Articles tagged with Space Flight
Comprehensive exploration of living organisms, biological systems, and life processes across all scales from molecules to ecosystems. Encompasses cutting-edge research in biology, genetics, molecular biology, ecology, biochemistry, microbiology, botany, zoology, evolutionary biology, genomics, and biotechnology. Investigates cellular mechanisms, organism development, genetic inheritance, biodiversity conservation, metabolic processes, protein synthesis, DNA sequencing, CRISPR gene editing, stem cell research, and the fundamental principles governing all forms of life on Earth.
Comprehensive medical research, clinical studies, and healthcare sciences focused on disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Encompasses clinical medicine, public health, pharmacology, epidemiology, medical specialties, disease mechanisms, therapeutic interventions, healthcare innovation, precision medicine, telemedicine, medical devices, drug development, clinical trials, patient care, mental health, nutrition science, health policy, and the application of medical science to improve human health, wellbeing, and quality of life across diverse populations.
Comprehensive investigation of human society, behavior, relationships, and social structures through systematic research and analysis. Encompasses psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, linguistics, education, demography, communications, and social research methodologies. Examines human cognition, social interactions, cultural phenomena, economic systems, political institutions, language and communication, educational processes, population dynamics, and the complex social, cultural, economic, and political forces shaping human societies, communities, and civilizations throughout history and across the contemporary world.
Fundamental study of the non-living natural world, matter, energy, and physical phenomena governing the universe. Encompasses physics, chemistry, earth sciences, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, materials science, and the investigation of physical laws, chemical reactions, geological processes, climate systems, and planetary dynamics. Explores everything from subatomic particles and quantum mechanics to planetary systems and cosmic phenomena, including energy transformations, molecular interactions, elemental properties, weather patterns, tectonic activity, and the fundamental forces and principles underlying the physical nature of reality.
Practical application of scientific knowledge and engineering principles to solve real-world problems and develop innovative technologies. Encompasses all engineering disciplines, technology development, computer science, artificial intelligence, environmental sciences, agriculture, materials applications, energy systems, and industrial innovation. Bridges theoretical research with tangible solutions for infrastructure, manufacturing, computing, communications, transportation, construction, sustainable development, and emerging technologies that advance human capabilities, improve quality of life, and address societal challenges through scientific innovation and technological progress.
Study of the practice, culture, infrastructure, and social dimensions of science itself. Addresses how science is conducted, organized, communicated, and integrated into society. Encompasses research funding mechanisms, scientific publishing systems, peer review processes, academic ethics, science policy, research institutions, scientific collaboration networks, science education, career development, research programs, scientific methods, science communication, and the sociology of scientific discovery. Examines the human, institutional, and cultural aspects of scientific enterprise, knowledge production, and the translation of research into societal benefit.
Comprehensive study of the universe beyond Earth, encompassing celestial objects, cosmic phenomena, and space exploration. Includes astronomy, astrophysics, planetary science, cosmology, space physics, astrobiology, and space technology. Investigates stars, galaxies, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, black holes, nebulae, exoplanets, dark matter, dark energy, cosmic microwave background, stellar evolution, planetary formation, space weather, solar system dynamics, the search for extraterrestrial life, and humanity's efforts to explore, understand, and unlock the mysteries of the cosmos through observation, theory, and space missions.
Comprehensive examination of tools, techniques, methodologies, and approaches used across scientific disciplines to conduct research, collect data, and analyze results. Encompasses experimental procedures, analytical methods, measurement techniques, instrumentation, imaging technologies, spectroscopic methods, laboratory protocols, observational studies, statistical analysis, computational methods, data visualization, quality control, and methodological innovations. Addresses the practical techniques and theoretical frameworks enabling scientists to investigate phenomena, test hypotheses, gather evidence, ensure reproducibility, and generate reliable knowledge through systematic, rigorous investigation across all areas of scientific inquiry.
Study of abstract structures, patterns, quantities, relationships, and logical reasoning through pure and applied mathematical disciplines. Encompasses algebra, calculus, geometry, topology, number theory, analysis, discrete mathematics, mathematical logic, set theory, probability, statistics, and computational mathematics. Investigates mathematical structures, theorems, proofs, algorithms, functions, equations, and the rigorous logical frameworks underlying quantitative reasoning. Provides the foundational language and tools for all scientific fields, enabling precise description of natural phenomena, modeling of complex systems, and the development of technologies across physics, engineering, computer science, economics, and all quantitative sciences.
Satellite imagery reveals System 92L's weakening state, with upper-level winds reducing its chances for tropical cyclone formation. Environmental conditions are expected to become less favorable in the next 48 hours, decreasing the potential for development.
Tropical Storm Agatha made landfall in El Salvador and Guatemala, and its remnants are now tracked by NASA. The National Hurricane Center reports a near-zero percent chance of reorganization, solving the forecasting mystery.
A NIRCam engineering test unit has arrived at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to undergo a year-long testing process. The unit, built by Lockheed Martin, will simulate the flight unit's functions before the actual instrument is integrated into the James Webb Space Telescope.
