NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has provided researchers with the first orbital analysis of the giant asteroid Vesta, yielding new insights into its creation and kinship with terrestrial planets and Earth’s moon. This image, made from data obtained by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft, shows the mineral distribution in the southern hemisphere of the giant asteroid Vesta. The mineral…
Seattle, Wash. – April 24, 2012 — Planetary Resources, Inc. announced today its plan to mine Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) for raw materials, ranging from water to precious metals. Through the development of cost-effective exploration technologies, the company is poised to initiate prospecting missions targeting resource-rich asteroids that are easily accessible. Resource extraction from asteroids will deliver…
Following on from my post a couple of days ago about how a number of Tech Billionaires and high-flyers have gotten together to create a private space program, I came across this article which provides a lot more detail about their plans… There’s gold in them there hills. You know, those ones floating around in…
NASA’s Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft orbiting the Moon officially have begun their science collection phase. During the next 84 days, scientists will obtain a high-resolution map of the lunar gravitational field to learn about the Moon’s internal structure and composition in unprecedented detail. The data also will provide a better understanding of…
New images from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft show the moon’s crust is being stretched, forming minute valleys in a few small areas on the lunar surface. Scientists propose this geologic activity occurred less than 50 million years ago, which is considered recent compared to the Moon’s age of more than 4.5 billion years….
ESA’s Planck mission has revealed that our Galaxy contains previously undiscovered islands of cold gas and a mysterious haze of microwaves. These results give scientists new treasure to mine and take them closer to revealing the blueprint of cosmic structure. This all-sky image shows the distribution of carbon monoxide (CO), a molecule used by astronomers…
Vega, ESA’s new launch vehicle, is ready to operate alongside the Ariane 5 and Soyuz launchers after a successful qualification flight this morning from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. On 13 February 2012, the first Vega lifted off on its maiden flight from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Credits: ESA – S. Corvaja, 2012…
Join the European Space Agency for the first qualification flight of the Vega launch vehicle on Monday 13 February, with a launch window open from 11:00 to 13:00 CET (10:00 to 12:00 GMT). Vega will lift off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, to release nine satellites into orbit and add a new capability…
ESA’s new, small launcher will carry nine satellites into orbit on its very first flight: Italian space agency’s LARES and ALMASat-1 with seven CubeSats from European universities. Credits: ESA – J. Huart, 2012 On 13 February, the European Space Agency will perform the first qualification flight of its brand new Vega launch vehicle. The very…
Europe’s Rosetta spacecraft is en route to intercept a comet– and to make history. In 2014, Rosetta will enter orbit around comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenkoand land a probe on it, two firsts. Rosetta’s goal is to learn the primordial story a comet tells as it gloriously falls to pieces. Europe’s Rosetta spacecraft is en route to intercept…
Twin NASA spacecraft that achieved orbit around the Moon New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day have new names, thanks to elementary students in Bozeman, Mont. Their winning entry, “Ebb and Flow,” was selected as part of a nationwide school contest that began in October 2011. Using a precision formation-flying technique, the twin GRAIL spacecraft…
This video presents the key events in 2012 for the European Space Agency (ESA). André Kuipers continues his PromISSe mission aboard the International Space Station until May, the fourth ESA long duration mission. During his stay the third European ATV cargo ship will bring food and supplies to the orbital outpost. Early in the year…
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The Sun Now (H-Alpha light) |
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Aurora Oval (Northern Hemisphere) |
Aurora Oval (Southern Hemisphere) |
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