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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
December 26, 2024
Grand Spiral NGC 5643
Viewed face-on, grand spiral galaxy NGC 5643 has a festive appearance in this colorful cosmic portrait. Some 55 million light-years distant, the galaxy extends for over 100,000 light-years, seen within the boundaries of the southern constellation Lupus. Its inner 40,000 light-years are shown in sharp detail in this composite of Hubble Space Telescope image data. The galaxy's magnificent spiral arms wind from a yellowish central region dominated by light from old stars, while the spiral arms themselves are traced by dust lanes, young blue stars and reddish star forming regions. The bright compact core of NGC 5643 is also known as a strong emitter of radio waves and X-rays. In fact, NGC 5643 is one of the closest examples of the Seyfert class of active galaxies, where vast amounts of dust and gas are thought to be falling into a central massive black hole.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
NASA and SHAC of Scouting America join forces for historic STEM Partnership
December 26, 2024
In a groundbreaking collaboration, NASA has partnered with Scouting America’s Sam Houston Area Council (SHAC), which also serves the Greater Heights/Garden Oaks/Oak Forest areas, to launch a first-of-its-kind STEM initiative.
This partnership aims to equip high school students with critical STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills through immersive, hands-on experiences and leadership training.
This historic agreement, formalized through a Space Act Agreement, marks the first collaboration between NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (NASA OSTEM) and Scouting America.
It offers Scouts exclusive access to premier STEM programs while aligning with NASA’s mission to inspire and prepare the next generation of space explorers and innovators.
Empowering the Next Generation
Marvin Smith, Scout Executive/CEO of SHAC, shared his enthusiasm for the partnership:
“We are honored to establish this opportunity with NASA which will provide out-of-this-world experiences for our Scouts and volunteers to access preeminent STEM programs," he said.
"This agreement will inspire young minds through hands-on activities and captivating simulations that bring the universe to life. As we relaunch and rebrand under a new name, it is the perfect time to establish this partnership with NASA.”
he collaboration focuses on shared goals, including:
Promoting the value of STEM to educational and public audiences.
Increasing student and educator participation in STEM fields.
Preparing tomorrow’s workforce for careers in STEM.
Expanding access to STEM opportunities for underrepresented and underserved students.
Bridging the Gap
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 8.8% growth in STEM jobs by 2028, outpacing non-STEM fields.
This partnership aims to address that demand by providing Scouts with real-world learning opportunities designed to enhance critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership skills.
Through its outreach, NASA OSTEM will deliver unique programs that give Scouts an in-depth understanding of the aerospace industry, while engaging them in NASA’s broader mission and vision.
From interactive simulations to hands-on activities, the initiative will bring STEM education to life for Scouts at SHAC’s premier facility, Camp Strake, and beyond.
A Shared Commitment
This collaboration comes at a pivotal moment as the Boy Scouts of America prepares to rebrand as Scouting America on February 8, 2025.
The name change reflects the organization’s dedication to inclusivity and its mission to welcome all youth and families into the Scouting experience.
This agreement reportedly aligns with NASA's strategic objectives of attracting and developing a talented and diverse workforce while building the next generation of explorers.
As this partnership takes flight, it promises to inspire young minds, foster a love of STEM, and shape the future of exploration—one Scout at a time.
https://www.theleadernews.com/community/nasa-and-shac-of-scouting-america-join-forces-for-historic-stem-partnership/article_ac7dfb78-c398-11ef-83b9-1bb67acb64c2.html
Is Ra El?
Everyone has the same question as Christmas photo of stranded NASA astronauts sparks concern
Updated: 05:02 EST, 26 December 2024
A Christmas photo shared by NASA astronauts stranded on the international space station has everyone wondering how they got their hands on Christmas treats.
The images, which show Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams and other NASA astronauts wearing Santa Claus hats, was posted earlier this week to celebrate the holidays.
The two test pilots have been stranded in space since June, when they blasted off on Boeing’s first astronaut flight to the International Space Station.
But their mission grew from eight days to eight months after NASA decided to send the company’s problem-plagued Starliner capsule back empty in September.
This has led many on social media to question how the astronauts received the Christmas decorations they showed off in their holiday images.
One X user wrote: 'who delivered the Christmas hats and decorations??
'So…u thought far enough in advance to pack them when extra space in the capsule is at a very high premium?? hmmm.'
Another echoed the sentiment, adding: 'Just curious how they’re still alive with 8 days of food and Christmas decorations?'