The James Webb Space Telescope's Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) instrument is a key tool for identifying colors and objects in the cosmos. With its micro-electromechanical system, NIRSpec can analyze light from deep space to help scientists determine the age, chemical composition, and distances of faint galaxies.
TRMM data revealed that Cyclone Ului brought heavy rainfall to western Queensland, with estimates suggesting 5.1-7.0 inches of rain fell in some areas. The satellite's precipitation radar and microwave radiometers provided detailed insights into the cyclone's track and potential flooding.
Three NASA scientific instruments, MINI-ME, PISA, and TTI, have completed environmental testing and passed critical tests, paving the way for their launch on the FASTSAT-HSV01 satellite. The instruments will study Earth's atmosphere and space weather, improving global predictions.
The James Webb Space Telescope has successfully polished its first primary mirror segment to meet the required prescription at operational cryogenic temperatures. This achievement sets the stage for a successful polishing process for the remaining 18 flight mirror segments.
The TDRS K-L program has successfully completed its Critical Design Review and Production Readiness Review, paving the way for the assembly of the K and L satellites. The new spacecraft will provide critical communication services to NASA missions, including the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope.
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.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared images of Oli as it passed by, revealing better organization and a well-defined eye. Infrared imagery showed deep convection over the storm's center, with waves 20 feet high in the open ocean.
Tropical Storm Nisha is experiencing light-moderate rainfall and moderate vertical wind shear, weakening the storm. It is forecast to move slowly eastward and dissipate over the latter half of the weekend.
The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) has been delivered and will be integrated onto the NPP spacecraft, providing highly detailed imagery of clouds, vegetation, and environmental phenomena. The NPOESS Preparatory Project aims to extend the time series environmental data records initiated with NASA's Earth Observing Sys...
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.
Cyclone Laurence dropped heavy rainfall over northwest Australia, with the heaviest totals exceeding 450 mm near Cape Bougainville. The Australian coast also experienced high rainfall totals, with areas along the coast receiving over 150 mm of rain from the cyclone.
The TRMM satellite measured heavy rainfall from last week's coastal low pressure area 'Ida', which drenched the U.S. east coast and caused flash floods. Heavy rain amounts were found in Alabama, North Carolina, and Virginia with maximum values exceeding 240mm.
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.
Former Ida has strengthened into a powerful low-pressure system causing severe flooding from northeast North Carolina to coastal Virginia. The storm is expected to continue bringing heavy rains, with isolated totals around 6 inches possible through Friday morning.
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.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is developing a transparent coating that mimics the self-cleaning properties of the lotus plant to prevent dirt from sticking to space gear and bacteria from growing inside astronaut living quarters. The coating, made primarily from silica, zinc oxide, and other oxides, offers great potential for use ...
Tropical Storm Marty is moving at a slow pace through the Eastern Pacific Ocean with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph. The storm's fate lies in its encounter with cooler waters and drier air, which will weaken it over the weekend.
NASA's GOES Project created a movie of Tropical Storm Danny from August 25-27, showcasing his formation and journey up the US East Coast. The storm made landfall with maximum sustained winds near 60 mph, and is expected to turn north.
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.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has entered lunar orbit, marking a crucial milestone for the mission, which aims to compile high-resolution maps of the lunar surface and survey it at various spectral wavelengths.
The NRL's SoloHI instrument will provide revolutionary measurements to pinpoint solar storms, offering a pristine view of the solar wind plasma. The Solar Orbiter mission aims to understand how the sun varies and its impact on planetary systems.
The NASA TRMM satellite shows Cyclone Bijli's intense rainfall, peaking at 129 millimeters (5.07 inches) in Bangladesh, causing heavy flooding and tropical storm-force winds. The animation tracks the storm's development from birth to landfall on April 17, 2009.
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.
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.
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.
Astronomers detect frequent X-ray and gamma-ray flares from a soft-gamma-ray repeater, a rare type of neutron star. The object has erupted with over 100 flares in 20 minutes, releasing more energy than the sun does in 20 years.
A new study suggests that climate change could postpone the recovery of stratospheric ozone in tropical and southern mid-latitudes, leading to increased skin cancer risks for fair-skinned populations. This delay might be caused by changes in air circulation patterns and reduced ozone formation.
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.
The team found a cosmic puzzle that booms six times louder than predicted, ruling out origins from primordial stars and known radio sources. The source of this cosmic radio background remains a mystery, complicating efforts to detect the first stars in the universe.
University of Idaho engineers have developed unique new technology that will be used in NASA's Landsat Data Continuity Mission and Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission. The technology includes advanced data compression and channel coder algorithms, increasing science data return and protecting data fidelity.
Swift's Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) observes the chemical composition of comet atmospheres, while its X-Ray Telescope (XRT) studies gas and solar wind interactions. This research offers clues about comets' origins and the solar system.
CU-Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics has been selected by NASA to lead the $485 million Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission. The MAVEN spacecraft will study Mars' upper atmosphere, solar wind, and ionosphere to determine its past climate and potential life.
The GLAST Mission Operations Center (MOC) at NASA Goddard is responsible for several aspects of the GLAST mission, including command planning and monitoring the Large Area Telescope's health and safety. The observatory is commanded from MOC and is receiving high-quality data, enabling optimal science return.
