of George W Bush (2001-2009), NASA has subcontracted certain ISS support operations, starting with the supply flights now carried out by the SpaceX and Orbital ATK companies -- a trend that gained speed during the Obama presidency. It was not clear, however, how private companies might profit from taking over the aging station -- its first section was launched in 1998. NASA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

US wants to privatise International Space Station: Report

SpaceX is poised for the first test launch Tuesday of its Falcon Heavy, which aims to become the world&#39;s most powerful rocket, capable of ferrying people to the Moon or Mars some day.

No people are on board, just a mannequin wearing a futuristic spacesuit, strapped into CEO Elon Musk&#39;s very own cherry red Tesla car.&nbsp;

&quot;Starman in a Red Roadster,&quot; Musk posted on Instagram Monday, showing the rocket&#39;s payload on a pedestal, aiming skyward.

The blast-off is scheduled for 1:30 pm (1830 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The destination is deep space, into an orbit about the same distance from the Sun as Mars -- but not all that close to the Red Planet itself.

Musk has cautioned that the maiden launch of the Falcon Heavy may indeed fail.

&quot;Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesn&#39;t blow up on ascent,&quot; Musk, said on Twitter in December.

But the test launch could be a game-changer for SpaceX -- already a top cargo supplier to the International Space Station under a $1.6 billion contract with NASA -- as it seeks to gain a bigger piece of the commercial space market.

The launch is also a milestone in US-based efforts to send astronauts to space, a capacity lost when the US space shuttle program was retired in 2011.

Since then, the world&#39;s astronauts have relied on Russian Soyuz rockets for transport to the International Space Station.

Most powerful in operation&nbsp;

&quot;Falcon Heavy was designed from the outset to carry humans into space and restores the possibility of flying missions with crew to the Moon or Mars,&quot; SpaceX said in a statement.

&quot;When Falcon Heavy lifts off, it will be the most powerful operational rocket in the world by a factor of two,&quot; it added.

&quot;Falcon Heavy can lift more than twice the payload of the next closest operational vehicle, the Delta IV Heavy, at one-third the cost.&quot;

The Delta IV Heavy costs about $350 million per launch, according to United Launch Alliance.&nbsp;

The Falcon Heavy is essentially three Falcon 9 rockets in one, with a total of 27 Merlin engines.

These engines &quot;together generate more than five million pounds of thrust at liftoff, equal to approximately eighteen 747 aircraft,&quot; said SpaceX.&nbsp;

The rocket is designed to carry nearly 141,000 pounds (64 metric tons) into orbit, more than the mass of a fully loaded 737 jetliner.

Previous rockets that are no longer in commission have been more powerful than the Falcon Heavy -- including the Saturn V moon rocket, last flown in 1973, which delivered more payload to orbit.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

No people are on board, just a mannequin wearing a futuristic spacesuit

SpaceX is poised for the first test launch Tuesday of its Falcon Heavy, which aims to become the world's most powerful rocket, capable of ferrying people to the Moon or Mars some day. No people are on board, just a mannequin wearing a futuristic spacesuit, strapped into CEO Elon Musk's very own cherry red Tesla car. "Starman in a Red Roadster," Musk posted on Instagram Monday, showing the rocket's payload on a pedestal, aiming skyward. The blast-off is scheduled for 1:30 pm (1830 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The destination is deep space, into an orbit about the same distance from the Sun as Mars -- but not all that close to the Red Planet itself. Musk has cautioned that the maiden launch of the Falcon Heavy may indeed fail. "Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesn't blow up on ascent," Musk, said on Twitter in December. But the test launch could be a game-changer for SpaceX -- already a top cargo supplier to the International Space Station under a $1.6 billion contract with NASA -- as it seeks to gain a bigger piece of the commercial space market. The launch is also a milestone in US-based efforts to send astronauts to space, a capacity lost when the US space shuttle program was retired in 2011. Since then, the world's astronauts have relied on Russian Soyuz rockets for transport to the International Space Station. Most powerful in operation "Falcon Heavy was designed from the outset to carry humans into space and restores the possibility of flying missions with crew to the Moon or Mars," SpaceX said in a statement. "When Falcon Heavy lifts off, it will be the most powerful operational rocket in the world by a factor of two," it added. "Falcon Heavy can lift more than twice the payload of the next closest operational vehicle, the Delta IV Heavy, at one-third the cost." The Delta IV Heavy costs about $350 million per launch, according to United Launch Alliance. The Falcon Heavy is essentially three Falcon 9 rockets in one, with a total of 27 Merlin engines. These engines "together generate more than five million pounds of thrust at liftoff, equal to approximately eighteen 747 aircraft," said SpaceX. The rocket is designed to carry nearly 141,000 pounds (64 metric tons) into orbit, more than the mass of a fully loaded 737 jetliner. Previous rockets that are no longer in commission have been more powerful than the Falcon Heavy -- including the Saturn V moon rocket, last flown in 1973, which delivered more payload to orbit.

SpaceX poised to launch 'world's most powerful rocket'

On January 31, a total lunar eclipse will occur with a blue moon, known as a Super Blue Blood Moon - which will take place for the first time in 150 years.&nbsp;

So what is this &#39;super blue blood moon&#39; anyway?

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The &#39;super blue blood moon&#39; - as it has been termed - is something rather unusual because a total lunar eclipse will occur with the blue moon, or second full moon of the month, which will also be a supermoon.

&nbsp;

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Stages of the January 31, 2018 &#39;super blue blood moon&#39; (Others)
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Also see: &nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/super-blue-blood-moon-set-to-treat-your-eyes-on-january-31-31115" target="_blank">WATCH: &#39;Super blue blood moon&#39; set to treat your eyes on January 31!</a>

Let&#39;s break it down to make it slightly more understandable.&nbsp;

When the moon is at or near the closest point in its Earth&#39;s orbit and appears about 11%-14% &nbsp;larger and about 30% brighter than full moons that occur at the farthest point in the moon&#39;s orbit it is called a supermoon.&nbsp;

This will be the third in a series of &ldquo;supermoons.&rdquo;&nbsp;

This time, it will also be a blue&nbsp;moon as it will be the second full moon of the month.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;&nbsp;blue moon is the second full moon in a calendar month. Usually, months have only one full moon, but occasionally a second one sneaks in. Full moons are separated by 29 days so it is possible to fit two full moons in a single month. This happens every two and a half years, on average.

The last blue moon occurred in July 2015 and in 2018, we&#39;ll experience two of them, a phenomena that won&#39;t happen for another 19 years. The second blue moon is slated to occur in late March.&nbsp;

Because of the way the light filters through the atmosphere during an eclipse, blue light is bounced away from the moon, while the red light is reflected.&nbsp;The eclipsed moon&rsquo;s reddish colour earned it the nickname blood moon, making this rare celestial event &quot;a super blue blood moon eclipse.&quot;

Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/opinion-why-we-will-see-super-blue-blood-full-moon-on-jan-31-31195" target="_blank"> Opinion: Why Super blue blood full moon looks red</a>

The rare sight will be seen from many countries including India, Russia, Australia, China and Thailand.&nbsp;

The eclipse will last for 3.5 hours, with the total eclipse stretching for 77 minutes. In India, it will start at 5.18pm local time but the total eclipse takes effect at 6.21pm until 7.37pm.

The 'super blue blood moon' - as it has been termed - is something rather unusual because a total lunar eclipse will occur with the blue moon, or second full moon of the month, which will also be a supermoon

On January 31, a total lunar eclipse will occur with a blue moon, known as a Super Blue Blood Moon - which will take place for the first time in 150 years. So what is this 'super blue blood moon' anyway? × The 'super blue blood moon' - as it has been termed - is something rather unusual because a total lunar eclipse will occur with the blue moon, or second full moon of the month, which will also be a supermoon. Stages of the January 31, 2018 'super blue blood moon' (Others) × Also see: WATCH: 'Super blue blood moon' set to treat your eyes on January 31! Let's break it down to make it slightly more understandable. When the moon is at or near the closest point in its Earth's orbit and appears about 11%-14% larger and about 30% brighter than full moons that occur at the farthest point in the moon's orbit it is called a supermoon. This will be the third in a series of “supermoons.” This time, it will also be a blue moon as it will be the second full moon of the month. A blue moon is the second full moon in a calendar month. Usually, months have only one full moon, but occasionally a second one sneaks in. Full moons are separated by 29 days so it is possible to fit two full moons in a single month. This happens every two and a half years, on average. The last blue moon occurred in July 2015 and in 2018, we'll experience two of them, a phenomena that won't happen for another 19 years. The second blue moon is slated to occur in late March. Because of the way the light filters through the atmosphere during an eclipse, blue light is bounced away from the moon, while the red light is reflected. The eclipsed moon’s reddish colour earned it the nickname blood moon, making this rare celestial event "a super blue blood moon eclipse." Also read: Opinion: Why Super blue blood full moon looks red The rare sight will be seen from many countries including India, Russia, Australia, China and Thailand. The eclipse will last for 3.5 hours, with the total eclipse stretching for 77 minutes. In India, it will start at 5.18pm local time but the total eclipse takes effect at 6.21pm until 7.37pm.

What is the 'super blood blue moon'

Japanese astronaut, Norishige Kanai, stated that he grew in height by 9 centimetres after his return to the International Space Station on December 19.

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&quot;Good morning, good morning. Today there is a serious report. Actually, I had physical measurements since I got to space and I have grown by 9 centimetres (3 inches). This is the most I&#39;ve grown in three weeks since I was a junior high student,&quot; he tweeted on Monday.&nbsp;

Kanai also seemed worried about how would he manage to fit into his space suit on his return to space in the Soyuz spacecraft.

&quot;I am a bit worried whether my body will fit in the return Soyuz seat,&quot; read his tweet.&nbsp;

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みなさま、おはようございます。今日は重大なご報告があります。 
 
実は、宇宙に着いてからの身体計測があったのですが、な、な、なんと、身長が9センチも伸びていたんです！ 
たった3週間でニョキニョキと。こんなの中高生のとき以来です。 
 
帰りのソユーズの座席に体が収まるか、ちょっと心配です。
&mdash; 金井 宣茂 (@Astro_Kanai) <a href="https://twitter.com/Astro_Kanai/status/950479226330865670?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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However, in another tweet, Kanai clarified that the increase was only of a couple of centimetres.&nbsp;

&quot;As Russian captain was suspicious of the 9cms elongation, it was about 182 cms when I measured it easily by myself. It was +2 cms from the ground,&quot; Kanai clarified in a tweet.

NASA experts describe an increase in height as a normal phenomenon in space. In the absence of gravity, the spinal vertebrae loosen up and expand.&nbsp;

However, a person gets back to his/her normal height after returning from space.&nbsp;

&quot;It is said that when you are living in a zero-gravity environment for a while, the gaps of the bone of the spine are opened and the height grows. Depending on the person, there seems to be pain in the back and neck,&quot; Kanai tweeted.

 
&nbsp;

NASA experts describe an increase in height as a normal phenomenon in space.

