NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

Feb 4, 2024

The Cone Nebula from Hubble

Stars are forming in the gigantic dust pillar called the Cone Nebula. Cones, pillars, and majestic flowing shapes abound in stellar nurseries where natal clouds of gas and dust are buffeted by energetic winds from newborn stars. The Cone Nebula, a well-known example, lies within the bright galactic star-forming region NGC 2264. The Cone was captured in unprecedented detail in this close-up composite of several observations from the Earth-orbiting Hubble Space Telescope. While the Cone Nebula, about 2,500 light-years away in Monoceros, is around 7 light-years long, the region pictured here surrounding the cone's blunted head is a mere 2.5 light-years across. In our neck of the galaxy that distance is just over half way from our Sun to its nearest stellar neighbors in the Alpha Centauri star system. The massive star NGC 2264 IRS, seen by Hubble's infrared camera in 1997, is the likely source of the wind sculpting the Cone Nebula and lies off the top of the image. The Cone Nebula's reddish veil is produced by dust and glowing hydrogen gas.

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

NASA and Partners Now Target Tuesday for Ax-3 Mission Departure

February 3, 2024

NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than Tuesday, Feb. 6, for the undocking of Axiom Mission 3 from the International Space Station. Teams are standing down from the Monday, Feb. 5, undocking opportunity of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Axiom crew members due to weather conditions off the coast of Florida. The next weather review is planned for 3 p.m. EST Sunday, Feb. 4. NASA will provide additional information on coverage.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2024/02/03/nasa-and-partners-now-target-tuesday-for-ax-3-mission-departure/

SpaceX to launch NASA's PACE ocean-monitoring satellite this week

Feb 4, 2024

A NASA satellite is about to take flight to map out the ocean's many hues.

NASA's PACE spacecraft, which will help scientists gauge the health of oceans around the world, is set to launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Tuesday (Feb. 6) at 1:33 a.m. EST (0633 GMT).

You can watch the liftoff live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA, or directly via the space agency. Coverage will begin at 12:45 a.m. EST (0545 GMT).

The Falcon 9 will deliver PACE, whose name is short for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem, to an orbit 420 miles (677 kilometers) above Earth — about 70% higher than the International Space Station flies.

From that perch, PACE will use its three science instruments "to collect data on clouds, aerosols and phytoplankton growth that can determine ocean color," NASA officials wrote in a mission update on Thursday (Feb. 1).

"Measuring the color and amount of light will help scientists better understand the types and locations of microscopic algae, which are vital to the health of Earth's oceans and its marine life," they added. "PACE will contribute to NASA’s more than 20 years of global satellite observations of ocean biology and key measurements related to air quality and climate."

The 10.5-foot-long (3.2-meter-long) PACE will do this work for at least three years, if all goes according to plan.

PACE has had a long and somewhat harrowing road to the launch pad. The Trump administration tried to cancel the mission three separate times, in its budget proposals for fiscal years 2018, 2019 and 2020. But Congress allocated the required funds on each occasion, saving PACE from the chopping block.

Back in 2014, NASA capped PACE's total cost (including for its launch vehicle) at $805 million, with a liftoff targeted for 2022. That price tag has gone up, however, to $948 million, according to Florida Today.

https://www.space.com/spacex-launch-nasa-pace-ocean-satellite-this-week

China launches 20 satellites on separate inland and sea rocket launches

February 4, 2024

A pair of Chinese rockets launched 11 mobility services satellites for an automaker and nine further, diverse satellites into orbit late Friday.

A Long March 2C rocket lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China at 6:37 p.m. Eastern (2337 UTC) Feb. 2, followed hours later by a Jielong-3 solid rocket launching from a mobile sea platform at 10:06 p.m. (0305 UTC, Feb. 3).

The former launch sent 11 satellites into orbit for the space arm of Chinese automaker Geely. The spacecraft were cataloged by U.S. Space Force space domain awareness in roughly 595 by 605-kilometer orbits with inclinations of 50 degrees.

