>4:04 PM
Cool beans
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
May 29, 2025
Irregular Dwarf Galaxy Sextans A
Grand spiral galaxies often seem to get all the attention, flaunting young, bright, blue star clusters and pinkish star forming regions along graceful, symmetric spiral arms. But small galaxies form stars too, like irregular dwarf galaxy Sextans A. Its young star clusters and star forming regions are gathered into a gumdrop-shaped region a mere 5,000 light-years across. Seen toward the navigational constellation Sextans, the small galaxy lies some 4.5 million light-years distant. That puts it near the outskirts of the local group of galaxies, that includes the large, massive spirals Andromeda and our own Milky Way. Brighter Milky Way foreground stars appear spiky and yellowish in this colorful telescopic view of Sextans A.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
NASA’s Psyche Spacecraft Using Backup Fuel Line
May 28, 2025
Engineers with NASA’s Psyche mission have developed a solution to address the decrease in fuel pressure they detected recently in the spacecraft’s propulsion system:
They have successfully switched to a backup fuel line, which is operating as expected.
Powered by two large solar arrays, Psyche’s thrusters ionize and expel xenon gas to gently propel the spacecraft, which gradually picks up speed during its journey.
The team paused the four electric thrusters in early April to investigate an unexpected drop in pressure. They determined that a mechanical issue in one of the valves, which open and close to manage the flow of propellant, caused the decrease.
Through extensive testing and diagnostic work, the team concluded that a part inside one of the valves is no longer functioning as expected and is obstructing the flow of xenon to the thrusters.
Now that the swap to the backup fuel line is completed, engineers will command the spacecraft’s thrusters to resume firing by mid-June.
The spacecraft was designed with a redundant backup propellant line that is identical to the primary propellant line.
Engineers plan to keep the backup line’s valve in the open position to ensure propellant flow and avoid any potential mechanical issues in the future.
The orbiter remains on course to reach the asteroid Psyche as planned in August 2029. The spacecraft launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in October 2023 and already has flown 628 million miles (1 billion kilometers).
In May 2026, Psyche will fly by Mars, using the planet’s gravity as a slingshot to help speed the orbiter along to the metal-rich asteroid it was built to explore.
https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/psyche/2025/05/28/nasas-psyche-spacecraft-using-backup-fuel-line/
Cosmic Dawn Screening
May 28, 2025
Join NASA for a free screening of Cosmic Dawn, the incredible true story of the James Webb Space Telescope–humanity’s mission to unveil the early universe, against all odds.
Cosmic Dawn is the incredible true story of the James Webb Space Telescope – humanity’s largest and most powerful space telescope – on a mission to unveil the early universe, against all odds.
The 90-minute documentary brings viewers on an unprecedented journey through Webb’s delicate assembly, rigorous testing, and triumphant launch, showcasing the sheer complexity and breathtaking risks involved in creating a telescope capable of peering billions of years into the past.
Follow the telescope from an idea developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center all the way to the launchpad in French Guiana, with never-before-seen footage captured by the Webb film crew offering intimate access to the challenges and triumphs along the way.
Wednesday, June 11th 2025 | 7:00 PM EDT, doors open at 6:00 PM EDT
The Greenbelt Theater | 129 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD 20770
Space is limited, so please RSVP HERE by June 9th to reserve your free tickets.
We look forward to sharing how NASA achieves the remarkable.
https://www.nasa.gov/general/cosmic-dawn-screening/
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cosmic-dawn-screening-tickets-1338710181189?aff=oddtdtcreator
Hubble Images Galaxies Near and Far
May 28, 2025
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image offers us the chance to see a distant galaxy now some 19.5 billion light-years from Earth (but appearing as it did around 11 billion years ago, when the galaxy was 5.5 billion light-years away and began its trek to us through expanding space).
Known as HerS 020941.1+001557, this remote galaxy appears as a red arc partially encircling a foreground elliptical galaxy located some 2.7 billion light-years away.
Called SDSS J020941.27+001558.4, the elliptical galaxy appears as a bright dot at the center of the image with a broad haze of stars outward from its core.
A third galaxy, called SDSS J020941.23+001600.7, seems to be intersecting part of the curving, red crescent of light created by the distant galaxy.
The alignment of this trio of galaxies creates a type of gravitational lens called an Einstein ring.
Gravitational lenses occur when light from a very distant object bends (or is ‘lensed’) around a massive (or ‘lensing’) object located between us and the distant lensed galaxy.
When the lensed object and the lensing object align, they create an Einstein ring. Einstein rings can appear as a full or partial circle of light around the foreground lensing object, depending on how precise the alignment is.
