Articles tagged with Space Flight
The five sunshield layers of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have been fully installed, providing precise temperature control for the telescope's infrared sensors. The layers work together to reduce temperatures by approximately 570 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring optimal performance for observing distant objects in the universe.
Scientists have discovered over 2,000 pulsars, which are rapidly spinning dense stellar corpses that appear to pulse at Earth. The Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer mission will reveal how nature's fundamental forces behave within the cores of these objects.
Tropical Storm Irwin is moving north-northwestward in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, with its structure remaining well-organized despite declining deep convection. The storm is expected to continue weakening and eventually degenerate into a remnant low, with forecasters predicting this will occur by Tuesday, August 1.
NOAA's GOES-West satellite captured an infrared image of Hurricane Hilary on July 27, revealing the storm remains somewhat sheared. The National Hurricane Center expects slight weakening during the next 48 hours, with Hilary expected to be at or near hurricane strength until the weekend.
Typhoon Noru has a 10 mile-wide eye, surrounded by powerful thunderstorms, according to NASA's Aqua satellite imagery captured on July 27. The typhoon is expected to maintain its status over several days, with its eye close to Japan's Iwo To island by July 31.
Tropical Storm Nesat was caught being sheared by northeasterly wind patterns, causing its clouds to be pushed southwest. The storm is forecast to intensify as the wind shear decreases, making landfall in southeastern China on July 30.
Tropical Storm Greg is losing shape due to dry air in the surrounding atmosphere, resulting in a less-rounded tropical cyclone. Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph with higher gusts, weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours.
NASA's GOES-West satellite captured an infrared image of Tropical Storm Irwin on July 24, revealing a better-organized tropical cyclone. The storm is expected to become a hurricane within the next 48 hours.
NASA's Suomi NPP satellite captured an image of Tropical Storm Kulap, revealing a spiral of thunderstorms forming a clenched fist shape. The storm was moving west-northwest at 17.2 mph with maximum sustained winds near 51.7 mph.
Hurricane Hilary strengthened into a hurricane on July 24, with organized winds extending up to 10 miles from the center and higher gusts. The National Hurricane Center expects Hilary to become a major hurricane on Tuesday, July 25.
Tropical Storm Fernanda is strengthening as it moves west through the Eastern Pacific Ocean, nearing hurricane strength. The National Hurricane Center predicts significant strengthening over the next 48 hours, with Fernanda expected to become a hurricane later today.
Tropical Storm Nanmadol was analyzed by NASA using Suomi NPP and GPM Core satellites, revealing a powerful storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 knots. The data showed an eye-like structure at the center of circulation and heavy rainfall rates exceeding 184 mm per hour.
Industrial farming has disrupted the burn-regrowth cycle in grasslands, leading to a 25% decline in globally burned areas. This shift affects iconic species like lions and rhinoceroses.
The new 'Webb-cam' provides daily video feeds on the telescope's progress, allowing space enthusiasts to see the telescope's development in real-time. The camera is mounted where it has a view of the cleanroom at NASA Johnson Space Center and can be seen online.
Extreme rainfall in northeastern Australia exceeded 374 mm near Queensland coast, with storms associated with a low-pressure trough. The heavy rainfall was the heaviest since tropical cyclone Debbie hit Queensland in late March.
Tropical Cyclone Donna produced extremely high rainfall totals, with IMERG estimates exceeding 62.4 millimeters (24.6 inches) in areas affected by the storm.
Tropical Storm Muifa is weakening due to vertical wind shear, as revealed by NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission. The storm has a low level center of circulation with very little precipitation, and is expected to dissipate in a day or two.
Tropical Depression 03W formed on April 24, 2017, with intense convective storms dropping heavy precipitation rates. The GPM satellite revealed tall storm towers with rainfall exceeding 8.5 inches per hour.
Tropical Storm Maarutha's intense rainbands were detected by the Global Precipitation Measurement mission, showing rainfall rates of over 134 mm per hour near its center. The satellite imagery provided valuable insights into the cyclone's powerful convective storms, which reached altitudes of over 10.9 miles.
Two extra-tropical cyclones caused widespread flooding in New Zealand, with Cyclone Cook adding to the heavy rainfall. IMERG data shows that over 80 mm of rain fell in many areas, with some receiving heavy downpours, and thousands of residents were evacuated due to extreme weather.
