TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
April 17, 2024
Total Eclipse and Comets
Not one, but two comets appeared near the Sun during last week's total solar eclipse. The expected comet was Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, but it was disappointingly dimmer than many had hoped. However, relatively unknown Comet SOHO-5008 also appeared in long duration camera exposures. This comet was the 5008th comet identified on images taken by ESA & NASA's Sun-orbiting SOHO spacecraft. Likely much smaller, Comet SOHO-5008 was a sungrazer which disintegrated within hours as it passed too near the Sun. The featured image is not only unusual for capturing two comets during an eclipse, but one of the rare times that a sungrazing comet has been photographed from the Earth's surface. Also visible in the image is the sprawling corona of our Sun and the planets Mercury (left) and Venus (right). Of these planets and comets, only Venus was easily visible to millions of people in the dark shadow of the Moon that crossed North America on April 8.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?>>20737215
NASA Welcomes Switzerland as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory
APR 15, 2024
Switzerland became the 37th country to sign the Artemis Accords at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Monday, April 15, affirming Switzerland’s commitment to the sustainable and beneficial use of space for all humankind.
“Today, we marked a giant leap forward in the partnership between the United States and Switzerland,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “As we welcome you into the Artemis Accords family, we expand our commitment to explore the unknown openly and peacefully. Discovery strengthens goodwill on Earth, and we are excited to expand our countries’ shared values and principles to the cosmos.”
At approximately 11:30 a.m., Guy Parmelin, Swiss Federal Councillor and Minister for Economic Affairs, Education & Research, signed the Accords on behalf of Switzerland. Other participants in the ceremony included:
Valda Vikmanis-Keller, acting deputy assistant secretary, Department of State
Martina Hirayama, state secretary, Head of the State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation
Jacques Pitteloud, Swiss Ambassador to the U.S.
ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Marco Sieber, Swiss national
Renato Krpoun, Head of Swiss Space Office
Professor Peter Wurz, Director Space and Planetary Sciences, University of Bern
“Switzerland has a long-standing partnership with NASA on human space exploration as well as space and Earth sciences,” said Parmelin. “With the signature of the Artemis Accords we renew our commitment to jointly explore the heavens above us.”
The Artemis Accords, established by NASA and the U.S. Department of State in 2020, reinforce the 1968 Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies otherwise known as the Outer Space Treaty. They also emphasize a commitment on behalf of the U.S. to the Registration Convention, the Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, and other standards that NASA and its partners support.
Many more countries are anticipated to join the Artemis Accords in the months and years to come, as NASA continues to facilitate a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space with its international partners.
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-switzerland-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/
NASA Embraces Sweden as Newest Member of Artemis Accords Family
APR 16, 2024
On Tuesday, April 16, NASA welcomed Sweden as the 38th country to sign the Artemis Accords and commit to peaceful and safe space exploration. Minister for Education Dr. Mats Persson signed the accords on behalf of Sweden at an event in Stockholm.
“NASA welcomes Sweden to the Artemis Accords family,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Our nations have worked together to discover new secrets in our Solar System, and now, we welcome you to a global coalition that is committed to exploring the heavens openly, transparently, responsibly, and in peace. The United States and Sweden share the same bedrock principles, and we’re excited to expand these principles to the cosmos.”
Sweden affirmed its dedication to the sustainable use of space at the Swedish Government Offices. Participants included Persson and Ambassador Erik D. Ramanathan, the U.S. ambassador to Sweden, who gave remarks welcoming Sweden to the Accords family. Pre-recorded remarks by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson played during the ceremony as well.
“Sweden has an advanced space sector, and the societal benefits of space research and activities have grown in importance,” said Persson. “By joining the Artemis Accords, Sweden strengthens its strategic space partnership with the U.S. on space covering areas such as Swedish space research and the space industry, which in turn also strengthens Sweden’s total defense capability.”
The Artemis Accords are a set of principles to guide the next phase in space exploration, announced by NASA and the U.S. Department of State in 2020. The Accords provide important implementation of key obligations from the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and reinforce the commitment by the United States and signatory nations to the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.