The effects of this phenomenon are much too subtle to see on a local level but can become clearly observable when dealing with curvatures of light on enormous, astronomical scales.
Gravitational lenses not only bend and distort light from distant objects but magnify it as well. Here we see light from a distant galaxy following the curve of spacetime created by the elliptical galaxy’s mass.
As the distant galaxy’s light passes through the gravitational lens, it is magnified and bent into a partial ring around the foreground galaxy, creating a distinctive Einstein ring shape.
The partial Einstein ring in this image is not only beautiful, but noteworthy. A citizen scientist identified this Einstein ring as part of the SPACE WARPS project that asked citizen scientists to search for gravitational lenses in images.
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/hubble-images-galaxies-near-and-far/
Vision, Immune System Studies and Hardware Inspections Keep Crew Busy
May 28, 2025
Life science was back on the schedule for Wednesday as the Expedition 73 crew studied how living in space affects eye structure and cellular immunity.
The International Space Station residents also maintained the upkeep of exercise gear, life support components, and orbital plumbing hardware.
The ongoing space biology investigations aboard the orbital lab constantly inform doctors how astronauts adapt to months of living and working in weightlessness.
Scientists extrapolate the continuous research data and use the insights to protect future crews on longer spaceflight missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Doctors are exploring potential space-caused changes to crew eye structure and function since vision is critical whether piloting a spacecraft, conducting advanced space science, or performing other mission critical tasks.
NASA Flight Engineers Jonny Kim and Nichole Ayers kicked off their shift with a test measuring the electrical responses of the retina to light stimuli.
Kim attached electrodes to his forehead and around his eyes then Ayers operated the specialized, data-collecting hardware to understand how the eye adjusts to long-term weightlessness.
The study is just one part of the CIPHER suite of 14 human research investigations to learn how to keep crews healthy in space.
Kim later collected and stowed his urine samples in a science freezer for later analysis then swapped a pair of research incubators in the Columbus laboratory module.
Ayers moved on to the Tranquility module and replaced orbital plumbing gear that removes inorganic impurities from the station’s water.
Station Commander Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) continued studying how the stress of spaceflight affects cellular immunity helping doctors defend crews against infections.
Onishi started his day processing his blood samples that were incubating for 24 hours inside the Kubik research incubator.
Next, he stowed the samples in a science freezer to later analyze the blood cells for signs of space-caused cellular stress or tissue damage.
Onishi finally inspected and cleaned an experimental carbon dioxide removal device that also recovers water for oxygen generation.
NASA Flight Engineer Anne McClain spent her day inside Tranquility servicing and inspecting the COLBERT treadmill.
The regularly scheduled maintenance activities take place every six months as McClain greased axles, cleaned components, and measured the acoustic volume of the workout device while operating without a crew member.
McClain wrapped up her shift in the Quest airlock preparing spacesuit hardware for stowage.
Earth observations were back on the schedule as Roscosmos Flight Engineer Alexey Zubritskiy pointed a camera out a station window and photographed islands in the Pacific Ocean and other landmarks across the Pacific coasts of Asia and North America.
Veteran cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov deactivated imaging hardware that observes Earth’s nighttime atmosphere in ultraviolet wavelengths.
Flight Engineer Kirill Peskov wrapped up several days of training, checkouts, and inspections on the European robotic arm (ERA) attached to the Nauka science module.
The ERA can be used to maneuver spacewalkers, payloads, and external hardware on the orbital outpost’s Roscosmos segment.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/05/28/vision-immune-system-studies-and-hardware-inspections-keep-crew-busy/
https://www.nasa.gov/stmd-flight-opportunities/fo-resources/community-of-practice-webinars/june-2025/
Regolith Roundtable: Best Practices and Insights for Working with Regolith in Flight Testing
May 29, 2025
Wednesday, June 4, 2025 | 10am-11:30am PT
Speakers
David Scarborough, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering, Auburn University
Daniel Durda, Ph.D., Principal Scientist in the Department of Space Studies, Southwest Research Institute-Boulder
Mircea Badescu, Ph.D., Mechatronics Engineer, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Arjun Agarwal, Ph.D., Advanced Robotics Concepts Engineer, ProtoInnovations
Jason Schuler, IPEx Project Manager and Principal Investigator, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
Beverly W. Kemmerer, Ph.D., Research Physicist, Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations Lab, Exploration Systems and Development Office, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
Adrienne Dove, Ph.D., University of Central Florida
Philip Metzger, Ph.D., University of Central Florida
Abstract
Let’s talk regolith! Join us on June 4 for a roundtable discussion exploring the complexities and challenges of working with regolith in various flight test environments.
