NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

April 7, 2024

A Total Solar Eclipse over Wyoming

Will the sky be clear enough to see the eclipse? This question is already on the minds of many North Americans hoping to see tomorrow's solar eclipse. This question was also on the mind of many people attempting to see the total solar eclipse that crossed North America in August 2017. Then, the path of total darkness shot across the mainland of the USA from coast to coast, from Oregon to South Carolina – but, like tomorrow's event, a partial eclipse occurred above most of North America. Unfortunately, in 2017, many locations saw predominantly clouds. One location that did not was a bank of the Green River Lakes, Wyoming. Intermittent clouds were far enough away to allow the center image of the featured composite sequence to be taken, an image that shows the corona of the Sun extending out past the central dark Moon that blocks our familiar Sun. The surrounding images show the partial phases of the solar eclipse both before and after totality.

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

New hydrogen fuel cell for passenger cars launched by Intelligent Energy

April 4, 2024

UK-based fuel cell developer and manufacturer Intelligent Energy (IE) has introduced a hydrogen fuel cell system tailored for passenger cars. Smaller and more powerful than other options, it has been designed to help the sector reach a zero-emission mobility solution.

Developed and patented by IE, the IE-Drive system can produce 157kW of gross electrical power. Its compact design, made possible by IE’s direct water injection technology, results in a heat exchanger that is up to 30% smaller than alternative solutions.

The development of the IE-Drive system is the result of the four-year Esther project, a £22m initiative supported by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) and involving collaboration with industry partners such as the Changan R&D Centre, Lyra Electronics and Alexander Dennis.

Dr Ashley Kells, IE’s program director, said, “The support provided by the APC has been fundamental to the development of this passenger car fuel cell system, along with the valuable input of the other program partners. The IE-Drive product is a groundbreaking advancement in the automotive industry and the work we have undertaken clearly illustrates the UK’s ability to be a global leader in the hydrogen fuel cell arena.”

Changan provided support during the project, including the provision of three SUVs to enable fuel cell testing.

The resulting system comprises the fuel cell stack, electronic control unit, heat exchanger and balance of plant (BOP).

“Esther has been a very valuable project for Changan UK in helping the company transition from an ‘engine and gearbox’ company into one that now regards working on high-voltage and hydrogen vehicles as normal business,” added​ Martin Joyce, ​ principal powertrain technical specialist at Changan UK.

IE anticipates that the cost of the Drive fuel cell system will decrease to around £100 per kW by the end of the decade, making it a cost-effective alternative to battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and internal combustion engines (ICEs).

David Woolhouse, IE’s CEO, said, “With 25% of all passenger cars expected to have hydrogen fuel cell powertrains, this clean technology represents the future.

“Our Drive product has the potential to shake up the hydrogen fuel cell market and accelerate the transition toward zero-emission mobility.”

Joyce concluded, “This, combined with the hydrogen fuel system we have installed during Esther, means we are fully prepared for the transition to zero-emission vehicles, regardless of what energy source will ultimately ​ be chosen in the markets around the world.” ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

IE-Drive is now ready for deployment and IE intends to collaborate with car manufacturers to bring hydrogen fuel cell powertrains to the forefront of the passenger car market.

https://www.automotivepowertraintechnologyinternational.com/news/fuel-cells-technologies/new-hydrogen-fuel-cell-for-passenger-cars-launched-by-intelligent-energy.html

TO MAKE LIFE MULTIPLANETARY

APRIL 6, 2024

The goal of SpaceX is to build the technologies necessary to make life multiplanetary. This is the first time in the 4-billion-year history of Earth that it’s possible to realize that goal and protect the light of consciousness.

At Starbase on Thursday, April 4, SpaceX Chief Engineer Elon Musk provided an update on the company’s plans to send humanity to Mars, the best destination to begin making life multiplanetary.

All of SpaceX’s current programs, including Falcon, Dragon, Starlink, and Starship are integral to developing the technologies necessary to make missions to Mars a reality. The update included near-term priorities for Starship that will unlock its ability to be fully and rapidly reusable, the core enabler for transforming humanity’s ability to send large amounts of payload to orbit and beyond. With more flight tests, significant vehicle upgrades, and missions returning astronauts to the surface of the Moon with NASA’s Artemis Program all coming soon, excitement will continue to be guaranteed with Starship.

The talk also includes the mechanics and challenges of traveling to Mars, along with what we’re building today to enable sending around a million people and several million tonnes to the Martian surface in the years to come.

https://www.spacex.com/updates/#make-life-multiplanetary

>>20692497

Pull it!

Cameroonian Scientist Advocates for African Space Hardware to Enhance Disaster Response

Apr 07, 2024

In a compelling call to action, Marie Makuate, a Cameroonian scientist and geospatial expert, emphasizes the need for more African nations to launch their own satellites to enhance disaster response efforts and reduce reliance on costly foreign data. Based in Yaoundé, Cameroon, Makuate's expertise in analyzing satellite images has proven crucial in numerous emergencies, including the recent devastating earthquake in central Morocco.

