TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
December 2, 2024
NGC 300: A Galaxy of Stars
This galaxy is unusual for how many stars it seems that you can see. Stars are so abundantly evident in this deep exposure of the spiral galaxy NGC 300 because so many of these stars are bright blue and grouped into resolvable bright star clusters. Additionally, NGC 300 is so clear because it is one of the closest spiral galaxies to Earth, as light takes only about 6 million years to get here. Of course, galaxies are composed of many more faint stars than bright, and even more of a galaxy's mass is attributed to unseen dark matter. NGC 300 spans nearly the same amount of sky as the full moon and is visible with a small telescope toward the southern constellation of the Sculptor. The featured image was captured in October from Rio Hurtado, Chile and is a composite of over 20 hours of exposure.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
NASA Communication Balloon Helps Crews Battle Wildfires
December 2, 2024
NASA and the Forest Service are teaming up to tackle a problem firefighters face while battling a wildfire. Remote areas are often the sites of wildfires, and with that is a lack of cell service, which is critical for communication.
NASA and the Forest Service tested the Strategic Tactical Radio and Tactical Overwatch (STRATO) technology to address that issue.
STRATO Communication
In addition to the two agencies, the high-altitude balloon company Aerostar and Motorola helped to provide cell service from the sky.
“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.”
Aerostar’s Thunderhead high-altitude balloon systems soar over 50,000 feet in the air and operate for several months at a time. While the systems operate, they can be directed into “station keep,” staying in a small radius.
With the balloon and STRATO technology, communication with firefighters can move with the flames. Having constant communication improves the firefighters’ safety and efficiency.
Wildfire Tested
The STRATO project’s first test occurred in August during the West Mountain Complex wildfires in Idaho and showed significant potential for supporting firefighting efforts.
The balloon was equipped with an LTE transmitter and visual and infrared cameras. A SpaceX Starlink internet satellite device and Silvus broadband wireless system allowed the balloon to transmit to the fire command post.
The onboard instruments provided cell coverage for a 20-mile radius. By placing the transmitter on a Gimbel, the coverage could be moved as the firefighters adjusted their location in the area.
Onboard cameras also gave the fire crews a bird’s eye view of the fire as it spread and moved. On the ground, an app called Tactical Awareness Kit (TAK) allowed firefighters to locate equipment and other crews.
When the app and STRATO connect, it pinpoints real-time locations so firefighters can track how the fires move while staying in constant communication and direct resources.
A Sky-High Future
The next step for STRATO is to use the results from the August fires to prepare for future seasons. According to NASA, the teams want to expand coverage by optimizing balloon locations as a cluster.
A cluster also helps the balloons anticipate airflow changes in the stratosphere where they fly. Placing balloons in strategic locations along the airflow path, they replace one another as the airflow stream carries them away.
As the teams plan for more testing, the ultimate goal is constant communication between firefighters to improve safety and efficiency.
“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.tomorrowsworldtoday.com/technology/nasa-communication-balloon-helps-crews-battle-wildfires/
Supercar Blondie got exclusive access to the NASA-powered hypercar spits water out of its exhaust
updated on Dec 02, 2024 at 4:35 PM (UTC+4)
Meet the Hyperion XP-1 hydrogen hypercar that uses technology from NASA and spits water from the exhaust.
Supercar Blondie – aka Alex Hirschi – got exclusive access to this hypercar that looks like it came out of the future.
It features the most advanced technology ever added to a car and it can be charged in five minutes and has a range of over 1500km.
That’s not all, the hypercar can also go 0-60 mph in 2.2 seconds.
https://supercarblondie.com/supercar-blondie-checks-out-nasa-powered-hydrogen-hypercar/
https://supercarblondie.com/hyperion-xp1-hypercar-hydrogen-speed-technology-performance/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qvk3LWOSewc
Aerospace Veteran Wallis Laughrey Joins Voyager Space as Chief Strategy Officer to Advance Strategic Defense Technology Efforts
Dec 02, 2024, 10:00 ET
Voyager, a global leader in national security and space solutions, today announced the appointment of Wallis Laughrey, formerly of Anduril Industries, as its Chief Strategy Officer.
Laughrey, a distinguished aerospace and defense expert with over 25 years of experience delivering high-impact defense programs, will play a pivotal role in strengthening Voyager Space's national security initiatives.
While at Anduril Industries, Laughrey established and led Anduril Labs, expanding the company's footprint into critical defense technology programs and rapidly securing major advancements in weapons systems.
His strategic leadership at Raytheon Technologies, where he served as Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer and Vice President/General Manager of Space and Command and Control Systems, drove multi-billion-dollar growth and streamlined operations.
