Articles tagged with Spacecraft
Researchers used computer modeling and laboratory tests to investigate how changing gas flow rates and magnetic field sizes affect Hall thruster performance. They found that maintaining optimal ionization and acceleration regions can prolong the life of these systems, making them suitable for even longer space missions.
The Magnetospheric Multiscale mission has made the first high-resolution measurements of an interplanetary shock. The shock was triggered by a fast stream of solar wind overtaking a slower stream, creating a wave that spread across the solar system. By analyzing the data from this event, scientists gained evidence to support a theory o...
The University of Toledo has been awarded a $7.4 million contract to develop solar technology that is lightweight, flexible, highly efficient and durable in space. The goal is to provide power for space vehicles using sunlight, reducing the need for liquid fuels and battery storage.
Researchers at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory reproduced the process behind astrophysical shocks, bridging the gap between laboratory and spacecraft observations. The experiments showed how plasma interactions can cause sudden jumps in pressure and magnetic field strength, accelerating particles to near light speed.
The James Webb Space Telescope is the result of a nationwide collaboration, with components manufactured across 29 US states. The telescope will explore cosmic history, solve mysteries in our solar system, and probe the origins of the universe.
A new study co-led by University of Maryland astronomer Matthew Knight suggests that the first known interstellar object, 'Oumuamua, has a purely natural origin. The research team analyzed existing data and found that 'Oumuamua's characteristics are more consistent with a comet or asteroid than an alien spacecraft.
A team of international experts agrees that Oumuamua, the first recorded interstellar visitor, has natural origins. The research team reviewed available evidence and found properties consistent with objects in our own solar system. Oumuamua's orbit and path match predictions made by Jedicke and his colleagues before its discovery.
Research finds that common types of mold spores on the International Space Station can survive high doses of ionizing radiation, raising concerns about contamination and planetary protection protocols. The findings also suggest that fungi could be used to produce important compounds like antibiotics and vitamins in space.
The James Webb Space Telescope successfully completed its final thermal vacuum test, with the spacecraft element exposed to extreme temperatures and conditions. The test paves the way for the integration of the telescope and spacecraft elements, a crucial step towards launch.
University of Washington researchers create a novel solution to reduce impact forces using origami-inspired metamaterials. The team's design softens impact forces by promoting relaxation stresses in the chain, reducing stress on rocket legs during landing.
The New Horizons spacecraft has revealed a distant Kuiper Belt Object (MU69) as an ancient, untouched relic from the early solar system. The object's flattened bi-lobate shape and discrete geological units indicate a history of gentle collisions.
Researchers have discovered that graphene flakes can selectively and reversibly affect specific neurons in the brain, offering a promising approach for treating conditions like epilepsy. The study's findings suggest that the particles' size is key to their selectivity, with effects observed only at specific synapse sites.
RIT Professor Grover Swartzlander is receiving a Phase II award from NASA's NIAC program to explore the feasibility of diffractive solar sails. Diffractive solar sails could be more efficient and withstand the heat of the sun better than traditional reflective sails.
A research team at Toyohashi University of Technology has developed a novel fire extinguisher concept called Vacuum Extinguish Method (VEM), which uses vacuum to suck in flames and combustion products. This method is suitable for enclosed spaces like spacecraft or submarines, where traditional extinguishers can spread harmful gases.
Scientists from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center discovered a large, solid iron core in Mercury's center, approximately 1,260 miles wide. This finding sheds light on the planet's interior structure and its cooling rate, potentially helping predict Earth's magnetic field changes.
Researchers discovered massive blobs of solar wind in archival data from NASA's Helios spacecraft, which could shed light on the solar wind's beginnings. The study used advanced modeling and analysis to connect the blob patterns to specific regions on the Sun.
The Cassini spacecraft gathered data on five small moons close to Saturn's rings, revealing no volatiles other than water ice. The moons' geology was shaped by complex processes, including tidal stresses, with optical properties influenced by contamination from the main rings and ring material.
