NASA said on Friday it will send a small helicopter to Mars as part of the U.S. space agency's 2020 mission to place a next-generation rover on the Martian surface, marking the first time such an aircraft will be used on another world. 
 
The remote-controlled Mars Helicopter, designed to take flight in the thin Martian atmosphere with twin counter-rotating blades, weighs about four pounds (1.8 kilograms), with a fuselage the size of a softball, NASA said. Its blades will spin at almost 3,000 rpm, roughly 10 times the rate employed by helicopters on Earth. 
 
"The altitude record for a helicopter flying here on Earth is about 40,000 feet (12,200 meters). The atmosphere of Mars is only one percent that of Earth, so when our helicopter is on the Martian surface, it's already at the Earth equivalent of 100,000 feet (30,480 meters) up," Mimi Aung, the Mars Helicopter project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said in a statement. 
 
NASA officials said the rotorcraft will reach the Red Planet's surface attached to the car-sized rover. After placing the helicopter on the ground, the rover will be directed to drive to a safe distance to relay commands. Controllers on Earth will command the helicopter to take its first autonomous flight after its batteries are charged and tests are conducted, NASA said. 
 
"The idea of a helicopter flying the skies of another planet is thrilling," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement. 
 
The helicopter is intended to demonstrate the viability and usefulness of such aircraft on Mars, NASA said, with potential roles as a low-flying scout or to reach locations inaccessible from the ground. 
 
NASA said it plans a 30-day flight test period that will include up to five flights, starting with a short vertical jaunt to hover for about 30 seconds at an altitude of 10 feet (3 meters) and progressing to flight distances up to a few hundred yards and durations up to 90 seconds. 
 
The helicopter contains solar cells to charge its lithium-ion batteries and a heating mechanism to keep it warm during frigid nights.

The Mars 2020 rover mission is scheduled to launch in July 2020 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and reach Mars in February 2021. The rover is designed to carry out geological studies and ascertain the habitability of the Martian environment, NASA said.

The helicopter is intended to demonstrate the viability and usefulness of such aircraft on Mars, NASA said, with potential roles as a low-flying scout or to reach locations inaccessible from the ground

NASA said on Friday it will send a small helicopter to Mars as part of the U.S. space agency's 2020 mission to place a next-generation rover on the Martian surface, marking the first time such an aircraft will be used on another world. The remote-controlled Mars Helicopter, designed to take flight in the thin Martian atmosphere with twin counter-rotating blades, weighs about four pounds (1.8 kilograms), with a fuselage the size of a softball, NASA said. Its blades will spin at almost 3,000 rpm, roughly 10 times the rate employed by helicopters on Earth. "The altitude record for a helicopter flying here on Earth is about 40,000 feet (12,200 meters). The atmosphere of Mars is only one percent that of Earth, so when our helicopter is on the Martian surface, it's already at the Earth equivalent of 100,000 feet (30,480 meters) up," Mimi Aung, the Mars Helicopter project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said in a statement. NASA officials said the rotorcraft will reach the Red Planet's surface attached to the car-sized rover. After placing the helicopter on the ground, the rover will be directed to drive to a safe distance to relay commands. Controllers on Earth will command the helicopter to take its first autonomous flight after its batteries are charged and tests are conducted, NASA said. "The idea of a helicopter flying the skies of another planet is thrilling," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement. The helicopter is intended to demonstrate the viability and usefulness of such aircraft on Mars, NASA said, with potential roles as a low-flying scout or to reach locations inaccessible from the ground. NASA said it plans a 30-day flight test period that will include up to five flights, starting with a short vertical jaunt to hover for about 30 seconds at an altitude of 10 feet (3 meters) and progressing to flight distances up to a few hundred yards and durations up to 90 seconds. The helicopter contains solar cells to charge its lithium-ion batteries and a heating mechanism to keep it warm during frigid nights. The Mars 2020 rover mission is scheduled to launch in July 2020 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and reach Mars in February 2021. The rover is designed to carry out geological studies and ascertain the habitability of the Martian environment, NASA said.

In a first, NASA to fly a helicopter on Mars

The White House has "quietly killed" a $10-million per year NASA program that tracks carbon and methane, key greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, the journal Science said.

NASA's Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) tracked sources and sinks for carbon and made high-resolution models of the planet's flows of carbon, said the report.

"Now, President Donald Trump's administration has quietly killed the CMS," it said, describing the move as the latest in a "broad attack on climate science" mounted by the White House.

The journal said NASA "declined to provide a reason for the cancellation beyond 'budget constraints and higher priorities within the science budget."

It also quoted US space agency spokesman Steve Cole as saying there was no mention of the CMS in a budget deal signed in March, which "allowed the administration's move to take effect."&nbsp

Cole, responding to a request for comment from AFP, said Trump proposed cutting the CMS project and four Earth science missions last year.

After much deliberation, Congress decided they wanted those four space missions to be funded, writing them into the budget bill they passed in March 2018, he said.

But since CMS was not among them, it was cut as proposed, Cole said, describing the entire process as a joint effort by lawmakers and the executive branch.

Existing grants would be allowed to finish but no new research would be supported, he said.

Trump has already cancelled another Earth science mission, the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 (OCO-3), and announced the US pullout from the 2015 Paris climate accord.

According to Kelly Sims Gallagher, director of Tufts University's Center for International Environment and Resource Policy in Medford, Massachusetts, the CMS cuts jeopardize efforts to verify the national emission cuts agreed to in the Paris climate deal.

"If you cannot measure emissions reductions, you cannot be confident that countries are adhering to the agreement," she told the magazine.