Laughrey's efforts at Raytheon Technologies ultimately strengthened national security infrastructure through key acquisitions and innovations.
"Wallis Laughrey's deep expertise in delivering complex aerospace and defense systems significantly strengthens our already formidable national security capabilities," said Matthew Kuta, President of Voyager Space.
"His strategic acumen reinforces our commitment to leading in the defense industry and ensuring the United States and its allies remain prepared for evolving threats."
A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Laughrey holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado and a Master of Science in Product Development Engineering from the University of Southern California.
His career began as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, where he gained extensive experience in space systems development, operations, and strategic acquisitions.
"Voyager already has a strong and growing foundation in national security, and we're positioned to expand our impact significantly," said Wallis Laughrey.
"With recent program wins - including being selected to support the Missile Defense Agency's Next Generation Interceptor via Lockheed Martin - and a commitment to defense-tech innovation, we're ready to deliver advanced, resilient solutions that protect our nation's interests."
Voyager's investment in its defense-focused leadership team underscores a steadfast commitment to strengthening national security through advanced space solutions and strategic partnerships.
As global threats evolve, Voyager is uniquely positioned to deliver innovative capabilities that safeguard the interests of the United States and its allies.
About Voyager:
Voyager is dedicated to building a more secure future for humanity in space and on Earth.
With over 35 years of spaceflight heritage and over 2,000 successful missions, Voyager delivers defense, technology, and exploration solutions to a global customer base that includes civil and national security agencies, commercial companies, academic and research institutions, and more.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aerospace-veteran-wallis-laughrey-joins-voyager-space-as-chief-strategy-officer-to-advance-strategic-defense-technology-efforts-302319349.html
ESA teams up with Massive Attack to boost climate action
02/12/2024
A mesmerising audiovisual experience from trip-hop collective Massive Attack that blends an original score with stunning satellite images of Earth was enjoyed by thousands of climate enthusiasts in Liverpool.
The multimedia arrangement – created through a collaboration between ESA and Massive Attack bandmember Robert “3D” Del Naja – formed part of a three-day celebration to mark Liverpool’s recently awarded status as the UN’s very first accelerator city for climate action.
As an accelerator city, Liverpool will expand the use of green technologies to embed innovative approaches to decarbonisation into the fabric of the city.
This transformation will focus on its cultural industries – such as music, TV and film production – which are vital elements of the city’s economy.
Between 28 and 30 November, Liverpool kicked off the accelerator city project by hosting a series of gigs and exhibition days for industry and the public, giving ESA the opportunity to showcase how satellites advance understanding of the global climate system and empowering sustainable urban development.
The ESA-Massive Attack collaboration, which opened the exhibition days, uses imagery from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission to transport viewers over Earth’s changing environments, showcasing melting glaciers, rising sea levels, rainforests threatened by deforestation, growing desertification – and urban growth.
The original score was created by Robert Del Naja & Euan Dickinson.
The journey ends with satellite images of Liverpool to highlight the importance of the city’s mission to accelerate climate action by pioneering low-carbon urban technologies.
The focus of Earth observation and climate action continued throughout the event, with ESA highlighting how space data is supporting efforts to address the climate crisis.
Industry professionals and members of the public explored Earth’s changing environment through the eyes of Earth observing satellites, thanks to an interactive installation from ESA’s climate team.
Experts within this group are working with scientists around the world to turn satellite data into actionable information that helps the international community monitor and mitigate the effects of climate change.
ESA’s Space Solutions team, which helps companies to unlock the huge potential of satellite technology, also attended the exhibition days to advance its efforts to support green urban development.
At the event, Liverpool signed an agreement to join ESA’s Space for Smart and Green Cities Task Force, enabling the city to begin working with the agency on innovative satellite-enabled projects focusing on sustainable urban solutions.
ESA Space Solutions also presented other new and upcoming opportunities for collaboration, including Space for Sustainability in Sports and Mass Events and Space for Sustainable Connectivity and Liveable Cities, as well as participating in a workshop with industry to provide an overview of space-based applications and technologies.
ESA’s climate team and ESA Space Solutions are led from the agency's European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) on Harwell campus in the UK.
ECSAT also hosts teams working in telecommunications, exploration, and technology development.
The accelerator city programme is supported by energy provider Ecotricity and comprises a partnership network of public and public organisations including ESA, UN Climate Change, UNESCO, the BBC, BAFTA Albert, BFI, Earth Percent, Equity, BECTU, A Greener Future, the Association of Independent Festivals, ZENOBE Energy, and numerous transport, food and local service providers.
