NASA"s Curiosity captures Martian morning, afternoon in new "postcard"
After completing a major software update in April, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover took a last look at "Marker Band Valley" before leaving it behind, capturing a "postcard" of the scene......»»
Warm Saturn-sized exoplanet discovered with TESS
Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an international team of astronomers has detected a new exoplanet orbiting a distant star. The newfound alien world, designated TOI-4994 b, is warm and slightly smaller than Saturn. The findi.....»»
NASA scientific balloon flights to lift off from Antarctica
NASA's Scientific Balloon Program has returned to Antarctica's icy expanse to kick off the annual Antarctic Long-Duration Balloon Campaign, where two balloon flights will carry a total of nine missions to near space. Launch operations will begin mid-.....»»
Chandra sees black hole jet stumble into something in the dark
Even matter ejected by black holes can run into objects in the dark. Using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers have found an unusual mark from a giant black hole's powerful jet striking an unidentified object in its path......»»
Pearl Young, the first woman to work in a technical role at NASA, overcame barriers and "raised hell"
Thirteen years before any other woman joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics—or the NACA, NASA's predecessor—in a technical role, a young lab assistant named Pearl Young was making waves in the agency. Her legacy as an outspoken a.....»»
Ultrafast electron imaging captures never-before-seen nuclear motions in hydrocarbon molecules excited by light
The interactions between light and nitroaromatic hydrocarbon molecules have important implications for chemical processes in our atmosphere that can lead to smog and pollution. However, changes in molecular geometry due to interactions with light can.....»»
NASA eyes launching SPHEREx sky-mapping mission in early 2025
NASA and SpaceX are targeting late February 2025 for the launch of the agency's next astrophysics observatory, SPHEREx. Short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, SPHEREx will launch aboard.....»»
Sentinel-1C captures first radar images of Earth
Less than a week after its launch, the Copernicus Sentinel-1C satellite has delivered its first radar images of Earth—offering a glimpse into its capabilities for environmental monitoring. These initial images feature regions of interest, including.....»»
NASA astronaut Don Pettit talks photography from the space station
NASA astronaut Don Pettit is an exceptional space photographer, and he's just been talking about his work......»»
Astronaut’s photos from ISS make clouds look otherworldly
NASA astronaut Don Pettit has posted another set of stunning shots, this time showing clouds as you’ve never seen them before......»»
Saturday citations: The "donut effect"; basically immortal batteries; Neanderthals and H. sapiens
This week, researchers studying data from NASA's Dawn mission reported the identification of 11 sites on Ceres that suggest an internal reservoir of organic materials. A multidisciplinary team published an analysis of the dazzle camouflage patterns d.....»»
After critics decry Orion heat shield decision, NASA reviewer says agency is correct
"If this isn’t raising red flags out there, I don’t know what will." Within hours of NASA announcing its decision to fly the Artemis II mission aboard an Orion spacecraft with.....»»
Former flight director who reviewed Orion heat shield data says there was no dissent
"If this isn’t raising red flags out there, I don’t know what will." Within hours of NASA announcing its decision to fly the Artemis II mission aboard an Orion spacecraft with.....»»
It only took 20 minutes for Fortnite OG to pass 1 million players
Fortnite OG released this morning as a permanent fixture to the game's lineup, and it broke 1 million players in 20 minutes......»»
Beaver survey aims to show the urban benefits of Chicago"s "ecosystem engineers"
As the boat zipped down the Chicago River on a nippy November morning, Sammie Clark stood up and pointed at a creature swimming in the water, its brown fur slick and its head bobbing just above the surface. It kept close to the edge, a sheet metal wa.....»»
SpaceX satellite launch from Kennedy Space Center tops off three launches in 30 hours
SpaceX sent up a commercial satellite late Thursday morning from Kennedy Space Center, completing three launches in just under 30 hours among its three active pads in Florida and California......»»
NASA flights map critical minerals from skies above western US
On a crystal-clear afternoon above a desert ghost town, a NASA aircraft scoured the ground for minerals. The plane, a high-altitude ER-2 research aircraft, had taken off early that morning from NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, Cali.....»»
MAUVE: An ultraviolet astrophysics probe mission concept
For the past 30 years, NASA's Great Observatories—the Hubble, Spitzer, Compton, and Chandra space telescopes—have revealed some amazing things about the universe. In addition to some of the deepest views of the universe provided by the Hubble Dee.....»»
Rocket Report: NASA delays Artemis again; SpinLaunch spins a little cash
A report in which we read some tea leaves. Welcome to Edition 7.22 of the Rocket Report! The big news is the Trump administration's announcement that commercial astronaut Jared Is.....»»
NASA says Orion’s heat shield is good to go for Artemis II—but does it matter?
The Artemis II mission, as NASA currently envisions it, won't launch until April 2026. Two years ago next week, NASA's Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean to wrap.....»»
Developing a cyclic molecule that captures phosphate in harmony with water molecules
Researchers at University of Tsukuba, Osaka University, and Kitasato University developed a novel amide cyclodextrin (cyclic oligosaccharide) that can selectively capture phosphate ions in water. In addition, the researchers revealed the mechanism by.....»»