A third questioned: 'How much did it cost to send up Christmas hats?'
The viral question prompted commander Nick Hague to reveal the crew received the goodies in a shipment from Earth six months ago.
'There's no last-minute dash to the mall to get gifts on @SpaceSation,' Hague said.
'A team of elves had to pack up these gifts 6 months ago!'
On a holiday video, Williams said: 'It’s a great time up here, we get to spend it with all of our ‘family’ on the International Space Station.
'There are seven of us up here and so we’re going to get to enjoy company together.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14226065/Christmas-photo-stranded-NASA-astronauts-sparks-concern.html
Stephen Hawking predicted exact date of apocalypse amid warning from NASA
09:00 ET, Wed, Dec 25, 2024
NASA has recently raised concerns about potential existential threats to our planet, echoing the grave warnings once issued by renowned physicist Stephen Hawking.
Hawking made these alarming predictions in 2018, just two weeks before his death, and now NASA's announcement is bringing his timeline back into focus.
In The Search for a New Earth, Hawking cautioned that unless humanity alters its course, by 2600 the planet could transform into a massive ball of fire.
He attributed this terrifying prediction to the impacts of global warming, climate change, and the greenhouse effect as the main factors behind Earth's potential demise.
While NASA has validated Hawking's theory, they have not provided a specific expiration date for our planet.
However, they warn that if human consumption of energy resources continues unchecked, our end could arrive much earlier than expected.
Despite this, NASA remains dedicated to its prevention programs aimed at protecting Earth from both terrestrial and extraterrestrial threats.
Climate change also presents a significant risk to wildlife, with sloths potentially facing extinction by 2100.
In recent years, NASA has initiated a new program that allows it to identify potential threats to Earth, like asteroid impacts.
The organization also consistently conducts research on climate change to mitigate its impacts and allocate resources for Earth observation.
https://www.the-express.com/news/space-news/156779/stephen-hawking-prediction-apocalypse-nasa
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2024/12/white-emperor-chinas-ngad-6th-generation-fighter-looks-like-a-space-fighter/
White Emperor: China’s NGAD 6th Generation Fighter Looks Like a ‘Space Fighter’
December 26, 2024
Key Points and Summary: China’s “White Emperor” (Baidi) is a 6th-generation stealth fighter mock-up designed to function as an integrated “space-air” platform.
Presented by state-owned AVIC, the mock-up suggests capabilities for supersonic speeds near the atmosphere’s edge.
-Its blended wing body and stealth-inspired features deviate from earlier Chinese renderings that mimicked U.S. designs like NGAD.
However, questions persist about its feasibility, including thermal management, propulsion, and radar stealth.
-The design’s vertical tails and sharp angles could compromise stealth compared to U.S. tailless concepts.
While intriguing, the “White Emperor” appears more aspirational than operational, showcasing China’s ambition but facing significant technical and strategic challenges.
China’s “White Emperor” Fighter: Can It Truly Rule Space and Air?
Could China’s “White Emperor” 6th-generation “space-air” stealth fighter indeed accomplish its stated aims?
This would seem highly questionable, given how difficult it is to operate in space with manned and even unmanned vehicles and drones able to quickly “transit” and maintain stealth from one radar aperture to another.
Regardless, the People’s Republic of China has unveiled an interesting 6th-gen stealth fighter mock-up called the “White Emperor” (Baidi), intended to function as an “integrated space-air” fighter ultimately.
The future jet will be able to travel at supersonic speeds near the boundary of the Earth’s atmosphere, according to an interesting essay from The National Interest.
China built the mock-up and presented by China’s state-owned Aviation Industry of China (AVIC).
Space-Air Fighter?
How realistic is this? The answer may be complex to discern as it depends upon thermal management, speed, propulsion, sensing, and the nature of the materials the aircraft ultimately uses.
However, the US Air Force is reportedly progressing with its X-37B spacecraft, a NASA project now being adapted for military missions, so some space-operating war platforms do not seem wholly beyond the realm of the possible.
The size, shape, and configuration of the design, however, are observable, and the mock-up contains a number of interesting elements.
Of course, one should recognize that a “mock-up” is more of an external design, as other aircraft elements may not exist or only exist in terms of early conceptual work.
The largest observable feature is its rounded, less angular, stealthy configuration, which shows a blended wing body, smoothly curved fuselage, and rectangular nosecone.
However, despite these stealth features, this White Emperor mock-up looks quite different from earlier renderings of published Chinese 6th-generation models.