The LEMNOS system will provide speeds of at least 80 megabytes per second, far surpassing current systems that send 51 kilobytes of data per second. This enables high-definition video transmission and real-time scientific data exchange.
A new study led by CU Boulder finds that comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko has an extremely active surface with growing fractures, collapsing cliffs, and massive rolling boulders. The comet's surface underwent rapid changes due to the warming of its ice surface, causing it to sublimate and move massive rocks across its surface.
Raven's autonomous rendezvous capability relies on a hybrid computing system developed by NASA, which combines visible, infrared, and lidar sensors with machine-vision algorithms. The system uses SpaceCube processors to analyze data and make real-time decisions.
The James Webb Space Telescope is inspected for contamination using ultraviolet flashlights in a darkened clean room. The long exposure captures the technicians as 'ghostly wraiths', while a special light technique illuminates the primary mirror.
Cyclone Enawo brought record-breaking rainfall to Madagascar, with the eastern side experiencing strong onshore flow due to its clockwise rotation. NASA's IMERG data analysis reveals the storm's extensive moisture flow from the Indian Ocean, posing a risk of flooding and landslides.
Scientists and engineers at NASA created a new, large-scale shaker table system to test the James Webb Space Telescope's vibrations during launch. The 'Vibration Test Systems' simulates forces from 5-100 Hz, enabling precise control over shaking levels.
Lucy will be the first spacecraft to study six Trojan asteroids orbiting Jupiter, providing insights into the solar system's origins. The mission aims to decipher the history of the outer planets and understand the causes of differences between Trojans.
Typhoon Nock-ten generated significant rainfall in the Philippines and South China Sea. The NASA GPM mission provided estimated rainfall totals of up to 350 mm, highlighting the storm's intense precipitation.
Heavy rainfall over Hispaniola led to widespread flooding in the northern Dominican Republic, with rainfall totals exceeding 230 mm. NASA's Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) data revealed the extent of the flooding, which was caused by slow-moving frontal systems and a tropical wave.
The study investigates changes in perceptions about home in space and the development of a unique culture among astronauts. Researchers found that a shared space culture can help crew members respond to different situations, reducing stress and improving morale.
Tropical Cyclone Kyant formed in the Bay of Bengal on October 25, 2016, and was analyzed by NASA's GPM core satellite. The satellite detected intense storms with heavy rainfall rates of over 215 mm per hour, and some thunderstorms had unusually high storm tops reaching above 20 km.
Hurricane Matthew develops concentric eyewalls, a common feature in intense hurricanes, according to NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission. This indicates the storm is undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle, leading to weakening winds and changes in its track.
Post-Tropical Cyclone Hermine continues to linger south of Long Island, New York, with strong winds affecting surf from the Mid-Atlantic to Cape Cod. The storm is moving westward at a slow pace, with a potential weakening trend in the next few days.
Tropical Depression 8 is located just 85 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. The depression is forecast to produce total rain accumulations of 1-3 inches with isolated amounts up to 5 inches.
Gaston became a hurricane on Aug. 25 with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, but heavy rain rates of around 50 mm/h were occurring near the center due to southwesterly wind shear. The storm's trajectory is expected to shift northwestward over the next several days as it battles strong environmental wind shear.
Hurricane Celia has strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 90 mph. The storm is expected to move towards the west-northwest with decreasing speed, potentially weakening by Tuesday.
Tropical Cyclone Blas weakened to a tropical depression before strengthening into Tropical Cyclone Celia, according to a NASA satellite animation. The post-tropical cyclone dissipated in the Eastern Pacific Ocean within days of its weakening.
Tropical Depression 4E intensified into Tropical Storm Celia, with a better-organized cloud pattern and increased winds. The storm is expected to pass near an area of cooler sea surface temperatures, slowing its intensification before potentially strengthening into a hurricane by Sunday.
The OSIRIS-REx mission will generate detailed maps of asteroid Bennu using data from its five instruments, enabling the selection of a suitable sampling site. The team will also develop a new 3D shape model capturing the asteroid's irregular shape and create routine operation maps for navigation and sampling.
NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission tracked Tropical Storm Danielle as it made landfall north of Tuxpan, Mexico. Heavy rainfall rates were measured at moderate to heavy levels, with some areas experiencing precipitation at rates over 41 mm/h, indicating a rapid weakening of the storm.
Heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Colin led to widespread flooding in Florida and Georgia, with over 250 mm of rain recorded in some areas. NASA's IMERG data analysis showed Colin's heaviest precipitation occurred over central Florida, with extreme amounts exceeding 280 mm.
The remnants of Tropical Depression 1E dissipated over the southwestern coast of Mexico. The system's winds decreased from 25 mph to lower gusts, with minimum central pressure at 1008 millibars.
Researchers explore contraceptive options for astronauts who want to prevent menstrual bleeding during space missions. Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) appear to have advantages for spaceflight, but more research is needed on the impact of hormone treatments on bone mineral loss.
Researchers found that mice flown aboard the space shuttle developed early signs of liver disease, including increased fat storage and changes to genes responsible for breaking down fats. This study has implications for future missions to Mars, highlighting the need for further research on the impact of spaceflight on human physiology.
ICESat-2 will employ a novel technique to determine ice sheet topography and sea ice thickness, leveraging a 3D-printed PEKK bracket that offers electrostatic dissipation and minimal outgassing. The satellite's Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) will utilize photon counting for precise surface elevation measurements.
The James Webb Space Telescope's 18 primary flight mirror segments are being installed using a high-precision robotic arm, requiring fraction-of-a-millimeter accuracy. The team uses lasers to measure distance and a coordinate system to place each segment, achieving precision better than the thickness of a piece of paper.
A student-built experiment aboard NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission has been integrated to study asteroid Bennu's elemental abundances. The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) will observe solar X-rays and their interaction with the asteroid's surface material, providing maps of elements present on its surface.
The James Webb Space Telescope's segmented primary mirror is half complete with nine mirrors installed, on track for full completion in early 2016. The mirrors were built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp and will work together as one large 21.3-foot mirror.
A rare full moon will occur on December's Full Cold Moon, marking the first time since 1977. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been studying the lunar surface since 2009 and is currently orbiting Earth's moon.
The James Webb Space Telescope's 'Pathfinder' telescope completed its second super-cold optical test, using specialized equipment to simulate star images and perform end-to-end testing. The successful test demonstrates the ability to optically test and align the telescope at planned operating temperatures.
Tropical Storm Sandra is decoupling from its lower layer due to strong upper-level winds, resulting in a tight swirl of low clouds devoid of deep convection. This weakening trend is expected to produce 2-4 inches of rainfall across western Mexico, leading to life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
Tropical Storm 27W formed in the Marianas Islands, bringing warnings for Micronesia. The storm's center was located near latitude 4.7 degrees north and longitude 159.8 degrees east, with maximum sustained winds increasing to 40 mph.
Tropical Depression Nora is experiencing strong vertical wind shear from the southwest, pushing clouds and showers east of its center. The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 30 mph on October 15, 2015, with forecasters predicting it will continue moving northwest before taking a more westerly track.
Tropical Storm Marty is being closely monitored by NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, which has detected substantial areas of rain on the eastern half of the storm. Heavy rainfall is expected to be a major threat to residents in western Mexico, with estimated amounts ranging from 2-12 inches.
Hurricane Jimena's eyewall is eroding due to decreased rainfall rates observed by NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) core satellite. The storm weakened from a Category 4 to an estimated 110 mph maximum sustained winds, with hazardous surf expected along east-facing shores of the main Hawaiian Islands.
GPM captured Hurricane Jimena's intense eyewall, with the heaviest rainfall occurring on its northern and eastern sides. The storm maintained a strong system despite an eroded southern half of the eyewall.
Typhoon Kilo is moving slowly through the Northwestern Pacific Ocean with maximum sustained winds of near 90 knots. The storm is expected to re-strengthen and peak in intensity by September 6.
Satellite imagery shows Tropical Storm Fred losing its punch, with no strong thunderstorms developing in the storm. The RapidScat instrument measured the strongest winds tightly circling the center, but they are not indicative of a strengthening storm.
The GPM satellite captured intense rainfall rates of up to 52.8 mm per hour, with embedded convection necessary for storm strengthening, but displaced due to wind shear. The storm's low-level center was located northwest of the rain field, hindering intensification.
Tropical Depression Kilo has recently become more energetic, with heavy rainfall rates of almost 65 mm/hour detected by NASA's GPM Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar. The depression's storm tops were also found to be very tall, measuring over 15.4 km altitude.