At the AAAS annual meeting, NASA researchers presented several key findings, including a new tool to manage protected areas using remote-sensing data from satellites and aircraft. Scientists also discussed the impact of regional nuclear war on global climate and presented discoveries in zero-gravity environments. Additionally, research...
A collaboration between CSIRO and NASA has tracked down 25 ultrafast 'millisecond' pulsars in just two years, revealing insights into the physics of these small spinning stars. The research uses a combination of land- and space-based detectors to understand how pulsars make their beams of radiation.
Researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno and Las Vegas have devised a new model for how Nevada's Carlin-type gold deposits formed, which may help in exploration efforts. This model relates to a change in plate tectonics and a major magma event about 40 million years ago.
A physics-based space weather prediction model is now in operation, offering a one-to-four day warning of high-speed solar plasma streams and Earth-directed coronal mass ejections. This development addresses the growing need to protect global communications infrastructure from severe space weather disruptions.
Researchers have discovered that sulphur plays a crucial role in forming gold deposits by enhancing gold solubility. The study's findings could lead to more successful gold exploration and mining practices.
The European Science Foundation's TECHBREAK initiative aims to identify key enabling technologies that can benefit the space sector. By combining expertise from both space and non-space sectors, TECHBREAK seeks to accelerate scientific progress and innovation.
Researchers from UCLA and British Antarctic Survey have found the link between electrons trapped in space and the diffuse aurora. The discovery of VLF waves as the primary cause will help scientists understand 'space weather' and its effects on the Earth's atmosphere.
The Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) is being tested in a simulated environment at RAL to prepare for its delivery to NASA. The instrument will enable astronomers to study the first light of the early Universe and form planets around distant stars.
The Georgia Institute of Technology team won first prize in the AIAA Foundation's annual Undergraduate Team Space Design Competition with their design 'Space Weather Experimental Platform (SWEPT)', which aimed to monitor space weather around the second Lagrange point. The team received a $2,500 award from the AIAA Foundation.
The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University team, "Colbert," won the first prize with a space transportation architecture centered around propellant depots. The winning design was recognized for its innovative approach to efficient space transportation.
Researchers at UC San Diego and NEI Corporation are designing new types of lithium-ion batteries with exceptional energy density, potentially used in NASA space exploration projects and consumer applications. The goal is to create commercially useable cathode materials with high capacity and structural stability.
UCF physicists analyze space dust using far IR spectroscopy to identify minerals and provide clues about solar system formation and life emergence. The findings will be published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society journal.
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) will honor the winners of AIAA technical and literary achievement awards for their outstanding contributions in space science and technology. The award recipients include Harvey Berger, Michael Gass, STS-125 Team, STPSat-1 Team, Wanda Austin, and J. D. Hunley.
Dr. Hawarden's pioneering work on passive cooling techniques led to the design of larger, more efficient infrared space telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope. His approach has significantly improved the lifetime and performance of these instruments.
The European Space Agency has received tiny microshutters, as small as human hair, which will focus the infrared camera on specific targets to the exclusion of others. These microshutters are a key component in the James Webb Space Telescope's ability to observe distant stars and galaxies.
Undergraduates from ASU and UMd developed a mobile robot, RAVEN, capable of traversing 20-degree slopes and carrying experiments. The design showcased the fusion of science and engineering, demonstrating that students can successfully integrate both fields to achieve innovative solutions.
Scientists have discovered an outcrop of carbonate-rich rock, dubbed Comanche, in the Columbia Hills of Gusev Crater on Mars. The discovery was made possible by a calibration technique developed to correct for dust effects on the instrument, revealing a couple of large outcrops of rock with high carbonate content.
The University of Leicester is involved in the ExoMars mission, which aims to characterise the chemical, geological and possible biological environment on Mars. The mission will attempt to gather samples from a depth 1-2m below the surface where they are protected from radiation.
Three CU-Boulder-built biomedical payload devices will study microbial biofilms in space, aiming to improve astronaut health and understand gene and protein changes in pathogens. The experiments, led by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will examine microbe growth and interactions in space vs. normal gravity.
The Integrated Space Weather Analysis (iSWA) system offers a unique level of customization and flexibility for NASA satellite operators and citizen scientists. It provides real-time data on past, present, and future space weather conditions, enabling personalized 'quick looks' at space-weather information.
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has announced a groundbreaking initiative to fly next-generation suborbital experiments with crew on state-of-the-art vehicles. The program aims to advance space science and sensor technology, enabling researchers to conduct experiments in microgravity and space astronomy.