NASA's Carbon Monitoring System tracked sources and sinks for carbon and made high-resolution models of the planet's flows of carbon

The White House has "quietly killed" a $10-million per year NASA program that tracks carbon and methane, key greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, the journal Science said. NASA's Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) tracked sources and sinks for carbon and made high-resolution models of the planet's flows of carbon, said the report. "Now, President Donald Trump's administration has quietly killed the CMS," it said, describing the move as the latest in a "broad attack on climate science" mounted by the White House. The journal said NASA "declined to provide a reason for the cancellation beyond 'budget constraints and higher priorities within the science budget." It also quoted US space agency spokesman Steve Cole as saying there was no mention of the CMS in a budget deal signed in March, which "allowed the administration's move to take effect." Cole, responding to a request for comment from AFP, said Trump proposed cutting the CMS project and four Earth science missions last year. After much deliberation, Congress decided they wanted those four space missions to be funded, writing them into the budget bill they passed in March 2018, he said. But since CMS was not among them, it was cut as proposed, Cole said, describing the entire process as a joint effort by lawmakers and the executive branch. Existing grants would be allowed to finish but no new research would be supported, he said. Trump has already cancelled another Earth science mission, the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 (OCO-3), and announced the US pullout from the 2015 Paris climate accord. According to Kelly Sims Gallagher, director of Tufts University's Center for International Environment and Resource Policy in Medford, Massachusetts, the CMS cuts jeopardize efforts to verify the national emission cuts agreed to in the Paris climate deal. "If you cannot measure emissions reductions, you cannot be confident that countries are adhering to the agreement," she told the magazine.

Trump administration has quietly killed NASA's program to track greenhouse gases: Report

Uber Technologies Inc said on Tuesday it signed an agreement with US&nbspspace agency NASA to explore concepts and technologies needed for passenger and cargo air transportation within an urban area.

This is Uber's second agreement with the space agency. As part of the pact, the ride-hailing company will share data related to its efforts to build flying taxis in 2020 for the development of NASA's urban air mobility (UAM) program.

"Using data from Uber, NASA will use its research facility at the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) airport to simulate a small passenger carrying aircraft as it flies through DFW airspace during peak scheduled air traffic, and analyze if these operations would trigger traffic collision advisories," Uber said in a statement.

Uber on Tuesday also released a new prototype for flying taxies at its annual Elevate Summit.

In November, the company said it was working with NASA to develop a software which could be used to manage flying taxi routes and would work like ride-hailing services that Uber has popularised on the ground.

This is Uber's second agreement with the space agency. As part of the pact, the ride-hailing company will share data related to its efforts to build flying taxis in 2020 for the development of NASA's urban air mobility program

Uber Technologies Inc said on Tuesday it signed an agreement with US&nbspspace agency NASA to explore concepts and technologies needed for passenger and cargo air transportation within an urban area. This is Uber's second agreement with the space agency. As part of the pact, the ride-hailing company will share data related to its efforts to build flying taxis in 2020 for the development of NASA's urban air mobility (UAM) program. "Using data from Uber, NASA will use its research facility at the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) airport to simulate a small passenger carrying aircraft as it flies through DFW airspace during peak scheduled air traffic, and analyze if these operations would trigger traffic collision advisories," Uber said in a statement. Uber on Tuesday also released a new prototype for flying taxies at its annual Elevate Summit. In November, the company said it was working with NASA to develop a software which could be used to manage flying taxi routes and would work like ride-hailing services that Uber has popularised on the ground.

Uber to provide data support for NASA's urban air mobility programme

An Atlas 5 rocket soared into space early on Saturday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, carrying NASA's first robotic lander designed for exploring the deep interior of another planet on its voyage to Mars.

The Mars InSight probe lifted off from the central California coast at 4:05 a.m.PDT, treating early-rising residents across a wide swath of the state to the luminous pre-dawn spectacle of the first US interplanetary spacecraft to be launched over the Pacific.

The lander will be carried aloft for NASA and its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) atop a two-stage, 19-story Atlas 5 rocket from the fleet of United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co.

The payload will be released about 90 minutes after launch on a 301 million mile (484 million km) flight to Mars. It is due to reach its destination in six months, landing on a broad, smooth plain close to the planet's equator called the Elysium Planitia.

That will put InSight roughly 373 miles (600 km) from the 2012 landing site of the car-sized Mars rover Curiosity.

The new 800-pound (360-kg) spacecraft marks the 21st US-launched Martian exploration, dating to the Mariner fly-by missions of the 1960s. Nearly two dozen other Mars missions have been launched by other nations.

Once settled, the solar-powered InSight will spend two years - about one Martian year - plumbing the depths of the planet's interior for clues to how Mars took form and, by extension, the origins of the Earth and other rocky planets.

InSight's primary instrument is a French-built seismometer, designed to detect the slightest vibrations from "marsquakes" around the planet. The device, to be placed on the surface by the lander's robot arm, is so sensitive it can measure a seismic wave just one-half the radius of a hydrogen atom.

Scientists expect to see a dozen to 100 marsquakes over the course of the mission, producing data to help them deduce the depth, density and composition of the planet's core, the rocky mantle surrounding it and the outermost layer, the crust.

The Viking probes of the mid-1970s were equipped with seismometers, too, but they were bolted to the top of the landers, a design that proved largely ineffective.

Apollo missions to the moon brought seismometers to the lunar surface as well, detecting thousands of moonquakes and meteorite impacts. But InSight is expected to yield the first meaningful data on planetary seismic tremors beyond Earth.

InSight also will be fitted with a German-made drill to burrow as much as 16 feet (5 meters) underground, pulling behind it a rope-like thermal probe to measure heat flowing from inside the planet.

Meanwhile, a special transmitter on the lander will send radio signals back to Earth, tracking Mars' subtle rotational wobble to reveal the size of the planet's core and possibly whether it remains molten.

Hitching a ride aboard the same rocket that launches InSight will be a pair of miniature satellites called CubeSats, which will fly to Mars on their own paths behind the lander in a first deep-space test of that technology.

