TYB
Powerful dust storm in California causes 20-car pileup in Madera County
Thursday, November 14, 2024
A powerful dust storm swept through California’s Madera County on Monday afternoon along State Route 152, causing a car pileup as several vehicles collided due to severely reduced visibility.
Approximately 20 cars were involved in the pileup, according to the California Highway Patrol. Several people sustained minor injuries and were taken to the hospital.
“It was terrifying, it was just terrifying. We got hit, we thought we were okay, then we got hit again, and again. We just thought it wasn’t going to end. I really thought we were going to die. I’m really thankful we’re okay,” said Delissa Fulce, one of the drivers stranded on the highway.
The storm reportedly downed several fences and trees as it swept through the region.
https://watchers.news/2024/11/14/powerful-dust-storm-in-california-causes-20-car-pileup-in-madera-county/
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
November 15, 2024
Apollo 12 and Surveyor 3
Put on your red/blue glasses and gaze across the western Ocean of Storms on the surface of the Moon. The 3D anaglyph features Apollo 12 astronaut Pete Conrad visiting the Surveyor 3 spacecraft in November of 1969. Surveyor 3 had landed at the site on the inside slope of a small crater about 2 1/2 years earlier in April of 1967. Visible on the horizon beyond the far crater wall, Apollo 12's Lunar Module Intrepid touched down less than 200 meters (650 feet) away, easy moonwalking distance from the robotic Surveyor spacecraft. This stereo image was carefully created from two separate pictures (AS12-48-7133, AS12-48-7134) captured on the lunar surface. They depict the scene from only slightly different viewpoints, approximating the separation between human eyes.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
Wind Blowing Out of Uranus Makes It Hard to Probe, NASA Complains
Nov 13, 11:11 AM EST
Scientists have found that a "rare intense wind event" during NASA's Voyager 2 flyby of Uranus in 1986 may have seriously messed with our understanding of the planet.
And yes, we admit, the jokes practically write themselves.
But the research is very real. As detailed in a new paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy, NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab scientist Jamie Jasinski and an international team of researchers found that our current understanding of Uranus may be based on data collected during an unusual period of time when Uranus' magnetosphere was in an "anomalous, compressed state," which only occurs "less than five percent of the time."
In other words, our current understanding of the distant planet may be far more limited than we thought because the Sun was pelting Uranus with solar weather at the time.
Letting Rip
Jasinksi reexamined the data collected by Voyager 2 during its 1986 flyby and found that the probe had examined Uranus shortly after an intense solar wind event, which saw a huge surge of charged particles blast its way from the Sun.
The event compressed the planet's magnetosphere, they found, causing it to deform into a significantly asymmetrical shape that appeared to lack plasma.
"We postulate that such a compression of the magnetosphere could increase energetic electron fluxes within the radiation belts and empty the magnetosphere of its plasma temporarily," the researchers wrote in their paper.
Even if Voyager 2 had come to visit a mere week earlier, the researchers suggest, it would have found a far more recognizable magnetosphere, like those surrounding other planets in our solar system, including Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune.
"Owing to the variation of the solar wind at Uranus, we suggest that there may be two magnetospheric cycles during solar minimum," the researchers suggested, referring to the calmest period of the Sun's 11-year solar cycle.
Intriguingly, Uranus' two most distant moons Titania and Oberon may be orbiting the planet outside the magnetosphere, which could give astronomers an unprecedented look at their subsurface oceans without any electromagnetic interference.
In short, we shouldn't draw any definitive conclusions from NASA's flyby almost 40 years ago.
"We highlight that our understanding of the Uranus system is highly limited, and our analysis shows that any conclusions made from the Voyager 2 flyby are similarly tentative," the researchers conclude in their paper.