Japanese astronaut, Norishige Kanai, stated that he grew in height by 9 centimetres after his return to the International Space Station on December 19. × "Good morning, good morning. Today there is a serious report. Actually, I had physical measurements since I got to space and I have grown by 9 centimetres (3 inches). This is the most I've grown in three weeks since I was a junior high student," he tweeted on Monday. Kanai also seemed worried about how would he manage to fit into his space suit on his return to space in the Soyuz spacecraft. "I am a bit worried whether my body will fit in the return Soyuz seat," read his tweet. みなさま、おはようございます。今日は重大なご報告があります。 実は、宇宙に着いてからの身体計測があったのですが、な、な、なんと、身長が9センチも伸びていたんです！ たった3週間でニョキニョキと。こんなの中高生のとき以来です。 帰りのソユーズの座席に体が収まるか、ちょっと心配です。 — 金井 宣茂 (@Astro_Kanai) January 8, 2018 × However, in another tweet, Kanai clarified that the increase was only of a couple of centimetres. "As Russian captain was suspicious of the 9cms elongation, it was about 182 cms when I measured it easily by myself. It was +2 cms from the ground," Kanai clarified in a tweet. NASA experts describe an increase in height as a normal phenomenon in space. In the absence of gravity, the spinal vertebrae loosen up and expand. However, a person gets back to his/her normal height after returning from space. "It is said that when you are living in a zero-gravity environment for a while, the gaps of the bone of the spine are opened and the height grows. Depending on the person, there seems to be pain in the back and neck," Kanai tweeted.

Japanese astronaut claims he 'grew' by 9 cms in space, now apologises

NASA&#39;s spacecraft&nbsp;Juno has been orbiting the massive planet for quite some time now.

Juno is known keep sending spectacular shots of Jupiter and this time around it managed to capture the planet&#39;s swirling cloud tops.

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Jupiter&#39;s cloud swirls look nothing short of a piece of modern art.&nbsp;

&quot;NASA&rsquo;s Juno spacecraft was a little more than one Earth diameter from Jupiter when it captured this mind-bending, colour-enhanced view of the planet&rsquo;s tumultuous atmosphere,&quot; NASA&#39;s website explained.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Jupiter&#39;s colossal surface is known to bear raging storms, something which was captured to perfection by Juno.&nbsp;

Images captured by Juno are uploaded on NASA&rsquo;s JunoCam website.

&nbsp;

Jupiter's cloud swirls look nothing short of a piece of modern art

NASA's spacecraft Juno has been orbiting the massive planet for quite some time now. Juno is known keep sending spectacular shots of Jupiter and this time around it managed to capture the planet's swirling cloud tops. Jupiter's cloud swirls look nothing short of a piece of modern art. "NASA’s Juno spacecraft was a little more than one Earth diameter from Jupiter when it captured this mind-bending, colour-enhanced view of the planet’s tumultuous atmosphere," NASA's website explained. Jupiter's colossal surface is known to bear raging storms, something which was captured to perfection by Juno. Images captured by Juno are uploaded on NASA’s JunoCam website.

NASA's Juno sends back captivating pictures of Jupiter 

Experts at NASA believe ozone layer depletion to have slowed down a little.&nbsp;

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In a report published on NASA&#39;s website, direct satellite observations of the ozone hole revealed a decline in the levels of ozone-destroying chlorine, therefore resulting in less ozone depletion.

Experts reported that the international ban on chlorine-containing chemicals (CFCs) has initiated a drop in chlorine in the atmosphere.

Scientists measured&nbsp;nearly 20 percent drop in ozone depletion during the Antarctic winter in 2016 as compared to the year 2005.

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&ldquo;We see very clearly that chlorine from CFCs is going down in the ozone hole, and that less ozone depletion is occurring because of it,&rdquo; said lead author Susan Strahan, an atmospheric scientist from NASA&rsquo;s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Experts noted the reduction in ozone layer depletion as an anticipated phenomenon, &ldquo;this is very close to what our model predicts we should see for this amount of chlorine decline,&rdquo; Strahan said.&nbsp;

No substantial decrease in the size of the ozone hole was seen as it is chiefly influenced by the change in global temperatures.

However, experts hope for a gradual recovery of the ozone hole over the decades as a result of a CFCs-free atmosphere.&nbsp;

The study was originally published on January 4 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

The study was published on January 4 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

Experts at NASA believe ozone layer depletion to have slowed down a little. × In a report published on NASA's website, direct satellite observations of the ozone hole revealed a decline in the levels of ozone-destroying chlorine, therefore resulting in less ozone depletion. Experts reported that the international ban on chlorine-containing chemicals (CFCs) has initiated a drop in chlorine in the atmosphere. Scientists measured nearly 20 percent drop in ozone depletion during the Antarctic winter in 2016 as compared to the year 2005. “We see very clearly that chlorine from CFCs is going down in the ozone hole, and that less ozone depletion is occurring because of it,” said lead author Susan Strahan, an atmospheric scientist from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Experts noted the reduction in ozone layer depletion as an anticipated phenomenon, “this is very close to what our model predicts we should see for this amount of chlorine decline,” Strahan said. No substantial decrease in the size of the ozone hole was seen as it is chiefly influenced by the change in global temperatures. However, experts hope for a gradual recovery of the ozone hole over the decades as a result of a CFCs-free atmosphere. The study was originally published on January 4 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

NASA study reveals proof of ozone hole recovery

EIon Musk-led SpaceX broke new ground in space&nbsp;with the launch of rocket Falcon 9 which successfully deployed 10 satellites into&nbsp;earth&#39;s orbit.

SpaceX said it had successfully installed 10 Iridium NEXT satellites into&nbsp;low-earth orbit.&nbsp;

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Here&rsquo;s the video. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/spacex?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#spacex</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IridiumNEXT</a> <a href="https://t.co/mnVKrPjCcB">pic.twitter.com/mnVKrPjCcB</a>
&mdash; Amanda (@alias_amanda) <a href="https://twitter.com/alias_amanda/status/944385482749706240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Successful deployment of 10 <a href="https://twitter.com/IridiumComm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IridiumComm</a> NEXT satellites to low-Earth orbit confirmed. <a href="https://t.co/CTtvPYNgMA">pic.twitter.com/CTtvPYNgMA</a>
&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/944397579369955328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The company added that Iridium had received &quot;healthy signals&quot; from all 10 satellites.

The Falcon 9 rocket which took off from Vandenberg Air Base in California on Friday will be pulling off the largest &quot;tech upgrades&quot; in history.

&quot;The process of replacing the satellites one-by-one in a constellation of this size and scale has never been completed before,&quot; SpaceX said in a statement.

An excited Musk followed the launch on Twitter, declaring &quot;launch underway&quot; as his company set a new record in space.

&nbsp;

SpaceX said Iridium had received "healthy signals" from all 10 satellites

EIon Musk-led SpaceX broke new ground in space with the launch of rocket Falcon 9 which successfully deployed 10 satellites into earth's orbit. SpaceX said it had successfully installed 10 Iridium NEXT satellites into low-earth orbit. Here’s the video. #spacex #IridiumNEXT pic.twitter.com/mnVKrPjCcB — Amanda (@alias_amanda) December 23, 2017 × Successful deployment of 10 @IridiumComm NEXT satellites to low-Earth orbit confirmed. pic.twitter.com/CTtvPYNgMA — SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 23, 2017 × The company added that Iridium had received "healthy signals" from all 10 satellites. The Falcon 9 rocket which took off from Vandenberg Air Base in California on Friday will be pulling off the largest "tech upgrades" in history. "The process of replacing the satellites one-by-one in a constellation of this size and scale has never been completed before," SpaceX said in a statement. An excited Musk followed the launch on Twitter, declaring "launch underway" as his company set a new record in space.

Watch: SpaceX successfully deploys 10 satellites into low-earth orbit

On Monday, June 19, NASA held a media briefing to announce the completed catalogue of exoplanets from the Kepler Mission.

The catalogue lists 4,034 exoplanet discoveries, including 219 new finds. Ten of these new worlds are close in size to the Earth and reside within their star&rsquo;s habitable zone, a location that would permit liquid water on the surface of an Earth-like world.

These ten join roughly 40 other worlds found by Kepler as possible candidates for Earth&rsquo;s twin. But is the prospect of another Earth really the Kepler legacy?

Teeming with planets

While planets had been discovered around other stars since the early 1990s, the launch of the Kepler Space Telescope in 2009 resulted in them being found in droves. As the numbers increased from tens to thousands of exoplanets, astronomers were able to identify types of planets and speculate on their frequency through our Galaxy; Kepler had given us the ability to do statistics.

Our Solar System suggests there are just two flavours of the planet: Terrestrial worlds like the Earth with rocky surfaces and thin atmospheres, and gas giants like Jupiter, whose solid cores are buried beneath thousands of kilometres of enveloping gases.

This neat, bimodal picture is taken to pieces in the Kepler Mission catalogue.

The catalogue contents reveal gas giants that orbit their star closer than Mercury, other worlds so hot their surface must be molten magma and planets around binary stars like Luke Skywalker&rsquo;s fictional home world of Tatooine in the film franchise Star Wars.

But perhaps the most mysterious entries are the so-called super-Earths.

How super, really?

Over two-thirds of the planets in the Kepler Mission Catalogue have radii of between 1.1 and four Earths, placing them between Earth and Neptune in size. These super-Earths are the most common planet discovered, yet our own Solar System has no analogue to tell us what such worlds might be like.

Are they terrestrial planets with rocky surfaces or mini gas giants with crushing atmospheric pressures? As interest has mounted in the prospect of finding a habitable planet, a key question is whether any of these worlds have a solid surface.

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Our Solar System has only cold gas and ice giants and rocky terrestrial planets, but the Kepler Mission revealed many other planet types. (Others)
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At the media briefing, NASA revealed that the Kepler Mission catalogue had produced a clue. A recent journal paper had spotted a split in the distribution of super-Earth planet sizes.

While planets with radii of around 1.3 Earths and 2.4 Earths are equally common, planets with sizes between 1.5 and two Earth radii are much harder to find. The astronomers speculate that this is the division between giant rocky planets and gaseous mini-Neptunes.

Although this strong divide in the super-Earth population has not previously been observed, its location agrees with the small number of planets we have bulk density measurements for. These density values suggest that planets larger than about 1.6 Earth radii have thick, Neptune-like atmospheres.

But while the Kepler Space Telescope can give us both sizes and locations for exoplanets, it cannot tell us anything about their past or the present surface environment. We need theories to explain the different planet types identified within the catalogue.

Explaining super-Earths

One possibility for the split in the super-Earth population is that the rocky planets have had their atmospheres stripped by radiation pouring from a star. Alternatively, the rocky worlds may have formed later from the gas-rich planet-forming disc that dispersed before the planets could accrue a thick atmosphere.

We meet a similar problem for the 50 planets found within the habitable zone. Knowing only their size and location is not enough to determine if their surfaces are similar to the Earth.

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The Kepler Mission data helped reveal a split in the super-Earth planet population, separating large rocky planets from small gas giants (B. J. Fulton). (Others)
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A difference in geology could create a very different atmosphere to our own, or the inability to create protective magnetic fields to shield the planet from sterilising stellar flares. The temperature may even be perfect for liquid water, but the planet entirely dry.

Without being able to probe surfaces, the Kepler telescope was never designed to find a true Earth twin. Rather, the mission catalogue tells us that planets can form around nearly every star and exist in a huge variety of conditions.