New data provides conclusive evidence that a link between the exploration well and the Lusi mud volcano was the trigger for the 2006 eruption. The scientists found five critical drilling errors that led to the disaster, including pulling the drill string out of an unstable hole without verifying a stable mud column.
The CU-Boulder Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) will measure rapid fluctuations in the sun's extreme ultraviolet output, affecting Earth's upper atmosphere and technology. Scientists hope to use this research to make better space weather predictions, predicting communications and navigation outages.
The US Green Building Council has awarded NASA's Exploration Sciences Building with the highest LEED Gold certification, recognizing its sustainable design and construction. The 200,000 sq ft building features nearly 60 laboratories and is the largest green building on Goddard's campus.
Researchers found that mice create 'knots' – preferred places with high path tortuosity – during exploration, which enhance their visual scene interpretation, memory of the place, and provide multiple views. This study contributes to understanding how animals map environments and accomplish goals.
Drake Deming, a Senior Scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, has won the prestigious Beatrice M. Tinsley Prize for his pioneering work detecting thermal infrared emission from transiting extrasolar planets using the Spitzer Space Telescope. The prize recognizes Deming's outstanding research contribution to astronomy and astr...
NASA is developing a primary mirror for the James Webb Space Telescope to study the formation of the universe and its solar system. The mirror will be tested at extreme temperatures to simulate space conditions, with data from three different sizes of segments collected during this test.
The Herschel Space Observatory has revealed thousands of newly discovered galaxies in their early stages of formation, providing a detailed view of the universe up to 12 billion years ago. The images are helping astronomers detect distant galaxies that would have been impossible to discover with current ground-based telescopes.
The Goddard team designed and built five ExPRESS Logistics Carriers (ELCs) to deploy experiments in space without a separate satellite. The ELCs will also serve as parking fixtures for ISS hardware, streamlining future missions.
The University of Colorado is launching a butterfly experiment on the International Space Station on November 16, monitoring the growth and development of monarch and painted lady butterflies in weightless conditions. Thousands of K-12 students across the nation will compare the results with similar experiments on Earth.
The ESA workshop explored the potential of space-based services to address Arctic challenges such as climate change, ocean traffic management, and environmental protection. Space assets can improve search and rescue operations, monitor sea ice and ocean changes, and facilitate sustainable development in the region.
A recent space experiment using the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope has provided evidence about the fundamental structure of space and time. The team confirmed aspects of Einstein's theories of gravity, which unite space and time in the concept of space-time.
The FASTSAT mission will analyze the Earth's outer atmosphere with three NASA-built instruments: Thermosphere Temperature Imager (TTI), Mini-ME neutral atom imager, and Plasma and Impedence Spectrum Analyzer (PISA). The instruments will provide critical data for global space weather prediction, improving communication and navigation.
In the early 1960s, a Harvard-educated surgeon and US Air Force General proposed testing women in space due to their lighter weight, lower heart rate, and fewer reproductive system issues. A total of 19 women were enrolled, with 68% passing the tests, earning them the nickname 'Mercury 13'. The data from these women's physiological tes...
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics has announced its honorees for the AIAA Honors and Awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in space automation and robotics, space operations and support, and space systems. The awards will be presented at the AIAA SPACE 2009 Conference and Exposition.
A team led by Robert Clauer aims to build a chain of space weather instrument stations in Antarctica to better understand the effects of space weather on Earth's technologies. The project will provide insights into space plasma physics and help predict space weather conditions.
The Constrained Vapor Bubble (CVB) experiment aims to understand heat and mass transfer operations in microgravity. It will provide valuable data for developing new cooling systems for spacecraft and electronics devices, as well as improving terrestrial heat transfer devices.
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences has released three white papers on US space policy, urging a fundamental reformulation based on Cold War-era mindsets. Experts emphasize the need for a new approach that prioritizes collaboration and equitable utilization of space for common benefit.
The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft has arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., where it will undergo final testing before its anticipated November launch. The mission aims to study the sun in unprecedented detail and its effects on Earth, collecting 1.5 terabytes of data daily.
A team of scientists, led by Dr. James Adovasio, is searching for evidence of human occupation in the Gulf of Mexico, dating back over 12,000 years. The researchers are exploring submerged sites using remotely operated vehicles and divers to collect artifacts and animal fossils.
