Category: Nasa

Nasa

Station Science Top News: September 13, 2024

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JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) researchers examined the structures of four titanium-based compounds solidified in levitators in microgravity and on the ground and found that the internal microstructures were generally similar. These results could support development of new materials for use in space manufacturing. To produce glass or metal alloys on Earth, raw materials are placed into a container and heated. But reactions between the container and the materials can cause imperfections. The JAXA Electrostatic Levitation Furnace can levitate, melt, and solidify materials without a container. The facility enables measurement of the thermophysical properties of high…

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Ottawa’s Fall Rhapsody

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An astronaut aboard the International Space Station shot this photo of peak fall colors around Ottawa, the capital of Canada. West of downtown Ottawa lies Gatineau Park, where sugar maple leaves turn orange-red and hickories turn golden-bronze during the season, known regionally as “the Fall Rhapsody.”

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Could we turn the sun into a gigantic telescope?

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We have some incredibly powerful telescopes that have given us spectacular views of the cosmos and allowed us to look back to the early days of the universe. These observatories, such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), are amazing feats of engineering that have required billions of dollars and decades of work.  But what if we could access an even better telescope that already exists? This wouldn’t be a typical telescope. It wouldn’t even come with a lens. But it would be by far the most powerful telescope we’d…

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SpaceX’s private Polaris Dawn astronauts splash down to end historic spacewalk mission (video)

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Polaris Dawn has landed. The historic SpaceX astronaut mission — which conducted the first-ever private spacewalk, among other achievements —returned to Earth today (Sept. 15), splashing down safely in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida at 3:36 a.m. EDT (0736 GMT). “Polaris Dawn we are mission complete. Thanks for all the big help pulling this mission together,” said mission commander Jared Isaacman after the crew splashed down in the ocean. A drone view of the Polaris Dawn crew capsule after splashdown on Sept. 15, 2024. (Image credit:…

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SpaceX’s private Polaris Dawn astronauts will return to Earth early Sunday. Here’s how to watch live online

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After an eventful five days in space, which included the first-ever commercial spacewalk, the private astronaut crew of Polaris Dawn is returning to Earth.  If all goes according to plan, the SpaceX Dragon capsule Resilience — orbital home to the four-person  over the past five days — will splash down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Dry Tortugas, Florida on Sunday, Sept. 15, at about 3:36 a.m. EDT (0736 GMT), SpaceX said in an update. The landing will mark the end of Polaris Dawn, a mission to…

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Astronauts 3D-print 1st metal part while on ISS

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ESA scientists have successfully demonstrated 3D printing of a metal part in space for the first time.  3D printing in space poses challenges, as many methods rely on gravity to position materials during the printing process. This is because when creating metal structures, molten metal is often used as part of the filament, or printable medium. In space, its behavior can be unpredictable, which can result in poor-quality objects, as the filament might shift or be placed incorrectly due to the lack of gravitational forces. Scientists therefore had to adapt…

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Astronauts 3D-print first metal part while on ISS

NeRD

ESA scientists have successfully demonstrated 3D printing of a metal part in space for the first time.  3D printing in space poses challenges, as many methods rely on gravity to position materials during the printing process. This is because when creating metal structures, molten metal is often used as part of the filament, or printable medium. In space, its behavior can be unpredictable, which can result in poor-quality objects, as the filament might shift or be placed incorrectly due to the lack of gravitational forces. Scientists therefore had to adapt…

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This Week In Space podcast: Episode 128 —Starliner is Back! What Now?

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Starliner is Back! What Now? – Can Boeing Compete with SpaceX’s Dragons? – YouTube Watch On On Episode 128 of This Week In Space, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik talk about what’s going on with Boeing’s Starliner CST-100 spacecraft. Starliner is back and, by all accounts, could have returned with its crew had it been necessary. However, with NASA’s “safety forward” approach prevailing, the spacecraft landed uncrewed on September 6, three months after it docked with the International Space Station. Now, the work begins to try to solve the problems-…

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