The Kepler Mission spanned four years (2009 to 2013), exploring a patch of sky in the Cygnus constellation. In May 2013, the second of the telescope&rsquo;s four gyroscope-like reaction wheels failed and it was unable to keep a stable position.

But the telescope continues to search the sky near the ecliptic plane (where the zodiac constellations lie), using radiation pressure from the Sun for positioning. This has become the K2 mission and has already found over 500 planets.

Future missions such as TESS and JWST (planned launch in 2018) and Ariel (planned launch in 2026) will add to this number, and begin to probe the environment of these worlds.

The Kepler Mission catalogue told us where to look, now we can begin to uncover what alien worlds are truly like.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/kepler-mission-has-released-its-catalogue-of-exoplanets-but-what-have-we-learnt-about-these-worlds-79817" rel="nofollow">original article</a>.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

NASA's Kepler Mission has identified thousands of exoplanets but leaves a lot of questions about alien worlds.

On Monday, June 19, NASA held a media briefing to announce the completed catalogue of exoplanets from the Kepler Mission. The catalogue lists 4,034 exoplanet discoveries, including 219 new finds. Ten of these new worlds are close in size to the Earth and reside within their star’s habitable zone, a location that would permit liquid water on the surface of an Earth-like world. These ten join roughly 40 other worlds found by Kepler as possible candidates for Earth’s twin. But is the prospect of another Earth really the Kepler legacy? Teeming with planets While planets had been discovered around other stars since the early 1990s, the launch of the Kepler Space Telescope in 2009 resulted in them being found in droves. As the numbers increased from tens to thousands of exoplanets, astronomers were able to identify types of planets and speculate on their frequency through our Galaxy; Kepler had given us the ability to do statistics. Our Solar System suggests there are just two flavours of the planet: Terrestrial worlds like the Earth with rocky surfaces and thin atmospheres, and gas giants like Jupiter, whose solid cores are buried beneath thousands of kilometres of enveloping gases. This neat, bimodal picture is taken to pieces in the Kepler Mission catalogue. The catalogue contents reveal gas giants that orbit their star closer than Mercury, other worlds so hot their surface must be molten magma and planets around binary stars like Luke Skywalker’s fictional home world of Tatooine in the film franchise Star Wars. But perhaps the most mysterious entries are the so-called super-Earths. How super, really? Over two-thirds of the planets in the Kepler Mission Catalogue have radii of between 1.1 and four Earths, placing them between Earth and Neptune in size. These super-Earths are the most common planet discovered, yet our own Solar System has no analogue to tell us what such worlds might be like. Are they terrestrial planets with rocky surfaces or mini gas giants with crushing atmospheric pressures? As interest has mounted in the prospect of finding a habitable planet, a key question is whether any of these worlds have a solid surface. Our Solar System has only cold gas and ice giants and rocky terrestrial planets, but the Kepler Mission revealed many other planet types. (Others) × At the media briefing, NASA revealed that the Kepler Mission catalogue had produced a clue. A recent journal paper had spotted a split in the distribution of super-Earth planet sizes. While planets with radii of around 1.3 Earths and 2.4 Earths are equally common, planets with sizes between 1.5 and two Earth radii are much harder to find. The astronomers speculate that this is the division between giant rocky planets and gaseous mini-Neptunes. Although this strong divide in the super-Earth population has not previously been observed, its location agrees with the small number of planets we have bulk density measurements for. These density values suggest that planets larger than about 1.6 Earth radii have thick, Neptune-like atmospheres. But while the Kepler Space Telescope can give us both sizes and locations for exoplanets, it cannot tell us anything about their past or the present surface environment. We need theories to explain the different planet types identified within the catalogue. Explaining super-Earths One possibility for the split in the super-Earth population is that the rocky planets have had their atmospheres stripped by radiation pouring from a star. Alternatively, the rocky worlds may have formed later from the gas-rich planet-forming disc that dispersed before the planets could accrue a thick atmosphere. We meet a similar problem for the 50 planets found within the habitable zone. Knowing only their size and location is not enough to determine if their surfaces are similar to the Earth. The Kepler Mission data helped reveal a split in the super-Earth planet population, separating large rocky planets from small gas giants (B. J. Fulton). (Others) × A difference in geology could create a very different atmosphere to our own, or the inability to create protective magnetic fields to shield the planet from sterilising stellar flares. The temperature may even be perfect for liquid water, but the planet entirely dry. Without being able to probe surfaces, the Kepler telescope was never designed to find a true Earth twin. Rather, the mission catalogue tells us that planets can form around nearly every star and exist in a huge variety of conditions. The Kepler Mission spanned four years (2009 to 2013), exploring a patch of sky in the Cygnus constellation. In May 2013, the second of the telescope’s four gyroscope-like reaction wheels failed and it was unable to keep a stable position. But the telescope continues to search the sky near the ecliptic plane (where the zodiac constellations lie), using radiation pressure from the Sun for positioning. This has become the K2 mission and has already found over 500 planets. Future missions such as TESS and JWST (planned launch in 2018) and Ariel (planned launch in 2026) will add to this number, and begin to probe the environment of these worlds. The Kepler Mission catalogue told us where to look, now we can begin to uncover what alien worlds are truly like. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: What are NASA's exo-planets

American aerospace manufacturer Space Exploration Technologies Corp., will launch its 13th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station, NASA this Friday. SpaceX has have attempted several attempts earlier this month.

According to NASA, SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will be carrying a Dragon spacecraft which will be attached to the space station for about a month. The spacecraft will carry roughly 4,800 pounds of cargo including science and research equipment along with crew supplies.

The mission is aimS at carrying out investigations vital to lower the risk to human life and critical hardware by orbital debris, NASA said.

The launch will take place from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The launch will take place from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida

American aerospace manufacturer Space Exploration Technologies Corp., will launch its 13th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station, NASA this Friday. SpaceX has have attempted several attempts earlier this month. According to NASA, SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will be carrying a Dragon spacecraft which will be attached to the space station for about a month. The spacecraft will carry roughly 4,800 pounds of cargo including science and research equipment along with crew supplies. The mission is aimS at carrying out investigations vital to lower the risk to human life and critical hardware by orbital debris, NASA said. The launch will take place from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

SpaceX cargo mission to International Space Station to launch today

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-finds-another-solar-system-with-eight-planets-26774">NASA finds another solar system with eight planets</a>

NASA&#39;s Kepler Space Telescope, for the first time, has discovered an eighth planet in an alien solar system, the agency announced on Thursday.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/big-win-in-gujarat-may-lead-modi-to-take-radical-approach-to-economic-reforms-china-daily-26782">Big win in Gujarat may lead Modi to take &#39;radical&#39; approach to economic reforms: China daily</a>

China should take a close look at the BJP&#39;s Gujarat campaign, China&#39;s Global Times newspaper asserted.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-calls-putin-to-discuss-north-korea-as-korean-peninsula-simmers-26777">Trump calls Putin to discuss North Korea as Korean peninsula simmers</a>

US President Trump discussed &quot;dangerous situation in North Korea&quot; with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone, White House said today.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/golden-globe-awards-actresses-to-wear-black-to-protest-sexual-harassment-26772">Golden Globe Awards: Actresses to wear black to protest against sexual harassment</a>

Hollywood actresses have been vocal in rallying against sexual harassment since the story about allegations against famed producer Harvey Weinstein broke out.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-anne-hathaway-looks-like-amal-clooney-in-poster-for-ocean-8-26773">Ocean&#39;s 8 poster release: Anne Hathaway looks like Amal Clooney</a>

The crime action-thriller film &quot;Ocean&#39;s Eleven&quot; now has a female version and it&#39;s called &quot;Ocean&#39;s Eight&quot;.

&nbsp;

NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, for the first time, has discovered an eighth planet in an alien solar system

NASA finds another solar system with eight planets NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, for the first time, has discovered an eighth planet in an alien solar system, the agency announced on Thursday. Big win in Gujarat may lead Modi to take 'radical' approach to economic reforms: China daily China should take a close look at the BJP's Gujarat campaign, China's Global Times newspaper asserted. Trump calls Putin to discuss North Korea as Korean peninsula simmers US President Trump discussed "dangerous situation in North Korea" with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone, White House said today. Golden Globe Awards: Actresses to wear black to protest against sexual harassment Hollywood actresses have been vocal in rallying against sexual harassment since the story about allegations against famed producer Harvey Weinstein broke out. Ocean's 8 poster release: Anne Hathaway looks like Amal Clooney The crime action-thriller film "Ocean's Eleven" now has a female version and it's called "Ocean's Eight".

WION morning news brief, December 15, 2017

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/asteroid-apophis-to-cause-massive-destruction-on-earth-in-2036-says-nasa-24666">NASA</a>&#39;s Kepler Space Telescope, for the first time, has discovered an eighth planet in an alien solar system, the agency announced on Thursday.

Similar to the sun, other stars can have large amounts of planets orbiting it.

The star and its solar system were previously detected by the Kepler space telescope.

A team of astronomers had found two new worlds using Google`s artificial intelligence technology previously.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-working-on-high-speed-space-internet-13756">NASA</a> said, &quot;Machine learning is an approach to artificial intelligence, and demonstrates new ways of analysing Kepler data.

&quot;Kepler-90i is the smallest of the planets in that alien solar system.

The new planet is estimated to be about 30% larger than Earth, is &#39;not a place you`d like to visit,&#39; explains Andrew Vanderburg, astronomer and NASA Sagan Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Texas, Austin.

Kepler Space Telescope&nbsp;was launched in 2009 and has made many discoveries about the planets beyond our solar system including identifying close to 4,034 planet candidates, 2,335 of which have been verified as exoplanets. 30 of those exoplanets have found to be similar in size to Earth, orbiting in their star&#39;s habitable zone.&nbsp;

(With inputs from ANI)

The space agency's Kepler Space Telescope, for the first time, has discovered an eighth planet in an alien solar system

NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, for the first time, has discovered an eighth planet in an alien solar system, the agency announced on Thursday. Similar to the sun, other stars can have large amounts of planets orbiting it. The star and its solar system were previously detected by the Kepler space telescope. A team of astronomers had found two new worlds using Google`s artificial intelligence technology previously. NASA said, "Machine learning is an approach to artificial intelligence, and demonstrates new ways of analysing Kepler data. "Kepler-90i is the smallest of the planets in that alien solar system. The new planet is estimated to be about 30% larger than Earth, is 'not a place you`d like to visit,' explains Andrew Vanderburg, astronomer and NASA Sagan Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Texas, Austin. Kepler Space Telescope was launched in 2009 and has made many discoveries about the planets beyond our solar system including identifying close to 4,034 planet candidates, 2,335 of which have been verified as exoplanets. 30 of those exoplanets have found to be similar in size to Earth, orbiting in their star's habitable zone. (With inputs from ANI)

NASA finds another solar system with eight planets

The world&#39;s newest island -- formed during a volcanic eruption in the remote Pacific three years ago -- may offer clues to how life potentially developed on Mars, NASA said Wednesday.&nbsp;The island of Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha&#39;apai rose from the seabed about 65 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of the Tongan capital Nuku&#39;alofa in late 2014-early 2015.