The OSIRIS-REx mission revealed unexpected discoveries on asteroid Bennu, including particle plumes and a rugged terrain. The team adjusted their flight plans due to the rough surface, which challenges their sample collection strategies.
Researchers at Caltech have designed a way to levitate and propel macroscopic objects using specific nanoscale patterning on their surfaces. This technology has the potential to revolutionize space travel by powering spacecraft with light, potentially reaching nearby planets in 20 years.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team has discovered that the surface geology on asteroid Bennu is older than expected, with large impact craters and fractured boulders indicating ages of hundreds of millions of years. The OSIRIS-REx mission revealed ancient features on Bennu's surface while also showing signs of recent resurfacing.
The spacecraft studied the solar wind to better understand turbulence, which is a chaotic motion of a fluid. The mini-campaign provides scientists with an up-close view to push the frontiers of the field.
X-rays have shorter wavelengths than infrared and radio waves, enabling tighter beams and less energy consumption. The demonstration aims to increase interest in the technology, which could enable more efficient data transfer rates for deep space missions.
A UCLA-led team has developed a highly durable aerogel that can withstand intense heat and severe temperature changes, making it an ideal material for insulating spacecraft. The new ceramic aerogel is ultra-lightweight, flexible, and resistant to fire and corrosion.
Rochester Institute of Technology professor Michael Zemcov is contributing to NASA's SPHEREx mission, which will map galaxies across the universe to study inflation and galaxy formation. The mission aims to answer questions about the origin and evolution of key biogenic molecules like water and carbon monoxide.
The twin Van Allen Probes are starting a new phase of their exploration, lowering their orbits to gather data on the dynamic radiation belts. The spacecraft will eventually re-enter Earth's atmosphere, providing insight into how oxygen can degrade satellite instruments.
NASA's MAVEN mission is shrinking its Mars orbit to prepare for the upcoming Mars 2020 rover launch. The spacecraft will tighten its orbit from 3,850 to 2,800 miles above the surface, allowing it to circle Mars more frequently and communicate with rovers more often.
New gravity field data reveal Saturn's rings are significantly younger than the planet, with ages estimated at 10-100 million years. The findings contradict previous assumptions and shed light on the formation of Saturn's ring system.
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has made groundbreaking observations of asteroid Bennu, revealing the presence of water molecules and hydrated minerals. The findings confirm that Bennu is an excellent specimen for the mission, which aims to return a sample of surface material to Earth in 2023.
The ESA is backing the development of a new helicon plasma thruster technology that could revolutionize electric propulsion in space. The thruster, which has been tested at UC3M facilities, uses radiofrequency waves to generate hot plasma and accelerate it supersonically.
The Dellingr team developed a more capable and resilient CubeSat platform, advancing the state-of-the-art in this mission class. The team's innovative approach to resilience and problem-solving enabled them to recover from system failures and gather high-quality data about Earth's upper atmosphere.
Scientists predict 15-meter-tall sharp ice formations on Europa's surface could pose a hazard for future landing missions. The unique conditions on the moon create perfect conditions for these structures to form, which could be observed by NASA's upcoming Europa Clipper mission.
Astronomers successfully collected microscopic material streaming from Saturn's rings using Cassini's Cosmic Dust Analyzer and Radio and Plasma Wave Science instruments. The research reveals that the main component of Saturn's rings is water ice, with tiny silicates also present.
SwRI scientists used Cassini's final measurements to detect large influx of materials raining into Saturn's atmosphere, with water and organic compounds falling at rates of up to 10,000 kilograms per second. The discovery has implications for ring evolution and atmospheric chemistry.
The TESS mission captured a detailed picture of the southern sky with its four wide-field cameras, while Parker Solar Probe and GOLD returned initial data on their instruments and science potential. The three missions offer new perspectives on exoplanets, solar activity, and space weather.
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.
