The SwRI team developed a fuel-saving orbital tour for a future Pluto orbiter, allowing it to explore the Kuiper Belt after surveying Pluto. The study also demonstrates an electric propulsion system can power the orbiter to fly to other Kuiper Belt objects.
Researchers found widespread strike-slip faulting on Ganymede, indicating complex geologic activity in the past. This discovery improves our understanding of Ganymede's tectonic history and its neighbor Europa's potential for hosting life.
NASA's IMERG combined data from multiple satellites and visible imagery to create a composite picture of Tropical Storm Kong-Rey in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. The heaviest rain fell around the center and northwest, with winds decreasing to 60 knots.
Scientists introduce a new model of causality that moves away from a temporally linear relationship between cause and effect. This new approach defines causality independently from time and allows for mutual or two-way causation.
Researchers at MIT have developed a software tool that automatically generates maps of favorable landing sites on Mars, taking into account scientific priorities and engineering constraints. The program uses fuzzy logic to deal with imprecision in the data and can explore different landing and exploratory scenarios.
Researchers use Earth's geological record to identify vegetation signatures on exoplanets, which can indicate the presence of life. The study found that as plants evolved on Earth, their signature became stronger, making older exoplanets more promising targets for detecting vegetation.
A recent NASA long-duration balloon mission captured high-resolution images of noctilucent clouds, revealing processes leading to turbulence. The mission aims to improve weather forecasting models by understanding the causes and effects of atmospheric gravity waves.
The optical society laser engineers have successfully designed and tested a high-resolution laser system for the GEDI mission, which will study Earth's forests and topography from the International Space Station. The laser systems must withstand heat and vibration for journey to and operation aboard ISS.
A new study published in Icarus challenges the International Astronomical Union's 2006 definition of a planet, which requires a celestial body to clear its orbit. Researchers argue that this standard is not supported by scientific literature and propose a new classification method based on size and gravitational dominance.
Scientists are developing a NASA-funded rocket called FOXSI to study the Sun's X-ray emissions. The mission will use X-ray vision to detect nanoflares, which are intense eruptions that heat the solar atmosphere to millions of degrees Fahrenheit.
Researchers report cross-disciplinary work as key factor in HGP's success, leading to more successful careers and impactful publications. The consortium model, which incorporated collaboration between biologists, computer scientists, and other disciplines, changed science's cultural norms.
Parker Solar Probe will make its journey to the Sun's atmosphere, closer than any spacecraft in history, with a highly elliptical orbit and speeds of up to 430,000 miles per hour. The spacecraft will observe the acceleration of the solar wind and study extreme events on the Sun, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
Researchers discovered a massive increase in wave power near Jupiter's moons Ganymede and Europa, a million times more intense than average. This phenomenon is attributed to the strong magnetic fields of these moons, which amplify low-frequency radio waves.
TESS starts its search for planets, monitoring the nearest and brightest stars for periodic dips in their light, which suggest a planet may be passing in front of its star. The mission aims to discover thousands of exoplanets, some potentially supporting life.
The Parker Solar Probe will travel closer to the Sun than any mission before it, providing unprecedented observations of the corona. Despite temperatures exceeding a million degrees Fahrenheit, the spacecraft will withstand due to its custom heat shield and autonomous system.
A team of scientists led by Craig DeForest used advanced algorithms and data-cleaning techniques to analyze images taken by NASA's STEREO spacecraft. They discovered fine-grained structures in the outer corona, which is the source of the solar wind. The study provides new insights into the Sun's million-degree atmosphere.
The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission will investigate the heliosphere, surrounding our solar system, and collect data on particle acceleration and interaction with interstellar medium. The $492-million mission includes 10 instruments to resolve scientific questions about the solar wind and cosmic rays.
The Planck mission's final data supports the standard cosmological model with exceptional accuracy, providing a wealth of information about the Universe's content and rate of expansion. However, some limitations and anomalies remain, particularly regarding the Universe's expansion rate.
NASA's PACE mission will use Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) to demonstrate the first key opportunity of this revolutionary capability. DTN enables information to be sent through space and ground networks without a continuous path, making it ideal for remote locations with limited network connectivity.
A Texas A&M University-led consortium has been awarded a five-year, $10 million grant to establish the Center for Excellence in Nuclear Training And University-based Research (CENTAUR). The center aims to develop next-generation leaders in low-energy nuclear science. CENTAUR will pursue basic research using accelerators at various inst...
An international team of astronomers tested the Strong Equivalence Principle using a unique triple star system. They found that even extremely dense neutron stars fall at the same rate as lighter objects, confirming Einstein's general theory of relativity.
