Readying spacecraft to surf Venus" atmosphere
ESA's EnVision mission to Venus will perform optical, spectral and radar mapping of Earth's sister planet. But before getting down to work the van-sized spacecraft needs to "aerobrake"—lowering its orbit with thousands of passages through the plane.....»»
Toyota prepares $531.7 million investment into Texas truck plant
Toyota is readying a $531.7 million expansion of its Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas plant in San Antonio to build unspecified components there......»»
Boeing’s Starliner won’t fly on Tuesday after all
The launch of the Starliner spacecraft's first crewed flight has been delayed by another four days, with NASA now targeting May 25 for launch......»»
Why Earthlings are safe when huge solar storms strike our planet
When solar storms and coronal mass ejections hit Earth and create the Northern Lights, people are physically protected from radiation by Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere. From time to time, the sun discharges billions of tons of solar matt.....»»
NASA spacecraft spots dead robot on Mars surface
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter viewed the space agency's retired InSight lander as it gradually collects dust in the Martian desert. Mars is collecting artifacts.Without the large, powerful camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter,.....»»
Mission control is trying "restlessly" to save a spacecraft to Mercury
A joint European and Japanese spacecraft bound for Mercury has encountered thrust problems that could jeopardize the future of the mission. A complex mission to Mercury that began its epic space voyage six years ago has encountered critical thr.....»»
Europe is uncertain whether its ambitious Mercury probe can reach the planet
"We are working hard on resolving these uncertainties." An artist's rendering of the BepiColombo mission, a joint ESA/JAXA project, which will take two spacecraft to the harsh environment of Mercury. (credit: ESA) This.....»»
Smashing into an asteroid shows researchers how to better protect Earth
Slowing down an asteroid by just one-tenth of a second makes all the difference. Enlarge / Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid.....»»
First crewed flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft delayed again
The first crewed flight of the Starliner spacecraft has been delayed again while engineers fix an issue with the Boeing-made vehicle......»»
Boeing is troubleshooting a small helium leak on the Starliner spacecraft
The first launch of astronauts aboard Boeing's Starliner capsule is now set for May 21. Enlarge / A view looking down at Boeing's Starliner spacecraft and United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket inside the Vertical Integration Fa.....»»
Health systems eliminating a form of anesthesia that hangs in the air for more than a decade after use
Philadelphia-area health systems are phasing out a common anesthesia gas that hangs in the atmosphere for 14 years. Desflurane is the most potent greenhouse gas found in hospitals, which are increasingly engaged in efforts to reduce their carbon foot.....»»
What deadly Venus can tell us about life on other worlds
Even though Venus and Earth are so-called sister planets, they're as different as heaven and hell. Earth is a natural paradise where life has persevered under its azure skies despite multiple mass extinctions. On the other hand, Venus is a blistering.....»»
In the race for space metals, companies hope to cash in
Mining asteroids could reduce the burden on Earth’s resources. Will it live up to its promise? Enlarge / An illustration depicts a NASA spacecraft approaching the metal-rich asteroid Psyche. Though there are no plans to mine P.....»»
NASA’s Quest to Touch the Sun
The outer layers of the sun’s atmosphere are a blistering million degrees hotter than its surface. NASA sent a probe to find out why—by getting closer to the star than ever before......»»
Is dark matter’s main rival theory dead?
There’s bad news from the Cassini spacecraft and other recent tests. Enlarge / Galaxy rotation has long perplexed scientists. (credit: NASA/James Webb Telescope) One of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics today is.....»»
Study finds consistent decline in nitrogen oxides emissions from human activities in China since 2020
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) form aerosols and ozone in the atmosphere and are significant contributors to air pollution and climate change. China is the largest emitter, yet accurate and timely information on NOx emissions in China has been lacking since 2.....»»
NASA confirms “independent review” of Orion heat shield issue
"There's no guarantee that changing the trajectory is the answer," says the Artemis II pilot. Enlarge / The Orion spacecraft after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean at the end of the Artemis I mission. (credit: NASA) NASA.....»»
Unearthing the impacts of hydrological sensitivity on global rainfall
Georgia Tech researcher Jie He set out to predict how rainfall will change as Earth's atmosphere continues to heat up. In the process, he made some unexpected discoveries that might explain how greenhouse gas emissions will impact tropical oceans, af.....»»
James Webb telescope peers at the atmosphere of a rocky hell world
Webb recently investigated the exoplanet 55 Cancri e, finding what could be the first atmosphere of a rocky planet discovered outside the solar system......»»
Bad News for iOS 15 Users
Apple is readying iOS software updates for the iPhone, but it looks like we may not see a new version of iOS 15 roll out alongside them. Earlier this week, Apple pushed iOS 17.5 and iOS 16.7.8 Release Candidates (RC) to testers. These are the final v.....»»
White Sands propulsion team tests 3D-printed Orion engine component
When the Orion spacecraft carries the first Artemis crews to the moon and back, it will rely on the European Service Module contributed by ESA (European Space Agency) to make the journey. The service module provides electrical power generation, propu.....»»