Month: January 2024

NASA, United Arab Emirates Announce Artemis Lunar Gateway Airlock

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NASA and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) have entered into an agreement for MBRSC to provide the Crew and Science Airlock module for the Gateway Space Station. As part of the agreement, NASA will fly a United Arab Emirates astronaut to Gateway on a future Artemis mission. Pictured is an artist’s concept of Gateway (left) and an artist’s concept of a government reference airlock (right). NASA NASA and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced Sunday plans for the space centre…

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Watch Vulcan rocket launch private Peregrine moon lander on debut mission early Jan. 8

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A historic moon mission will launch early Monday morning (Jan. 8), and you can watch the action live. United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket is scheduled to lift off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday at 2:18 a.m. EST (0718 GMT). The launch — the first ever for the powerful new rocket — will send the private Peregrine moon lander toward Earth’s nearest neighbor.  You can watch it live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA TV, beginning at 1:30 a.m. EST (0630 GMT) on Monday. Related: 10…

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Crystal-studded space rock found in the Sahara may rewrite the history of the early solar system

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This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com’s Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. In May 2020, some unusual rocks containing distinctive greenish crystals were found in the Erg Chech sand sea, a dune-filled region of the Sahara Desert in southern Algeria. On close inspection, the rocks turned out to be from outer space: lumps of rubble billions of years old, left over from the dawn of the solar system. They were all pieces of a meteorite known as Erg Chech 002, which is the oldest volcanic rock…

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Earth’s core wobbles every 8.5 years, new study suggests

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Scientists in China recently made a discovery at the heart of our planet: Every 8.5 years, the Earth’s inner core wobbles around its rotational axis. This shift is likely caused by a tiny misalignment between the inner core and the Earth’s mantle—the layer below the Earth’s crust, according to the researchers’ new study.  Starting around 1,800 miles (2896 km) beneath the surface, Earth’s core is split into a swirling liquid outer boundary and a mostly solid inner layer. This region is partially responsible for a number of our planet’s geophysical…

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What time is ULA’s 1st Vulcan rocket launch with Astrobotic’s private moon lander on Jan. 8?

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After weeks of delays, the United Launch Alliance is ready to launch its first-ever Vulcan rocket — a test flight that will also send a private lunar lander to the moon in another first — but if you’re hoping to watch the historic liftoff, you’ll need to know when and how. For that, space fans, we’ve got you covered.  The Vulcan Centaur rocket will launch from ULA’s Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 2:18 a.m. EST (0718 GMT) on its Cert-1 mission to prove…

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10 rookie mistakes first-time eclipse-chasers make (and how to avoid them)

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Unless you’ve been living under a space rock for the last few months, you’ll know that a total solar eclipse is coming soon to North America. On Monday, April 8, 2024, it will be possible to experience totality from parts of north-western Mexico, 15 U.S. states, and five Canadian provinces. During totality, the moon will block the sun’s light and heat for a few minutes, causing darkness in the day and a rare chance to see the solar corona with the naked eye.  However, a total solar eclipse is a…

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‘For All Mankind’ season 4 episode 9 review: The race for Goldilocks is well and truly on

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Just like Terry Gilliam’s classic dystopian movie of the same name, “Brazil” (the latest episode of “For All Mankind”) isn’t really about South America. The country is relevant, sure, but here Brazil refers to escaping from your humdrum, everyday existence, the idea of hope when things seem hopeless. Not that such idealistic visions provide any guarantees that good things will come to pass… The unexpected reunion of space race veterans and long-time friends Margo Madison (Wrenn Schmitt) and Sergei Nikulov (Piotr Adamczyk) has been one of the highlights of the…

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NASA Administrator, Leaders to Discuss Artemis Moon Mission Plans

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An illustration of a suited Artemis astronaut looking out of a Moon lander hatch across the lunar surface, the Lunar Terrain Vehicle and other surface elements. NASA will hold a media teleconference at 1:30 p.m. EST Tuesday, Jan. 9, to provide an update on the agency’s lunar exploration plans for the benefit of all under Artemis. Audio of the briefing will stream live on NASA’s website. In addition to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, agency participants will include: NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free Catherine Koerner, associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission…

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NASA Sending Five Payloads to Moon on Astrobotic’s Peregrine Lander

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This image of Sinus Viscositatis, a large flat region that was once a giant lava flow near the Gruithuisen Domes, shows where Astrobotic’s Peregrine One lander will touch down. The image is a mosaic taken by the WAC (Wide Angle Camera) one of three cameras on the LROC (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera), which was launched into lunar orbit in 2009. Credit: NASA/GSFC/ Arizona State University NASA will kick off 2024 by sending five payloads to the Moon aboard Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander, Astrobotic Peregrine Mission One. The inaugural launch under the…

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Experience the Launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Mission  

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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 members, (from left) Alexander Grebenkin from Roscosmos; Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps, all NASA astronauts, are pictured training inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in Hawthorne, California. SpaceX Digital content creators are invited to register to attend the launch of the eighth SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket that will carry crew to the International Space Station for a science expedition mission. This mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The targeted launch date for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission is no earlier than…

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