That was fun
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
January 18, 2025
Full Moon, Full Mars
On January 13 a Full Moon and a Full Mars were close, both bright and opposite the Sun in planet Earth's sky. In fact Mars was occulted, passing behind the Moon, when viewed from some locations in North America and northwest Africa. As seen from Richmond, Virginia, USA, this composite image sequence follows the evening lunar occultation before, during, and after the much anticipated celestial spectacle. The telescopic time series is constructed from an exposure made every two minutes while tracking the Moon over the hours encompassing the event. As a result, the Red Planet's trajectory seems to follow a gently curved path due to the Moon's slightly different rate of apparent motion. The next lunar occultation of bright planet Mars will be on February 9 when the moon is in a waxing gibbous phase. Lunar occultations are only ever visible from a fraction of the Earth's surface, though. The February 9 occultation of Mars will be seen from parts of Russia, China, eastern Canada, Greenland and other (mostly northern) locations, but a close conjunction of a bright Moon with Mars will be more widely visible from planet Earth.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
NASA’s JPL Rises from the Ashes! Hope Returns as Operations Resume
18 Jan 2025
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA’s prime hub for planetary exploration, is set to resume normal operations following the threat posed by the Eaton Fire that swept through the Los Angeles region.
Located at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, JPL had been closed since January 8 for all but essential tasks, which included supporting the missions of the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers on Mars.
Fortunately, as the fire has been contained and poses no further threat to the facility, JPL will reopen its doors starting next week.
From January 21 to January 24, essential personnel can return to the lab, although staff members who can work remotely are encouraged to do so until the facility is fully cleared.
Despite the positive news for JPL, the surrounding community has suffered tremendously, with many of its members facing significant losses.
The JPL director has highlighted the heartbreaking situation of numerous employees displaced by the fire, urging for community support during this time of crisis.
As the Eaton Fire continues to burn across 14,117 acres, relief efforts are underway to aid those affected, including employees from the California Institute of Technology.
Community members and colleagues of affected individuals are encouraged to contribute to fundraising efforts aimed at assisting those who have lost their homes.
The reopening of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) marks a crucial turning point not only for the facility but also for the broader Los Angeles community grappling with the aftermath of the Eaton Fire.
As JPL resumes its vital role in planetary exploration, the ripple effects of this event highlight the intersection of science, community resilience, and environmental challenges.
The fire that charred over 14,000 acres serves as a stark reminder of the escalating frequency and intensity of wildfires in California—an issue linked to climate change.
This trend threatens not only local habitats but also global economic stability, as communities face mounting recovery costs.
The potential for diminished scientific output from institutions like JPL due to environmental crises raises alarms about the future of space exploration funding and priorities.
Furthermore, the dislocation of JPL employees emphasizes the social infrastructure needed to support such communities during crises.
Enhanced collaboration between scientific organizations and local governments may become essential in instituting disaster preparedness and response strategies that protect both livelihoods and innovations.
Looking forward, the spotlight on these incidents might accelerate investments in sustainable practices at scientific facilities, thus intertwining the fate of scientific progress with the health of our environment.
The reliance on technology to mitigate environmental hazards could pave a path toward a more resilient future, reinforcing the significance of community involvement and proactive measures in the wake of adversity.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA’s vital center for planetary exploration, has announced its plan to resume normal operations following the recent challenges posed by the Eaton Fire in the Los Angeles area.
The facility, nestled at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, was closed on January 8 to safeguard its personnel and prioritize essential mission support, primarily for the ongoing efforts of the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers on Mars.
JPL is set to welcome back essential personnel starting January 21 and will remain operational through January 24.
Staff who can effectively work remotely are encouraged to do so until the facility is completely cleared and deemed safe for full occupancy.
The aftermath of the Eaton Fire has left an indelible mark on the surrounding community.
Many JPL employees and local residents have suffered significant losses including displacement from their homes.
The director of JPL has expressed deep concern for these individuals calling for community solidarity and support during this challenging time.
In response to the disaster, various relief efforts have been initiated to assist affected families.