The 11 satellites are part of the planned “Geely Future Mobility Constellation” constellation. The constellation is focused on autonomous drive, smart connectivity and other services.

The first phase of 72 satellites are planned to be sent into orbit by 2025 to establish global real-time data communication services, according to Geespace. A second phase of 168 satellites will follow to deliver global centimeter-level high-precision positioning services.

The completed constellation is to consist of 240 satellites, integrating communication, navigation, and remote sensing capabilities. Geespace states its satellites also have AI remote sensing functions for providing 1-5 meter resolution imaging.

A first batch of nine satellites were launched in June 2022, also using a Long March 2C from Xichang. Geely established a headquarters for its subsidiary Geespace in the Nansha district of Guangzhou in 2021. CAS Space, a launch arm of the state’s Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is also based in the same industrial park.

The latter launch saw nine satellites launched into sun-synchronous orbit on the second Jielong-3 (Smart Dragon-3) solid rocket launch within two months. The rocket lifted off from a mobile sea platform off the coast of Yangjiang, Guangdong province.

The launch carried a variety of satellites for various customers. These included Dongfang Huiang-01, also known as Yantai-2, a remote sensing satellite with a resolution of 0.5 meters and autonomous processing.

Little is known about DRO-L, which was developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IAMCAS). The DRO satellite may be a low Earth orbit link navigation satellite launched in preparation for the upcoming launch of experimental small lunar navigation satellites, Tiandu-1 and 2. The pair will launch for the moon along with the Queqiao-2 lunar relay satellite around March.

Weihai-1 01 and 02 are thought to be developed by giant state-owned enterprise CASIC. The pair carry laser-based communications payloads to demonstrate inter-satellite and space-to-ground laser links.

Xingshidai-18, 19 and 20 for ADA Space, a company developing remote sensing satellites with AI processing capabilities. Xingshidai-18 also included an integrated communications payload. Zhixing-2A is a satellite for Zhixing Space Technology Co. Ltd., also known as Smart Satellite. The commercial firm is building a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellation.

The Nexsat-1 experimental satellite was launched for Egypt, according to the Egyptian Space Agency. The 67-kilogram satellite is part of a drive for localization of microsat satellite technology in Egypt. Berlin Space Technologies of Germany were involved in the development of the satellite.

The launch of Nexsat-1 is part of growing space ties between China and Egypt. 2023 saw a jointly-constructed satellite assembly and test center produce its first satellites, the launch of Egyptian satellites on Chinese rockets, and Egypt join China’s International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project.

The Jielong-3 launch was operated by China Rocket Co. Ltd. The firm is described as a commercial-orientated spinoff from CALT, a main launch vehicle manufacturing arm under the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). CASC is China’s main space contractor and maker of Long March rockets. CALT developed the Jielong-3. It was the third launch of the rocket overall.

China Rocket also noted in a press statement that progress had been made on testing of an improved version of the Long March 8. A new commercial launch pad was recently completed near the national Wenchang spaceport dedicated to the rocket. Training programs are underway at the site in preparation for the first launch from the pad later this year.

The Jielong-3 launch was supported by the Haiyang sea launch facilities based on the coast of Shandong province. The launch, following the earlier Jielong-3 launch in December and the debut of the Gravity-1 large solid rocket in February indicates a growing cadence of sea launches.

https://spacenews.com/china-launches-20-satellites-on-separate-inland-and-sea-rocket-launches/

STEALTH MODE ‘Flying saucers’ hovering eerily over US leave fisherman fearing alien invasion – the truth is down to another aircraft

Updated: 17:29 ET, Feb 2 2024

A fisherman filmed the strangely mesmerising footage of “UFO-like clouds” that he spotted near Key West in Florida.

Resembling flying saucers hovering above the sea, the wispy layer of cloud was dotted with multiple perfectly-shaped circular, denser ones.

The fisherman sought help on social media, where he shared footage of the unusual sight and asked: “Has anyone seen clouds like these before? We were fishing off Key West.”

“I’ve seen enough alien invasion movies to know exactly what those are,” joked one person, while another responded: "UFOs, in stealth mode.”