The Mars InSight probe lifted off from the central California coast at 4:05 a.m.PDT, treating early-rising residents across a wide swath of the state to the luminous pre-dawn spectacle of the first US interplanetary spacecraft to be launched over the Pacific

An Atlas 5 rocket soared into space early on Saturday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, carrying NASA's first robotic lander designed for exploring the deep interior of another planet on its voyage to Mars. The Mars InSight probe lifted off from the central California coast at 4:05 a.m.PDT, treating early-rising residents across a wide swath of the state to the luminous pre-dawn spectacle of the first US interplanetary spacecraft to be launched over the Pacific. The lander will be carried aloft for NASA and its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) atop a two-stage, 19-story Atlas 5 rocket from the fleet of United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co. The payload will be released about 90 minutes after launch on a 301 million mile (484 million km) flight to Mars. It is due to reach its destination in six months, landing on a broad, smooth plain close to the planet's equator called the Elysium Planitia. That will put InSight roughly 373 miles (600 km) from the 2012 landing site of the car-sized Mars rover Curiosity. The new 800-pound (360-kg) spacecraft marks the 21st US-launched Martian exploration, dating to the Mariner fly-by missions of the 1960s. Nearly two dozen other Mars missions have been launched by other nations. Once settled, the solar-powered InSight will spend two years - about one Martian year - plumbing the depths of the planet's interior for clues to how Mars took form and, by extension, the origins of the Earth and other rocky planets. InSight's primary instrument is a French-built seismometer, designed to detect the slightest vibrations from "marsquakes" around the planet. The device, to be placed on the surface by the lander's robot arm, is so sensitive it can measure a seismic wave just one-half the radius of a hydrogen atom. Scientists expect to see a dozen to 100 marsquakes over the course of the mission, producing data to help them deduce the depth, density and composition of the planet's core, the rocky mantle surrounding it and the outermost layer, the crust. The Viking probes of the mid-1970s were equipped with seismometers, too, but they were bolted to the top of the landers, a design that proved largely ineffective. Apollo missions to the moon brought seismometers to the lunar surface as well, detecting thousands of moonquakes and meteorite impacts. But InSight is expected to yield the first meaningful data on planetary seismic tremors beyond Earth. InSight also will be fitted with a German-made drill to burrow as much as 16 feet (5 meters) underground, pulling behind it a rope-like thermal probe to measure heat flowing from inside the planet. Meanwhile, a special transmitter on the lander will send radio signals back to Earth, tracking Mars' subtle rotational wobble to reveal the size of the planet's core and possibly whether it remains molten. Hitching a ride aboard the same rocket that launches InSight will be a pair of miniature satellites called CubeSats, which will fly to Mars on their own paths behind the lander in a first deep-space test of that technology.

First NASA lander to study Mars' interior launches from California

Images from NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) depict large areas of India lit up in red suggesting active fire locations.

A large chunk of the 'fire locations' are seen spread across north and central India.

NASA's FIRMS depicts "near real-time active fire locations to natural resource managers that faced challenges obtaining timely satellite-derived fire information," mentions the official.&nbsp;

The active fire locations shown on maps are a combination of forest fire locations as well as crop burning sites.

The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) describes 33 to 90 per cent of forest area in various Indian states as fire prone.&nbsp;

"While statistical data on fire loss is weak, it is estimated that the proportion of forest areas prone to fires annually ranges from 33% in some states to over 90% in other. About 90% of the forest fires in India are created by humans. India witnessed the most severe forest fires in the recent time during the summer of 1995 in the hills of Uttar Pradesh & Himachal Pradesh. The fires were very severe. An area of 677,700 ha was affected by fires," mentioned the ISDR website.&nbsp;

On the other hand, agricultural experts primarily link the highly active 'fire spots' in India to the increased practice of crop burning across the country.&nbsp;

Farmers prefer burning agricultural residue as it is cheaper and can easily be done without employing labour. Using a harvester usually slashes the expense of getting rid of the agricultural residue by more than half.&nbsp;

Burning crop residue contributes to the rising black carbon emissions in the country, air pollution and escalating temperatures, especially during summers.&nbsp;

NASA's FIRMS depicts 'near real-time active fire locations to natural resource managers that faced challenges obtaining timely satellite-derived fire information'

Images from NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) depict large areas of India lit up in red suggesting active fire locations. A large chunk of the 'fire locations' are seen spread across north and central India. NASA's FIRMS depicts "near real-time active fire locations to natural resource managers that faced challenges obtaining timely satellite-derived fire information," mentions the official. The active fire locations shown on maps are a combination of forest fire locations as well as crop burning sites. The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) describes 33 to 90 per cent of forest area in various Indian states as fire prone. "While statistical data on fire loss is weak, it is estimated that the proportion of forest areas prone to fires annually ranges from 33% in some states to over 90% in other. About 90% of the forest fires in India are created by humans. India witnessed the most severe forest fires in the recent time during the summer of 1995 in the hills of Uttar Pradesh & Himachal Pradesh. The fires were very severe. An area of 677,700 ha was affected by fires," mentioned the ISDR website. On the other hand, agricultural experts primarily link the highly active 'fire spots' in India to the increased practice of crop burning across the country. Farmers prefer burning agricultural residue as it is cheaper and can easily be done without employing labour. Using a harvester usually slashes the expense of getting rid of the agricultural residue by more than half. Burning crop residue contributes to the rising black carbon emissions in the country, air pollution and escalating temperatures, especially during summers.

NASA's fire information system shows India studded with 'active fire spots'

NASA's Parker Solar Probe - Humanity's first mission to the Sun - is expected to launch&nbspon July 31 this year. The mission is in its final leg of preparations.

The spacecraft will undergo a final assembly procedure and will be attached to the third stage of the Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle.

Post-launch, it will orbit directly through the solar atmosphere, closer to the surface than any human-made object has ever gone.

The mission is expected to reveal the fundamentals of the solar wind which is characterised by the constant outpouring of material from the Sun that shapes planetary atmospheres and affects space weather near Earth.

Throughout its seven-year mission, Parker Solar Probe will explore Sun's outer atmosphere and make critical observations to answer decades-old questions about the physics of stars.

The spacecraft will undergo comprehensive testing in the months to come before its final launch. A thermal protection system (TPS), or heat shield, will be installed prior to its launch to enable the spacecraft to survive the extreme temperature near Sun's corona.