"We suggest that discoveries made by the Voyager 2 flyby should not be assigned any typicality regarding Uranus’s magnetosphere."
https://futurism.com/the-byte/hard-to-probe-uranus-with-wind-blowing-out-of-it-scientists-complain
https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/what-we-know-about-uranus-might-be-flawed-due-to-an-intense-wind-event
NASA Plans to Lay Gas Pipeline at Moon's South Pole for Artemis Missions
20:43 IST, November 15th 2024
NASA is exploring a groundbreaking initiative to enhance operations on the Moon with the proposed Lunar South Pole Oxygen Pipeline (L-SPoP).
This project aims to revolutionize lunar surface activities by significantly reducing the costs and risks associated with oxygen transportation, which is crucial for sustaining long-term human missions under the Artemis program.
The Artemis program, which aims to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon, depends heavily on utilizing in-situ resources to minimize the need for supplies from Earth.
Oxygen, essential for life support and rocket propulsion, is being extracted from lunar regolith and water ice through advanced technologies that NASA has already invested in.
These oxygen extraction methods are expected to be demonstrated on a large scale as early as 2024, with the potential to support Artemis astronauts by 2026.
Currently, the extracted oxygen is stored in compressed gas tanks or liquefied in dewars, requiring transportation across the Moon's surface.
However, this process is highly energy-intensive and costly due to the vast distances between resource extraction sites and lunar bases.
The proposed L-SPoP system envisions a 5-kilometer pipeline that would transport oxygen gas from extraction sites to storage or liquefaction facilities near lunar habitats.
This pipeline would be made from in-situ materials, primarily lunar aluminum, extracted from the Moon’s surface.
The pipeline’s modular design would be adaptable, repairable, and sustainable, reducing reliance on Earth-based resources and minimizing operational costs.
Key features of the L-SPoP include:
Robotic Construction and Repair: The pipeline would be built and maintained by robotic systems using regolith-derived metals.
Oxygen Flow Rate: The system is designed to transport oxygen at a rate of approximately 2 kg per hour, enough to meet NASA's initial need of 10,000 kg of oxygen annually.
Minimal Power Requirements: The pipeline would operate with low power demands, making it sustainable for long-term use.
Long Lifespan: The pipeline is projected to last over 10 years, with high operational reliability, even in the harsh lunar environment.
NASA's plan for L-SPoP also includes using innovative materials such as lunar aluminum, which is abundant at the Moon’s South Pole, and applying a passivation coating to the interior of the pipe to prevent corrosion.
Other materials, including iron and magnesium, will be considered during the design process.
The L-SPoP project represents a significant step toward creating a sustainable infrastructure for lunar operations.
By reducing the costs and risks of oxygen transportation, NASA hopes to pave the way for a permanent human presence on the Moon, supporting both the Artemis program and future deep-space missions.
https://www.republicworld.com/science/space/nasa-plans-to-lay-gas-pipeline-at-moon-s-south-pole-for-artemis-missions
https://x.com/NASA_Technology/status/1857076294879465827?
Become part of a space mission in Artemis VR, a virtual reality spaceflight simulator developed with insights from NASA
November 15, 2024
n 2025 you’ll be able to become part of a space mission in Artemis VR, a virtual reality space simulator developed with insights from NASA which promises to provide an experience that is as close to the real thing as possible.
In Artemis VR players will take on the role of an Artemis crew member as they experience the excitement and challenges of a real space mission.
You can check out a trailer above and read below for more info:
Become part of a space mission – Artemis VR with liftoff scheduled for 2025
Step into the suit of an Artemis space program crew member and tackle precisely recreated spaceflight procedures – experience the thrill of a rocket launch, manage the ship’s control center, go on your first spacewalk, but remember, not everything always goes according to plan…
Countdown initiated! Vritics – an experienced team of developers specializing in virtual reality projects, announced today the upcoming debut of Artemis VR, their closest to reality VR spaceflight simulator.
Players will be at the forefront of a cosmic voyage, stepping into the role of the Artemis programme crew member, exploring a true-to-life space mission from various angles.
Currently in development, the project is advancing thanks to NASA resources and consultations with professionals in terms of Artemis Missions.
