Anonymous ID: 37c25e Sept. 8, 2023, 7:46 a.m. No.19511929   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2096

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

Sep 8, 2023

 

Star Factory Messier 17

 

Sculpted by stellar winds and radiation, the star factory known as Messier 17 lies some 5,500 light-years away in the nebula-rich constellation Sagittarius. At that distance, this 1/3 degree wide field of view spans over 30 light-years. The sharp composite, color image highlights faint details of the region's gas and dust clouds against a backdrop of central Milky Way stars. Stellar winds and energetic light from hot, massive stars formed from M17's stock of cosmic gas and dust have slowly carved away at the remaining interstellar material, producing the cavernous appearance and undulating shapes. M17 is also known as the Omega Nebula or the Swan Nebula.

 

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?

Anonymous ID: 37c25e Sept. 8, 2023, 8:01 a.m. No.19511991   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2096

Redwire BioFabrication Facility Successfully Prints First Human Knee Meniscus on ISS, Paving the Way for Advanced In-Space Bioprinting Capabilities to Benefit Human Health

 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (September 7, 2023) – Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW), a leader in space infrastructure for the next generation space economy, announced today that it has successfully 3D bioprinted the first human knee meniscus on orbit using its upgraded 3D BioFabrication Facility (BFF) on the International Space Station (ISS). This milestone opens the door to improved treatments for meniscal injuries, one of the most common injuries for U.S. Service Members.

 

“This is a groundbreaking milestone with significant implications for human health,” said Redwire Executive Vice President John Vellinger. “Demonstrating the ability to successfully print complex tissue such as this meniscus is a major leap forward toward the development of a repeatable microgravity manufacturing process for reliable bioprinting at scale.”

 

The print returned to Earth onboard the SpaceX Crew-6 Mission for analysis following successful print operations in July. Before returning to Earth, the print was cultured for 14 days on the ISS in Redwire’s Advanced Space Experiment Processor (ADSEP). The print was conducted as part of the BFF-Meniscus-2 Investigation with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Center for Biotechnology (4D Bio3), a biomedical research center that explores and adapts promising biotechnologies for warfighter benefit. The investigation was conducted by NASA astronauts Frank Rubio, Warren “Woody” Hoburg, and Stephen Bowen, and UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi.

 

BFF is part of Redwire’s growing portfolio of technologies and innovative on-orbit capabilities enabling human spaceflight missions and commercial microgravity research and development in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Redwire has developed 20 research facilities for the ISS with 10 currently operating on station to deliver world-leading research. In July, Redwire announced plans to open a 30,000 square foot, state-of-the-art microgravity payload development facility with a mission operations center at the Novaparke Innovation & Technology Campus in Floyd County, Indiana, as the company looks to increase production of critical technologies enabling human spaceflight missions and commercial microgravity research and development in LEO.

 

On the upcoming SpaceX CRS-29 resupply mission to the ISS in November, Redwire will be launching microgravity research payloads focused on pharmaceutical drug development and regenerative medicine, including an experiment in bioprinting cardiac tissue.

 

https://redwirespace.com/newsroom/redwire-biofabrication-facility-successfully-prints-first-human-knee-meniscus-on-iss-paving-the-way-for-advanced-in-space-bioprinting-capabilities-to-benefit-human-health/

Anonymous ID: 37c25e Sept. 8, 2023, 8:03 a.m. No.19512005   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2096

Relativity Space expands presence at NASA’s Stennis Space Center

September 7, 2023

 

Launch vehicle company Relativity Space is growing its footprint at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi by leasing an Apollo-era test stand to support development of its Terran R rocket.

 

The company announced Sept. 7 that it signed an agreement with Stennis to lease the A-2 test stand at the center. Relativity will pay $2.76 million to lease the test stand for seven years, with an option to extend the lease an additional 10 years.