Working for the NGO Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, Makuate crafts detailed maps from satellite imagery to assist emergency services in navigating challenging terrains swiftly. Her work became especially vital last September when her maps helped organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières reach victims in the quake-hit areas of Morocco, including Marrakesh.

Despite the availability of some free satellite images for disaster relief, Makuate highlights the limitations and costs associated with accessing high-quality data when time is of the essence. "When an emergency starts, I have to negotiate with our satellite partners to find who can offer the best-quality images for free," she explains. However, this free access is often restricted to specific areas and for a limited time.

Makuate argues that if more African countries had their satellites, it would not only facilitate quicker and more efficient disaster response but also support other critical areas such as agriculture, population analysis, and natural resource management. Satellite imagery, she notes, can cost up to $25 per square kilometer, an expense that could be mitigated by domestic satellite programs.

This week, Makuate presented her case at the NewSpace Africa Conference in Luanda, Angola, where industry specialists gathered to discuss how space technology can propel the continent forward. The potential of the African space sector is vast, with projections estimating it could be worth over $20 billion by 2026.

Dr. Zolana João, general manager of the Angolan National Space Programme, echoed Makuate's sentiments at the conference. He stressed the importance of investing in African space capabilities to provide governments with reliable data for improved decision-making.

Currently, South Africa and Egypt lead the continent with 13 satellites each, a stark contrast to the more than 3,400 satellites operated by the United States. Makuate and her colleagues argue that increasing Africa's share in the space sector through regional investment could drastically enhance the continent's autonomy and technological prowess.

The discussions at the NewSpace Africa Conference highlight a growing consensus among African scientists and policymakers about the strategic benefits of developing indigenous space technologies. As the continent moves forward, the hope is that more nations will invest in this vital sector, harnessing space for sustainable development and better emergency responses.

https://www.africanexponent.com/cameroonian-scientist-advocates-for-african-space-hardware-to-enhance-disaster-response/

European space consultancies merge to form Novaspace

April 5, 2024

TAMPA, Fla. — European space consultancy firms Euroconsult and SpaceTec Partners announced merger plans April 5 to expand their services globally.

The combined group will be called Novaspace, marrying Euroconsult’s market intelligence expertise with SpaceTec Partners’ management consulting strengths and closer ties with European Union agencies.

Pacôme Revillon, CEO of Euroconsult, said the deal is essentially complete and is just waiting for final paperwork and financial transfers.

40-year-old Euroconsult, which also runs industry events including the annual World Space Business Week in Paris, has offices in France, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Australia, and the United States.

SpaceTec Partners was set up two decades ago and has offices in Germany and Belgium.

Revillon declined to disclose financial details but said the bulk of the transaction was made through the exchange of shares and brought together a team of about 130 people from the two companies.

The deal comes two years after U.S.-based rival market research and consulting firm Northern Sky Research was sold to Analysys Mason, a U.K.-based management consultancy focused on telecoms, media, and technology.

https://spacenews.com/european-space-consultancies-merge-to-form-novaspace/

Chilling moment pulsating blue cigar-shaped UFO is filmed hovering over ‘alien-hotspot’ US city leaving locals baffled

Updated: 4:10 ET, Apr 4 2024

WITNESSES have captured the moment that they believe a strange UFO flew across their city.

While in the desert city of Scottsdale near Phoenix, Arizona, a blue UFO appeared to come out of nowhere and hover across the city.

Photos captured a blue cigar-shaped object flying across the sky.

The flying light appeared to make twists and turns, giving viewers a possible once-in-a-lifetime show.

Eyewitnesses of the event gawked at the moment saying: "Look at that, it’s moving, that’s so weird.”

Others described its movement saying, “It’s kinda like streaking.”

While flying through Scottsdale, the alleged UFO began to pulsate and stretch across the sky.

Many people were concerned about what exactly it could be.

“It cannot be like drones or something," one man speculated.

People then began to notice the blue object separating into two different pieces

“Now it’s like separating,” he said. “Dude, that’s crazy.”

Believe it or not, this is not the only alleged UFO sighting that has happened in recent weeks.

Last month, Dr. Sebastian Voltmer recorded an object that flew through the night sky.

Voltmer said: “While I was filming the moon, I suddenly saw a fast, bright something darting through the image."

As someone who doesn't believe in UFOs, he admitted he could not explain what he saw.

He first thought that it could have been a satellite, however, it was at the wrong point of the earth's orbit, and the speed that it was going at was way too fast for a normal satellite.

He also ruled out the potential UFO being a meteor since he didn't observe the distinctive tail or the slow speed that's associated with it.

The International Meteor Organisation also confirmed that they didn't have any records of one of the shooting stars at the time, reports grewi.de.

Voltmer also doesn't believe that he saw any dust in the lens that could have posed as the flying object.

He told BILD: “I actually assume that it was at an altitude of 100 to 200 kilometers, i.e. in the transition to the so-called Low Earth Orbit."

The exact shape of the object cannot be seen from the still image as it has been blurred by the speed at which it was traveling.

https://www.the-sun.com/news/10990470/chilling-moment-pulsating-blue-ufo-filmed-hovering-alien/