Month: August 2022

Did Russia just launch a spacecraft to stalk a US spy satellite?

NeRD

A newly launched Russian spy satellite may be tasked with stalking one of its American counterparts. The Russian satellite, known as Kosmos 2558 (opens in new tab), was rumored to be an “inspector” craft even before it lifted off on Monday (Aug. 1), Netherlands-based satellite tracker Marco Langbroek noted in a blog post on Tuesday (opens in new tab) (Aug. 2). And those rumors are unlikely to die down anytime soon. Kosmos 2558 launched into the same orbital plane as USA 326, an American spy satellite that rode a SpaceX…

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Best Lego space sets 2022: NASA Lego sets, spaceships, Marvel, and more

NeRD

Did you know that the very first Lego space set was released way back in 1964. Since then, we’ve seen hundreds of intergalactic brick-built models, aimed at children and adults alike. But which sets are the best Lego space sets? Hopefully we can help you sort the greatness from the space-debris. That very first Lego set was a simple rocket made of three colors (opens in new tab) – and it cost just 98 cents. A fraction of what a Lego set will cost you in 2022. But Lego has…

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Debris from Chinese rocket crash found in Indonesia and Malaysia

NeRD

Some pieces of the big Chinese rocket that fell to Earth over the weekend have been found on the ground in Southeast Asia. The 25-ton (22.5 metric tons) core stage of a Long March 5B rocket crashed back to Earth uncontrolled on Saturday (July 30), slamming into our atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. Much of the booster burned up as it fell, but a significant portion of it — about 20% to 40% by weight, experts have estimated (opens in new tab) — survived the fiery journey. And those remnant chunks…

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What is today’s moon? Moon phases 2022

NeRD

Moon phases reveal the passage of time in the night sky. Some nights when we look up at the moon, it is full and bright; sometimes it is just a sliver of silvery light. These changes in appearance are the phases of the moon. As the moon orbits Earth, it cycles through eight distinct phases. The four primary phases of the moon occur about a week apart, with the full moon its most dazzling stage. On Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, the Full Sturgeon Moon will shine bright in the night…

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