It later transpired that they are fallstreak hole - also known as a "hole punch cloud."

These are large circular or elliptical gaps that can appear in cirrocumulus (small, fleecy clouds) or patchy altocumulus clouds, according to the National Weather Service.

https://www.the-sun.com/news/10274420/flying-saucers-hovering-eerily-us-fisherman-fearing-alien-invasion/

Study Confirms Covid Shots Caused Spikes in VAIDS, Cancer

February 3, 2024 - 12:58 pm

Researchers have published the results from a troubling new study that confirms Covid mRNA shots are responsible for spikes in serious and potentially fatal health issues.

The groundbreaking study found direct links between the injections and cases of vaccine-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (VAIDS), various types of cancer, heart failure, and brain disorders.

The study’s paper was reported by Thailand’s leading English-language corporate media outlet, the Bangkok Post.

The researchers found that people who receive multiple Covid injections, i.e., a double dose of mRNA shots from Pfizer-BioNTech followed by a “booster,” can cause all sorts of health horrors to manifest, potentially resulting in sudden and early death.

Despite the study being ignored by global corporate media outlets, the Bangkok Post has published the report for its roughly 16.7 million readers.

The fact that the Bangkok Post even published this kind of article at all is surprising.

The newspaper has deep mainstream media ties and teamed up with the New York Times in 2021 to produce a supplement.

The paper also works with The Wall Street Journal to produce articles for its daily business section.

“This places the Bangkok Post firmly in corporate media territory,” commented The Exposé.

The article in question is entitled: “Long COVID, vaccines may cause disease and death: Chula, Rangsit.”

It is centered around a study and highlights the disturbing findings.

The study the Bangkok Post article centers around points out that far too many medical professionals are blaming post-injection health woes on the SARS-CoV-2 “virus.”

However, this is often an incorrect diagnosis.

“Persistent physical symptoms after COVID-19 infection should not be automatically ascribed to SARS-CoV-2; a complete medical evaluation may be needed to prevent erroneously attributing symptoms to the virus,” the paper reads.

Another common error in post-injection poor health diagnoses is the standard claim among medical professionals that it must be so-called “long Covid.”

However, this alleged disorder was never associated with the types of extreme symptoms showing up exclusively in the fully vaccinated.

“It is perhaps among the first of the corporate media outlets in the world to publicize the harms caused by COVID injections and their cover-up without vilifying those who are raising the alarm as ‘conspiracy theorists,'” The Exposé further noted about the laudability of the Bangkok Post for daring to speak truth to the world.

However, this alleged disorder was never associated with the types of extreme symptoms showing up exclusively in the fully vaccinated.

“It is perhaps among the first of the corporate media outlets in the world to publicize the harms caused by COVID injections and their cover-up without vilifying those who are raising the alarm as ‘conspiracy theorists,'” The Exposé further noted about the laudability of the Bangkok Post for daring to speak truth to the world.

The study was led by Prof. Dr. Thiravat Hemachudha, director of the Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, as well as Panthep Puapongphan, dean of the College of Oriental Medicine at Rangsit University, also in Thailand.

These two renowned scientists are behind the research in question.

Their new study highlights the efforts by governments and their corporate media allies to hide data about the number of people damaged and killed by Covid mRNA injections.

“As a result, many people are unaware that the COVID ‘vaccines’ have adversely affected them and they have not been able to find proper treatment,” notes The Exposé.

The Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University also found in an evaluation of 100 cases of COVID that occurred in people who were fully jabbed that they developed weak T-cell immunity, suggesting the shots are destroying people’s health, not improving it.

Numerous studies from other countries have similarly found that COVID-19 shots are killing people by destroying their hearts, blood, and respiratory systems.

“Prof. Thiravat and Panthep also said that Thailand’s mortality rate has risen compared to levels before and during the COVID-19 pandemic,” The Exposé further commented on the study.

“They urged for an investigation to establish whether the increase in deaths was related to COVID injections.”

https://slaynews.com/news/study-confirms-covid-shots-caused-spikes-vaids-cancer/

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2723934