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Exhibitions/ESA_teams_up_with_Massive_Attack_to_boost_climate_action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KenY5M2lH2E
Space station video shows ‘cosmic fireflies’ high above Earth
December 1, 2024 5:50 PM
On his fourth trip to orbit, NASA astronaut Don Pettit has been sharing some wonderful imagery captured from the International Space Station (ISS) since his arrival there in September.
His latest effort shows distant stars, city lights on Earth some 250 miles below, and what he describes as “cosmic fireflies,” but which are actually Starlink internet satellites deployed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company.
As Pettit points out, the flashes of light are sunlight reflecting off the small Starlink satellites while orbiting Earth 100+ miles above the space station.
After the first Starlink satellites were deployed in 2019, SpaceX has now sent more than 6,700 to low-Earth orbit. It currently has permission to deploy up to 12,000 of the satellites, but its goal is to send as many as 42,000 to orbit.
It means that sightings of the satellites from the ISS will only grow in number over the coming years — at an even faster rate than now when you consider that other companies like Amazon also want to send small satellites to orbit as part of their own internet-from-space initiatives.
And it’s not just astronauts who can see SpaceX’s satellites.
Astronomers have long complained that sunlight glinting off the Starlink satellites, which form the backbone of SpaceX’s space-based internet service for more than 4 million subscribers globally, is interfering with their ability to use ground-based telescopes to view deep space.
Indeed, the problem appears to have worsened since SpaceX started deploying the newer, V2 version of the Starlink satellite in February last year, with disruption also reported to radio astronomy observations due to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the satellites.
With SpaceX launching about 40 second-generation Starlink satellites every week, astronomers have warned that the problem is becoming increasingly severe.
Professor Jessica Dempsey, director of ASTRON (Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), told BBC News recently that the situation is “threatening the entirety of ground-based astronomy in every wavelength and in different ways.
If it continues, without the sort of mitigation to make these satellites quiet, then it does become an existential threat for the kinds of astronomy we do.”
SpaceX has been working to address astronomers’ concerns, but despite the efforts, some astronomers remain skeptical about the effectiveness of these measures, particularly for radio astronomy.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/space/iss-starlink-cosmic-fireflies/
https://x.com/astro_Pettit/status/1863113416098873407
China reveals secrets of 1st sample taken from the far side of the moon — and it contains a volcanic surprise
December 2, 2024
The first analysis of lava samples from the moon's far side reveals that volcanoes were erupting there 2.8 billion years ago.
The moon is tidally locked with Earth, meaning the same side always faces our planet. The far side is less explored than the near side.
Only two landers, both from China, have made it to the moon's far side.
In a study published Nov. 15 in the journal Science, researchers analyzed rock samples returned to Earth by the Chang'e 6 lander.
The 2024 mission brought back a little over 4 pounds (1.9 kilograms) of rock from the South Pole-Aitken basin — the first samples ever brought to Earth from the moon's far side.
Zexian Cui of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry and colleagues analyzed the isotopes in these samples, as well as their chemical makeup, to find their age and source.
Isotopes are atoms of an element that have the same number of protons in their nuclei but a different number of neutrons.
The number of neutrons changes over time during radioactive decay, making the ratio of different isotopes in a sample a good way to measure how old that sample is.
The study found that the rocks — hardened lava called basalt — were 2.8 billion years old.
Previous research had found volcanism on the near side of the moon until at least 2 billion years ago, and the new dates reveal that the far side of the moon was volcanically active as well.
Another recent study of samples from the Chang'e 5 rover, which landed on the near side of the moon in 2020, even hints that volcanoes may have been erupting on the moon as recently as 120 million years ago.
The researchers also found that the lava that made the basalt came from a part of the moon's mantle that was low in potassium, rare Earth elements and phosphorus.
These elements are widespread in the lava on the near side of the moon. The puzzling imbalance may be due to the impact crater that made the South Pole-Aitken basin, Cui and his colleagues wrote.
The impact, which was large enough to reverberate all the way across the moon, may have redistributed rocks containing those elements, as well as melted the mantle directly below the impact site, depleting it of those elements.
The elemental imbalance may explain another odd difference between the two sides of the moon: Giant lava flows called mare basalts cover 30% of the near side but only 2% of the far side.
Some of the missing elements on the far side, such as potassium and uranium, are radioactive and give off heat as they decay, the authors said.