Scientists initially expected the island -- created when vast quantities of rock and dense ash spewed from the Earth&#39;s crust -- to wash away within a few months.&nbsp;But NASA said it had proved more resilient than expected, possibly because warm sea water combined with ash during the volcanic explosion to create a concrete-like substance known as &quot;tuff&quot;.

While the island - which initially measured one kilometer wide, two kilometers long and about 100 meters high -- has undergone significant erosion, it is now expected to last anywhere from six to 30 years.&nbsp;Jim Garvin, the chief scientist at NASA&#39;s Goddard Space Flight Center, said it was a rare chance to study the life cycle of a newly created island.

He said Mars had many similar volcanic islands that appeared to have been surrounded by water when they were created.&nbsp;Garvin said such spots may be prime locations to look for evidence of past life because they combined a wet environment with heat from volcanic processes.

Examining how life gained a foothold on the Tongan island could help scientists pinpoint where to look for evidence of life on Mars, he said.&nbsp;&quot;Islands like this might have worked on Mars two or three billion years ago -- lakes and small seas filling depressions, persistent surface waters,&quot; he said.

&quot;(It&#39;s) stuff we really strive to understand because it could have produced the conditions necessary for microbial life&quot;.&nbsp;NASA&#39;s studies on the island were presented at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in New Orleans this week.

It comes after US President Donald Trump on Monday directed NASA to send <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-wants-to-send-us-astronauts-back-to-moon-someday-mars-26501">Americans to the Moon</a> for the first time since 1972, in order to prepare for future trips to Mars.

Islands like Tongan with lakes, small seas filling depression, and weather conditions are ideal to study the origin of microbial life; which could be the scene with Mars as well

The world's newest island -- formed during a volcanic eruption in the remote Pacific three years ago -- may offer clues to how life potentially developed on Mars, NASA said Wednesday. The island of Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai rose from the seabed about 65 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of the Tongan capital Nuku'alofa in late 2014-early 2015. Scientists initially expected the island -- created when vast quantities of rock and dense ash spewed from the Earth's crust -- to wash away within a few months. But NASA said it had proved more resilient than expected, possibly because warm sea water combined with ash during the volcanic explosion to create a concrete-like substance known as "tuff". While the island - which initially measured one kilometer wide, two kilometers long and about 100 meters high -- has undergone significant erosion, it is now expected to last anywhere from six to 30 years. Jim Garvin, the chief scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, said it was a rare chance to study the life cycle of a newly created island. He said Mars had many similar volcanic islands that appeared to have been surrounded by water when they were created. Garvin said such spots may be prime locations to look for evidence of past life because they combined a wet environment with heat from volcanic processes. Examining how life gained a foothold on the Tongan island could help scientists pinpoint where to look for evidence of life on Mars, he said. "Islands like this might have worked on Mars two or three billion years ago -- lakes and small seas filling depressions, persistent surface waters," he said. "(It's) stuff we really strive to understand because it could have produced the conditions necessary for microbial life". NASA's studies on the island were presented at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in New Orleans this week. It comes after US President Donald Trump on Monday directed NASA to send Americans to the Moon for the first time since 1972, in order to prepare for future trips to Mars.

New island offers clues in search for life on Mars: NASA

At a time when China is working on an ambitious lunar programme, President Donald Trump vowed on Monday that the United States will remain the leader in space exploration as he began a process to return Americans to the moon.&nbsp;

&quot;We are the leader and we&#39;re going to stay the leader, and we&#39;re going to increase it manifold&quot;, Trump said in signing &quot;Space Policy Directive 1&quot; that establishes a foundation for a mission to the moon with an eye on going to Mars.&nbsp;

&quot;This time, we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprint, we will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars,&quot; Trump said. &quot;And perhaps, someday, to many worlds beyond&quot;.&nbsp;

Back in June, China&#39;s space official said the country was making &ldquo;preliminary&rdquo; preparations to send a man to the moon, the latest goal in China&#39;s ambitious lunar exploration programme.&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s signing ceremony for the directive included former lunar astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Harrison Schmitt and current astronaut Peggy Whitson, whose 665 days in orbit is more time in space than any other American and any other woman worldwide.

The ceremony also featured a moon rock 3.8 billion years old collected by Schmitt&#39;s Apollo 17 mission in 1972.&nbsp;Trump said he was taking a giant step toward &quot;reclaiming America&#39;s proud destiny in space&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;And space has so much to do with so many other applications, including a military application&quot;, he said without elaboration.&nbsp;In approving the new policy, Trump abandoned what had been a goal of his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama, who in 2010 backed a plan to send humans to a near-earth asteroid.&nbsp;

NASA said initial funding for the new policy would be included in its budget request for the fiscal year 2019.&nbsp;

&ldquo;NASA looks forward to supporting the president&#39;s directive strategically aligning our work to return humans to the moon, travel to Mars and opening the deeper solar system beyond&rdquo;, said acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot in a statement.

Trump signs "Space Policy Directive 1" which he claims will ascertain that the United States remains the leader of the space exploration

At a time when China is working on an ambitious lunar programme, President Donald Trump vowed on Monday that the United States will remain the leader in space exploration as he began a process to return Americans to the moon. "We are the leader and we're going to stay the leader, and we're going to increase it manifold", Trump said in signing "Space Policy Directive 1" that establishes a foundation for a mission to the moon with an eye on going to Mars. "This time, we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprint, we will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars," Trump said. "And perhaps, someday, to many worlds beyond". Back in June, China's space official said the country was making “preliminary” preparations to send a man to the moon, the latest goal in China's ambitious lunar exploration programme. Trump's signing ceremony for the directive included former lunar astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Harrison Schmitt and current astronaut Peggy Whitson, whose 665 days in orbit is more time in space than any other American and any other woman worldwide. The ceremony also featured a moon rock 3.8 billion years old collected by Schmitt's Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Trump said he was taking a giant step toward "reclaiming America's proud destiny in space". "And space has so much to do with so many other applications, including a military application", he said without elaboration. In approving the new policy, Trump abandoned what had been a goal of his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama, who in 2010 backed a plan to send humans to a near-earth asteroid. NASA said initial funding for the new policy would be included in its budget request for the fiscal year 2019. “NASA looks forward to supporting the president's directive strategically aligning our work to return humans to the moon, travel to Mars and opening the deeper solar system beyond”, said acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot in a statement.

Want flag and footprint on Moon, eventual mission to Mars: Trump

Skygazers could witness the glorious &#39;supermoon&#39; on Sunday night when the moon will be the brightest and biggest in at least next 15 years.&nbsp;

The next &#39;supermoon&#39; will happen in 2034.

At 21:17 pm IST the moon will appear about 7 per cent&nbsp;bigger and&nbsp;15 per cent&nbsp;brighter. However, the difference will not be very noticeable.&nbsp;

The rare sighting happens when the Moon reaches its closest point in its orbit around Earth.

The full moon on Sunday night marks the first and only supermoon of 2017.&nbsp;

According to reports, NASA informed that the supermoon on Sunday is the first in a series of three supermoons and the other two will appear on January 1 and 31, 2018.

The last supermoon was seen on November 14, 2016.&nbsp;

The full moon on Sunday night marks the first and only supermoon of 2017

Skygazers could witness the glorious 'supermoon' on Sunday night when the moon will be the brightest and biggest in at least next 15 years. The next 'supermoon' will happen in 2034. At 21:17 pm IST the moon will appear about 7 per cent bigger and 15 per cent brighter. However, the difference will not be very noticeable. The rare sighting happens when the Moon reaches its closest point in its orbit around Earth. The full moon on Sunday night marks the first and only supermoon of 2017. According to reports, NASA informed that the supermoon on Sunday is the first in a series of three supermoons and the other two will appear on January 1 and 31, 2018. The last supermoon was seen on November 14, 2016.

'Supermoon' to brighten skies on Sunday

The dense fog in Bhatinda,&nbsp;Punjab has resulted in a huge&nbsp;accident leading to the death of at least&nbsp;10 students with at least 25 others injured.&nbsp;

The low visibility due to the smog in Bhatinda led to the collision of four vehicles.

A truck rammed into a Scorpio and then collided with the college bus killing ten students.&nbsp;

The accident happened in Bhucho&nbsp;mandi, a village in Bhatinda.&nbsp;

One student who suffered serious injuries was referred to PGIMER hospital in Chandigarh.

Finance minister of Punjab, Manpreet Singh Badal has assured one lakh as compensation to the students who have died in the accident.

The 25 injured have been promised compensation of Rs 50,000.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner said that a college bus had stopped on the expressway, a truck collided with a Scorpio which&nbsp;hit the college bus.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

NASA recently released a 2015 video?on how a family dinner would look like 250 miles above the Earth on the International Space Station.

The dense fog in Bhatinda, Punjab has resulted in a huge accident leading to the death of at least 10 students with at least 25 others injured. The low visibility due to the smog in Bhatinda led to the collision of four vehicles. A truck rammed into a Scorpio and then collided with the college bus killing ten students. The accident happened in Bhucho mandi, a village in Bhatinda. One student who suffered serious injuries was referred to PGIMER hospital in Chandigarh. Finance minister of Punjab, Manpreet Singh Badal has assured one lakh as compensation to the students who have died in the accident. The 25 injured have been promised compensation of Rs 50,000. Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner said that a college bus had stopped on the expressway, a truck collided with a Scorpio which hit the college bus.

Watch: NASA's Thanksgiving from space aboard ISS

Authors: Marc Norman and Penelope King*

No human has been to the Moon since 1972 and only 12 people have ever done it &ndash; all of them American men.

But that list could soon be getting a lot longer.

Why the Moon? Haven&rsquo;t we already been there, done that? Well, yes. But now there are new reasons motivating countries to reach the Moon.

Human and other missions to the Moon are planned by India, China and Russia, as well as Japan and Europe. South Korea and North Korea are also looking towards the Moon.

Even NASA seems to be getting its mojo back, recently announcing a revamped vision for a Deep Space Gateway that includes a port of call at the Moon en route to Mars and beyond. Elon Musk has also called for a Moon base.

Private companies are vying for a slice of the Moon pie, lured by Google&rsquo;s multi-million dollar XPRIZE that challenges entrants to develop low-cost methods for robotic space exploration.

A space race of sorts seems to back on in earnest, for five reasons.

Reason 1: A vision for innovation

In the past and still now, one reason that space attracts interest and investment is that humans seem driven to explore and push the limits, physically and viscerally.

But space also acts as a unifying force, providing a clear vision that pushes technology and innovation forwards.

After several decades of relative neglect, space exploration is again seen as driving technology, inspiring engagement with science and engineering, and creating national pride. The program at the recent International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide captured that sentiment.

These motivators are seen as especially important by emerging economies like India, China and Russia, which means that more established players like Europe and the USA have to work harder keep up.

The recent announcement that Australia will have a space agency is expected to create new opportunities for this country.

Reason 2: Economic and geopolitical advantages

Paradoxically, exploration of the Moon builds both international cooperation and competition.

Even if they don&rsquo;t have their own space program, countries can develop instruments to fly on spacecraft that are built and launched by other nations. For example, India&rsquo;s Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft carried instruments from Sweden, Germany, UK, Bulgaria, and the US to the Moon. This helps mesh economies and provides strong motivation to keep the peace.

