Researchers propose that Jupiter may have 'jumped' out of its orbit to avoid disturbing the inner solar system. The 'jumping-Jupiter' theory suggests one planet was ejected from the solar system, leaving four giant planets behind.
New images show the solar wind's dynamic interactions, including piling up at the leading edge of a CME, voids in the interior, long thread-like structures, and V-shaped structures centered on the current sheet. These findings are changing the way scientists think about space weather.
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is preparing for suborbital flights with its astronaut payload specialists, aiming to develop commercial human spaceflight. The team has completed required FAA flight physicals and experiment payloads, and will wear a mission patch symbolizing the project.
The DARPA System F6 program has chosen SwRI's wireless communications solution to validate a fractionated spacecraft architecture. This approach replaces traditional spacecraft designs with individual nodes connected wirelessly to support mission goals.
Researchers propose a new theory on Mars' small size and low mass, suggesting that Jupiter's early gas-driven migration stripped the region of formation materials. The 'Grand Tack Scenario' simulation explains properties of the asteroid belt and its compositional differences between inner- and outer-belt bodies.
Dr. William R. Ward has made fundamental contributions to understanding how planets and satellites form and dynamically evolve, including the giant impact theory of lunar formation and Mars' polar axis oscillations
NASA has selected Southwest Research Institute's MASPEX mass spectrometer for technology development funding to analyze comets and improve understanding of their origin. The instrument is expected to excel in identifying isotopes in low-density populations and provide valuable insights into the origin of life.
The Behavior Breakthroughs app uses game-based technology to teach ABA skills and techniques for managing behavior. Developed by Southwest Research Institute, it provides a practical guide for parents and caregivers based on sound science and expert advice.
The 2011 conference attracted over 100 presentations, showcasing proposals to exploit next-gen suborbital spaceflight capabilities. The event demonstrated growing interest in commercial suborbital spacecraft among researchers and educators.
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has signed agreements for eight suborbital flights with payload specialists on board reusable launchers, enabling new research opportunities and advancing space exploration. The program aims to provide affordable access to space for scientists, conducting experiments in microgravity environments.
The NASA Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft has made the first-ever images of the plasma sheet and magnetotail in the Earth's magnetosphere. The data suggests a piece of the plasma sheet was bitten off and ejected down the tail, revealing dynamic interactions that have never been seen before.
Simulations suggest Saturn's rings and inner moons formed after a massive satellite collided with the planet. The resulting debris formed the icy rings and ice-rich inner moons.
A team of scientists found that the abundance of metal-loving elements in Earth's, Moon's, and Mars' mantles were delivered by massive impactors during the final phase of planet formation. The largest impactor on Earth may have modified its obliquity by approximately 10 degrees.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's LAMP instrument has detected hydrogen, carbon monoxide, atomic mercury, calcium, and magnesium in the LCROSS impact plume, revealing volatile substances trapped near the Moon's poles. This finding is crucial for planning robotic and manned Moon bases.
A 'knot' in a bright, narrow ribbon of neutral atoms emanating from the solar system's edge appears to have 'untied,' according to researchers. The knot, influenced by local interstellar magnetic fields, was found to be stable over six-month periods but displayed changes in polar regions and diminished as it spread out.
The Solar Probe Plus mission will measure energetic particles in the Sun's corona, providing critical data on acceleration mechanisms and space weather. SwRI-led instruments will help determine the structure and dynamics of the Sun's magnetic field and forecast hazardous space weather.
IBEX maps reveal structured and intense interstellar boundary interactions; the spacecraft also collects hydrogen and oxygen from the interstellar medium, shedding light on solar system recycling processes. Recent observations of the Earth's magnetosphere provide new insights into protecting our atmosphere.
A new study suggests that many well-known comets, including Halley and Hale-Bopp, may have formed in orbit around other stars. The Sun is believed to have captured small icy bodies from its sibling stars, creating a reservoir for observed comets.
New research identifies Jupiter Family comets as the primary source of the zodiacal cloud's eerie glow, contradicting previous theories that pointed to asteroid dust.
Cassini collected temperature map data that shows hot regions resembling 'Pac-Man' eating a dot and striking bands of light and dark in crater walls. Surface texture variations are suspected to be the cause, with denser ice conducting heat away from the surface.
The inaugural Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference drew over 250 researchers, educators, and government officials to discuss the potential of next-gen suborbital vehicles for science, research, and workforce development.
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.
Researchers at the Southwest Research Institute suggest that differences in cometary impacts and melting patterns explain Ganymede and Callisto's distinct surfaces. The study reveals that Ganymede received more intense impacts, leading to deeper melting and a heavier core.
The European Space Agency's comet orbiter spacecraft Rosetta successfully tested the performance of its ultraviolet spectrometer Alice during a recent Earth flyby, revealing the Earth's unique ultraviolet spectral emission signature.
The Southwest Research Institute's SC-11 spacecraft control avionics unit is the brain of the WISE spacecraft, providing complete command and control over operations. The SC-11 also offers a backup 'safe mode' processor to ensure sun-safe orientation in case of main processor failure.
The Cassini spacecraft confirmed that reddish dust infalling on Saturn's moon Iapetus is responsible for its 'yin-yang' appearance. Water ice migration and evaporation also contribute to the extreme brightness differences between the two hemispheres.
IBEX maps show a narrow ribbon of intense emissions at the edge of the solar system, contradicting previous theories. The data suggests the interstellar environment has a significant influence on the heliosphere's structure.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's LAMP instrument uses Lyman-alpha emissions to study permanently shadowed regions of the moon's surface. Researchers are searching for water frost and other resources in these areas, which could support future lunar missions.
Numerical simulations show that comet-like objects in a disk outside the solar system were scattered into the outer asteroid belt during a violent phase of planetary evolution. The models suggest that dramatic upheaval occurred in the solar system around 3.9 billion years ago, affecting nearly every nook and cranny.
A new instrument, MTDEM, uses induction to generate electrical currents in the ground, detecting subsurface water on Mars. The system has potential to find habitable zones for microbes and unlock secrets of Mars' ancient surface.
The MMS mission will investigate magnetic reconnection, a fundamental process that impacts technologies like communications and power grids. The four observatories will be deployed in a pyramid configuration to study the phenomenon near the boundary between Earth's magnetosphere and solar wind.
The IBEX spacecraft has made the first observations of very fast hydrogen atoms coming from the moon, shedding light on the 'recycling' process undertaken by particles throughout the solar system and beyond. The neutral atoms can travel long distances before they are stripped of their electrons and become ions.
The Solar Orbiter mission will explore the Sun's plasma properties and composition using the SPICE instrument, advancing our knowledge of the Sun's dynamics. The data will help understand the effects on Earth and the solar system.
Kepler will observe a broad region of the summer-time sky using a photometer to measure the brightness of stars. The mission aims to determine the number of Earth-like planets in the galaxy by watching for tiny flickers in starlight that could indicate a planet passing in front.
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.
A team led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has been selected by NASA to focus on expanding knowledge of the Moon's formation and bombardment history. The four-year project will unravel the origin of the Earth-Moon system and the early evolution of the solar system through a multidisciplinary approach.
The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft is creating the first global maps of interactions between the solar wind and the interstellar medium. The maps are built using energetic neutral atom imaging and reveal the intricate pattern of this fascinating interaction.