 

The A-2 test stand was built in the 1960s for testing of the second stage of the Saturn 5 rocket, then used for Space Shuttle Main Engine tests through most of the shuttle program. It was mothballed nearly a decade ago after brief use testing the J-2X engine intended for the Ares rockets NASA had planned to develop for the Constellation program.

 

Relativity said it will refurbish the stand to support vertical testing of the reusable first stage of its Terran R rocket, increasing the engine thrust it can support from 650,000 to 3.3 million pounds-force. The company said the stand will enable a faster pace of testing of the stage.

 

“Exclusive access to these rare, national-asset facilities through partnership with NASA uniquely enables Relativity to develop a world-class launch vehicle,” Tim Ellis, chief executive of Relativity, said in a statement.

 

Relativity has been using other facilities at Stennis for several years, testing engines both for its original Terran 1 small launch vehicle and the larger Terran R. The company announced in October 2022 plans to build new test stands, office buildings and a vehicle hangar at Stennis. Relativity says it plans to invest $267 million overall on developing its facilities at Stennis, but did not disclose how much of that would go to the refurbishment of the A-2 test stand.

 

The A-2 test stand adds 30 acres to its footprint at Stennis, which now totals 298 acres. The company is the largest commercial tenant at the center.

 

“This increased footprint is a testament to Relativity’s continued progress in the commercial space arena,” said Rick Gilbrech, director of Stennis, in an agency statement. “It also is a testament to the value of NASA Stennis and our test complex infrastructure in supporting commercial space endeavors.”

 

Relativity announced in April it was retiring its Terran 1 rocket after a single launch in March that failed to reach orbit so it could focus on the Terran R, a medium- to heavy-lift vehicle with a reusable first stage. The Terran R is scheduled to make its first launch as soon as 2026.

 

https://spacenews.com/relativity-space-expands-presence-at-nasas-stennis-space-center/

Anonymous ID: 37c25e Sept. 8, 2023, 8:12 a.m. No.19512040   🗄️.is 🔗kun

US F-22 Raptor ‘Shot Down’ A UFO & Not A Chinese Spy Balloon Over Norther Canada In Feb – Reports

Sep 8, 2023

 

In an unexpected twist, a new report suggests that an object initially believed to be a Chinese balloon, downed by an F-22 fighter jet in February over the Yukon territory in northern Canada, may belong to the category of ‘unidentified anomalous phenomena’ or ‘UAP.’

 

On September 6, CTV News, based in Canada, reported that in February, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau received a classified memo on “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).”

 

Based on information obtained through a freedom of information request, the report revealed that an unidentified object was detected and shot down over northern Canada’s Yukon Territory on February 11.

 

The incident occurred shortly after an F-22 aircraft downed a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina on February 4.

 

Between February 10 and 12, US fighter jets shot down three more unidentified objects, with the object mentioned in the “Secret” memo provided to the Canadian Prime Minister being one of them.

 

According to the information in the “Secret” memo, the Yukon object marked the 23rd occurrence of a so-called “UAP” tracked over North America during the first few weeks of 2023.

 

The memo clarified that the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) assigns sequential numbers to objects detected annually to monitor every unidentifiable object.

 

Further investigation shows that many of these objects are harmless and do not warrant higher-level reporting or engagement. In the case of Object #23, its purpose, means of propulsion, or affiliation with any specific nation-state remains unconfirmed.

 

Sent on February 14, the “Memorandum for the Prime Minister” was labeled as “Secret” and designated for “limited distribution,” the report noted.

 

It was CC’d to Trudeau’s national security advisor, Jody Thomas, and endorsed by Janice Charette, who at the time held the influential position of the clerk of the Privy Council.

 

Canada’s Privy Council Office, or PCO, is a centralized organization overseeing the country’s public service. Its primary role is to offer non-partisan assistance to the prime minister and the cabinet in formulating policy decisions.

 

Debris Not Found

 

In the wake of the February 4 incident involving the takedown of a suspected Chinese spy balloon, “UAP #23” was one of three unidentified objects that fighter jets intercepted over North America earlier this year.