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PRC Mock-Ups & US Industry Images
Prior PRC mock-up designs of 6th-gen aircraft looked much more like US industry renderings of the Next Generation Air Dominance 6th-gen fighter, which had no tails or exhaust.
This design feature in the mock-up suggests that the PLA Air Force may have copied US specs or mirrored the structural approach, which appears to include efforts to maximize stealth by making the fuselage an almost entirely horizontal blended wing-body design.
The existing NGAD demonstrator, some of which have already flown but are not available to the public for security reasons, may look like some of the published industry renderings or offerings of NGAD, which features a “tailless” smooth, almost bomber-like shape.
Can an aircraft maneuver sufficiently and achieve needed air-dominance characteristics without tails or protruding angled structures?
That appears to have been the intent. However, very few actual details of NGAD are known, and the very existence of the platform is now entirely uncertain.
China’s Previous 6th-Gen Renderings
Nonetheless, China’s previously published 6th-gen mock-up made no mention of space capability and did indeed look virtually identical to US industry public renderings, meaning it had no tails, sharp edges, or angular structures.
Of course, an essentially flat or horizontal blended wing body, as seen with platforms such as a B-2 or B-21, is by design built without vertical edges, as protruding objects are likely to more quickly and easily generate a return rendering to enemy radar.
Should electromagnetic pings, traveling at the speed of light to bounce off of and return from an object, have few actual angled structures to bounce off of, the return signal is bound to be far less specific and accurate.
All of this is needed context concerning the “White Emperor” as the mock-up looks much less stealthy than other 6th-gen offerings. Not only does it have sharply protruding side wings, but it also has vertically built rear tails for aerial vectoring.
These sharp protruding edges are, of course, much more likely to generate a return signal to enemy radar showing the aircraft’s configuration. A B-2 or B-21, by contrast, is reported to appear as though it is a small bird to enemy radar and sensors.
US and Chinese renderings of 6th-gen fighter aircraft also feature an almost entirely horizontal platform, although, of course, designed much differently than a bomber.
It is unclear what the “White Emperor” might suggest about Chinese intent, however, it does appear less stealthy to a large extent.
Discussion of the mock-up introduces questions as to whether the Chinese have developed newer, more effective radar-absorbing materials or heat-signature management technology.
Is there a way to maintain and optimize stealth while still having sharp vertical structures on the fuselage?
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Space Junk or Treasure? Researchers Call for Preservation of Relics in Orbit
December 25, 2024
If the maxim for the conscientious camper is to Leave No Trace, anthropologists are arguing for a corresponding approach as humanity ventures out across the solar system.
Collecting the trash that homo sapiens litter in space may not always be feasible, they say, but we should at least record their presence and treat them as a heritage artifacts.
The need is all the more urgent as the number and longevity of our missions to Mars increase.
So runs the argument of “The emerging archaeological record of Mars”, an article published on December 16 in Nature Astronomy by researchers from the universities of Kansas City, New Mexico State, Cornell, North Carolina State, and the Spanish Astrobiology Center.
These space artifacts include human-operated probes, landers (spacecraft that land), rovers, netting, parachutes, thermal blankets, and helicopters, such as Ingenuity, which flew more than 70 times over Mars during NASA’s 2020 mission.
Archaeologists should also record non-portable artifacts, such as human footprints and trackways made by vehicles.
Put together, the researchers argue, these represent humanity’s space heritage, one linked to our species’ evolutionary history of migration that leads out of Africa to the moon and beyond.
“As we move forward during the next era of human exploration, we hope to work together to ensure sustainable and ethical human colonization, that protects cultural resources in tandem with future space exploration,” the authors wrote.
Mankind’s archaeological record on Mars began in 1971 when the USSR’s Mars 2 and Mars 3 crashed on the surface of the red planet along with their PrOP-M rovers.
Success was mixed and extremely short-lived; hard landings and a planet-wide sandstorm didn’t help. In 1976, the Americans successfully landed Viking 1 on Mars and operated it for more than six years.
Chinese, Japanese, European, and Indian missions to Mars have followed and over the past 50 years researchers estimate 22,000 pounds of human-discarded objects are on the planet.
To date, most of the attention paid to these space artifacts—which we shouldn’t call “space trash or galactic litter,” the authors note—has focused on their potential impact on future missions by polluting the ecosystems of Mars.
While these concerns are important, the artifacts should also be considered objects of cultural heritage and the paper calls for greater cooperation between planetary scientists and archaeologists to document and manage the resources.