Economic and geopolitical competition occurs because the Moon is seen as an unclaimed territory. No country is allowed to own the Moon, at least according to a 1967 UN Treaty that has agreement from over 100 countries.

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The Long March 3C rocket carrying an experimental Moon orbiter launches from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China&rsquo;s Sichuan province, 24 October 2014. (Others)
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Nonetheless, there are incentives to place a claim on the Moon. For example, helium-3 (an isotope of the element helium) is abundant on the Moon but rare on Earth. It is a potential fuel for nuclear fusion, a potentially unlimited and non-polluting source of energy. China, in particular, has stated a strong interest in lunar helium-3.

The situation appears similar to that of Antarctica in the 1950s, when the continent was subdivided by the 12 countries that had active scientific programs in the region at the time. Sending a spacecraft to the Moon &ndash; even if it fails prematurely like India&rsquo;s Chandrayaan-1 &ndash; may provide a compelling case for recognition if the Moon were ever to be carved up into zones of research and economic development.

Russia, China, Japan, Europe and the USA landed (or crashed) spacecraft on the Moon in the decades after Apollo.

Reason 3: An easy target

Growing space agencies need successful missions, and the Moon is a tempting target. Radio communication over the relatively short distance between the Earth and Moon (384,400 km) is almost instantaneous (1-2 sec). Between Earth and Mars, two-way communication times can be the better part of an hour.

The low gravity and lack of an atmosphere on the Moon also simplifies operations for orbiters and landers.

The Russian Luna missions showed that it is technically feasible to apply robotics to bring samples from the Moon to Earth. China aims to launch a robotic mission to the Moon in the next 1-2 years to fetch samples. If successful, these will be the first samples brought back from the Moon since Luna 24 in 1976.

Reason 4: New discoveries

Despite decades of observations, each new mission to the Moon produces new discoveries.

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Indian spacecraft lifting off carrying India&rsquo;s first lunar probe Chandrayaan-1 at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, 22 October 2008. (Others)
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Japan&rsquo;s Selene spacecraft and India&rsquo;s Chandrayaan-1 mission discovered new distributions of minerals on the Moon and probed regions of potential resources.

An exciting discovery has been the presence of water ice and other organic compounds in permanently shadowed regions of the Moon that never see sunlight. If present in sufficient quantities, water ice on the Moon could be used as a resource for generating fuel or supporting human habitation. This would be a major advantage for future missions considering the cost of carrying water from the Earth to the Moon

Although immense engineering advances are needed to recover these resources from environments as cold as -250?, such challenges drive new technologies.

Reason 5: We learn about Earth

Aside from the practicalities, exploration of the Moon has revealed completely new ideas about the origin of the Solar system.

Prior to the Apollo missions, planets were thought to form over long periods of time by the slow agglomeration of dusty particles. Moon rocks returned to Earth by the Apollo missions changed that idea literally overnight. We now know that gigantic collisions between planets were common, and one such collision of a Mars-size planet with the Earth probably formed the Moon (animation).

We&rsquo;ve also learned that the dark circular features on the Moon are scars of impacting asteroids stirred up by shifts in the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn.

Future studies of the Moon will undoubtedly lead to even deeper insights into the origin of the Earth, our home planet.

Space exploration is not only about &ldquo;out there&rdquo;. Travel to the Moon creates jobs, technical innovations and new discoveries that improve the lives of all of us &ldquo;down here&rdquo;.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-reasons-india-china-and-other-nations-plan-to-travel-to-the-moon-87589" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

Image Credit: ISRO, NASA, AAP

Penelope King is an Associate Professor at Australian National University

(Disclaimer: Both authors write here in a personal capacity).

No human has been to the moon since 1972. But India, China and Russia would like to change that, and soon

Authors: Marc Norman and Penelope King* No human has been to the Moon since 1972 and only 12 people have ever done it – all of them American men. But that list could soon be getting a lot longer. Why the Moon? Haven’t we already been there, done that? Well, yes. But now there are new reasons motivating countries to reach the Moon. Human and other missions to the Moon are planned by India, China and Russia, as well as Japan and Europe. South Korea and North Korea are also looking towards the Moon. Even NASA seems to be getting its mojo back, recently announcing a revamped vision for a Deep Space Gateway that includes a port of call at the Moon en route to Mars and beyond. Elon Musk has also called for a Moon base. Private companies are vying for a slice of the Moon pie, lured by Google’s multi-million dollar XPRIZE that challenges entrants to develop low-cost methods for robotic space exploration. A space race of sorts seems to back on in earnest, for five reasons. Reason 1: A vision for innovation In the past and still now, one reason that space attracts interest and investment is that humans seem driven to explore and push the limits, physically and viscerally. But space also acts as a unifying force, providing a clear vision that pushes technology and innovation forwards. After several decades of relative neglect, space exploration is again seen as driving technology, inspiring engagement with science and engineering, and creating national pride. The program at the recent International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide captured that sentiment. These motivators are seen as especially important by emerging economies like India, China and Russia, which means that more established players like Europe and the USA have to work harder keep up. The recent announcement that Australia will have a space agency is expected to create new opportunities for this country. Reason 2: Economic and geopolitical advantages Paradoxically, exploration of the Moon builds both international cooperation and competition. Even if they don’t have their own space program, countries can develop instruments to fly on spacecraft that are built and launched by other nations. For example, India’s Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft carried instruments from Sweden, Germany, UK, Bulgaria, and the US to the Moon. This helps mesh economies and provides strong motivation to keep the peace. Economic and geopolitical competition occurs because the Moon is seen as an unclaimed territory. No country is allowed to own the Moon, at least according to a 1967 UN Treaty that has agreement from over 100 countries. The Long March 3C rocket carrying an experimental Moon orbiter launches from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan province, 24 October 2014. (Others) × Nonetheless, there are incentives to place a claim on the Moon. For example, helium-3 (an isotope of the element helium) is abundant on the Moon but rare on Earth. It is a potential fuel for nuclear fusion, a potentially unlimited and non-polluting source of energy. China, in particular, has stated a strong interest in lunar helium-3. The situation appears similar to that of Antarctica in the 1950s, when the continent was subdivided by the 12 countries that had active scientific programs in the region at the time. Sending a spacecraft to the Moon – even if it fails prematurely like India’s Chandrayaan-1 – may provide a compelling case for recognition if the Moon were ever to be carved up into zones of research and economic development. Russia, China, Japan, Europe and the USA landed (or crashed) spacecraft on the Moon in the decades after Apollo. Reason 3: An easy target Growing space agencies need successful missions, and the Moon is a tempting target. Radio communication over the relatively short distance between the Earth and Moon (384,400 km) is almost instantaneous (1-2 sec). Between Earth and Mars, two-way communication times can be the better part of an hour. The low gravity and lack of an atmosphere on the Moon also simplifies operations for orbiters and landers. The Russian Luna missions showed that it is technically feasible to apply robotics to bring samples from the Moon to Earth. China aims to launch a robotic mission to the Moon in the next 1-2 years to fetch samples. If successful, these will be the first samples brought back from the Moon since Luna 24 in 1976. Reason 4: New discoveries Despite decades of observations, each new mission to the Moon produces new discoveries. Indian spacecraft lifting off carrying India’s first lunar probe Chandrayaan-1 at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, 22 October 2008. (Others) × Japan’s Selene spacecraft and India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission discovered new distributions of minerals on the Moon and probed regions of potential resources. An exciting discovery has been the presence of water ice and other organic compounds in permanently shadowed regions of the Moon that never see sunlight. If present in sufficient quantities, water ice on the Moon could be used as a resource for generating fuel or supporting human habitation. This would be a major advantage for future missions considering the cost of carrying water from the Earth to the Moon Although immense engineering advances are needed to recover these resources from environments as cold as -250?, such challenges drive new technologies. Reason 5: We learn about Earth Aside from the practicalities, exploration of the Moon has revealed completely new ideas about the origin of the Solar system. Prior to the Apollo missions, planets were thought to form over long periods of time by the slow agglomeration of dusty particles. Moon rocks returned to Earth by the Apollo missions changed that idea literally overnight. We now know that gigantic collisions between planets were common, and one such collision of a Mars-size planet with the Earth probably formed the Moon (animation). We’ve also learned that the dark circular features on the Moon are scars of impacting asteroids stirred up by shifts in the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn. Future studies of the Moon will undoubtedly lead to even deeper insights into the origin of the Earth, our home planet. Space exploration is not only about “out there”. Travel to the Moon creates jobs, technical innovations and new discoveries that improve the lives of all of us “down here”. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Image Credit: ISRO, NASA, AAP Penelope King is an Associate Professor at Australian National University (Disclaimer: Both authors write here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Why India & China plan to travel to the Moon

In a recent report, American space agency NASA has revealed that planet earth may actually face massive destruction in the year of 2036, by an asteroid strike.

According to NASA, the asteroid named Apophis will collide with Earth and it will have result in human extinction.

The asteroid was detected in 2004 by NASA and since then NASA has been observing the celestial body for the past 13 years, finally concluding that the deadly strike may occur in 2036.

The news has been confirmed by Duane Brown, a NASA official at the Washinton Headquarters. Reported by IB Times.

Steve Chesley, a NASA scientist, along with his fellow teammate Paul Khodas from the jet propulsion laboratory of NASA, learned the about the asteroid since 2009, and they have predicted the collision to precisely occur on April 13, 2036.

Dave Tholen and his collaborators at the University of Hawaii&#39;s Institue for astronomy made the observations and confirmed about the updated orbit of Apophis&nbsp;

&quot;Apophis was one of those heavenly bodies, which attracted the interest of the public, as it was discovered in 2004. Updated computational techniques and newly available data indicate the probability of collision of the Earth April 13, 2036,&quot; writes NASA on its website.

Russians scientists have also claimed that asteroid Apophis will have a close flyby in 2029 at a distance of 32,000 km&nbsp;from&nbsp;Earth, and during this time, even a small deviation in its trajectory will cause mass destruction.

Earlier the conspiracy theorists predicted the end of the world to be on November 19, 2017, following a strike by Nibiru or Planet X. However, it was turned out to be a failure.