"There are many milestones to come for Parker Solar Probe and the amazing team of men and women who have worked so diligently to make this mission a reality," said Andy Driesman, Parker Solar Probe project manager from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in the US.

"The installation of the TPS will be our final major step before encapsulation and integration onto the launch vehicle," said Driesman.

Parker Solar Probe will be launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp

Parker Solar Probe will be launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida

NASA's Parker Solar Probe - Humanity's first mission to the Sun - is expected to launch&nbspon July 31 this year. The mission is in its final leg of preparations. The spacecraft will undergo a final assembly procedure and will be attached to the third stage of the Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle. Post-launch, it will orbit directly through the solar atmosphere, closer to the surface than any human-made object has ever gone. The mission is expected to reveal the fundamentals of the solar wind which is characterised by the constant outpouring of material from the Sun that shapes planetary atmospheres and affects space weather near Earth. Throughout its seven-year mission, Parker Solar Probe will explore Sun's outer atmosphere and make critical observations to answer decades-old questions about the physics of stars. The spacecraft will undergo comprehensive testing in the months to come before its final launch. A thermal protection system (TPS), or heat shield, will be installed prior to its launch to enable the spacecraft to survive the extreme temperature near Sun's corona. "There are many milestones to come for Parker Solar Probe and the amazing team of men and women who have worked so diligently to make this mission a reality," said Andy Driesman, Parker Solar Probe project manager from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in the US. "The installation of the TPS will be our final major step before encapsulation and integration onto the launch vehicle," said Driesman. Parker Solar Probe will be launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA's first mission to Sun to launch in July

NASA has inked a deal with Lockheed Martin to develop a supersonic "X-plane" that could break the sound barrier without a sonic boom, officials said today.

The $247.5 million contract allows for the design, building and testing of a plane that would make its first test flight in 2021, NASA said.

The experimental plane "will cruise at 16,764 meters at a speed of about 1,513 kph and create a sound about as loud as a car door closing, 75 Perceived Level decibel (PLdB), instead of a sonic boom," the US space agency said in a statement.

As early as mid-2022, NASA plans to fly the X-plane over certain, as yet to be determined, US cities to collect data and gather community responses.

The goal is to enable quieter supersonic flight and create "new commercial cargo and passenger markets in faster-than-sound air travel," NASA said.

Last month, US President Donald Trump signed a federal budget that fully funds the project, saying the new aircraft "would open a new market for US companies to build faster commercial airliners, creating jobs and cutting cross-country flight times in half."

But passenger seats are not part of the project Lockheed Martin is working on, at least not yet. 
First, the company must show it is possible to fly a quiet supersonic aircraft. Then, the rules of the Federal Aviation Administration would have to be changed in order to lift the current ban on civil supersonic flights over land.

"This X-plane is a critical step closer to that exciting future," Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator of NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, told a news conference.

Other companies in the process of building supersonic passenger jets for flight in the coming years include Virgin Galactic and Spike Aerospace.&nbsp

The $247.5 million contract allows for the design, building and testing of a plane that would make its first test flight in 2021

NASA has inked a deal with Lockheed Martin to develop a supersonic "X-plane" that could break the sound barrier without a sonic boom, officials said today. The $247.5 million contract allows for the design, building and testing of a plane that would make its first test flight in 2021, NASA said. The experimental plane "will cruise at 16,764 meters at a speed of about 1,513 kph and create a sound about as loud as a car door closing, 75 Perceived Level decibel (PLdB), instead of a sonic boom," the US space agency said in a statement. As early as mid-2022, NASA plans to fly the X-plane over certain, as yet to be determined, US cities to collect data and gather community responses. The goal is to enable quieter supersonic flight and create "new commercial cargo and passenger markets in faster-than-sound air travel," NASA said. Last month, US President Donald Trump signed a federal budget that fully funds the project, saying the new aircraft "would open a new market for US companies to build faster commercial airliners, creating jobs and cutting cross-country flight times in half." But passenger seats are not part of the project Lockheed Martin is working on, at least not yet. First, the company must show it is possible to fly a quiet supersonic aircraft. Then, the rules of the Federal Aviation Administration would have to be changed in order to lift the current ban on civil supersonic flights over land. "This X-plane is a critical step closer to that exciting future," Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator of NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, told a news conference. Other companies in the process of building supersonic passenger jets for flight in the coming years include Virgin Galactic and Spike Aerospace.

NASA signs deal with Lockheed Martin to develop supersonic 'X-plane'

China said today its <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/tiangong-1-space-labs-re-entry-into-earth-imminent-china-127728">space lab named Tiangong-1</a> broke up into pieces as it headed towards Earth in the South Pacific.

The eight-tonne Tiangong-1 <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/tiangong-1-space-labs-re-entry-into-earth-imminent-china-127728">"mostly" burnt up above the vast ocean's </a>central region at 8:15 am (0015 GMT), China's Manned Space Engineering Office said.

China had earlier predicted the space lab would re-entry over the Atlantic.

In the past week, speculation has been growing over the fate of the space lab. &nbsp;Tiangong-1 which in Mandarin means "Heavenly Palace” has been out of China's communication radar since 2017.

The space lab was originally planned to be decommissioned in 2013 but its mission was repeatedly extended.&nbsp;

China had said last year that its reentry would be delayed leading several experts to speculate that it had lost control of the space lab.

It is still unknown whether the debris from the space lab has entered the Earth's atmosphere.

The space lab was originally planned to be decommissioned in 2013 but its mission was repeatedly extended.

China said today its space lab named Tiangong-1 broke up into pieces as it headed towards Earth in the South Pacific. The eight-tonne Tiangong-1 "mostly" burnt up above the vast ocean's central region at 8:15 am (0015 GMT), China's Manned Space Engineering Office said. China had earlier predicted the space lab would re-entry over the Atlantic. In the past week, speculation has been growing over the fate of the space lab. Tiangong-1 which in Mandarin means "Heavenly Palace” has been out of China's communication radar since 2017. The space lab was originally planned to be decommissioned in 2013 but its mission was repeatedly extended. China had said last year that its reentry would be delayed leading several experts to speculate that it had lost control of the space lab. It is still unknown whether the debris from the space lab has entered the Earth's atmosphere.