While the United Nations keeps track of objects launched into space, at present, the authors wrote, there “exists no systematic strategy for documenting, mapping and keeping track of all heritage on Mars.”
The thinking runs that Mars represents our species’ first exploration of another planet and any destruction of this record would be permanent.
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/space-junk-preservation-2593658
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-024-02439-w
Hackers Used Christmas Jumpers To Attack European Space Agency Shop
Dec 26, 2024,07:15am EST
Cybersecurity experts Sansec BV posted to the Bluesky social media platform, Dec. 23, to report that “Foreign espionage campaign launched via Christmas sweaters" in one of the more unusual cybersecurity announcements of 2024.
A web application security specialist, Source Defense Research, took to X and confirmed that a live Magecart attack had taken place against the European Space Agency online store. Here’s what we know so far.
If you fancied getting hold of some European Space Agency merchandise as a post-Christmas treat, then you are out of luck it would seem.
Visit the ESA store currently and you’ll see a notice informing you that the site is “temporarily out of orbit for some exciting renovations.”
While the humorous puns continue with visitors being asked to please fly by later, the real reason behind the downtime appears to be far more serious.
The X posting from Source Defense Research claimed that, while the ESA space shop site follows the latest Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, PCIDSS 4.0, the hackers were able to use the fact that the shop employed Stripe to execute “ a double-entry technique, faking Stripe's page on the ESA site.”
It would appear that a fake payment page was inserted into the process, served upon from the ESA shop and for all intents and purposes looking like the genuine article.
The Source Defense Research posting included screenshots showing the malicious payment page alongside the real one, but employing a domain-spoofing technique with a different top-level domain used.
I have reached out to both the European Space Agency and Stripe for a statement.
In the meantime, however, it has been reported that ESA has “clarified that the store operates on third-party infrastructure, and the agency does not manage its data,” so the extent to which this hack impacts ESA data itself is likely to be minimal, if at all.
Instead, it looks like it was most likely an opportunistic criminal attack with a pure profit motive.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2024/12/26/hackers-used-christmas-jumpers-to-attack-european-space-agency-shop/
https://www.esaspaceshop.com/
https://x.com/sdcyberresearch/status/1871228710579253746
Has CNES Opened the Door for a European Space Station?
December 26, 2024
French space agency CNES has announced that it intends to be an anchor customer for a new commercial microgravity service.
In a 19 December call for proposalsl, CNES revealed that it intended to explore purchasing microgravity services for its payloads aboard platforms from up to three industrial partners.
The proposed platforms must support payloads ranging from 1 to 30 kilograms, with volumes from 1U (a 10-centimetre cube) to one cubic metre, in both pressurised and non-pressurised environments, for mission durations of one week to six months.
The platforms will also be required to offer Earth return services. In addition to the baseline requirements, the agency has outlined a specific test case that involves a five-kilogram experiment housed in a 3U-sized volume, operating under microgravity conditions for three months.
This technical outline seems to favour a capsule or Space Rider-like spacecraft rather than a full space station.
However, if it serves as an agency-backed commercial stepping stone for microgravity services, it could lay the groundwork for a future European space station programme.
The Exploration Company and its Nyx spacecraft appear to be well-positioned to secure one of the three spots. Thales Alenia Space has two different vehicles it could propose to secure a contract.
The first is the currently unnamed capsule that the company is developing to fulfil its ESA LEO Cargo Return Service contract.
The second is the Space Rider-derived REV1 spacecraft that Thales is developing alongside Space Cargo Unlimited.
The Last Time a European Space Station Was Proposed
In January 1984, the United States invited international partners to participate in the International Space Station (ISS) programme.
In response, ESA submitted a three-element proposal called Columbus that included the Attached Pressurised Module (APM), which later became the ISS Columbus module, the scrapped Polar Platform (PPF), and the Man-Tended Free Flyer (MTFF).
While later scrapped, the PPF and MTFF represented Europe’s first attempt at reusable orbital platforms, one uncrewed and the other crewed.
The MTFF station, which would have been capable of supporting crews, would have been around 12 metres long with a diameter of 4.4 metres and a wingspan of 47 metres when its retractable solar array was deployed.
It would have been served either by the proposed Hermes spaceplane or via the ISS. MTFF was expected to be the first element of an envisioned European Space Station (ESS).
In its most basic configuration, the ESS would have included an Interconnect Element which would connect the MTFF Pressurised Module to a Habitation/Control Module.