Additional countries will sign the Artemis Accords in the future, as the United States continues to work with international partners to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space.
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-embraces-sweden-as-newest-member-of-artemis-accords-family/
Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria Found on ISS Mutating to Become Functionally Distinct
APR 16, 2024
In a new scientific paper funded by an Ames Space Biology grant, Principal Investigator Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory strains of the bacterial species Enterobacter bugandensis isolated from the International Space Station (ISS) were studied. Thirteen strains of E. bugandensis, a bacterium notorious for being multi-drug resistant, were isolated from the ISS. Study findings indicate under stress, the ISS isolated strains were mutated and became genetically and functionally distinct compared to their Earth counterparts. The strains were able to viably persist in the ISS over time with a significant abundance. E. bugandensis coexisted with multiple other microorganisms, and in some cases could have helped those organisms survive.
Publication Impact: Closed human-built environments, such as the ISS, are unique areas that provide an extreme environment subject to microgravity, radiation, and elevated carbon dioxide levels. Any microorganisms introduced to these areas must adapt to thrive. By delving into microbial dynamics in extreme environments, this research opens doors to effective preventative measure for astronaut health.
https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/ames/ames-science/ames-space-biosciences/multi-drug-resistant-bacteria-found-on-iss-mutating-to-become-functionally-distinct/
NASA’s Dragonfly Rotorcraft Mission to Saturn’s Moon Titan Confirmed
APR 16, 2024
NASA has confirmed its Dragonfly rotorcraft mission to Saturn’s organic-rich moon Titan. The decision allows the mission to progress to completion of final design, followed by the construction and testing of the entire spacecraft and science instruments.
“Dragonfly is a spectacular science mission with broad community interest, and we are excited to take the next steps on this mission," said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "Exploring Titan will push the boundaries of what we can do with rotorcraft outside of Earth.”
In early 2023, the mission successfully passed all the success criteria of its Preliminary Design Review. At that time, however, the mission was asked to develop an updated budget and schedule to fit into the current funding environment. This updated plan was presented and conditionally approved in November 2023, pending the outcome of the fiscal year 2025 budget process. In the meantime, the mission was authorized to proceed with work on final mission design and fabrication to ensure that the mission stayed on schedule.
With the release of the president’s fiscal year 2025 budget request, Dragonfly is confirmed with a total lifecycle cost of $3.35 billion and a launch date of July 2028. This reflects a cost increase of about two times the proposed cost and a delay of more than two years from when the mission was originally selected in 2019. Following that selection, NASA had to direct the project to replan multiple times due to funding constraints in fiscal years 2020 through 2022. The project incurred additional costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain increases, and the results of an in-depth design iteration. To compensate for the delayed arrival at Titan, NASA also provided additional funding for a heavy-lift launch vehicle to shorten the mission’s cruise phase.
The rotorcraft, targeted to arrive at Titan in 2034, will fly to dozens of promising locations on the moon, looking for prebiotic chemical processes common on both Titan and the early Earth before life developed. Dragonfly marks the first time NASA will fly a vehicle for science on another planetary body. The rotorcraft has eight rotors and flies like a large drone.
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/dragonfly/nasas-dragonfly-rotorcraft-mission-to-saturns-moon-titan-confirmed/
'I really like these suits.' Boeing's snazzy (and flexible) Starliner spacesuits have astronauts buzzing
April 17, 2024
As a Canadian used to standing at bus stops in -40 degrees, I'm no stranger to stiff gloves. So I was delighted when the gloves on Boeing's Starliner spacesuit allowed me to easily flex my fingers.
Happily, my test conditions were less brutal than winter or a spaceflight: I was trying on part of the Starliner gear at NASA's Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Space Vehicle Mockup Facility (Building 9) during a media tour ahead of Boeing's first astronaut mission for NASA. That excursion, Crew Flight Test or CFT, is scheduled for liftoff no earlier than May 6.