Watch: Tiangong-1 space lab broke up over South Pacific: China

China today confirmed the <a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/photos/chinese-'out-of-control'-space-station-tiangong-1-may-crash-on-earth-tonight-127602">10.4-metre-long (34.1-foot) Tiangong-1</a> space lab launched in 2011 is set to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and land somewhere off Sao Paulo.

China had said last year that its reentry would be delayed leading several experts to speculate that it had lost control of the space lab.

The space lab was originally planned to be decommissioned in 2013 but its mission was repeatedly extended.

In the past week, speculation has been growing about its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. China says it will fall off Sao Paulo, however, Beijing had said on Friday that it is unlikely any large pieces will reach the ground.

The space lab is widely believed to burn up as it enters the Earth's atmosphere. Reports say there has&nbsp;been no&nbsp;contact with Tiangong-1 for the past two years.

Tiangong-1 which in Mandarin means “Heavenly Palace” weighs&nbsp;nearly 8.5 tonnes.

It still remains to be seen if the debris will fall into the Earth's atmosphere.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The space lab is widely believed to burn up as it enters the Earth's atmosphere.

China today confirmed the 10.4-metre-long (34.1-foot) Tiangong-1 space lab launched in 2011 is set to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and land somewhere off Sao Paulo. China had said last year that its reentry would be delayed leading several experts to speculate that it had lost control of the space lab. The space lab was originally planned to be decommissioned in 2013 but its mission was repeatedly extended. In the past week, speculation has been growing about its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. China says it will fall off Sao Paulo, however, Beijing had said on Friday that it is unlikely any large pieces will reach the ground. The space lab is widely believed to burn up as it enters the Earth's atmosphere. Reports say there has been no contact with Tiangong-1 for the past two years. Tiangong-1 which in Mandarin means “Heavenly Palace” weighs nearly 8.5 tonnes. It still remains to be seen if the debris will fall into the Earth's atmosphere.

Tiangong-1 space lab's re-entry into Earth imminent: China

Experts have predicted a small possibility of an asteroid hitting Earth in September 2135. The asteroid is likely to be the size of the Empire State Building and may cause significant damage to life and property on the planet.&nbsp;

A team of experts from NASA has already put a plan in place to avert the mishap. The asteroid, called Bennu, will be pushed out of Earth&#39;s orbit using a nuclear device -- a nearly nine-ton &quot;bulk impactor&quot;.&nbsp;

NASA&#39;s &nbsp;Planetary Defense Coordination Office aims at detecting dangerous asteroids and comets that threaten Earth&#39;s orbit. The space research agency also has a HAMMER (Hypervelocity Asteroid Mitigation Mission for Emergency Response) scheme in place for similar purposes.

But, should the mankind be scared of facing extinction once Bennu hits? Experts don&#39;t think so. The odds of the steroid actually hitting Earth are dismal&nbsp;-- about 1 in 2,700, plus its size is not big enough to pack up the entire race as it happened for the mighty dinosaurs.&nbsp;

The asteroid, called Bennu, will be pushed out of Earth's orbit using a nuclear device -- a nearly nine-ton 'bulk impactor'

Experts have predicted a small possibility of an asteroid hitting Earth in September 2135. The asteroid is likely to be the size of the Empire State Building and may cause significant damage to life and property on the planet. A team of experts from NASA has already put a plan in place to avert the mishap. The asteroid, called Bennu, will be pushed out of Earth's orbit using a nuclear device -- a nearly nine-ton "bulk impactor". NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office aims at detecting dangerous asteroids and comets that threaten Earth's orbit. The space research agency also has a HAMMER (Hypervelocity Asteroid Mitigation Mission for Emergency Response) scheme in place for similar purposes. But, should the mankind be scared of facing extinction once Bennu hits? Experts don't think so. The odds of the steroid actually hitting Earth are dismal -- about 1 in 2,700, plus its size is not big enough to pack up the entire race as it happened for the mighty dinosaurs.

NASA plans to avert asteroid that may hit Earth in 2135

US President Donald Trump has bashed international efforts to combat climate change and questioned the scientific consensus that global warming is dangerous and driven by human consumption of fossil fuels.

But there is a disconnect between what Trump says at home and what his government does abroad. While attention has been focused on Trump&#39;s rhetoric, State Department envoys, federal agencies, and government scientists remain active participants in international efforts to both research and fight climate change, according to the US and foreign representatives involved in those efforts.

&quot;We really don&#39;t detect any change with the Americans,&quot; said one of the officials, Aleksi H&auml;rk&ouml;nen of Finland, who chairs the eight-nation Arctic Council&#39;s key group of senior officials, who are charged with protecting a region warming faster than any other on Earth.

Over the past year, the United States has helped draft the rulebook for implementing the Paris climate accord, signed international memoranda calling for global action to fight climate change, boosted funding for overseas clean energy projects, and contributed to global research on the dangers and causes of the Earth&#39;s warming.

While the United States&rsquo; participation in international forums - including the Paris accord and the Arctic Council - has been reported, its continued, broad and constructive support for climate change efforts in these gatherings has not.

This business-as-usual approach has surprised some of America&rsquo;s foreign partners, along with some of Trump&rsquo;s allies, who had expected the new administration to match its rhetoric with an obstructionist approach to combating climate change.

&quot;I am concerned that much of our climate policy remains on autopilot,&quot; complained Trump&rsquo;s former energy adviser Myron Ebell, now a research director at the right-leaning Competitive Enterprise Institute, who said it reflects a failure by the administration to fill key positions and replace staffers who oppose the president&#39;s agenda.