At the ESA Ministerial Council meeting in Granada, Spain, in November 1992, amid rising development costs and declining support, member states voted to cancel both the MTFF and Hermes programmes.
https://europeanspaceflight.com/has-cnes-opened-the-door-for-a-european-space-station/
https://cnes.fr/en
Running Chicken Nebula glows in gorgeous new image from Very Large Telescope in Chile
December 26, 2024
A new telescope image reveals a distant cosmic gas cloud that looks like a curious chicken with his head tilted in wonder of the universe.
The image, taken by the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) at the Paranal Observatory in Chile, captures an emission nebula — a bright cloud of ionized gas that emits its own light — located about 6,500 light-years from Earth in the southern Centaurus constellation.
Formally, the nebula is known as IC 2872 or Gum 40; however, it is also playfully referred to as the Running Chicken Nebula, according to a statement from the ESO.
The wispy, billowing clouds of gas that make up nebulas can take on many shapes that appear different to viewers.
One interpretation of IC 2872 is that it resembles the head of a chicken, seen in the lower right of the image with its head angled upward.
A bright region of star formation appears to be a glowing beak, from which darker clouds extend like a pea comb to the top of the chicken’s head.
This nebula was first cataloged in 1888 by the Danish astronomer John Louis Emil Dreyer.
His research led to the New General Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars (NGC), which was initially an index of 7,840 astronomical objects such as galaxies, star clusters and emission nebulas.
Dreyer later added two more Index Catalogues (IC), comprising 5,386 celestial objects. At that time, this nebula was referred to as IC 2872.
This catalog is still used today, having been most recently updated in 2019 with an additional 13,957 new objects, according to the statement.
The moniker Gum 40 comes from the work of the Australian astronomer Colin Stanley Gum. In 1955 he established the Gum catalog of 84 emission nebulas in the southern sky, including this one.
"As telescopes and instruments keep getting better, more and more deep-sky objects are discovered, so the lists and catalogues will never be complete," ESO officials said in the statement releasing the new image on Dec. 9.
Emission nebulae like IC 2872 form when the intense radiation of stars within or near the nebula energizes the surrounding gas and causes it to glow in various colors based on the type of gas present.
Stars are born in clouds of gas and dust, which is why nebulas are hotbeds for new star formation.
There are numerous young, bright blue stars scattered across this new VLT image, including one that appears to mark the chicken's right eye.
https://www.space.com/the-universe/galaxies/running-chicken-nebula-glows-in-gorgeous-new-image-from-very-large-telescope-in-chile
https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw2450a/
SpaceX's big year: The new records and feats Elon Musk's space company achieved in 2024
December 26, 2024
SpaceX had a pretty good 2024.
Elon Musk's company broke its own record for most launches in a single year, continued pushing the boundaries of rocket reuse and made serious strides toward getting Starship, its next-generation megarocket, up and running.
Oh, and Musk has apparently entered the inner circle of President-elect Donald Trump, wielding political power like he never has before. Here's a brief rundown of SpaceX's very busy year.
Shattering launch records and Starship flights
SpaceX launched 98 orbital missions in 2023, a new record for the company at the time — but it left that mark in the dust this year.
The company's orbital tally in 2024, as of Dec. 23, is 131 — more than half the global total for the year.
The vast majority of the SpaceX liftoffs this year — 128 of them — were performed by its workhorse Falcon 9, with the powerful Falcon Heavy responsible for the other two.
And Starship launched four times as well, on suborbital test flights that lifted off in March, June, October and November of this year.
The vehicle made serious progress on these trial launches. On the most recent three, for instance, both Starship elements — the Super Heavy first-stage booster and Ship upper stage — survived reentry to Earth's atmosphere and made it all the way to the planet's surface.
And on Flight 5, which lifted off on Oct. 13, Super Heavy came back safely to its launch tower, which grabbed the booster with its "chopstick" arms in a move that seemed like a scene from science fiction.
This is the Starship plan over the long haul, by the way: SpaceX wants to catch both Super Heavy and Ship back at the launch tower, a strategy that will make inspection and reflight of the megarocket quicker and more efficient.
The Starship progress this year is important, because SpaceX and NASA have a relatively tight timeline for the rocket: It's the crewed lander for the agency's Artemis 3 moon mission, which is currently scheduled to lift off in mid-2027.
And SpaceX has big plans for the megarocket beyond that effort. The company sees Starship's combination of power and full reusability as the breakthrough that will make the settlement of Mars — a long-held dream of Musk's — economically viable.