The Flight Opportunities team is bringing together researchers with diverse expertise and hands-on experience testing regolith-related payloads across a variety of flight platforms.
The conversation will include experiment preparation, how regolith reacts to different activities like digging or plume-surface interaction, differences between simulants, and key platform-specific insights.
This roundtable aims to foster valuable dialogue and knowledge exchange within the community.
Have questions or suggestions for regolith topics to include? Email us at NASA-FlightOpportunities@mail.nasa.gov.
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app, or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
+1 256-715-9946 | Phone Conference ID: 982 665 575#
Speaker Bios
David Scarborough, Ph.D., leads the combustion physics lab at Auburn University. The primary focus of the lab’s research is to understand combustion instability problems that exist in a large variety of applications.
Their goal is to further understand the combustion process through understanding how the acoustic and heat release processes interact with each other.
The current projects are highly varied, with studies focused on topics ranging from liquid rocket engine combustion to wildland fire mitigation research.
Dan Durda, Ph.D., is a principal scientist in the Department of Space Studies at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in Boulder, Colorado.
He has more than 20 years’ experience researching the collisional and dynamical evolution of main-belt and near-Earth asteroids, Vulcanoids, Kuiper belt comets, and interplanetary dust. Dr. Durda is one of three SwRI payload specialists who fly on multiple spaceflights on commercial reusable suborbital vehicles.
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Mircea Badescu, Ph.D., is a mechatronics engineer at the Nondestructive Evaluation and Advanced Actuators (NDEAA) lab at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he has worked since 2005.
His expertise spans the design and integration of advanced piezoelectric devices, planetary sampling systems, and instruments for extreme environments.
He has contributed to the development of optical components for telescopes, reconfigurable robotic platforms, and haptic control systems for automotive and vehicular applications.
Dr. Badescu has also led and participated in field testing campaigns in various and challenging locations, including glaciers, deserts, and Antarctica.
Arjun Agarwal, Ph.D., is a robotics engineer at ProtoInnovations, LLC, contributing to lunar rover mobility research and development under NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program.
Dr. Agarwal’s work includes Python-based development for a single-wheel testbed, data analysis, and test execution. Previous experience includes research roles at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the University of Maryland’s Space Power & Propulsion Laboratory, with contributions to electric propulsion, cryogenic planetary access systems, and atomic spectroscopy.
Jason Schuler is the project manager for NASA’s ISRU Pilot Excavator (IPEx) project and principal investigator at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and the Game Changing Development Program.
His work focuses on the development of robotic technologies and excavation tools for lunar and Martian surface operations.
Schuler has contributed to the design of hardware for the Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV) and the All-Terrain Hex-Limbed Extra-Terrestrial Explorer (ATHLETE) rovers, supporting teams at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Dr. Adrienne (Addie) Dove is a planetary scientist and associate professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Central Florida (UCF).
She received her B.S. in physics from the University of Missouri and her Ph.D. in astrophysics and planetary science from the University of Colorado.
She is passionate about space and space exploration (both human and robotic) and educating people about science and exploration.
In July 2017, she was awarded the Susan Niebur Award Early Career Award by the NASA Solar System Exploration Virtual Research Institute (SSERVI) for her contributions to the science and exploration communities.
Addie’s experience with Flight Opportunities began during her post-doctoral studies, and she has subsequently received multiple awards for Flight Opportunities-supported flight tests.
She is also the chair of the Space (Suborbital) Applications Researchers Group (SARG), a science and researcher advocacy group with the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF).
She guides young researchers on how to effectively leverage suborbital flight tests to advance their own research endeavors.
Dr. Philip Metzger is a planetary physicist with the Planetary Science faculty at the University of Central Florida, developing what he calls “Economic Planetary Science” to help humanity’s expansion beyond Earth.
He has 30 years’ experience at NASA first as an engineer and then as a physicist, developing and operating spaceflight technologies.
He co-founded the NASA KSC Swamp Works, a research and development lab modeled after the Skunkworks and implementing innovation practices borrowed from Silicon Valley.
The Swamp Works focuses on technologies for planetary surfaces including mining, manufacturing, and construction using space resources.
He performs research related to solar system exploration: predicting how rocket exhaust interacts with extraterrestrial soil, investigating the mechanics of soil, characterizing lunar and Martian soil simulants, modeling the migration of volatiles on airless bodies, etc.
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Eccentric ‘Star’ Defies Easy Explanation, NASA’s Chandra Finds
May 28, 2025
Scientists have discovered a star behaving like no other seen before, giving fresh clues about the origin of a new class of mysterious objects.