Their absence in the mantle under the moon's far side could explain the lack of these melty basalts.
https://www.space.com/the-universe/moon/china-reveals-secrets-of-1st-sample-taken-from-the-far-side-of-the-moon-and-it-contains-a-volcanic-surprise
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt1093
Fruit flies in space! Chinese astronauts show off experiment on Tiangong space station
December 2, 2024
China's Shenzhou 19 astronauts have some winged companions to oversee aboard the country's space station.
The astronauts arrived at the Tiangong space station on Oct. 29, beginning their six-month-long stay in orbit.
They have since been joined by 15 adult fruit flies and 40 pupae, which arrived aboard the Tianzhou 8 resupply mission on Nov. 15.
Researchers aim to study the growth and behavior of fruit flies to conduct research in fields such as genetics and neuroscience.
"This in-space, sub-magnetic fruit fly experiment primarily aims to study the molecular mechanisms of fruit flies in microgravity and sub-magnetic environments, as well as their movement characteristics and whether there are any changes in their biological rhythms," Zheng Weibo, researcher from the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told China Central Television (CCTV).
"As we know, magnetic fields have a significant impact on living beings.
In the future, during deep space exploration, we will be in a sub-magnetic environment, whereas in low Earth orbit, we are still under the influence of Earth's magnetic field.
Therefore, we have created a sub-magnetic environment inside the space station, while also maintaining an Earth's magnetic field environment for comparison this time," Zheng said.
The study is described as the first aiming to assess the combined effects of microgravity and sub-magnetic fields on living beings and understand their impacts.
Li Yan, head of the project, said that frozen fruit fly samples will be returned to Earth. Back on the ground, gene expression within the samples will be compared to that of parallel groups.
The aim is to analyze the effects of microgravity, the lack of magnetic field and the combined impact of both conditions on the flies.
Fruit flies, which are often used in genetic experiments due to their short life cycle with fast reproduction capabilities, have a long history in spaceflight.
They were first launched into Earth's upper atmosphere in 1947 and have been sent to the International Space Station on a number of occasions, including in 2015 to help better understand how the human body fights infections.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/fruit-flies-in-space-chinese-astronauts-show-off-experiment-on-tiangong-space-station-video
https://spacenews.com/new-eu-space-commissioner-outlines-priorities/
New EU space commissioner outlines priorities
December 1, 2024
The new European Union commissioner responsible for space says he will focus on improving European competitiveness and security in space, including passage of a long-delayed space law.
Andrius Kubilius formally started his tenure as the European Commissioner for Defence and Space on Dec. 1 after members of the European Parliament confirmed him among a slate of 26 commissioners Nov. 27 for five-year terms.
Kubilius, a former prime minister of Lithuania, takes on a new portfolio that combines defense and space issues. Under the previous commission, space was handled by the commissioner for the internal market.
“Europe must be part of this space revolution. However, we are confronted with a new set of challenges,” he said at a Nov. 6 confirmation hearing by committee of the European Parliament.
Those challenges, he said, include a lack of funding, a “fragmented regulatory landscape” among European nations, and security risks.
He vowed at the hearing to maintain the EU’s flagship space programs: the Copernicus Earth observation constellation, Galileo navigation system and the new IRIS² secure broadband constellation that the European Commission announced Oct. 31 it would move forward with after reaching an agreement with a consortium of European satellite operators.
He added he would support “enhancing their capabilities to provide special governmental services for our security needs.”
He also outlined five new European space initiatives. They include improving European access to space, passing a new European space law, supporting competitiveness of the European space industry in the global marketplace, planning for the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) for the EU “reflecting a new level of ambition” and responding to growing threats to space assets.
“These initiatives will enable European leadership in space, thereby enhancing our technological sovereignty, competitiveness and our security and defense capabilities and, ultimately, our strategic autonomy,” he concluded.
In his remarks, and in answers to questions from members of parliament during the three-hour hearing, he offered few specifics. However, he indicated that those initiatives will require additional funding.
“We are spending two billion [euros] per year, which is really a very small amount,” he said. “I see a challenge that, in the next MFF, we need to have larger numbers. I cannot predict what.”
One theme he returned several times at the hearing was the importance of European autonomous access to space, something that had has been a challenge in recent years because of the so-called “launcher crisis” that forced both the European Commission and the European Space Agency to launch science and navigation satellites on SpaceX’s Falcon 9.
“We are bad in launching satellites, but we are good in Galileo and Copernicus and we shall be very good also in IRIS²,” he said of Europe’s space capabilities.
He indicated the solution was to bring in new players, be it through the new European Launcher Initiative for small launch vehicles or ESA’s new program to stimulate the development of commercial cargo spacecraft.
“This is very similar to what NASA did back in 2006” with the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, he said. “We are moving. I don’t know how quickly we can do it.”