Speaking of reuse, SpaceX set a new Falcon 9 record this year: On Dec. 4, the company launched a mission that marked the 24th flight for that particular rocket's first stage. (The Falcon 9 is not fully reusable; its upper stage is expendable.)
That won't be the end of it, however; if history is any guide, SpaceX will likely keep pushing that record forward, to 25 flights and beyond.
A big Starlink milestone
Four of this year's Falcon 9 missions sent astronauts to orbit — including Polaris Dawn in September, which went farther from Earth than any crewed flight since the Apollo era and conducted the first-ever private spacewalk.
But most of the 2024 Falcon 9 launches — nearly 70% of them — were devoted to building out Starlink, SpaceX's broadband constellation in low Earth orbit, which currently consists of more than 6,800 satellites.
A small subset of this total — about 350 spacecraft — are capable of beaming service directly to smartphones. But that number is significant, as Musk noted shortly after a key Dec. 4 Starlink launch (not the same one that set the Falcon 9 reflight record).
"The first Starlink satellite direct-to-cell phone constellation is now complete," the billionaire entrepreneur said via X, the social media platform that he owns, on Dec. 5.
"This will enable unmodified cellphones to have internet connectivity in remote areas. Bandwidth per beam is only ~10Mb, but future constellations will be much more capable."
Elon Musk and Trump get close
Musk was a big backer of President-elect Donald Trump during this election cycle, ultimately spending about $250 million — and a great deal of time on X — to aid Trump's successful presidential run.
The two are apparently now quite close, and Trump has tapped Musk to co-lead a new advisory committee tasked with helping slash regulations and cut government spending.
This new relationship may not fundamentally change anything. SpaceX was already a powerful and important player in government circles, after all; it's the top U.S. launch provider and routinely lofts key national-security satellites.
But having greater access to the halls of power certainly won't hurt Musk's various companies, SpaceX included; the situation poses conflict-of-interest concerns, as a number of people have pointed out. And it's another part of SpaceX's very eventful, and very accomplished, 2024.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacexs-big-year-heres-every-new-record-and-feat-elon-musks-space-company-achieved-in-2024
Azerbaijan Airlines flight 'shot down by Russia' after being mistaken for drone
26/12/2024 - 15:43
An Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet that crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday killing 38 people was shot down by a Russian air defence system, according to four sources in Azerbaijan familiar with the investigation.
Flight J2-8243 came down near the city of Aktau after diverting from its scheduled route from Baku to Grozny.
The aircraft had strayed hundreds of miles off course, crossing the Caspian Sea before crashing in a fireball that was captured on video by horrified onlookers.
The incident occurred in an area where Moscow has recently been using air defence systems against Ukrainian drone strikes.
Footage of the wreckage showed suspicious holes in the fuselage consistent with anti-aircraft fire damage. Of the 67 passengers and crew aboard the Embraer 190 aircraft, 29 people survived the Christmas Day crash.
The plane had initially departed from Baku airport at 7:55am, destined for the Russian city of Grozny in Chechnya. Flight tracking data showed the aircraft disappeared from radar whilst flying over Dagestan along the Caspian Sea coast.
It later reappeared off course and flying low above the water near western Kazakhstan before the devastating impact.
Dramatic footage captured the moment the plane hit the ground, bursting into flames and breaking into several parts. Twenty-two survivors are being treated in hospital, with seven in serious condition.
According to an Azerbaijani source familiar with the investigation, preliminary findings indicate the aircraft was struck by a Russian Pantsir-S air defence system.
The plane's communications were reportedly paralysed by electronic warfare systems as it approached Grozny.
"No one claims that it was done on purpose. However, taking into account the established facts, Baku expects the Russian side to confess to the shooting down of the Azerbaijani aircraft," the source told Reuters.
Flight data revealed the aircraft transmitted erratic signals up to 75 minutes before the crash, suggesting the crew had lost partial flight control.
The plane experienced GPS interference, with no data transmitted between 04.25 and 04.37 UTC.
Aviation security firm Osprey Flight Solutions noted that Russian regions of Dagestan and Chechnya had been targeted by Ukrainian military drones this month.
The Russian defence ministry had reported downing 59 Ukrainian drones over several regions earlier on Christmas Day. Flight operations were temporarily suspended at Russia's Kazan Airport due to drone activity.
Nato has called for a thorough investigation into the crash, with spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah stating on X: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and victims of Azerbaijan Airlines flight J28243."
https://www.gbnews.com/news/world/azerbaijan-airlines-flight-shot-down-russia-mistaken-for-drone