As described in our press release, a team of astronomers combined data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the SKA [Square Kilometer Array] Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope on Wajarri Country in Australia to study the antics of the discovered object, known as ASKAP J1832−0911 (ASKAP J1832 for short).
ASKAP J1832 belongs to a class of objects called “long period radio transients” discovered in 2022 that vary in radio wave intensity in a regular way over tens of minutes.
This is thousands of times longer than the length of the repeated variations seen in pulsars, which are rapidly spinning neutron stars that have repeated variations multiple times a second.
ASKAP J1832 cycles in radio wave intensity every 44 minutes, placing it into this category of long period radio transients.
Using Chandra, the team discovered that ASKAP J1832 is also regularly varying in X-rays every 44 minutes. This is the first time that such an X-ray signal has been found in a long period radio transient.
In this composite image, X-rays from Chandra (blue) have been combined with infrared data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope (cyan, light blue, teal and orange), and radio from LOFAR (red).
An inset shows a more detailed view of the immediate area around this unusual object in X-ray and radio light.
Using Chandra and the SKA Pathfinder, a team of astronomers found that ASKAP J1832 also dropped off in X-rays and radio waves dramatically over the course of six months.
This combination of the 44-minute cycle in X-rays and radio waves in addition to the months-long changes is unlike anything astronomers have seen in the Milky Way galaxy.
The research team argues that ASKAP J1832 is unlikely to be a pulsar or a neutron star pulling material from a companion star because its properties do not match the typical intensities of radio and X-ray signals of those objects.
Some of ASKAP J1832’s properties could be explained by a neutron star with an extremely strong magnetic field, called a magnetar, with an age of more than half a million years.
However, other features of ASKAP J1832 — such as its bright and variable radio emission — are difficult to explain for such a relatively old magnetar.
On the sky, ASKAP J1832 appears to lie within a supernova remnant, the remains of an exploded star, which often contain a neutron star formed by the supernova.
However, the research team determined that the proximity is probably a coincidence and two are not associated with each other, encouraging them to consider the possibility that ASKAP J1832 does not contain a neutron star.
They concluded that an isolated white dwarf does not explain the data but that a white dwarf star with a companion star might. However, it would require the strongest magnetic field ever known for a white dwarf in our galaxy.
A paper by Ziteng Wang (Curtin University in Australia) and collaborators describing these results appears in the journal Nature.
Another team led by Di Li from Tsinghua University in China independently discovered this source using the DAocheng Radio Telescope and submitted their paper to the arXiv on the same day as the team led by Dr Wang.
They did not report the X-ray behavior described here.
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/eccentric-star-defies-easy-explanation-nasas-chandra-finds/
https://chandra.si.edu/press/25_releases/press_052825.html
https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.16606
NASA Marks Milestones for Artemis III Orion Spacecraft at Kennedy
May 28, 2025
NASA continues to make steady progress preparing the spacecraft that will carry astronauts toward the Moon to rendezvous with their lunar lander and bring them back to Earth on Artemis III.
Technicians recently powered on the Artemis III Orion crew module for the first time inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a key milestone in the work being done to prepare for the next Americans to walk on the Moon.
This initial power on marked the startup of the crew module’s two vehicle management computers and six power and data units, which are responsible for commanding vehicle subsystems.
The spacecraft will continue to undergo additional assessments throughout the summer including testing the display units, hand controllers, and audio systems that astronauts will use on their journey to the Moon.
Once functional testing is complete, the crew module prop system will undergo proof pressure and leak testing. Proof pressure and leak tests ensure it can safely withstand the rigors of space.
The Artemis III service module, provided by ESA (European Space Agency), is also undergoing testing in the same facility.
In May, engineers completed crew module adapter and environmental control and life support systems proof pressure and leak testing. Engineers expect to power on the service module’s avionics systems and controllers in the fall.
Following initial power on of both the Artemis III crew module and service module, technicians will continue assembling the two elements and carry out additional testing, including thermal and acoustic tests, before the modules are connected in 2026.
This work to prepare for Artemis III continues as NASA moves closer to final preparations for Artemis II, the first crewed mission under Artemis, a 10-day journey by four astronauts around the Moon and back.
Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/05/28/nasa-marks-milestones-for-artemis-iii-orion-spacecraft-at-kennedy/
NASA Detects Mysterious Planetary Anomaly Spreading Across the Globe
29.05.2025 00:16
NASA scientists have issued a striking warning following the detection of an unprecedented planetary anomaly spreading across the globe.
The disturbance appears to be emanating from beneath Earth’s crust and has already started producing measurable effects on the planet’s surface.
