Month: August 2024

SpaceX shows off Dragon capsules for Polaris Dawn, Crew-9 astronaut missions (photos)

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These two Dragons are getting ready to spread their wings. SpaceX just gave us a look at the Crew Dragon capsules that will fly on the Polaris Dawn and Crew-9 astronaut missions, which are set to launch on Aug. 26 and Sept. 24, respectively. “Double Dragons readying for flight ahead of the Polaris Dawn and Crew-9 human spaceflight missions,” the company wrote in an X post on Wednesday (Aug. 21) that featured two photos of the capsules, side by side in a processing facility on Florida’s Space Coast. Polaris Dawn…

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The Marshall Star for August 21, 2024

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29 Min Read The Marshall Star for August 21, 2024 Hundreds Honored at Marshall, NASA Awards Ceremony NASA Chief Financial Officer Margaret Vo Schaus speaks to audience members and honorees Aug. 15 during the 2023 Agency/Center Honor Awards at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Activities Building 4316. In all, 332 Marshall team members were awarded this year for their outstanding work and dedication to furthering the NASA mission, along with 97 teams. “As a newcomer to NASA, I am in awe of the work of this agency and the…

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What happens if you throw a star at a black hole? Things get messy (video)

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“What happens when you throw a star at a black hole?” It’s not a question we can physically answer here on Earth.  Thankfully, actual black holes and stars can’t be smashed together in the lab! However, scientists can use advanced supercomputer modeling to simulate a black hole ripping apart and devouring a star in a so-called “tidal disruption event” or “TDE.” Doing just that, a team of researchers led by Danel Price from Monash University has discovered that the answer to our opening question is “things get messy.”  “Black holes…

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2025 Human Lander Challenge

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2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) In-space propulsion systems utilizing cryogenic liquids as propellants are necessary to achieve NASA’s exploration missions to the Moon, and later to Mars. In current state of the art (SOA) human scale, in-space propulsion vehicles, cryogenic liquids can be stored for several hours. For the planned HLS mission architecture to close, cryogenic liquids must be stored on-orbit on the order of several months. NASA’s 2025 HuLC Competition asks student teams to develop innovative, systems-level solutions to understand, mitigate potential problems,…

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Scientists collect high-resolution images of the North Star’s surface for 1st time

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In our solar system, scattered across one of Earth’s verdant mountains, six eggshell-white telescopes gaze into the deep universe. As one cohesive hive, the domed structures collect cosmic light to guide modern astronomers exploring space — and it is thanks to this hive that we now have a brilliant new perspective on the light that guided astronomers of the past: the North Star. Our visual knowledge of the current North Star (because of Earth’s axial wobble, the title passes to different stars over the eons) runs deep. Artists, old and…

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Rare Blue Supermoon 8/19/24

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The Sturgeon Moon rises behind a replica Saturn V rocket at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama on Monday, August 19, 2024. Over 99% full when it rose, the moon was a rare combination of a blue moon and a supermoon, a phenomenon that will not repeat until 2027. Image credit: NASA/Michael DeMocker

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NASA’s DART Team Earns AIAA Space Systems Award for Pioneering Mission

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2 min read NASA’s DART Team Earns AIAA Space Systems Award for Pioneering Mission NASA’s DART (Double​ Asteroid Redirection Test) mission continues to yield scientific discoveries and garner accolades for its groundbreaking achievements. The mission team was recently recognized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)with the 2024 Space Systems Award during this year’s AIAA ASCEND event, held July 29 to Aug. 2 in Las Vegas.​ APL’s Geffrey Ottman (left), electrical systems engineer on NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) and APL’s Betsy Congdon (center), who served as the mechanical systems engineer on…

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NASA Awards 15 Grants to Support Open-Source Science

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4 min read NASA Awards 15 Grants to Support Open-Source Science One of the 15 winning proposals for NASA High Priority Open-Source Science (HPOSS) funding will help simulate galaxies. Pictured here is barred spiral galaxy NGC 1300, as imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)Acknowledgment: P. Knezek (WIYN) NASA awarded $1.4 million to 15 teams developing new technologies that advance and streamline the open sharing of scientific information. High Priority Open-Source Science (HPOSS) awards fund projects that aim to increase the accessibility, inclusivity,…

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SpaceX Polaris Dawn private spacewalk mission: Live updates

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2024-08-20T20:08:06.397Z Polaris Dawn crew 1 week from launch (Image credit: Polaris Program / John Kraus) The four private astronauts of SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission are a week away from launch after two years of training for a mission that, they hope, will include the world’s first private spacewalk.  American billionaire Jared Isaacman, who previously backed his private Inspiration4 spaceflight with SpaceX, will command the Polaris Dawn mission, the first of three new spaceflights he’s purchased from SpaceX.  Isaacman, pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet, and mission specialists Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon,…

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‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ canceled after just 1 season

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‘The Acolyte’ had a bumpy journey through marketing and release on the small screen, to say the least.  With a number of sites and permanently disgruntled fans that decided ages ago the series would be terrible, (likely false) cancellation rumors started to pile up even before its season 1 premiere. Now, roughly one month after a strong season finale that capped a notable second half of the season, Deadline and Variety are reporting that Disney and Lucasfilm have decided not to move forward with season 2. No matter how you…

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