The US efforts abroad to tackle climate change have been counter-balanced by Trump&#39;s aggressive push at home to increase production of the fossil fuels scientists blame for global warming. He has also ordered a wide-ranging rollback of Obama-era climate regulations and appointed a self-described climate sceptic, Scott Pruitt, as the nation&rsquo;s chief environmental regulator.

And to be sure, none of the US dealings in international climate efforts since last year have committed the United States to any emissions cuts that would undermine Trump&rsquo;s domestic energy agenda.

The State Department - which handles the bulk of US climate policy abroad - told Reuters it was still developing its global warming policy under Trump.

&quot;The State Department is working with the White House and the interagency to further develop our approach to international climate change diplomacy,&quot; State Department spokesman Ambrose Sayles said in a statement before Trump sacked Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday.

&quot;In the meantime, we will continue to participate ... to ensure a level playing field that benefits and protects US interests, and to keep all options open for the President,&quot; Sayles said.

Tillerson&#39;s departure leaves a question mark over the future of US climate policy abroad. Tillerson was in favour of the Paris accord, while his successor, Mike Pompeo, has expressed doubts about the science of climate change. Climate advocates say they hope Pompeo will be too distracted by tensions with Iran and North Korea to change the State Department&rsquo;s approach to climate change.

White House spokeswoman Kelly Love declined to comment.

Trump announced last year that he was withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement to fight global warming, raising concerns among other parties to the deal that Washington might attempt to torpedo the accord or disengage from it completely.

That hasn&#39;t happened. Washington sent a 40-strong delegation to talks in Bonn in November to help draft a new rulebook that will provide rules of the road for the 200 participating nations. It was a smaller delegation than Washington had sent to past meetings, but it still won praise from fellow delegates for its work.

For example, Andrew Rakestraw - a climate negotiator for the State Department since 2013 - co-chaired discussions on how to ensure that the pledges by signatories are comparable and use the same accounting standards - a point seen as critical to the success of the accord.

Nazhat Shameem Khan, chief negotiator for Fiji, which presided over the talks, said the United States delegation was &quot;constructive and helpful.&quot; &nbsp;The UN&rsquo;s climate chief, Patricia Espinosa, also called the US role constructive.&nbsp;

Thomas Shannon, the State Department&#39;s chief climate negotiator in Bonn, did not respond to requests for comment. Rakestraw also did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment.

A US source familiar with the US position at the talks, who asked not to be named, said that US delegates in Bonn were pushing an agenda that resembled those of past administrations - stressing that emerging economies like China follow the same rules as developed nations and meet international standards for monitoring and reporting emissions.

There was one jarring note: Washington sponsored a side event to promote &ldquo;clean coal.&rdquo; Some other delegates said they were unhappy with this, as they wanted the talks to focus on renewable energies.

Under the details of the accord, the United States cannot formally withdraw until 2020.

The State Department&rsquo;s delegations to the Arctic Council are also continuing their work in much the same way they did under President Barack Obama - acknowledging that warming is real and should be countered in planning everything from new shipping routes to the protection of indigenous peoples.

Some US agencies are also still bolstering international efforts to fight climate change.

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation, which seeks to advance US policy by financing foreign business ventures, doubled its support for solar projects in 2017 under a climate-friendly policy last updated by the Obama administration.

And NASA, the US space agency, continues to research climate change, publish climate change data, and contribute to international reports, spokesman Stephen Cole said.

Both OPIC and NASA are independent of the State Department, so would not be under Pompeo&#39;s sway.

Scientists representing the United States in the international research say they have also been unfettered by the Trump administration, despite concerns early in the Trump presidency that the White House would seek to silence them or restrict their work.

&ldquo;There has been no pressure on US authors,&rdquo; said one US scientist, who is now helping to write a United Nations report that will call for coal to be &ldquo;phased out rapidly&rdquo; to limit global warming - &nbsp;a direct clash with Trump&#39;s pro-coal agenda.

The scientist asked not to be named because the draft report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), due to be released in October, is confidential.

&quot;Our US colleagues know that climate change is not a hoax,&quot; said one of the non-US authors of the same report, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.

Christopher Field, a professor of environmental studies at Stanford University who co-chaired a 2014 IPCC report on the impacts of climate change, agreed: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve not seen any indication that the climate denialism from Trump and other members of the administration has had any influence ... on the alignment of the US scientific community with the scientific consensus around the world.&quot;

Still, scientists worry that while the Trump administration is not interfering with their research it is ignoring it.

The Trump administration made no move to block an assessment by 300 experts last year that outlined the threats and causes of warming in the United States and concluded there is &ldquo;no convincing alternative explanation&rdquo; for climate change than human activity.

&quot;But then they haven&#39;t acknowledged the findings, nor changed their climate science denying stance,&rdquo; said the US scientist involved in drafting the UN coal report.

Trump has bashed international efforts to combat climate change and questioned the scientific consensus that global warming is dangerous and driven by human consumption of fossil fuels