New images from the Juno spacecraft reveal that Jupiter's moons Io and Ganymede cast multiple, double-wingshaped auroral footprints on their parent planet. These large lunar bodies decorate the atmosphere with unusual patterns, previously seen as a bright spot footprint of each nearby moon.
Scientists at Southwest Research Institute found large, carbon-rich organic molecules emanating from Enceladus' subsurface ocean. The discovery indicates the moon's rocky core and warm water interact to form complex molecules, satisfying key requirements for life as we know it.
Bernd Chudoba and his team aim to create a forecasting methodology that identifies science and technology gaps related to space transportation issues. The project will develop a toolbox to forecast space transportation infrastructure needs, enabling the US to plan for its 2030 goal of eliminating vulnerabilities in space.
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.
Scientists have found a new type of magnetic event, reconnection, occurring in turbulent plasma near Earth. The discovery bridges the gap between magnetic reconnection and turbulence, shedding light on dynamic space weather systems.
Researchers studied liquid sheet behavior in open space without air interaction, considering vacuum oil with variable viscosity and surface tension. They found instabilities due to temperature gradients and surface tension gradients, which can lead to fragmentation of the sheet into droplets.
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.
Researchers developed structured core-shell polymer filaments to improve the strength of 3-D printed plastics. The new filaments have a polycarbonate core and an olefin ionomer shell, which self-reinforce the printed parts and make them more resistant to impacts.
A NASA and NIST study found that traditional smoke detectors may not effectively detect smoke particles in space due to unique microgravity properties. The study investigated five common materials used on spacecraft and found that some detectors struggled to detect smaller particles, posing a concern for fire safety.
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.
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.
Dr. James L. Burch, SwRI VP, inducted into the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame for his leadership and research on space science and magnetosphere interaction. He has contributed significantly to NASA missions, including New Horizons and Juno.
Researchers developed 4-D goggles that allow wearers to feel a looming object on screen, such as an approaching spacecraft. The device synchronizes with entertainment content to deliver immersive multisensory effects near the face and enhance sense of presence.
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 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has confirmed that a satellite re-discovered on Jan. 20, 2018, is the Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) satellite. The satellite was launched in 2000 and had been declared mission-ended after repeated failures.
IceCube, a bread loaf-sized satellite, has produced the world's first map of global atmospheric ice distribution in the 883-Gigahertz band. This achievement demonstrates submillimeter wavelength observations from space and provides critical data on cloud ice properties.
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 ICON and GOLD missions are teaming up to provide comprehensive observations of the ionosphere, a little-understood area close to home. By capturing detailed remote and in situ data, these missions will help improve situational awareness for astronauts and humans on the ground.
The Space Debris Sensor (SDS) will track orbital debris between .05mm and 3mm in size for two to three years, providing near-real-time impact detection capabilities. The sensor will help researchers map the entire orbital debris population and plan future sensors to mitigate damage from debris.
After completing 100 days of cryogenic testing, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has emerged from Chamber A at the Johnson Space Center. The telescope is now set to be integrated with its spacecraft element in California, marking a crucial step towards its launch as the world's premier infrared space observatory.
The Dellingr spacecraft, designed to demonstrate the viability of CubeSats for scientific research, has begun its checkout process after being released into low-Earth orbit on November 20. The spacecraft is equipped with a suite of miniaturized instruments to gather data on the Sun's influence on Earth's upper atmosphere.
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 theoretical physicist at Goethe University Frankfurt proposes using magnetic sails to decelerate interstellar spacecraft, enabling them to collect data from nearby stars and planets. The concept involves creating a strong magnetic field that reflects ionized hydrogen in the interstellar medium, slowing down the probe.
Researchers from Lomonosov Moscow State University have discovered a mechanism allowing gas sensors to operate at room temperature using nanocrystalline metal oxides. The invention will enhance environmental monitoring efficiency in nuclear power plants, submarines, and spacecrafts.
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.