The ECOSTRESS mission uses satellite data from NASA to track temperature changes in various biomes. The on-the-ground data collected by the University of Queensland will be used to validate the accuracy of the satellite data, providing a more comprehensive understanding of water stress and crop growth.
Researchers suggest iron-rich rocks near ancient lake sites on Mars could hold clues to past life, with sedimentary rocks rich in iron and silica being the most promising candidates for fossil preservation. This study aims to aid NASA's next rover mission by identifying the best places to search for evidence of ancient life.
A study co-authored by UCLA scientists reveals evidence of water vapor plumes on Europa's surface, providing further support for the possibility of a vast ocean beneath its icy outer shell. The research suggests that there are energy sources in the moon's interior that would be required if life were to develop on Europa.
Researchers analyzed data from NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission and found magnetic reconnection occurring at the smallest scale of electrons, creating hot jets of plasma that dissipate turbulence. This process was previously unknown at small scales, but it confirms reconnection is happening on these scales.
The SEXTANT team plans to fly XNAV on a CubeSat mission called CubeX to gather timing data from millisecond pulsars. The mission aims to improve navigation in deep space and measure the Moon's lower crust and upper mantle composition.
GTOSat will gather measurements from a highly elliptical Earth orbit and use its instruments to measure high-energy particles in the Van Allen belts, providing new data after the Van Allen Probes mission is over. The Dellingr-X spacecraft bus and its instruments are designed to withstand the hostile environment of the radiation belts.
Scientists analyzed newly resurrected data from Galileo's first flyby of Ganymede, revealing a stormy scene with particles blasted off the moon's icy surface due to incoming plasma rain. The results may hold key insights into why Ganymede's auroras are so bright.
A team of researchers has developed a framework to optimize fuel and resource usage in space travel. By considering multiple missions together, or campaigns, they can minimize launch mass and cost. The study also explores the use of propellant depots in space, which could significantly reduce fuel needs for future missions.
Researchers at zoos and aquariums have published a substantial number of papers on biodiversity conservation and other scientific topics. The study highlights the importance of age, size, and mission statements in determining research output.
A UMass Amherst geoscientist will spend 45 days in a closed habitat on a NASA research mission to study human adaptations during space travel. The experiment aims to optimize the quality of life and work flow for future astronauts, simulating isolation, confinement, and remote conditions.
The Water Recovery X-ray rocket, WRX, will test a newly-developed X-ray spectrograph and study the X-rays from a supernova remnant in the Milky Way galaxy. The mission will provide information about the conditions in the Vela supernova remnant, including temperature, density, chemical composition, and ionization state.
The Juno mission has discovered that Jupiter's atmospheric bands extend thousands of miles into the planet's atmosphere, with winds speeds as great as 220 miles per hour. This finding challenges previous understanding of giant planets and reveals a complex structure beneath the cloud layer.
Researchers used NASA's Juno spacecraft data to reveal that Jupiter's colorful bands are not just surface phenomena, but significant strata extending 3,000 km deep. The analysis shows that Jupiter's atmosphere is only 1% of its total mass, a surprising discovery.
Researchers create a computer program that predicts glioblastoma tumor growth with high accuracy, focusing on the role of L1CAM in accelerating cell spread. The model offers new opportunities for researchers to simulate various scenarios and test potential treatments.
BurstCube will detect gamma-ray bursts caused by massive star collapses and neutron star mergers, as well as solar flares. The mission uses miniaturized detector technology to study these high-energy events and their origins.
The IMAGE mission used novel techniques like energetic neutral atom imaging to render the invisible visible, capturing large-scale images of the surrounding plasma and revealing new discoveries about Earth's magnetosphere and plasmasphere. This groundbreaking research continues to guide science today.
The GOLD mission provides unprecedented measurements of Earth's upper atmosphere, tracking day-to-day changes in temperature and composition. By imaging ultraviolet light, GOLD will create a map of the hemisphere revealing how these forces impact our technological society.
New observations of Tabby's Star by the Canary Island Observatories suggest that interstellar dust is causing the star's unusual brightness fluctuations, rather than an alien megastructure. The data, published in two articles, show that different colors in the star's light are being attenuated at varying rates.
A recent study on dice reveals that their design changed significantly over time, reflecting shifting worldviews about luck and fairness. Dice were initially lopsided in Roman times and early medieval periods, but standardization emerged around 1450 with the adoption of Renaissance-era ideas about chance and probability.