US President Donald Trump has bashed international efforts to combat climate change and questioned the scientific consensus that global warming is dangerous and driven by human consumption of fossil fuels. But there is a disconnect between what Trump says at home and what his government does abroad. While attention has been focused on Trump's rhetoric, State Department envoys, federal agencies, and government scientists remain active participants in international efforts to both research and fight climate change, according to the US and foreign representatives involved in those efforts. "We really don't detect any change with the Americans," said one of the officials, Aleksi Härkönen of Finland, who chairs the eight-nation Arctic Council's key group of senior officials, who are charged with protecting a region warming faster than any other on Earth. Over the past year, the United States has helped draft the rulebook for implementing the Paris climate accord, signed international memoranda calling for global action to fight climate change, boosted funding for overseas clean energy projects, and contributed to global research on the dangers and causes of the Earth's warming. While the United States’ participation in international forums - including the Paris accord and the Arctic Council - has been reported, its continued, broad and constructive support for climate change efforts in these gatherings has not. This business-as-usual approach has surprised some of America’s foreign partners, along with some of Trump’s allies, who had expected the new administration to match its rhetoric with an obstructionist approach to combating climate change. "I am concerned that much of our climate policy remains on autopilot," complained Trump’s former energy adviser Myron Ebell, now a research director at the right-leaning Competitive Enterprise Institute, who said it reflects a failure by the administration to fill key positions and replace staffers who oppose the president's agenda. The US efforts abroad to tackle climate change have been counter-balanced by Trump's aggressive push at home to increase production of the fossil fuels scientists blame for global warming. He has also ordered a wide-ranging rollback of Obama-era climate regulations and appointed a self-described climate sceptic, Scott Pruitt, as the nation’s chief environmental regulator. And to be sure, none of the US dealings in international climate efforts since last year have committed the United States to any emissions cuts that would undermine Trump’s domestic energy agenda. The State Department - which handles the bulk of US climate policy abroad - told Reuters it was still developing its global warming policy under Trump. "The State Department is working with the White House and the interagency to further develop our approach to international climate change diplomacy," State Department spokesman Ambrose Sayles said in a statement before Trump sacked Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday. "In the meantime, we will continue to participate ... to ensure a level playing field that benefits and protects US interests, and to keep all options open for the President," Sayles said. Tillerson's departure leaves a question mark over the future of US climate policy abroad. Tillerson was in favour of the Paris accord, while his successor, Mike Pompeo, has expressed doubts about the science of climate change. Climate advocates say they hope Pompeo will be too distracted by tensions with Iran and North Korea to change the State Department’s approach to climate change. White House spokeswoman Kelly Love declined to comment. Trump announced last year that he was withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement to fight global warming, raising concerns among other parties to the deal that Washington might attempt to torpedo the accord or disengage from it completely. That hasn't happened. Washington sent a 40-strong delegation to talks in Bonn in November to help draft a new rulebook that will provide rules of the road for the 200 participating nations. It was a smaller delegation than Washington had sent to past meetings, but it still won praise from fellow delegates for its work. For example, Andrew Rakestraw - a climate negotiator for the State Department since 2013 - co-chaired discussions on how to ensure that the pledges by signatories are comparable and use the same accounting standards - a point seen as critical to the success of the accord. Nazhat Shameem Khan, chief negotiator for Fiji, which presided over the talks, said the United States delegation was "constructive and helpful." The UN’s climate chief, Patricia Espinosa, also called the US role constructive. Thomas Shannon, the State Department's chief climate negotiator in Bonn, did not respond to requests for comment. Rakestraw also did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment. A US source familiar with the US position at the talks, who asked not to be named, said that US delegates in Bonn were pushing an agenda that resembled those of past administrations - stressing that emerging economies like China follow the same rules as developed nations and meet international standards for monitoring and reporting emissions. There was one jarring note: Washington sponsored a side event to promote “clean coal.” Some other delegates said they were unhappy with this, as they wanted the talks to focus on renewable energies. Under the details of the accord, the United States cannot formally withdraw until 2020. The State Department’s delegations to the Arctic Council are also continuing their work in much the same way they did under President Barack Obama - acknowledging that warming is real and should be countered in planning everything from new shipping routes to the protection of indigenous peoples. Some US agencies are also still bolstering international efforts to fight climate change. The Overseas Private Investment Corporation, which seeks to advance US policy by financing foreign business ventures, doubled its support for solar projects in 2017 under a climate-friendly policy last updated by the Obama administration. And NASA, the US space agency, continues to research climate change, publish climate change data, and contribute to international reports, spokesman Stephen Cole said. Both OPIC and NASA are independent of the State Department, so would not be under Pompeo's sway. Scientists representing the United States in the international research say they have also been unfettered by the Trump administration, despite concerns early in the Trump presidency that the White House would seek to silence them or restrict their work. “There has been no pressure on US authors,” said one US scientist, who is now helping to write a United Nations report that will call for coal to be “phased out rapidly” to limit global warming - a direct clash with Trump's pro-coal agenda. The scientist asked not to be named because the draft report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), due to be released in October, is confidential. "Our US colleagues know that climate change is not a hoax," said one of the non-US authors of the same report, who also spoke on condition of anonymity. Christopher Field, a professor of environmental studies at Stanford University who co-chaired a 2014 IPCC report on the impacts of climate change, agreed: “I’ve not seen any indication that the climate denialism from Trump and other members of the administration has had any influence ... on the alignment of the US scientific community with the scientific consensus around the world." Still, scientists worry that while the Trump administration is not interfering with their research it is ignoring it. The Trump administration made no move to block an assessment by 300 experts last year that outlined the threats and causes of warming in the United States and concluded there is “no convincing alternative explanation” for climate change than human activity. "But then they haven't acknowledged the findings, nor changed their climate science denying stance,” said the US scientist involved in drafting the UN coal report.

Weathering Trump's scepticism, US officials still fighting global warming

A recent study done&nbsp;by NASA has revealed that spending a year in space could change a person&#39;s&nbsp;DNA.

According to the research, 7% of astronaut&#39;s DNA does not return to normal after they land on earth.

The case study is based on an astronaut Scott Kelly&#39;s genes which involve information data gathered from before, during and after he spent one year in the International space station(ISS).

The data was later compared to his identical twins living on earth.

The research revelaed&nbsp;that after Kelly&#39;s return to earth he no longer shared the same genetics.

The official statement by NASA said&nbsp;&#39;&#39;researchers now know that 93% of Scott&rsquo;s genes returned to normal after landing. However, the remaining 7% point to possible long-term changes in genes related to his immune system, DNA repair, bone formation networks, hypoxia, and hypercapnia.&#39;&#39;

&quot;Increasing mission duration from the typical six-month ISS mission to one year resulted in no significant decreases in Scott&rsquo;s cognitive performance while inflight and relative to his twin brother Mark on the ground. However, a more pronounced decrease in speed and accuracy was reported post-flight, possibly due to re-exposure and adjustment to Earth&rsquo;s gravity, and the busy schedule that enveloped Scott after his mission.&quot;

The twin study research was done by ten research teams from around the country to discover what happens to the human body after spending a year in space.