The title will launch on Steam in 2025 – the official game page is now available
https://gamingtrend.com/news/become-part-of-a-space-mission-in-artemis-vr-a-virtual-reality-spaceflight-simulator-developed-with-insights-from-nasa/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2720780/Artemis_VR/
NASA: Philippines’ overlapping cyclones ‘unusual’
Updated Nov 15, 2024 12:17 PM PHT
The string of storms that simultaneously swirled near the Philippines this November was “unusual”, NASA said.
NASA on Thursday shared a satellite image that showed tropical cyclones Marce, Nika, Ofel, and Pepito lining up in the western Pacific on Nov. 11.
At that time, the cyclones were either approaching the Philippines or had already passed over Luzon.
“In an unusual sight, four storms churned simultaneously in the Western Pacific Ocean in November 2024," NASA said.
"The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that it was the first time since records began in 1951 that so many storms co-existed in the Pacific basin in November,” it added.
Typhoon season in the West Pacific stretches across the entire year, but most storms form between May and October, NASA noted.
“November typically sees three named storms, with one becoming a super typhoon, based on the 1991-2000 average,” it added.
The Philippines’ brutal wave of weather disasters has already killed 159 people and prompted the United Nations to request $32.9 million in aid for the worst-affected regions.
Marce hit northern Luzon on November 7.
Four days later, Nika slammed into Aurora province, where it unleashed flooding and brought power outages. It also spawned landslides that buried roads in the Cordilleras.
Ofel on Thursday slammed into the Philippines' already disaster-ravaged north, prompting thousands to evacuate.
Meanwhile, Pepito will continuously intensify and reach super typhoon strength by Saturday.
It may make landfall at peak intensity over eastern Bicol or Central Luzon this weekend, PAGASA said.
This was similar to the path of last month's Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, which accounted for most of the deaths tallied in the recent swarm of weather disasters to hit the country.
"Typhoons are overlapping.
As soon as communities attempt to recover from the shock, the next tropical storm is already hitting them again," said Gustavo Gonzalez, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in the Philippines.
"In this context, the response capacity gets exhausted and budgets depleted."
A UN assessment of the past month's weather disasters said 207,000 houses had been damaged or destroyed, and nearly 700,000 people were seeking temporary shelter.
Many families were without even essentials like sleeping mats, hygiene kits, and cooking supplies, and had limited access to safe drinking water, it said.
The storms destroyed thousands of hectares of farmland and persistent flooding is likely to delay replanting efforts and worsen food supply problems, the report added.
About 20 big storms and typhoons hit the archipelago nation or its surrounding waters each year, killing scores of people and keeping millions in enduring poverty.
A recent study showed that storms in the Asia-Pacific region are increasingly forming closer to coastlines, intensifying more rapidly and lasting longer over land due to climate change.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/15/vp-duterte-says-dad-was-best-dramatic-actor-in-house-quad-comm-session-2057
South Pole Safety: Designing the NASA Lunar Rescue System
Nov 14, 2024
In the unforgiving lunar environment, the possibility of an astronaut crewmember becoming incapacitated due to unforeseen circumstances (injury, medical emergency, or a mission-related accident) is a critical concern, starting with the upcoming Artemis III mission, where two astronaut crewmembers will explore the Lunar South Pole.
The Moon’s surface is littered with rocks ranging from 0.15 to 20 meters in diameter and craters spanning 1 to 30 meters wide, making navigation challenging even under optimal conditions.
The low gravity, unique lighting conditions, extreme temperatures, and availability of only one person to perform the rescue, further complicate any rescue efforts.
Among the critical concerns is the safety of astronauts during Extravehicular Activities (EVAs).
If an astronaut crewmember becomes incapacitated during a mission, the ability to return them safely and promptly to the human landing system is essential.
A single crew member should be able to transport an incapacitated crew member distances up to 2 km and a slope of up to 20 degrees on the lunar terrain without the assistance of a lunar rover.
This pressing issue opens the door for innovative solutions.
We are looking for a cutting-edge design that is low in mass and easy to deploy, enabling one astronaut crewmember to safely transport their suited (343 kg (~755lb)) and fully incapacitated partner back to the human landing system.
