Jupiter Dazzles at Opposition on August 20th

Jupiter comes to opposition on August 20th, when it will shine brighter and closer than at any other time this year. With nights starting earlier and cooler temperatures arriving, there’s no better time to make the most of the planet. The post Jupiter Dazzles at Opposition on August 20th appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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SpaceX’s Starship could be ready for 1st orbital test flight ‘in a few weeks,’ Elon Musk says

The biggest rocket ever built may be ready to fly surprisingly soon. The first full-size prototype of SpaceX’s Starship vehicle should be ready to launch on an orbital test flight “in a few weeks,” company founder and CEO Elon Musk said via Twitter on Saturday (Aug. 14). That target seems very soon, given that SpaceX has yet to run the 395-foot-tall (120 meters) rocket through its usual battery of preflight tests. And there’s a big logistical hurdle to overcome as well: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is conducting an…

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Rocket Lab will launch a Finnish cubesat this year to test space junk cleanup tech

Technology that could ease humanity’s space junk problem is about to get an orbital test. A tiny cubesat called AuroraSat-1 will launch atop a Rocket Lab Electron booster in the fourth quarter of this year, Rocket Lab representatives announced on Monday (Aug. 16). AuroraSat-1, which will be operated by Finnish company Aurora Propulsion Technologies, will lift off from Rocket Lab’s New Zealand site, on the North Island’s Mahia Peninsula. After deploying in low Earth orbit, the cubesat will demonstrate systems designed to help operators maintain control of small satellites and…

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Earth rocks collected in 19th century hold clues to finding water on Mars

Rocks found on Earth could hold clues on where to find water on Mars, according to new research from Penn State University.  On Earth, hematite is one of the most abundant minerals on its surface. It can be found in many different igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks and due to a high iron content, it appears a vibrant red color. However, when Peter J. Heaney and doctoral student Si Athena Chen analyzed hematite samples gathered in the 19th century, they uncovered a watery secret within.  Initially, Chen was conducting experiments…

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