The University of Colorado at Boulder is developing a new communications technology called Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) with NASA, which will extend Earth's Internet into outer space and across the solar system. The technology enables automated future communications capabilities for lunar habitation and surface exploration.
Researchers at Oklahoma State University will develop a miniature optical dating instrument (ODIN) for dating the surface of Mars. The ODIN utilizes optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), a geological dating technique, and aims to further our understanding of Martian climate and atmosphere conditions.
The MELiSSA Pilot Plant, a European Space Agency facility at Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, aims to demonstrate Closed Loop Life Support Systems for long-duration space missions. The plant will integrate technologies to recycle food, water, oxygen, and waste over a 2-year period.
A recent study of 17 astronauts found that more than three-quarters had no connection between space motion sickness and their headaches, leading researchers to call for a new secondary disorder classification. The study discovered that space headache is a common and often isolated disabling complaint during space flight.
Magnetic blast waves can pinpoint and predict the location where space storms dissipate energy, which is equivalent to 50 gigawatts of power or 10 large power stations. The eye of the storm is located in space beyond low-Earth orbits, providing advance warning of arrival.
The International Institute for Species Exploration announced the top 10 new species discovered in 2008, including a pea-sized seahorse, caffeine-free coffee, and bacteria that live in hairspray. The list also includes the world's longest insect, the world's smallest snake, and a ghost slug from Wales.
A real-time risk management system will be available globally after a Queensland company was awarded a license to commercialise the CSIRO technology. Nexsys allows underground coal mines to interrogate vast amounts of digital information from various sensors and systems, providing real-time risk management and decision support.
The James Webb Space Telescope, a massive infrared space telescope, will unfold in space once it achieves orbit. The telescope, roughly 65 feet from end to end, has a sunshield the size of a tennis court and an 18-segment mirror that looks like a honeycomb.
The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has achieved significant milestones, including the launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Solar Dynamic Observatory. The center is also working on future missions to study global precipitation, Mars' lost atmosphere, and dark energy.
Florida Institute of Technology professors Ming Zhang and Hamid Rassoul receive a $411,000 NASA grant to investigate the physics of particle transport in the distant heliosphere. The IBEX spacecraft mission will observe particles from beyond Pluto's orbit, providing insights into cosmic rays and future human space travel.
The NIH-NASA partnership aims to facilitate biomedical research on the International Space Station, addressing pressing health questions through unique microgravity conditions. Biomedical experiments will focus on bone and muscle deterioration, infectious disease, cancer growth, and more, with the goal of improving human health on Earth.
The James Webb Space Telescope's first flight mirror segment has successfully completed its series of cryogenic temperature tests, a crucial step towards the telescope's launch in 2013. The mirrors will undergo further polishing and verification to achieve the required 20 nanometer accuracy.
Ross Finman, a junior in electrical and computer engineering, has won the $10,000 National Space Club Award for pursuing studies in science or engineering. The award recognizes his hard work and dedication to advancing scientific knowledge through space research and exploration.
The James Webb Space Telescope's mirrors are made of beryllium, a light metal that withstands extreme temperatures and is highly reflective. The 18 hexagonal mirror segments will allow the telescope to see galaxies from 13 billion light-years away.
The IBEX spacecraft is mapping the outer solar system using ENA imaging, creating global maps of interactions between the solar wind and interstellar medium. Researchers will study this region to address challenges facing manned exploration, including galactic cosmic ray radiation.
Dr. Robert D. Ballard returned to the Office of Naval Research to discuss the future of deep-sea exploration and its applications for the fleet. He highlighted ONR's investments in cutting-edge technologies, such as Remotely Operated Vehicles, Unmanned Undersea Vehicles, and autonomy.
Daniela Trani, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University Medical Center, has been selected as an NSBRI Postdoc Fellow to investigate the effects of space radiation exposure on human health. Her research aims to understand injury responses to space radiation-induced inflammatory signaling in cells.
Researchers at the Center for Food and Environmental Systems for Human Exploration of Space successfully grew sweet potato cuttings in microgravity, showing that they can regenerate roots. The study found significant differences in root growth development between microgravity and ground-based conditions.
Researchers aim to understand the structure and dynamics of the heliosphere using cosmic rays to probe its outer environment. The project has potential implications for space weather forecasting and keeping astronauts safe from hazardous space radiation.
Researchers are sending worms to the International Space Station to study muscle atrophy in zero gravity. The goal is to understand why astronauts experience dramatic muscle loss and potentially develop new treatments for muscle wasting diseases.