According to David Meade, another conspiracy theorist, doomsday has already been triggered as of October 15, 2017. He also said that the world will witness seven-year tribulation period through a series of natural disasters including earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Meade also claimed that Nibiru has already approached the Earth&#39;s orbit

In a recent report, NASA has revealed that planet earth may actually face massive destruction in the year of 2036, by an asteroid strike

In a recent report, American space agency NASA has revealed that planet earth may actually face massive destruction in the year of 2036, by an asteroid strike. According to NASA, the asteroid named Apophis will collide with Earth and it will have result in human extinction. The asteroid was detected in 2004 by NASA and since then NASA has been observing the celestial body for the past 13 years, finally concluding that the deadly strike may occur in 2036. The news has been confirmed by Duane Brown, a NASA official at the Washinton Headquarters. Reported by IB Times. Steve Chesley, a NASA scientist, along with his fellow teammate Paul Khodas from the jet propulsion laboratory of NASA, learned the about the asteroid since 2009, and they have predicted the collision to precisely occur on April 13, 2036. Dave Tholen and his collaborators at the University of Hawaii's Institue for astronomy made the observations and confirmed about the updated orbit of Apophis "Apophis was one of those heavenly bodies, which attracted the interest of the public, as it was discovered in 2004. Updated computational techniques and newly available data indicate the probability of collision of the Earth April 13, 2036," writes NASA on its website. Russians scientists have also claimed that asteroid Apophis will have a close flyby in 2029 at a distance of 32,000 km from Earth, and during this time, even a small deviation in its trajectory will cause mass destruction. Earlier the conspiracy theorists predicted the end of the world to be on November 19, 2017, following a strike by Nibiru or Planet X. However, it was turned out to be a failure. According to David Meade, another conspiracy theorist, doomsday has already been triggered as of October 15, 2017. He also said that the world will witness seven-year tribulation period through a series of natural disasters including earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Meade also claimed that Nibiru has already approached the Earth's orbit

Asteroid Apophis to cause massive destruction on Earth in 2036, says NASA

Mangalore in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/mumbai-hit-by-heavy-rains-waterlogging-4246">Karnataka and Mumbai are at a high</a> risk of encountering floods due to melting ice caps, a NASA report said.&nbsp;

In the past week up to 550 mm (21.7 inches) of rain poured over India&#39;s southeastern coast in the state of Tamil Nadu, NASA said in its website. Total rainfall in southeastern India was measured at around 200 mm (7.9 inches).&nbsp;

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center informed that computer models indicate that rains are expected to move in a northerly direction, wind speed is predicted at approximately 37 to 46.3 kilometers per hour, and with a minimum central pressure near 1004 millibars, NASA confirmed.

The low-pressure continued to produce heavy rain in Tamil Nadu and in remote areas over south coastal Andhra Pradesh, NASA revealed.&nbsp;

Over the next 100 years, the glacial melt may potentially rise Mangalore&#39;s sea levels by 15.98cm as and&nbsp;to 15.26cm in&nbsp;Mumbai and 10.65cm for New York, according&nbsp;to a&nbsp;study carried in the journal Science Advances.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The insights are based on a forecasting tool, gradient fingerprint mapping (GFM) which help to predict how water will be &ldquo;redistributed&rdquo; globally.

&ldquo;This provides, for each city, a picture of which glaciers, ice sheets, and ice caps are of specific importance,&rdquo; researchers said.

&ldquo;As cities and countries attempt to build plans to mitigate flooding, they have to be thinking about 100 years in the future and they want to assess risk in the same way that insurance companies do,&rdquo; said Erik Ivins, senior scientist at NASA&rsquo;s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the US.

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The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA&#39;s Suomi NPP satellite captured a visible image of rainfall hugging the Indian coast. (Others)
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Moreover, the three prime characteristics which play a part in influencing &ldquo;the sea-level fingerprint,&rdquo; the pattern of sea-level change around the world consist of gravity, the push-pull influence of ice and rotation of the plant itself, said a study published in the journal Science Advances, according to reports.&nbsp;

The melting of ice sheets due to global warming in Greenland and Antarctica is a major contributor to sea level rise.

Mangalore in Karnataka and Mumbai are at a high risk of encountering floods due to melting ice caps, a NASA report said. In the past week up to 550 mm (21.7 inches) of rain poured over India's southeastern coast in the state of Tamil Nadu, NASA said in its website. Total rainfall in southeastern India was measured at around 200 mm (7.9 inches). The Joint Typhoon Warning Center informed that computer models indicate that rains are expected to move in a northerly direction, wind speed is predicted at approximately 37 to 46.3 kilometers per hour, and with a minimum central pressure near 1004 millibars, NASA confirmed. The low-pressure continued to produce heavy rain in Tamil Nadu and in remote areas over south coastal Andhra Pradesh, NASA revealed. Over the next 100 years, the glacial melt may potentially rise Mangalore's sea levels by 15.98cm as and to 15.26cm in Mumbai and 10.65cm for New York, according to a study carried in the journal Science Advances. The insights are based on a forecasting tool, gradient fingerprint mapping (GFM) which help to predict how water will be “redistributed” globally. “This provides, for each city, a picture of which glaciers, ice sheets, and ice caps are of specific importance,” researchers said. “As cities and countries attempt to build plans to mitigate flooding, they have to be thinking about 100 years in the future and they want to assess risk in the same way that insurance companies do,” said Erik Ivins, senior scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the US. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured a visible image of rainfall hugging the Indian coast. (Others) × Moreover, the three prime characteristics which play a part in influencing “the sea-level fingerprint,” the pattern of sea-level change around the world consist of gravity, the push-pull influence of ice and rotation of the plant itself, said a study published in the journal Science Advances, according to reports.

Mumbai, Mangalore at high risk of flooding: NASA

Around 1,38,899 Indians have signed up&nbsp;to travel to Mars in May 2018. The flight to the red planet&nbsp;is going to be via Nasa&#39;s InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) mission. According to a report in Times Of India, the selected candidates have been sent &#39;boarding passes&#39; for the mission. 
 
Several Indians applied when Nasa called for names for its mission to Mars. The total number of names received by Nasan from all over the world is 2,429,807. 
 
In fact, India ranks the third in the global list with regards to the number of names submitted from a single country. At the top is America, which does not come as a surprise considering it&#39;s a Nasa mission. At the second position is China which sent 2,62,752 names and India stands third.&nbsp; 
 
India and China&#39;s name in the top three countries is a matter of significance, according to space experts. They attributed India&#39;s growing interest in space mission due to the country&#39;s recent Mangalyaan mission as well as strengthening of India-Us space ties.&nbsp;

The mission will take flight in May 2018 and is scheduled to land in Mars on November 26, 2018. The deadline to submit names was till last week.&nbsp; 
 
Nasa states that InSight&#39;s role is not only to study Mars, but also to gain broader insight into the formation of rocky planets in the entire solar system.

Several Indians applied when Nasa called for names for its mission to Mars.

Around 1,38,899 Indians have signed up to travel to Mars in May 2018. The flight to the red planet is going to be via Nasa's InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) mission. According to a report in Times Of India, the selected candidates have been sent 'boarding passes' for the mission. Several Indians applied when Nasa called for names for its mission to Mars. The total number of names received by Nasan from all over the world is 2,429,807. In fact, India ranks the third in the global list with regards to the number of names submitted from a single country. At the top is America, which does not come as a surprise considering it's a Nasa mission. At the second position is China which sent 2,62,752 names and India stands third. India and China's name in the top three countries is a matter of significance, according to space experts. They attributed India's growing interest in space mission due to the country's recent Mangalyaan mission as well as strengthening of India-Us space ties. The mission will take flight in May 2018 and is scheduled to land in Mars on November 26, 2018. The deadline to submit names was till last week. Nasa states that InSight's role is not only to study Mars, but also to gain broader insight into the formation of rocky planets in the entire solar system.

One lakh Indians sign up for next Nasa mission to Mars

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/towards-the-dawn-of-the-solar-system-nasa-set-to-launch-near-earth-asteroid-mission-6085" target="_blank">Two American astronauts floated outside the International Space Station</a> Friday for the third spacewalk this month aimed at repairing the orbiting outpost&#39;s robotic arm and replacing old video cameras.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/nasas-first-of-its-kind-near-earth-asteroid-mission-lifts-off-6119" target="_blank">NASA&#39;s </a>Joe Acaba and Randy Bresnik officially began the spacewalk at 7:47 am (1147 GMT) when they switched their spacesuits to battery power, then ventured outside the airlock into the vacuum of space.

The pair hopes to replace a degraded camera at the end of the 57-foot (17-meter) robotic arm, finish lubricating its newly installed latching end and replace a blown fuse, among other tasks.

The ageing arm, made by Canada and named the Canadarm, is used to move objects around outside the station and to grab incoming cargo ships.

Installed 16 years ago, its latching end lost its gripping ability in August. A key piece of equipment called the latching end effector was replaced during the October 5 spacewalk.&nbsp;

Further lubrication work was done on the October 10 spacewalk, and a new high definition video camera was also installed outside the research lab.

On Friday, astronauts plan to replace another camera, nicknamed &quot;Old Yeller&quot; because it broadcasts in yellow hues.

The spacewalk is the 205th in the history of the space station, an international collaboration involving more than a dozen countries.

Bresnik, 50, a former Marine Corps aviator who goes by the nickname &quot;Komrade,&quot; has led all three of the October spacewalks, and on Friday is making his fifth career excursion outside the space station.

His colleague Acaba, 50, is the first person of Puerto Rican heritage to become an astronaut, according to his NASA biography.&nbsp;

The former hydro-geologist and educator became an astronaut in 2004 and spacewalked twice in 2009 during the space shuttle era.

Friday&#39;s outing is the ninth this year for NASA. Russian cosmonauts have ventured out on one spacewalk this year.m Spain.

NASA's Joe Acaba and Randy Bresnik officially began the spacewalk at 7:47 am (1147 GMT) when they switched their spacesuits to battery power, then ventured outside the airlock into the vacuum of space

Two American astronauts floated outside the International Space Station Friday for the third spacewalk this month aimed at repairing the orbiting outpost's robotic arm and replacing old video cameras. NASA's Joe Acaba and Randy Bresnik officially began the spacewalk at 7:47 am (1147 GMT) when they switched their spacesuits to battery power, then ventured outside the airlock into the vacuum of space. The pair hopes to replace a degraded camera at the end of the 57-foot (17-meter) robotic arm, finish lubricating its newly installed latching end and replace a blown fuse, among other tasks. The ageing arm, made by Canada and named the Canadarm, is used to move objects around outside the station and to grab incoming cargo ships. Installed 16 years ago, its latching end lost its gripping ability in August. A key piece of equipment called the latching end effector was replaced during the October 5 spacewalk. Further lubrication work was done on the October 10 spacewalk, and a new high definition video camera was also installed outside the research lab. On Friday, astronauts plan to replace another camera, nicknamed "Old Yeller" because it broadcasts in yellow hues. The spacewalk is the 205th in the history of the space station, an international collaboration involving more than a dozen countries. Bresnik, 50, a former Marine Corps aviator who goes by the nickname "Komrade," has led all three of the October spacewalks, and on Friday is making his fifth career excursion outside the space station. His colleague Acaba, 50, is the first person of Puerto Rican heritage to become an astronaut, according to his NASA biography. The former hydro-geologist and educator became an astronaut in 2004 and spacewalked twice in 2009 during the space shuttle era. Friday's outing is the ninth this year for NASA. Russian cosmonauts have ventured out on one spacewalk this year.m Spain.

US spacewalkers begin third October repair mission

Rumours have been swirling for weeks that scientists have detected gravitational waves &ndash; tiny ripples in space and time &ndash; from a source other than colliding black holes. Now we can finally confirm that we&rsquo;ve observed such waves produced by the violent collision of two massive, ultra-dense stars more than 100m light years from the Earth.

The discovery was made on August 17 by the global network of advanced gravitational-wave interferometers &ndash; comprising the twin LIGO detectors in the US and their European cousin, Virgo, in Italy. It is hugely important, not least because it helps solve some big mysteries in astrophysics &ndash; including the cause of bright flashes of light known as &ldquo;gamma-ray bursts&rdquo; and perhaps even the origins of heavy elements such as gold.