 

It has been reported that the three objects in question were considerably smaller than the 200-foot-tall apparent Chinese surveillance device.

 

The Yukon object, identified on the afternoon of February 11, was swiftly intercepted and shot down on the same day by a US F-22 fighter jet. During this initial encounter, officials characterized it as a “suspected balloon” with a “cylindrical” shape.

 

The memo explained that NORAD Canadian CF-18 Hornets were also dispatched, but the F-22s were better positioned regarding time, space, and diminishing daylight conditions.

 

It concluded by assuring that as additional Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) are detected, updates and information will continue to be provided.

 

Efforts to recover debris from the Yukon object were terminated on February 17 due to the challenging winter conditions and the remote mountainous terrain.

 

The memo also noted an uncertainty regarding whether it poses an armed threat or possesses intelligence collection capabilities.

 

Furthermore, the area where the impact occurred serves as a known migration route for caribous, which increases the likelihood of future accidental discovery by Indigenous hunters.

 

The Canadian military consistently highlights that it generally refrains from investigating reports of unidentified or unexplained occurrences unless they are linked to credible threats, potential threats, or situations involving possible distress, such as those in search and rescue operations.

 

The classified document contained extensive redactions, citing national security and cabinet confidentiality as the primary reasons.

 

Nonetheless, Canada and the United States have a level of cooperation in addressing such phenomena, extending beyond national borders.

 

The Canadian military has historically focused on investigating unknown or unexplained phenomena when they pose credible threats.

 

This case appears to align with that criterion, further reinforcing the narrative that there has been a change in attitude toward UAPs in Canada and globally.

 

https://www.eurasiantimes.com/us-f-22-raptor-shot-down-ufo-not-a-chinese-spy-balloon/

Anonymous ID: 37c25e Sept. 8, 2023, 8:18 a.m. No.19512067   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2096

Atlas V rocket rolled to pad for 2nd time for 'Silent Barker' spysat launch

Sep 7, 2023

 

Liftoff is scheduled for 8:51 a.m. ET on Saturday (Sept. 9).

 

An Atlas V rocket and its spysat payload are back on the launch pad again.

 

United Launch Alliance (ULA) rolled the Atlas V — which is topped with multiple classified payloads for "Silent Barker," a joint mission of the U.S. Space Force and the National Reconnaissance Office — out to Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida today (Sept. 7)

 

The rocket is scheduled to launch on Saturday (Sep. 9) at 8:51 a.m. EDT (1251 GMT). You can watch it live here at Space.com, courtesy of ULA.

 

It was the second rollout in support of Silent Barker: The Atlas V first made the trek to the pad on Aug. 25 ahead of a planned Aug. 29 liftoff.

 

That attempt, however, was called off due to the effects of Tropical Storm Idalia. And, to protect the rocket and its hush-hush payloads from the maelstrom, ULA rolled the Atlas V back to its vertical integration facility at Cape Canaveral on Aug. 28.

 

Silent Barker will send multiple satellites up to keep an eye on activity in geosynchronous orbit (GEO), which lies about 22,200 miles (35,700 kilometers) above Earth.

 

At that altitude, satellites orbit Earth in the same amount of time it takes our planet to complete one rotation. That means they "hover" over the same patch of ground, making GEO a population destination for telecommunications and Earth-observation craft.

 

We don't know how many satellites Silent Barker will loft, or what exactly they will do. But one of their mission objectives is to "deter aggression," Space Force officials have said.

 

"A huge element of deterrence is the ability for the adversary to know what we can and cannot see," Space Force Lt. General Michael Guetlein, commander of Space Systems Command, said in a teleconference with reporters on Aug. 28. "So we actually want our competitors to know that we have eyes in GEO and that we can see what's happening in GEO."

 

https://www.space.com/atlas-v-rocket-second-rollout-silent-barker-photos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76zt-6-fnRg