The solution must perform effectively in the Moon’s extreme South Pole environment and operate independently of a lunar rover.
Your creativity and expertise could bridge this critical gap, enhancing the safety measures for future lunar explorers.
By addressing this challenge, you have the opportunity to contribute to the next “giant leap” in human space exploration.
Award: $45,000 in total prizes
Open Date: November 14, 2024
Close Date: January 23, 2025
https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/prizes-challenges-crowdsourcing-program/center-of-excellence-for-collaborative-innovation-coeci/south-pole-safety-designing-the-nasa-lunar-rescue-system/
https://www.herox.com/NASASouthPoleSafety
NASA and Forest Service Use Balloon to Help Firefighters Communicate
Nov 14, 2024
NASA is participating in a collaborative effort to use high-altitude balloons to improve real-time communications among firefighters battling wildland fires.
The rugged and often remote locations where wildland fires burn mean cell phone service is often limited, making communication between firefighters and command posts difficult.
The flight testing of the Strategic Tactical Radio and Tactical Overwatch (STRATO) technology brought together experts from NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, the U.S. Forest Service, high-altitude balloon company Aerostar, and Motorola to provide cell service from above.
The effort was funded by the NASA Science Mission Directorate’s Earth Science Division Airborne Science Program and the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate Flight Opportunities program.
“This project leverages NASA expertise to address real problems,” said Don Sullivan, principal investigator for STRATO at NASA Ames.
“We do a lot of experimental, forward-thinking work, but this is something that is operational and can make an immediate impact.”
Flying High Above Wildland Fires
Soaring above Earth at altitudes of 50,000 feet or more, Aerostar’s Thunderhead high-altitude balloon systems can stay in operation for several months and can be directed to “station keep,” staying within a radius of few miles.
Because wildland fires often burn in remote, rugged areas, firefighting takes place in areas where cell service is not ideal.
Providing cellular communication from above, from a vehicle that can move as the fire changes, would improve firefighter safety and firefighting efficiency.
The STRATO project’s first test flight took place over the West Mountain Complex fires in Idaho in August and demonstrated significant opportunities to support future firefighting efforts.
The balloon was fitted with a cellular LTE transmitter and visual and infrared cameras.
To transmit between the balloon’s cell equipment and the wildland fire incident command post, the team used a SpaceX Starlink internet satellite device and Silvus broadband wireless system.
When tested, the onboard instruments provided cell coverage for a 20-mile radius. By placing the transmitter on a gimbal, that cell service coverage could be adjusted as ground crews moved through the region.
The onboard cameras gave fire managers and firefighters on the ground a bird’s-eye view of the fires as they spread and moved, opening the door to increased situational awareness and advanced tracking of firefighting crews.
On the ground, teams use an app called Tactical Awareness Kit (TAK) to identify the locations of crew and equipment.
Connecting the STRATO equipment to TAK provides real-time location information that can help crews pinpoint how the fire moves and where to direct resources while staying in constant communication.
Soaring Into the Future
The next steps for the STRATO team are to use the August flight test results to prepare for future fire seasons.
The team plans to optimize balloon locations as a constellation to maximize coverage and anticipate airflow changes in the stratosphere where the balloons fly.
By placing balloons in strategic locations along the airflow path, they can act as replacements to one another as they are carried by airflow streams.
The team may also adapt the scientific equipment aboard the balloons to support other wildland fire initiatives at NASA.
As the team prepares for further testing next year, the goal is to keep firefighters informed and in constant communication with each other and their command posts to improve the safety and efficiency of fighting wildland fires.
“Firefighters work incredibly hard saving lives and property over long days of work,” said Sullivan. “I feel honored to be able to do what we can to make their jobs safer and better.”
https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/ames/nasa-and-forest-service-use-balloon-to-help-firefighters-communicate/
NASA Seeks Options for Future Headquarters Building
Nov 14, 2024
As the agency continues to explore for the benefit of all, NASA is in the process of searching for a new headquarters facility in Washington or the immediate surrounding area.