The High-Resolution Soft X-Ray Spectrometer (SXS) will investigate dark matter, galaxy formation, and explore the nature of matter in extreme environments. NASA's Explorer Program Mission of Opportunity has awarded $44 million for the instrument and operations.
The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) is scheduled to launch on a United Launch Alliance's Delta II Heavy rocket on June 11. The launch window opens at 11:45 a.m.-1:40 p.m. EDT, pending weather conditions. GLAST will survey the universe over an energy range of 20 million electron volts to over 300 billion electron volts.
Dr. Joan M. Centrella and Dr. John G. Baker received the John C. Lindsay Memorial Award for their pioneering computer simulations of black hole mergers, a crucial step towards understanding cosmic evolution. The simulations have spurred rapid progress in predicting observable signatures of these events.
Astronomers have observed a rare 'normal' supernova for the first time at its moment of birth, thanks to NASA's Swift satellite. The discovery provides unique insights into how these massive star explosions occur, with the radiation pattern giving scientists the clearest picture ever.
Christa Peters-Lidard receives the award for her work on high-resolution land surface modeling and satellite data assimilation, improving U.S. hydrometeorological forecasting capabilities
The Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Telescope (GLAST) is being assembled at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The rocket, fueled by nine solid rocket motors, will search for signs of new laws of physics and explore the universe's most extreme environments.
Researchers used supercomputing power to simulate the early Universe and identify potential methods for measuring dark energy. The study's findings will help design a proposed satellite mission called SPACE, which aims to unveil the nature of dark energy and its role in the Universe's accelerating expansion.
Astronomers have detected a mysterious type of cosmic explosion, known as a short gamma-ray burst (GRB), 7.4 billion years ago, more than halfway back to the Big Bang. This discovery dramatically moves back the time at which we know short GRBs were exploding.
NASA researchers present groundbreaking discoveries on polar mesospheric clouds, Voyager 2's solar system boundary, Mars rovers' water evidence, and Northern Lights dynamics.
The newly completed map of Antarctica is a result of NASA's state-of-the-art satellite technologies, offering the most geographically accurate and high-resolution views of the continent. The Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica will enable researchers to better plan scientific expeditions and help scientists map various rock formations.
NASA Goddard's method for producing high-quality carbon nanotubes has been recognized as a winner in the Nano 50 awards. The technology eliminates the need for metal catalysts, resulting in safer and less expensive production methods.
The James Webb Space Telescope will utilize the advanced SpaceWire technology to improve communication between its components, allowing for higher data collection rates and enhanced scientific discovery. This enables the telescope to study more of the universe with its 66 million detector pixels.
A new study shows that spaceflight affects the genetic responses and disease-causing potential of Salmonella typhimurium, making it more infectious. The research, led by Arizona State University, reveals a key role for a master regulator called Hfq in triggering these changes.
A new approach to detect life on Mars, based on technology similar to pregnancy test kits, was successfully launched into space. The Life Marker Chip experiment has the potential to detect trace levels of biomarkers in the Martian environment.
The UK Space Exploration Working Group recommends involvement in both human and robotic elements of space exploration to play a full role in the century's unique opportunities. The report stresses the need for a new vision, suggesting preparatory human space flight activities and maintaining UK's significant role in planetary science.
A new company, Nanotailor, has licensed NASA Goddard's innovative process to produce high-quality, low-cost single-walled carbon nanotubes. This technology will benefit industries such as medical, construction, manufacturing, and imaging, making affordable nanotechnology available for a broad range of applications.
A study by National Space Biomedical Research Institute has found that osteopontin plays a significant role in the immune response to chronic stress. Mice with normal OPN gene experienced weight loss, spleen and thymus atrophy, and reduced white blood cells after three days of hindlimb unloading.
NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed agreements to cooperate on the James Webb Space Telescope and the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) Pathfinder mission. The JWST will investigate galaxy, star, and planetary system origins, operating in space at L2 with a 21.3-foot primary mirror.
Astronomers have determined the properties of a rare binary star system using NASA's FUSE satellite and ground-based telescopes. The system, LH54-425, consists of two massive O-stars with combined mass of about 100 suns, orbiting each other every 2.25 days.
Astronomers using NASA's Swift satellite have discovered that energetic flares seen after gamma-ray bursts are a continuation of the burst itself. GRBs release enormous energy in seconds, and long-duration bursts come from massive star collapse, forming black holes or neutron stars.
Phoenix will use a robotic digging arm to determine if the Martian soil environment was favorable for microbial life. The lander is equipped with instruments that suggest frozen water exists within arm's reach of the surface.
GLAST will study extreme objects, detecting thousands of new gamma-ray sources and extending knowledge of dark matter. Environmental testing begins after successful integration of components, ensuring the spacecraft can survive launch and space conditions.
The James Webb Space Telescope's mirror blanks have been constructed, forming a mirror over seven times larger than the Hubble Telescope's mirror. The larger mirror enables excellent resolution and sensitivity, allowing scientists to see back to the formation of the first galaxies after the Big Bang.