"This suit is an ascent-entry suit, which means that it's made to be on use in the interior of our vehicle," Tori Wills Pedrotty, Starliner spacesuit lead, told reporters here at JSC March 21. She also demonstrated how the last 40 years have seen substantial advances in spacesuit design since NASA's space shuttle ascent suits were designed.
Boeing is the second commercial crew provider for astronaut missions, alongside SpaceX. Both companies were tasked in 2014 with running NASA-led crews to the ISS after the space shuttle's retirement. SpaceX began flying operational ISS missions in 2020, while Starliner was repeatedly delayed due to numerous technical issues. (The company and NASA now say all is well enough resolved to safely bring crew on board.)
CFT will see NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams do an approximately 10-day shakedown cruise to the ISS to assess the performance of Starliner and all of its related hardware, including the Boeing-made spacesuits.
Assuming all goes well and launch schedules hold, the first operational six-month mission by astronauts aboard Boeing's spacecraft — known as Starliner-1 — will then take place in early 2025.
Boeing first unveiled its spacesuits in 2017, with features including wrap-around glass in the helmet and touchscreen-sensitive gloves. The overall suit is intended to be "lighter and more flexible through use of advanced materials and new joint patterns," NASA officials wrote at the time.
Launch-and-entry suits worn by space shuttle crews tended to run about 30 pounds (13.7 kg), while Boeing's version is only 20 pounds (9 kg). Aside from the jointed gloves, other flexibility features Starliner astronauts enjoy include moveable materials in the elbows and knees, along with "strategically located zippers", NASA wrote.
The astronauts are enjoying the flexibility. "I really like these suits," Williams said during a press conference here at JSC on March 22. "We worked with the company, David Clark, through Boeing to get the suits squared away for us … I think they're really nice."
Space shuttle astronauts like Williams and Wilmore wore a few varieties of interior spacesuits over the decades. Early 1981-2 missions STS-1 through STS-4 used a Launch-Entry Suit (LES) derived from a high-pressure suit worn by U.S. Air Force pilots in the mid-1970s, Space Center Houston officials wrote.
NASA then flew astronauts to space unsuited until the 1986 Challenger disaster that killed seven people during the ascent. After that, all NASA-led crews flew on the space shuttle using some kind of pumpkin spacesuit, all made by David Clark Company (the same manufacturer that built the Gemini program's spacesuits in the 1960s.)
A modified LES from early space shuttle days was worn from STS-26 in 1988 through STS-64 in 1994. This LES was a one-piece, partial pressure suit. It inflated with air-filled bladders between the astronaut's body and the suit's outer layer "to provide direct mechanical counterpressure to the body when it was inflated," Space Center Houston wrote.
Following a transition period, remaining shuttle crews used the Advanced Crew Escape Suit (ACES) through the program's retirement in 2011. ACES was a full-pressure spacesuit that put the astronaut "in an airtight body-shaped pressure envelope", but with less mass and more joint flexibility than the LES. This was important, not only for crew comfort, but also for emergency procedures.
And now, a generation later, the next set of spacesuits by Boeing, SpaceX and other companies all aim to be even more flexible while maintaining crew safety. Boeing, in fact, continues to change its own spacesuit design: After its current David Clark version flies on board CFT, a new ILC Dover version will be used for astronauts, Space.com partner collectSPACE reported in 2022.
The current Starliner suit has five sizings available, Wills Pedrotty explained to us at JSC. Each crew member is carefully measured, and then the relevant pieces for their bodies can be swapped in for the best comfort and safety. As for the integrated boots, there are 10 sizes to put on your foot, all developed with San Antonio Shoemakers.
cont.
https://www.space.com/boeing-starliner-astronaut-spacesuit-fashion-safety
Creepy Video Shows Humanoid-Shaped UFO Floating Over US Park. What Is It?
April 16, 2024 12:33 PM ET
Footage shared Sunday on social media appeared to show a bizarre humanoid UFO floating in mid-air somewhere over Sequoia Park in California.