That would suggest a greater role for the EU in launch, which has been traditionally been handled by ESA.
The EU and ESA are partnered on the European Flight Ticket Initiative, which will allow European launch companies, principally startups, to compete for missions for the EU’s In-Orbit Demonstration and Validation technology program.
Kubilius, in his remarks at the hearing, did not specifically discuss cooperation with ESA on launch or other space programs.
The European Commission and ESA have been at odds in the past on their roles and responsibilities, although the two have more recently been more closely aligned.
In an interview during the International Astronautical Congress in October, Josef Aschbacher, director general of ESA, said he had met informally with Kubilius.
“The first interaction was a very positive one, a very constructive one,” he said. “I look forward to very good collaboration in the future.”
“I’m more than happy and willing to advise and be available for any support that is required,” Aschbacher added. “It’s also necessary for Europe to make sure that we work hand-in-hand together.”
1/2
EU space law plans
At his confirmation hearing, Kubilius emphasized the importance of developing an EU space law. That law was to be introduced early this year but, in April, was postponed until after the European elections in June.
“The space law is crucial,” he said, noting concerns about fragmentation caused by different provisions in national space laws of EU member states.
That includes establishing “rules of the road” for space activities and creation of a single internal market for space.
“We hope that with our initiative, we can start again be standard setters again globally,” he said, that could lead to international agreements.
He said that he expected the law to be released in the first half of 2025, but was not more specific on a timeframe.
The contents of the law also remain under wraps, beyond the broad statements about space sustainability and internal markets.
During a panel at Space Tech Expo Europe Nov. 20, industry and government officials said they wanted to see a variety of provisions in the law regarding deorbiting satellites at the end of their lives and supporting use of active debris removal systems.
Stela Tkatchova, program manager for space at the European Commission’s European Innovation Council, said she was not working directly on the law but was familiar with what colleagues in the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space were considering to include.
“They’re looking at deorbiting within five years” of a satellite’s end of life, she said, “with mandatory use of in-orbit satellite servicing and, mainly, looking at encouraging satellite design to minimize space debris release.”
Others on the panel endorsed a five-year deorbit timeline, which would follow what the U.S. Federal Communications Commission enacted two years ago.
Juan Carlos Dolado Perez, founder and chief technology officer of space situational awareness company Look Up Space, saw a recent update to French national space law as a model for an EU law.
“There has been a massive change in sustainability issues” in the update, he said, with a greater focus on collision risks and in-space servicing.
“It’s a very good model for the EU space law,” Thomas Eggenweiler, commercial director at space traffic coordination company Neuraspace, said of the updated French law. “This development is very welcome.”
2/2
>Wasn't fruit flies and spiders one of the first science experiments carried out in space on Skylab or the Russian Salyut space stations in the 1970s?
Seems to be, way back in the 40's
https://www.aps.org/apsnews/2023/01/fruit-flies-space
It happens
'UFO' spotted over UK town as locals say 'never seen anything like it'
UPDATED: 14:17, Mon, Dec 2, 2024
Amateur snapper Dave Pickett, 38, caught the spectular moment a 'lenticular cloud' flew above Greenfield, near Oldham, Gtr Manchester, on Friday.
According to the Met Office, the rare clouds fly between 6,500 to 16,500 ft (1,980 to 5,030 metres) off the ground.
The weather agency says they are believed to be one of the most common explanations for UFO sightings across the world.
Civil servant Dave said his seven-year-old son Blake spotted the phenomenon from his bedroom, so he grabbed his phone to capture the moment.
He said: “We agreed it looked like a spaceship.
“It wasn't the same ten minutes later, when the sky lost its colour as the sun was rising.
“I got lucky and had my phone to hand.”
He added: “I've dabbled in photography over the years, but I’m by no means a photographer.
“I’d never seen anything like it.
“A friend commented that it was a lenticular cloud, I had never heard of it.
“It reminded me of Nope. A cloud-looking UFO which turned out to be a big balloon thing.”
Lenticular clouds are a visible sign of mountain waves in the air.
The clouds form as air blows across a mountain range, like ripples forming in a river when water flows over an obstruction, like a rock.
If the air has enough moisture, the Met Office says, the rising motion of the waves will cause water vapour to condense, forming the cloud’s appearance.
The town of Greenfield is located next to the Pennine Hills and Saddleworth Moor.
According to the Met Office, pilots of powered aircraft tend to avoid flying near them due to increased turbulence.
However, some glider pilots like them as they can tell where the air will be rising.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1983560/ufo-cloud-spotted-in-uk-town