Author: NeRD

Unusual black hole light bursts puzzle astronomers: ‘We are finding a lot of weird stuff’

NeRD

Astronomers have stumbled upon a pair of massive black holes in a distant galaxy that are triggering unusual bursts of light. These bright emissions, which appear to peak on a regular cycle, may be caused by the black hole duo disrupting a massive gas cloud — a phenomenon researchers say is the first of its kind to be detected. The cosmic behemoths reside at the center of a galaxy named 2MASX J21240027+3409114, located roughly 1 billion light-years away in the northern constellation Cygnus. These black holes complete an orbit once…

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SpaceX’s Starship will fly Lunar Outpost’s rover to the moon

NeRD

SpaceX’s Starship megarocket just added another moon mission to its docket. Colorado company Lunar Outpost announced today (Nov. 21) that it has chosen Starship to launch its new moon rover, known as Eagle, and land the wheeled vehicle on the lunar surface. The news comes two days after the 400-foot-tall (122 meters) Starship flew for the sixth time ever, on a suborbital test flight from Texas that achieved all of its main objectives. “Having experienced the recent groundbreaking Starship test flight firsthand, we’re confident that SpaceX is advancing the most…

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Hubble Captures an Edge-On Spiral with Curve Appeal

NeRD

Hubble Space Telescope Home Hubble Captures an Edge-On… Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team…

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NASA Langley Employees Earn Silver Snoopy Awards

NeRD

From left to right, Dr. Peter Parker, Astronaut Victor Glover and Dr. Shih-Yung Lin pose for a photo after the 2024 Silver Snoopy Awards ceremony. NASA/Mark Knopp Two employees from NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia recently earned the prestigious Silver Snoopy award, an honor given to NASA employees and contractors across the agency for outstanding achievements related to astronaut safety or mission success. Dr. Shih-Yung Lin and Dr. Peter Parker received the awards during a Space Flight Awareness (SFA) award ceremony at Langley on Nov. 21. Lin earned…

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NASA Awards Test Operations Contract

NeRD

Credit: NASA NASA has selected Sierra Lobo, Inc. of Fremont, Ohio, to provide for test operations, test support, and technical system maintenance activities at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The NASA Stennis Test Operations Contract is fixed-price, level-of-effort contract that has a value of approximately $47 million. The performance period begins July 1, 2025, and extends three years, with a one-year base period and two one-year option periods. The contract will provide test operations support for customers in the NASA Stennis test complex. It also will…

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Preguntas frecuentes: La verdadera historia del cuidado de la salud de los astronautas en el espacio

NeRD

NASA Read this story in English here. La Estación Espacial Internacional es el hogar de la humanidad en el espacio y una estación de investigación que gira en órbita sobre la Tierra a unos 400 kilómetros (250 millas) de altura. La NASA y sus socios internacionales han mantenido una presencia humana continua a bordo de la estación espacial durante más de 24 años, haciendo investigaciones que no es posible realizar en la Tierra. La gente que vive y trabaja a bordo de este laboratorio en microgravedad también forma parte de…

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FAQ: The Real Story About Astronaut Health Care in Space

NeRD

NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Nick Hague pedals on the Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization (CEVIS), an exercise cycle located aboard the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory module. CEVIS provides aerobic and cardiovascular conditioning through recumbent (leaning back position) or upright cycling activities. NASA Lee esta historia en español aquí. The International Space Station is humanity’s home in space and a research station orbiting about 250 miles above the Earth. NASA and its international partners have maintained a continuous human presence aboard the space station for…

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Ring Around Tabby’s Star

NeRD

This illustration depicts a hypothetical uneven ring of dust orbiting KIC 8462852, also known as Boyajian’s Star or Tabby’s Star. Astronomers have found the dimming of the star over long periods appears to be weaker at longer infrared wavelengths of light and stronger at shorter ultraviolet wavelengths.

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Will astronauts need to be rescued from the moon? NASA wants to be prepared just in case

NeRD

NASA wants ideas on how to create emergency response plans for future missions to the moon. The space agency’s South Pole Safety challenge focuses on the development of innovative solutions for a compact, efficient system that astronauts can use in the event of an emergency during extravehicular activities (EVAs) on the lunar surface. Participants are asked to submit technical design concepts that could be adapted for NASA’s Artemis program. “If an astronaut crew member becomes incapacitated during a mission, the ability to return them safely and promptly to the human…

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Early Stage Innovations (ESI) 2024

NeRD

1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Back to ESI Home Computational Materials Engineering for Lunar Metals Welding Azadeh HaghighiUniversity of Illinois, ChicagoWeld-ASSIST: Weldability Assessment for In-Space Conditions using a Digital Twin Wei LiUniversity of Texas at DallasIntegrated Computational Materials Modelling Framework for Investigating the Process-Structure-Property Linkage of the Lunar Metal Welding with Internal Defects Passive Lunar Dust Control through Advanced Materials and Surface Engineering SungWoo NamUniversity of California, IrvineDeformable Crumpled Nano-ball Coatings with Adaptable Adhesion and Mechanical Energy Absorption for Lunar Dust Mitigation Chih-Hao ChangUniversity of Texas at AustinEngineering the Adhesion…

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