After an amateur astronomer recorded observations of a satellite in high Earth orbit on Jan. 20, 2018, NASA coordinated the use of five separate antennas to acquire radio frequency signals from the object. The signals matched the expected characteristics of the IMAGE mission, suggesting it could be the lost satellite.
The NASA GOLD Mission observes the dynamic intermingling of space and Earth's uppermost atmosphere, seeking to understand what drives change in this critical region. The mission provides fast observations to monitor hour-by-hour changes in space weather and improves forecasting models for satellites, astronauts, and life on Earth.
The ExoMars joint space mission involves two phases, the first launched in 2016 with Schiaparelli lander and Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), while the second phase is scheduled for 2020 with a new lander and rover.
The Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS) mission aims to monitor the flares and sunspots of small, cool stars, known as M dwarfs, to assess their habitability for planets. The spacecraft will use ultraviolet-sensitive detectors to study how stellar activity affects planetary environments.
The Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) will generate never-before-seen big pictures of the universe, enabling astronomers to explore mysteries like dark energy and galaxy evolution. The mission will also discover thousands of exoplanets, including rocky planets in the habitable zone.
NASA has selected the Comet Astrobiology Exploration Sample Return and Dragonfly mission for concept development under the New Frontiers program. The CAESAR mission aims to return a sample from a comet to study its origin and history, while the Dragonfly mission will explore Saturn's moon Titan and its prebiotic chemistry.
The MAVEN mission helps answer the question of how long a rocky planet might be habitable by orbiting a red dwarf star. Based on Mars' atmospheric loss data, researchers estimated that such a planet's atmosphere could lose charged particles and neutral particles at significantly higher rates.
Scientists combined data from 16 NASA and LANL spacecraft to understand substorms, a phenomenon that can cause auroras, disrupt GPS communications, and damage power grids. The study revealed complex behavior during small substorms, highlighting the need for further research.
A new NASA mission concept aims to study why planets lose their atmospheres. The proposed Mechanisms of Energetic Mass Ejection-Explorer (MEME-X) mission will use Earth as a laboratory, focusing on the loss of mass in the upper atmospheric layers and its interaction with solar wind.
The proposed FOXSI mission will study the physical mechanisms behind solar flares and their impact on Earth. By analyzing X-ray radiation and particle acceleration, scientists aim to gain a deeper understanding of space weather and its effects on satellites and communications systems.
A NASA team is studying a CubeSat mission concept called Mini Lunar Volatiles Mission (MiLUV) to detect water on the lunar surface. The mission will use a laser spectrometer to measure surface reflectance at several wavelengths and gather data on the distribution and possible mobility of volatiles.
NASA has launched a fleet of missions to study the planets in our solar system, revealing unique features of each planet's magnetosphere. Earth's and other magnetospheres deflect charged particles away from the planet, but also trap energetic particles in radiation belts.
A proposed NASA mission employs lobster-eye optics to locate the source of gravitational waves, a key feature in understanding cosmic ripples. The Transient Astrophysics Observatory on the International Space Station aims to characterize and alert other observatories to these events.
Researchers from Germany's Technische Universität Braunschweig uncovered a crucial link between the formation of cometary 'dust pebbles' and planet accretion. The study, based on Rosetta mission data, reveals that these pebbles are concentrated by solar instability, leading to collapse and the birth of comets.
A team led by University of Iowa physicist Craig Kletzing has won $1.25 million from NASA to conceptualize a potential mission to study the interactions between the sun and Earth's magnetic fields. The mission, called TRACERS, aims to better understand how the solar wind affects our planet and its technology.
A new study recounts the life and work of Hisako Koyama, a pioneering female solar observer who created detailed sunspot drawings for over 40 years. Her archive was used to establish a continuous record of sunspots stretching back to 1610, shedding light on the solar cycle and its influence on Earth.
A team of researchers at Kansas State University is partnering with NASA to study the health and fitness levels of astronauts during emergency escape maneuvers. They are using a mock space capsule to test the strength, cardiovascular health, and aerobic capacity needed for a safe landing or escape.
The university's researchers compiled a large solar dataset from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory mission, making several hundred thousand solar events available to the public. The dataset has improved the quality of the data and will accelerate computer vision research on these solar images.
CU Boulder scientists, led by Professor Larry Esposito, will continue to study Saturn's rings, moons and atmosphere using the Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) instrument on the Cassini-Huygens mission. The team has made numerous discoveries, including the detection of oxygen atoms in Saturn's system and water plumes from Enceladus.
Researchers analyzed Akatsuki data to uncover wind velocities with temporal and spatial variabilities in lower-to-middle cloud layers. The discovery of an equatorial jet near the equator has significant implications for understanding superrotation theories.