Footage was captured by multiple people and shared by the @528vibes social media channel. It appears to show a humanoid-type glowing white figure standing in place in our skies and doing some weird poses. But unlike any other UFO video shared online, there are multiple reports of the same bizarre being appearing year after year, with no specific explanation as to what it is.
Some people apparently claim these bizarre UFO people are “interdimensional beings” but obviously there’s no proof to this claim in mainstream science, News18 noted.
Others think this is a psychological operations test for the underworld government to trick us into thinking the Second Coming of Christ is upon us, even though there’s no evidence to suggest Jesus ever floated through the air looking like a giant Stay Puft balloon.
https://dailycaller.com/2024/04/16/creepy-video-shows-humanoid-shaped-ufo-floating-over-us-park/
'Alien mummies' press conference descends into chaos as Peruvian officials try to seize new 'pregnant specimen' with three fingers and toes
UPDATED: 15:21 EDT, 15 April 2024
In a scene straight out of a sci-fi thriller, a press conference showcasing 'alien mummies' took a bizarre turn after Peruvian authorities attempted to seize a 'pregnant' new specimen.
As part of the event, hosted by ufologist Jaime Maussan in Peru, a new 'alien' specimen named Montserrat was presented to those in attendance.
Maussan, 70, known for his prolific research into extraterrestrial phenomena, had previously made headlines by presenting two alleged mummified aliens - found in Palpa and Nazca in Peru in 2016 - at the Mexican congress in September 2023.
According to event's host, the 'alien' had been expecting a tridactyl foetus, now affectionately named as Rafael by Maussan.
However, in a dramatic turn, the press conference was interrupted by officials from the Peruvian Ministry of Culture who stormed the event with the intention of seizing Montserrat's mummified body.
Accompanied by specialised police officers, officials interrupted a speech given by researcher and journalist Jois Mantilla to take control of the microphone.
The official said: 'Sorry for the interruption, we are taking an unexpected preventive action with the Ministry of Culture and the Specialised Cultural Heritage Police regarding the exhibition of the tridactyl mummies that you have reported on social networks.'
But, in an even eerier twist, plans to confiscate Montserrat's body were halted after stunned ministry officials learned that the physical mummy was not present at the event.
Instead, Maussan and colleagues were carrying out a video presentation on the tridactyl mummy, which resulted in officials being invited to watch the 15-minute video alongside the audience.
The presentation involved analysis by forensic odontologist and retired professor at the University of Colorado, John McDowell.
He was accompanied by William Rodriguez, forensic anthropologist for Maryland State Medical Examiner, and Dr. James Caruso, a medical examiner based in Denver, Colorado.
The guest speakers concluded that the mummified bodies are to undergo further investigation and cannot yet be dismissed as fake.
Officials maintain that the bodies are 'dolls' made of human bones, which are likely to have been dug up by grave looters to sell on the black market, as reported by NeedToKnow.
Science writer Mick West said: 'There are many reasons why the Peruvian government might want to take action against Jamie Maussan's alien mummy.
He added: 'Grave robbery? Illegal transportation of human remains? Smuggling of archaeological artefacts? Fraud? We'll have to wait and see.'
Meanwhile, another set of 'alien mummies' surfaced in March - with the three-fingered beings said to be from Peru - according to filmmakers who claim to have X-rayed the alleged corpses.
One seemingly plaster-encased, four-foot tall specimen, these documentarians said, contains a new form of DNA and appears to show signs of 'genetic engineering.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13310397/Alien-mummies-press-conference-descends-chaos-Peruvian-officials-try-seize-new-pregnant-specimen-three-fingers-toes.html
Antarctica Anomaly IS REAL! - US Weather Radar SHUTDOWN Again! Hacked?
UPDATE On the Antarctica Anomaly and South Africa!
We lost almost ALL of our weather Satellites today for the 3RD TIME IN A MONTH!! Are we being Hacked?
Humanoid UFO seen in the skies over California!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnf231ArMek