Fundraising campaigns have been launched, emphasizing the importance of community involvement in supporting those who have lost their homes or faced significant hardship due to the fires.
The reopening of JPL marks a significant step toward recovery for both the laboratory and the affected community.
As they gear up to resume their pioneering contributions to space exploration, the collective spirit of resilience and support will play a crucial role in the healing process.
https://www.scimag.news/news-en/31345/nasas-jpl-rises-from-the-ashes-hope-returns-as-operations-resume/
NASA Tracking Empire State Building-Sized Asteroid Approaching
January 18, 2025
A massive asteroid the size of the Empire State Building is zooming towards our planet this weekend.
The asteroid, named 2024 WY70, is estimated by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to be roughly 820 feet in diameter, with JPL's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) forecasting that it could be between 656 and 1443 feet across.
New York's Empire State Building is about 1,250 feet tall, while the Eiffel Tower is about 1,060 feet tall.
Despite its size, we won't be able to spot 2024 WY70 as it zips past our planet.
"Asteroids are generally too faint to have been detected by the current techniques and surveys, so it's very hard to see by our naked eyes," Minjae Kim, a research fellow in astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Warwick, told Newsweek.
2024 WY70 is expected to pass us on January 18 at a distance of 3,920,000 miles, which is about 16 times further away than the moon's 238,900-mile orbit around our planet.
"Asteroids are debris left over from the early formation of the Solar System," Martin Barstow, a professor of astrophysics and space science at the University of Leicester in the U.K., previously told Newsweek.
"They exist on a wide range of orbits due to gravitational interactions between them and other bodies in the solar system."
Asteroids are mostly found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, but the gravity of planets especially Jupiter, can nudge asteroids onto trajectories that cross Earth's orbit.
CNEOS tracks a large number of asteroids all around the solar system, classifying them by size and distance from our planet.
2024 WY70 is a Near-Earth Object or NEO, due to it coming within about 120 million miles of the sun, or 30 million miles of Earth.
Due to its large size, 2024 WY70 is also classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHAs) or potentially hazardous object (PHOs), which must be at least 460 feet across and come within around 4.7 million miles of the Earth.
"Asteroids and comets with a perihelion distance (closest to the Sun) less than 1.3 astronomical units (AU), or approximately 120 million miles/194 million km, are called near-Earth objects—or NEOs," Svetla Ben-Itzhak, an assistant professor of space and international relations at Johns Hopkins University, previously told Newsweek.
"Astronomers consider a near-Earth object a threat if it has an Earth minimum orbit intersection distance of 0.05 AU (around 4.7 million miles or 7.5 million km) or less and is at least 140 meters [460 feet] in diameter.
Those are known as potentially hazardous objects (PHOs)."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/nasa-tracking-empire-state-building-sized-asteroid-approaching/ar-AA1xnVOD
Ames Partnerships Office Annual Report 2024
January 18, 2025
Letter from the Director
Matthew Buffington
Every year, we are proud to highlight new partnerships, licensing agreements, small business collaborations, and the value we bring to both NASA and American taxpayers.
Each of these partnerships plays a crucial role in driving forward innovative technology and groundbreaking science.
This year, in particular, NASA has made remarkable progress in advancing the emerging space economy with the help of our partners.
Looking ahead to 2025, we’re excited to announce the launch of a new Partnerships platform, designed to help potential collaborators tap into NASA’s expertise and explore new opportunities for agreements and business ventures.
While I don’t want to give away too much just yet, we’re planning a pilot program to kick things off early in the year. Stay tuned for more details, and feel free to reach out if you’d like to receive the latest updates.
CONTENTS
Agreements Office
Wildfire Management
Furthering DEIA Goals with the Chabot Space and Science Center (CSSC) Partnership
HelioSwarm
SBIR/STTR Program Office
Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability (SSPICY)
Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE)
Starling's 4 CubeSats
Technology Transfer Office
Prognostics Python Packages (ProgPy)
NASA's In-Space Production Applications (InSPA)
https://www.nasa.gov/ames-partnerships-office-annual-report-2024/