According to the research, 7% of astronaut's DNA does not return to normal after they land on earth

A recent study done by NASA has revealed that spending a year in space could change a person's DNA. According to the research, 7% of astronaut's DNA does not return to normal after they land on earth. The case study is based on an astronaut Scott Kelly's genes which involve information data gathered from before, during and after he spent one year in the International space station(ISS). The data was later compared to his identical twins living on earth. The research revelaed that after Kelly's return to earth he no longer shared the same genetics. The official statement by NASA said ''researchers now know that 93% of Scott’s genes returned to normal after landing. However, the remaining 7% point to possible long-term changes in genes related to his immune system, DNA repair, bone formation networks, hypoxia, and hypercapnia.'' "Increasing mission duration from the typical six-month ISS mission to one year resulted in no significant decreases in Scott’s cognitive performance while inflight and relative to his twin brother Mark on the ground. However, a more pronounced decrease in speed and accuracy was reported post-flight, possibly due to re-exposure and adjustment to Earth’s gravity, and the busy schedule that enveloped Scott after his mission." The twin study research was done by ten research teams from around the country to discover what happens to the human body after spending a year in space.

Spending a year in space could change your DNA: NASA

The interior of Jupiter is just as intriguing as the planet&#39;s dazzling surface, with a swirling mixture of liquid hydrogen and helium at its centre, vast atmospheric jet streams and exotic gravitational properties, scientists said on Wednesday. 
 
Data from NASA&#39;s Juno spacecraft, orbiting the solar system&#39;s largest planet since 2016, is providing researchers with what they called unprecedented insight into Jupiter&#39;s internal dynamics and structure. Until now, scientists have had scant information about what lies below Jupiter&#39;s thick red, brown, yellow and white clouds. 
 
&quot;Juno is designed to look beneath these clouds,&quot; said planetary science professor Yohai Kaspi of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, who led part of the research using Juno&#39;s new measurements of Jupiter&#39;s gravity. 
 
&quot;On Jupiter, a gaseous planet without a solid surface, we can only gather information from orbit,&quot; added aerospace engineering professor Luciano Iess of the Sapienza University of Rome, who also led part of the research. 
 
Jupiter is a type of planet called a gas giant, as opposed to rocky planets like Earth and Mars, and its composition is 99 percent hydrogen and helium. Juno&#39;s data showed that as you go deeper under the surface, Jupiter&#39;s gas becomes ionized and eventually turns into a hot, dense metallic liquid. 
 
The scientists said Jupiter&#39;s jet streams, related to the familiar stripes on its surface, plunge some 1,800 miles (3,000 km) below cloud level, and that its deep interior is comprised of a fluid hydrogen and helium mixture that rotates as if it were a solid body. 
 
&quot;The very centre may contain a core made of high-pressure and high-temperature rocks and perhaps water, but it is believed to be fluid as well, not solid,&quot; said planetary scientist Tristan Guillot of the Universite Cote d&#39;Azur in Nice, another of the research leaders.

Juno&#39;s data showed a small but significant asymmetry between the gravitational field of Jupiter&#39;s northern and southern hemispheres, driven by the immense jet streams. The deeper the jets streams go, the more mass they contain, exerting a strong effect on Jupiter&#39;s gravitational field, Kaspi said. 
 
Jupiter, the fifth planet from the sun, dwarfs the solar system&#39;s other planets, measuring about 89,000 miles (143,000 km) in diameter at its equator, compared with Earth&#39;s diameter of about 8,000 miles (12,750 km). It is big enough that 1,300 Earths could fit inside it.

The research was published in the journal Nature.

Data from NASA's Juno spacecraft, orbiting the solar system's largest planet since 2016

The interior of Jupiter is just as intriguing as the planet's dazzling surface, with a swirling mixture of liquid hydrogen and helium at its centre, vast atmospheric jet streams and exotic gravitational properties, scientists said on Wednesday. Data from NASA's Juno spacecraft, orbiting the solar system's largest planet since 2016, is providing researchers with what they called unprecedented insight into Jupiter's internal dynamics and structure. Until now, scientists have had scant information about what lies below Jupiter's thick red, brown, yellow and white clouds. "Juno is designed to look beneath these clouds," said planetary science professor Yohai Kaspi of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, who led part of the research using Juno's new measurements of Jupiter's gravity. "On Jupiter, a gaseous planet without a solid surface, we can only gather information from orbit," added aerospace engineering professor Luciano Iess of the Sapienza University of Rome, who also led part of the research. Jupiter is a type of planet called a gas giant, as opposed to rocky planets like Earth and Mars, and its composition is 99 percent hydrogen and helium. Juno's data showed that as you go deeper under the surface, Jupiter's gas becomes ionized and eventually turns into a hot, dense metallic liquid. The scientists said Jupiter's jet streams, related to the familiar stripes on its surface, plunge some 1,800 miles (3,000 km) below cloud level, and that its deep interior is comprised of a fluid hydrogen and helium mixture that rotates as if it were a solid body. "The very centre may contain a core made of high-pressure and high-temperature rocks and perhaps water, but it is believed to be fluid as well, not solid," said planetary scientist Tristan Guillot of the Universite Cote d'Azur in Nice, another of the research leaders. Juno's data showed a small but significant asymmetry between the gravitational field of Jupiter's northern and southern hemispheres, driven by the immense jet streams. The deeper the jets streams go, the more mass they contain, exerting a strong effect on Jupiter's gravitational field, Kaspi said. Jupiter, the fifth planet from the sun, dwarfs the solar system's other planets, measuring about 89,000 miles (143,000 km) in diameter at its equator, compared with Earth's diameter of about 8,000 miles (12,750 km). It is big enough that 1,300 Earths could fit inside it. The research was published in the journal Nature.

NASA's Juno spacecraft strips Jupiter down to its underwear

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;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iKFkjCY_ueM" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

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.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&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.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&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;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

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;

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vv-NxulkuCo" width="560"></iframe>

&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

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

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

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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&nbsp;

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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&nbsp;

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;.

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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

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