The current NASA Headquarters lease expires in August 2028, and the agency already has evaluated multiple options including leasing or purchasing within the District of Columbia.
Through a request for information published Thursday, NASA took a small step in a longer process to determine the best outcome for the agency and U.S. taxpayers.
“With a new facility on the horizon, NASA has a unique opportunity to better meet the needs of a new generation of explorers, discoverers, and public servants – the Artemis Generation,” said Bob Gibbs, associate administrator, Mission Support Directorate.
“The next NASA Headquarters will reflect our journey in a facility that inspires and engages the public, aligns with new ways of working, fosters innovation and connection, and maximizes taxpayer funding.”
NASA is asking for responses from members of the development community, local and state jurisdictions, academia, other federal agencies, commercial aerospace partners, and other interested parties to help inform its decision.
Needs for a new headquarters includes approximately 375,000 to 525,000 square feet of office space to house NASA’s workforce.
The desired location is within walking distance to a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority station.
In addition, the new location also needs parking options, as well as convenient access to food establishments.
Other ideal characteristics for a new setting include the capability to renovate the space to create a dynamic, flexible, and adaptive work environment inclusive of open work areas, enclosed offices, open collaboration areas, teaming rooms, conference rooms, sensitive compartmented information facilities, and secured storage spaces, to include potential stakeholder meeting, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) educational outreach, and storage spaces.
Responses to the request for information are due no later than 12 p.m. EST on Jan. 15, 2025.
This call for ideas is for informational purposes only and is intended to assist NASA with its planning and strategic decisions regarding a future facility.
It is not a request for a lease proposal or a solicitation for a contract or other agreement, and it does not obligate NASA in any way.
Under the leadership of the administrator, NASA Headquarters provides overall guidance and direction to the agency, through 10-field centers and a variety of installations nationwide.
https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/hq/nasa-seeks-options-for-future-headquarters-building/
Telescope for NASA’s Roman Mission Complete, Delivered to Goddard
Nov 14, 2024
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is one giant step closer to unlocking the mysteries of the universe.
The mission has now received its final major delivery: the Optical Telescope Assembly, which includes a 7.9-foot (2.4-meter) primary mirror, nine additional mirrors, and supporting structures and electronics.
The assembly was delivered Nov. 7. to the largest clean room at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, where the observatory is being built.
The telescope will focus cosmic light and send it to Roman’s instruments, revealing many billions of objects strewn throughout space and time.
Using the mission’s Wide Field Instrument, a 300-megapixel infrared camera, astronomers will survey the cosmos all the way from the outskirts of our solar system toward the edge of the observable universe.
Scientists will use Roman’s Coronagraph Instrument to test new technologies for dimming host stars to image planets and dusty disks around them in far better detail than ever before.
“We have a top-notch telescope that’s well aligned and has great optical performance at the cold temperatures it will see in space,” said Bente Eegholm, optics lead for Roman’s Optical Telescope Assembly at NASA Goddard.
“I am now looking forward to the next phase where the telescope and instruments will be put together to form the Roman observatory.”
Designed and built by L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York, the assembly incorporates key optics (including the primary mirror) that were made available to NASA by the National Reconnaissance Office.
The team at L3Harris then reshaped the mirror and built upon the inherited hardware to ensure it would meet Roman’s specifications for expansive, sensitive infrared observations.
“The telescope will be the foundation of all of the science Roman will do, so its design and performance are among the largest factors in the mission’s survey capability,” said Josh Abel, lead Optical Telescope Assembly systems engineer at NASA Goddard.
The team at Goddard worked closely with L3Harris to ensure these stringent requirements were met and that the telescope assembly will integrate smoothly into the rest of the Roman observatory.
The assembly’s design and performance will largely determine the quality of the mission’s results, so the manufacturing and testing processes were extremely rigorous.
Each optical component was tested individually prior to being assembled and assessed together earlier this year.
The tests helped ensure that the alignment of the telescope’s mirrors will change as expected when the telescope reaches its operating temperature in space.