As a member of the LIGO scientific collaboration, I was immediately in raptures as soon as I saw the initial data. And the period that followed was definitely the most intense and sleep deprived, but also incredibly exciting, two months of my career.

The announcement comes just weeks after three scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their foundational work leading to the discovery of gravitational waves, first announced in February 2016. Since then, detecting gravitational waves from colliding black holes have started to feel like familiar territory &ndash; with four further such events detected. But as far as we know, colliding black holes offer purely a window on the dark side of the universe. We haven&rsquo;t been able to register light from these events with any other instruments.

But GW170817 &ndash; the catchy title for the event of August 17 &mdash; changes all that. That&rsquo;s because the source of the waves this time was two &ldquo;neutron stars&rdquo; &ndash; incredibly dense stellar remnants the size of a city, each weighing more than the sun. These stars whizzed around each other at a sizeable fraction of the speed of light before merging in a cataclysmic collision that we&rsquo;ve now seen shake the very fabric of space and time.

Mysteries solved

The cosmic concerto was just beginning, however, astronomers have long suspected that the merger of two neutron stars could be the overture to a short gamma-ray burst &ndash; an intense flash of gamma-ray light that releases more energy in a fraction of a second than the sun will pump out in ten billion years. For several decades we have observed these gamma-ray bursts, but without knowing for sure what causes them.

However, just 1.7 seconds after the gravitational waves from GW170817 arrived at the Earth, NASA&rsquo;s Fermi satellite observed a short burst of gamma rays in the same general region of the sky. LIGO and Virgo had found the smoking gun, and the link between neutron star collisions and short gamma-ray bursts was finally and clearly established.

The combination of gravitational-wave and gamma-ray observations allowed the position of the cosmic explosion to be pinpointed to less than 30 square degrees on the sky &ndash; or about 100 times the size of the full moon. This, in turn, allowed a whole barrage of astronomical telescopes sensitive to light across the entire electromagnetic spectrum to search this small patch of sky for the aftermath of the explosion. And sure enough, this was found &ndash; in an unfashionable backwater towards the edge of a fairly unassuming galaxy called NGC4993, in the constellation of Hydra.

Over the next few days and weeks, astronomers watched agog as the embers from the explosion glowed brightly and faded, beautifully matching the pattern expected for a so-called &ldquo;kilonova&rdquo;. This is produced when material rich in subatomic particles known as neutrons from the initial merger is ejected at great speed by the gamma-ray burst. This ploughs into the surrounding region of space, triggering the production of heavy radioactive elements.

These unstable elements typically split up (decay) to a stable state by emitting radiation. This is what causes the glow of the kilonova, which we have now confirmed by mapping it out in exquisite detail. Our observations also strongly support the theory that the stable end-products of these chains of reactions include copious amounts of precious metals like gold and platinum. While we&rsquo;ve suspected neutron stars to be key to producing these elements in space, that hypothesis now looks a whole lot more convincing. Indeed, the kilonova that formed from the embers of GW170817 could have produced as much gold as the entire mass of the Earth &ndash; that is 1,000 trillion tonnes.

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What is a binary neutron star? <a href="https://twitter.com/martin_astro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Martin_astro</a> tells us about one of the most bizarre objects in the universe. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoldenBinary?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoldenBinary</a> <a href="https://t.co/AzHTReV8Z7">pic.twitter.com/AzHTReV8Z7</a>
&mdash; Uni of Glasgow (@UofGlasgow) <a href="https://twitter.com/UofGlasgow/status/919936738893602816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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By observing a kilonova &ldquo;up close and personal&rdquo; for the very first time, and seeing how well it fits into the unfolding astronomical storyboard that began with the neutron star merger, astronomers have taken a huge leap forward in our understanding of these violent cosmic events.

The idea that we are all made of stardust is increasingly appreciated in popular culture &ndash; in everything from documentaries to song lyrics. But the mind-blowing concept that the gold in our wedding rings and Rolex watches is made of neutron stardust is about to catch on. Perhaps even more exciting, however, is the enormous potential now unlocked by this radical, new approach to studying the cosmos.

By working together collaboratively &ndash; using instruments that operate not just across the entire spectrum of light but are sensitive to gravitational waves and even neutrinos too &ndash; astronomers are poised to fully open a completely new &ldquo;multi-messenger&rdquo; window on the universe, with many further discoveries to be made and cosmic mysteries to be solved. For example, we have already used our observations to make the first ever joint measurement of the expansion rate of the universe, using both gravitational waves and light. Our paper will appear in Nature on October 16.

More results will also surely follow soon. The exciting new era of multi-messenger astronomy just started with a bang.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-we-discovered-gravitational-waves-from-neutron-stars-and-why-its-such-a-huge-deal-85647" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

The discovery of gravitational waves is a new approach to study the cosmos

Rumours have been swirling for weeks that scientists have detected gravitational waves – tiny ripples in space and time – from a source other than colliding black holes. Now we can finally confirm that we’ve observed such waves produced by the violent collision of two massive, ultra-dense stars more than 100m light years from the Earth. The discovery was made on August 17 by the global network of advanced gravitational-wave interferometers – comprising the twin LIGO detectors in the US and their European cousin, Virgo, in Italy. It is hugely important, not least because it helps solve some big mysteries in astrophysics – including the cause of bright flashes of light known as “gamma-ray bursts” and perhaps even the origins of heavy elements such as gold. As a member of the LIGO scientific collaboration, I was immediately in raptures as soon as I saw the initial data. And the period that followed was definitely the most intense and sleep deprived, but also incredibly exciting, two months of my career. The announcement comes just weeks after three scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their foundational work leading to the discovery of gravitational waves, first announced in February 2016. Since then, detecting gravitational waves from colliding black holes have started to feel like familiar territory – with four further such events detected. But as far as we know, colliding black holes offer purely a window on the dark side of the universe. We haven’t been able to register light from these events with any other instruments. But GW170817 – the catchy title for the event of August 17 — changes all that. That’s because the source of the waves this time was two “neutron stars” – incredibly dense stellar remnants the size of a city, each weighing more than the sun. These stars whizzed around each other at a sizeable fraction of the speed of light before merging in a cataclysmic collision that we’ve now seen shake the very fabric of space and time. Mysteries solved The cosmic concerto was just beginning, however, astronomers have long suspected that the merger of two neutron stars could be the overture to a short gamma-ray burst – an intense flash of gamma-ray light that releases more energy in a fraction of a second than the sun will pump out in ten billion years. For several decades we have observed these gamma-ray bursts, but without knowing for sure what causes them. However, just 1.7 seconds after the gravitational waves from GW170817 arrived at the Earth, NASA’s Fermi satellite observed a short burst of gamma rays in the same general region of the sky. LIGO and Virgo had found the smoking gun, and the link between neutron star collisions and short gamma-ray bursts was finally and clearly established. The combination of gravitational-wave and gamma-ray observations allowed the position of the cosmic explosion to be pinpointed to less than 30 square degrees on the sky – or about 100 times the size of the full moon. This, in turn, allowed a whole barrage of astronomical telescopes sensitive to light across the entire electromagnetic spectrum to search this small patch of sky for the aftermath of the explosion. And sure enough, this was found – in an unfashionable backwater towards the edge of a fairly unassuming galaxy called NGC4993, in the constellation of Hydra. Over the next few days and weeks, astronomers watched agog as the embers from the explosion glowed brightly and faded, beautifully matching the pattern expected for a so-called “kilonova”. This is produced when material rich in subatomic particles known as neutrons from the initial merger is ejected at great speed by the gamma-ray burst. This ploughs into the surrounding region of space, triggering the production of heavy radioactive elements. These unstable elements typically split up (decay) to a stable state by emitting radiation. This is what causes the glow of the kilonova, which we have now confirmed by mapping it out in exquisite detail. Our observations also strongly support the theory that the stable end-products of these chains of reactions include copious amounts of precious metals like gold and platinum. While we’ve suspected neutron stars to be key to producing these elements in space, that hypothesis now looks a whole lot more convincing. Indeed, the kilonova that formed from the embers of GW170817 could have produced as much gold as the entire mass of the Earth – that is 1,000 trillion tonnes. What is a binary neutron star? @Martin_astro tells us about one of the most bizarre objects in the universe. #GoldenBinary pic.twitter.com/AzHTReV8Z7 — Uni of Glasgow (@UofGlasgow) October 16, 2017 × By observing a kilonova “up close and personal” for the very first time, and seeing how well it fits into the unfolding astronomical storyboard that began with the neutron star merger, astronomers have taken a huge leap forward in our understanding of these violent cosmic events. The idea that we are all made of stardust is increasingly appreciated in popular culture – in everything from documentaries to song lyrics. But the mind-blowing concept that the gold in our wedding rings and Rolex watches is made of neutron stardust is about to catch on. Perhaps even more exciting, however, is the enormous potential now unlocked by this radical, new approach to studying the cosmos. By working together collaboratively – using instruments that operate not just across the entire spectrum of light but are sensitive to gravitational waves and even neutrinos too – astronomers are poised to fully open a completely new “multi-messenger” window on the universe, with many further discoveries to be made and cosmic mysteries to be solved. For example, we have already used our observations to make the first ever joint measurement of the expansion rate of the universe, using both gravitational waves and light. Our paper will appear in Nature on October 16. More results will also surely follow soon. The exciting new era of multi-messenger astronomy just started with a bang. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

How we discovered gravitational waves from 'neutron stars' ? and why it's such a huge deal

Joseph M.Acaba, NASA astronaut has sent&nbsp;pictures of his family&#39;s hurricane-wrecked ancestral homeland, Puerto Rico from the International Space Station.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Finally a chance to see the beautiful island of Puerto Rico from <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>. Continued thoughts throughout the recovery process. <a href="https://t.co/pahZiMvODb">pic.twitter.com/pahZiMvODb</a>
&mdash; Joseph M. Acaba (@AstroAcaba) <a href="https://twitter.com/AstroAcaba/status/919257797224669185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The NASA scientist was born in Inglewood, California. His parents had migrated from Puerto Rico during the 1960s.&nbsp;

On September 20, Puerto Rico was hit by hurricane Maria, which has completely disrupted the lives of people on the island.

With 150 mph winds,&nbsp;the powerful category 4 hurricane has devastated the island leaving severe scarcity of water, food, cell service, and electricity.

Acaba has always expressed his concern and affection for his ancestral homeland.&nbsp;

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From <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>, thinking and praying for all families and friends in Puerto Rico. Stay strong and safe boricuas. Cuidense. <a href="https://t.co/Weptg0qECL">pic.twitter.com/Weptg0qECL</a>
&mdash; Joseph M. Acaba (@AstroAcaba) <a href="https://twitter.com/AstroAcaba/status/912098358776406016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Acaba&#39;s twitter handle describes him as a NASA astronaut training for third spaceflight, US Marine Corps, Reserve- hydrogeologist- peace corps volunteer. He further adds that his favourite job is to teach maths and science.&nbsp;

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He also said that he took Puerto Rican flags with him to the International Space Station, claiming that no Puerto Rican can travel without their Puerto Rican flags. He added that soon the space station would look like Puerto Rico with all the flags.?

Joseph M.Acaba, NASA astronaut has sent pictures of his family's hurricane-wrecked ancestral homeland, Puerto Rico from the International Space Station. Finally a chance to see the beautiful island of Puerto Rico from @Space_Station. Continued thoughts throughout the recovery process. pic.twitter.com/pahZiMvODb — Joseph M. Acaba (@AstroAcaba) October 14, 2017 × The NASA scientist was born in Inglewood, California. His parents had migrated from Puerto Rico during the 1960s. On September 20, Puerto Rico was hit by hurricane Maria, which has completely disrupted the lives of people on the island. With 150 mph winds, the powerful category 4 hurricane has devastated the island leaving severe scarcity of water, food, cell service, and electricity. Acaba has always expressed his concern and affection for his ancestral homeland. From @Space_Station, thinking and praying for all families and friends in Puerto Rico. Stay strong and safe boricuas. Cuidense. pic.twitter.com/Weptg0qECL — Joseph M. Acaba (@AstroAcaba) September 24, 2017 × Acaba's twitter handle describes him as a NASA astronaut training for third spaceflight, US Marine Corps, Reserve- hydrogeologist- peace corps volunteer. He further adds that his favourite job is to teach maths and science.

Hurricane Maria aftermath: International Space Station releases Puerto Rico pictures

Global astronomers bid farewell&nbsp;Friday&nbsp;to NASA&#39;s famed Cassini spacecraft, which launched 20 years ago to circle Saturn and transformed the way we think about life elsewhere in the solar system.

Cassini, an international project that cost $3.9 billion and included scientists from 27 nations, has run out of rocket fuel as expected after a journey of some 7.9 billion kilometres (4.9 billion miles).&nbsp;

Its death plunge into the ringed gas giant -- the furthest planet visible from Earth with the naked eye -- is scheduled for shortly after the spacecraft&#39;s final contact with Earth at&nbsp;7:55 am&nbsp;(1155 GMT).

Cassini&#39;s well-planned demise is a way of preventing any damage to Saturn&#39;s ocean-bearing moons Titan and Enceladus, which scientists want to keep pristine for future exploration because they may contain some form of life.

&quot;It will be sad to see Cassini go&nbsp;on Friday, especially as the instrument we built is still working perfectly,&quot; said Stanley Cowley, professor of solar planetary physics at the University of Leicester.

&quot;But we recognize that it is important to bring the mission to an end in a tidy and controlled manner.&quot;

Three other spacecraft have flown by Saturn -- Pioneer 11 in 1979, followed by Voyager 1 and 2 in the 1980s.

But none have studied Saturn in such detail as Cassini, named after the French-Italian astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini, who discovered in the 17th century that Saturn had several moons and a gap in between its rings.

Discoveries&nbsp;

Cassini launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida in 1997, then spent seven years in transit followed by 13 years orbiting Saturn.

In that time, it discovered six more moons around Saturn, three-dimensional structures towering above Saturn&#39;s rings, and a giant storm that raged across the planet for nearly a year.

The 22 by 13 foot (6.7 by four meter) spacecraft is also credited with discovering icy geysers erupting from Saturn&#39;s moon Enceladus, and eerie hydrocarbon lakes made of ethane and methane on Saturn&#39;s largest moon, Titan.

In 2005, the Cassini orbiter released a lander called Huygens on Titan, marking the first and only such landing in the outer solar system, on a celestial body beyond the asteroid belt.

Huygens was a joint project of the European Space Agency, Italian Space Agency and NASA.&nbsp;

&quot;The mission has changed the way we think of where life may have developed beyond our Earth,&quot; said Andrew Coates, head of the Planetary Science Group at Mullard Space Science Laboratory at University College London.

&quot;As well as Mars, outer planet moons like Enceladus, Europa and even Titan are now top contenders for life elsewhere,&quot; he added.

&quot;We&#39;ve completely rewritten the textbooks about Saturn.&quot;

Some 4,000 scientific papers have been based on data from the mission, said Mathew Owens, professor of space physics at the University of Reading.

And its final plunge will reveal even more about the make-up of Saturn&#39;s atmosphere before Cassini disintegrates like a meteor.

&quot;No doubt scientists will be analyzing the information from its final, one-way trip into Saturn&#39;s atmosphere for years to come,&quot; Owens said.

Cassini has run out of rocket fuel as expected after a journey of some 7.9 billion kilometres

Global astronomers bid farewell Friday to NASA's famed Cassini spacecraft, which launched 20 years ago to circle Saturn and transformed the way we think about life elsewhere in the solar system. Cassini, an international project that cost $3.9 billion and included scientists from 27 nations, has run out of rocket fuel as expected after a journey of some 7.9 billion kilometres (4.9 billion miles). Its death plunge into the ringed gas giant -- the furthest planet visible from Earth with the naked eye -- is scheduled for shortly after the spacecraft's final contact with Earth at 7:55 am (1155 GMT). Cassini's well-planned demise is a way of preventing any damage to Saturn's ocean-bearing moons Titan and Enceladus, which scientists want to keep pristine for future exploration because they may contain some form of life. "It will be sad to see Cassini go on Friday, especially as the instrument we built is still working perfectly," said Stanley Cowley, professor of solar planetary physics at the University of Leicester. "But we recognize that it is important to bring the mission to an end in a tidy and controlled manner." Three other spacecraft have flown by Saturn -- Pioneer 11 in 1979, followed by Voyager 1 and 2 in the 1980s. But none have studied Saturn in such detail as Cassini, named after the French-Italian astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini, who discovered in the 17th century that Saturn had several moons and a gap in between its rings. Discoveries Cassini launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida in 1997, then spent seven years in transit followed by 13 years orbiting Saturn. In that time, it discovered six more moons around Saturn, three-dimensional structures towering above Saturn's rings, and a giant storm that raged across the planet for nearly a year. The 22 by 13 foot (6.7 by four meter) spacecraft is also credited with discovering icy geysers erupting from Saturn's moon Enceladus, and eerie hydrocarbon lakes made of ethane and methane on Saturn's largest moon, Titan. In 2005, the Cassini orbiter released a lander called Huygens on Titan, marking the first and only such landing in the outer solar system, on a celestial body beyond the asteroid belt. Huygens was a joint project of the European Space Agency, Italian Space Agency and NASA. "The mission has changed the way we think of where life may have developed beyond our Earth," said Andrew Coates, head of the Planetary Science Group at Mullard Space Science Laboratory at University College London. "As well as Mars, outer planet moons like Enceladus, Europa and even Titan are now top contenders for life elsewhere," he added. "We've completely rewritten the textbooks about Saturn." Some 4,000 scientific papers have been based on data from the mission, said Mathew Owens, professor of space physics at the University of Reading. And its final plunge will reveal even more about the make-up of Saturn's atmosphere before Cassini disintegrates like a meteor. "No doubt scientists will be analyzing the information from its final, one-way trip into Saturn's atmosphere for years to come," Owens said.

Astronomers bid farewell to $3.9 billion Saturn spacecraft Cassini

The US space agency&#39;s Cassini spacecraft will end its 13-year mission to Saturn in mid-September by transmitting data until the final moment before it plunges into the ringed planet&#39;s atmosphere, officials said on Tuesday.

Cassini, the first spacecraft to orbit Saturn, will make the last of 22 farewell dives between the planet&#39;s rings and surface on Sept. 15. The spacecraft will then burn up as it heads straight into the gas giant&#39;s crushing atmosphere.

Cassini&#39;s final dive will end a mission that provided groundbreaking discoveries that included seasonal changes on Saturn, the moon Titan&#39;s resemblance to a primordial Earth, and a global ocean on the moon Enceladus with ice plumes spouting from its surface.

&quot;The mission has been insanely, wildly, beautifully successful, and it&#39;s coming to an end in about two weeks,&quot; Curt Niebur, Cassini program scientist, said on a telephone conference call with reporters from NASA&#39;s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

Cassini&#39;s final photo as it heads into Saturn&#39;s atmosphere will likely be of propellers, or gaps in the rings caused by moonlets, said project scientist Linda Spilker.

The spacecraft will provide near real-time data on the atmosphere until it loses contact with Earth at 4:54 am&nbsp;PDT (1154 GMT) on Sept. 15, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said.

Spilker said Cassini&#39;s latest data on the rings had shown they had a lighter mass than forecast. That suggests they are younger than expected, at about 120 million years, and thus were created after the birth of the solar system, she said.

During its final orbits between the atmosphere and the rings, Cassini also studied Saturn&#39;s atmosphere and took measurements to determine the size of the planet&#39;s rocky core.

Cassini has been probing Saturn, the sixth planet from the sun, and its entourage of 62 known moons since July 2004. It has provided enough data for almost 4,000 scientific papers.

Since the craft is running low on fuel, NASA is crashing it into Saturn to avoid any chance Cassini could someday collide with Titan, Enceladus or any other moon that has the potential to support indigenous microbial life.

By destroying the spacecraft, NASA will ensure that any hitchhiking Earth microbes still alive on Cassini will not contaminate the moons for future study.

Cassini, the first spacecraft to orbit Saturn, will make the last of 22 farewell dives between the planet's rings and surface on Sept. 15.

The US space agency's Cassini spacecraft will end its 13-year mission to Saturn in mid-September by transmitting data until the final moment before it plunges into the ringed planet's atmosphere, officials said on Tuesday. Cassini, the first spacecraft to orbit Saturn, will make the last of 22 farewell dives between the planet's rings and surface on Sept. 15. The spacecraft will then burn up as it heads straight into the gas giant's crushing atmosphere. Cassini's final dive will end a mission that provided groundbreaking discoveries that included seasonal changes on Saturn, the moon Titan's resemblance to a primordial Earth, and a global ocean on the moon Enceladus with ice plumes spouting from its surface. "The mission has been insanely, wildly, beautifully successful, and it's coming to an end in about two weeks," Curt Niebur, Cassini program scientist, said on a telephone conference call with reporters from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Cassini's final photo as it heads into Saturn's atmosphere will likely be of propellers, or gaps in the rings caused by moonlets, said project scientist Linda Spilker. The spacecraft will provide near real-time data on the atmosphere until it loses contact with Earth at 4:54 am PDT (1154 GMT) on Sept. 15, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said. Spilker said Cassini's latest data on the rings had shown they had a lighter mass than forecast. That suggests they are younger than expected, at about 120 million years, and thus were created after the birth of the solar system, she said. During its final orbits between the atmosphere and the rings, Cassini also studied Saturn's atmosphere and took measurements to determine the size of the planet's rocky core. Cassini has been probing Saturn, the sixth planet from the sun, and its entourage of 62 known moons since July 2004. It has provided enough data for almost 4,000 scientific papers. Since the craft is running low on fuel, NASA is crashing it into Saturn to avoid any chance Cassini could someday collide with Titan, Enceladus or any other moon that has the potential to support indigenous microbial life. By destroying the spacecraft, NASA will ensure that any hitchhiking Earth microbes still alive on Cassini will not contaminate the moons for future study.

NASA to crash US spacecraft into Saturn, 13-year mission to complete soon

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