Then, the telescope was put through tests simulating the extreme shaking and intense sound waves associated with launch.
Engineers also made sure that tiny components called actuators, which will adjust some of the mirrors in space, move as predicted.
And the team measured gases released from the assembly as it transitioned from normal air pressure to a vacuum –– the same phenomenon that has led astronauts to report that space smells gunpowdery or metallic.
If not carefully controlled, these gases could contaminate the telescope or instruments.
Finally, the telescope underwent a month-long thermal vacuum test to ensure it will withstand the temperature and pressure environment of space.
The team closely monitored it during cold operating conditions to ensure the telescope’s temperature will remain constant to within a fraction of a degree.
Holding the temperature constant allows the telescope to remain in stable focus, making Roman’s high-resolution images consistently sharp. Nearly 100 heaters on the telescope will help keep all parts of it at a very stable temperature.
“It is very difficult to design and build a system to hold temperatures to such a tight stability, and the telescope performed exceptionally,” said Christine Cottingham, thermal lead for Roman’s Optical Telescope Assembly at NASA Goddard.
Now that the assembly has arrived at Goddard, it will be installed onto Roman’s Instrument Carrier, a structure that will keep the telescope and Roman’s two instruments optically aligned.
The assembly’s electronics box –– essentially the telescope’s brain –– will be mounted within the spacecraft along with Roman’s other electronics.
With this milestone, Roman remains on track for launch by May 2027.
“Congratulations to the team on this stellar accomplishment!” said J. Scott Smith, the assembly’s telescope manager at NASA Goddard.
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/roman-space-telescope/telescope-for-nasas-roman-mission-complete-delivered-to-goddard/
NASA, Microsoft Partner On AI-Powered ‘Earth Copilot’
November 14, 2024
NASA and Microsoft are working together to make NASA’s vast Earth science data set more accessible with an AI-powered tool called Earth Copilot.
The partnership, which will rely on a customized version of Microsoft’s Azure Open AI platform, supports NASA’s broader effort to democratize data access.
The initiative aims to remove technical barriers to encourage a more diverse audience to explore the agency’s data.
“Whether you have the technical background or don’t, you should be able to benefit from this data,” Juan Carlos López, a former NASA employee who now works as an Azure Specialist, NASA at Microsoft, told Payload.
Why AI? NASA has 100 petabytes of data from Earth—a number that’s expected to skyrocket to about 300 petabytes in the next few years according to López.
“[NASA] has this problem that they acknowledge which is that…it’s difficult to navigate the volume and complexity of the data that they have, and they saw AI as a potential solution,” López told Payload.
“That was the genesis of this partnership.”
Diverse applications: While Earth Copilot’s primary audience is scientists, the platform will also be useful to a variety of sectors, such as education and policymaking.
“Educators and teachers can use real-world examples to engage students in Earth Science, fostering curiosity and encouraging the next generation of scientists and engineers,” Microsoft VP Tyler Bryson said in a statement.
“Policymakers can leverage the data to make informed decisions on critical issues like climate change, urban development and disaster preparedness, ensuring they have the most accurate information at their fingertips.”
Looking ahead: NASA’s Earth Copilot is available now to NASA scientists and researchers for testing.
The NASA team will explore how to integrate this capability into NASA’s Visualization, Exploration, and Data Analysis platform only after this initial period of internal evaluations and testing to ensure the AI data is accurate and can’t be misused, Bryson said.
López hopes the AI-focused partnership with NASA will potentially expand to other space exploration and NASA missions.
“NASA is an agency that inspires people around the world, and they are doing significant work collecting data for our planet,” said López.
“Being able to bring AI capabilities from Microsoft to make that data more accessible is something that has a lot of potential…and we are really excited to be a part of that.”
https://payloadspace.com/nasa-microsoft-partner-on-ai-powered-earth-copilot/
https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2024/11/14/from-questions-to-discoveries-nasas-new-earth-copilot-brings-microsoft-ai-capabilities-to-democratize-access-to-complex-data/