While the source remains unidentified, the phenomenon is raising serious concerns among geophysicists and planetary researchers.
The anomaly was discovered through the combined analysis of seismic activity, electromagnetic field variations, and gravitational data collected from both terrestrial sensors and orbiting satellites.
What initially appeared to be isolated irregularities quickly revealed a global pattern. The most unsettling finding is a continuous release of energy from deep geological layers, with no identifiable link to volcanic or geothermal systems.
Full details were outlined in a recent technical report shared by Sustainability Times.
NASA scientists speculate that the anomaly could be tied to a structural reorganization within Earth’s inner layers, possibly involving redirected magma flows or high-intensity magnetic disturbances.
While no conclusive theory has yet emerged, the agency confirms that monitoring stations worldwide are detecting increasingly intense signals.
Subtle shifts in tectonic plates, particularly along the Pacific Ring of Fire and in portions of the African continent, have been noted as early indicators.
Among the most tangible observations are micro-changes in localized gravitational strength, detected in multiple monitoring zones.
Additionally, satellites have begun to observe atmospheric irregularities at higher altitudes, prompting experts to consider whether subterranean forces might be triggering ripple effects far beyond the Earth’s surface.
Though not yet catastrophic, the phenomenon’s growth trajectory suggests it could become more intense and widespread in the years ahead.
NASA, in coordination with international geophysical teams, is now developing a predictive model to trace the anomaly’s expansion and identify vulnerable zones.
Proposed hypotheses range from a possible shift in Earth’s internal axis to gravitational influences from celestial objects. While some ideas remain speculative, the scientific community is unified in its call for vigilance.
Calls are growing for the creation of a global response framework to address large-scale geological anomalies — a step never before taken.
NASA has already submitted a proposal to the United Nations advocating for enhanced real-time monitoring of seismic, magnetic, and gravitational changes worldwide.
The agency emphasizes that these early warning signs, however abstract they may seem, should not be ignored.
To date, the anomaly has had minimal noticeable impact on the general population. However, researchers warn that could change rapidly.
“Earth is not a static object,” one NASA spokesperson said. “It breathes, it moves, and sometimes it signals. What we’re detecting may be one of those signals — and understanding it could prove vital for humanity’s long-term resilience.”
See more at https://english.pravda.ru/news/science/162461-nasa-detects-planetary-anomaly/
https://www.sustainability-times.com/research/nasa-sounds-the-alarm-massive-planetary-anomaly-detected-spreading-worldwide-traced-to-unknown-forces-beneath-earths-crust/
I found space station blueprints in my garage and took them to NASA
Updated: May. 29, 2025, 7:01 a.m.
BROOK PARK, Ohio – Jim Soeder is greeted by pleasantly surprised faces as he walks through his former stomping grounds at NASA Glenn Research Center.
The retired Senior Power Technologist is recognized by coworkers who want to know what brings him back to campus.
Due to his work on a major project during the 1980s and ’90s that no current employee at NASA Glenn was part of, the media relations staff has invited him to take a look at NASA technical drawings a local man found in his garage.
30 years in a garage
I’ve found strange things left behind by previous residents at my 100-year-old house, but a poster tube in my garage held the most surprising one.
Inside, a big 2’x3′ sheet of paper shows detailed schematics of a truss structure with solar panels, laboratory modules and antennas. At the top of the paper is the name Space Station Freedom, dated March 1992.
Seeing NASA’s name at the top corner, I reach out to NASA Glenn, who brought in Soeder.
What was Space Station Freedom?
Soeder explains the story of Space Station Freedom like an engineer and a historian put together.
With direction from President Ronald Reagan in 1984, NASA embarked on building a permanently inhabited space station within a decade.
NASA Glenn was one of four research facilities chosen to work on the project. Its assignment was to design the end-to-end power system from the solar arrays down to the loads.
While Space Station Freedom underwent many redesigns and roadblocks, the power system designed here in Cleveland remained intact as the project evolved into what became the International Space Station, or ISS.
A piece of Cleveland history in the night sky
“The Space Station comes over Cleveland on a regular basis. It’s the brightest thing in the sky, next to the moon,” Soeder says as he references smartphone apps that track the International Space Station’s position.
If you watch the Space Station go over in the night sky, what you’re actually seeing is the sun’s light reflecting off the large solar arrays. As Soeder puts it, you are seeing the Space Station Freedom power system flying on the ISS.
“You’re also seeing, really, the masterwork of NASA Glenn in the area of space power,” Soeder says.
Are the plans worth any money?
Soeder speculates that the plans I found in my garage might have been left there by a contractor for Grumman, the company in charge of integrating the four work packages between Glenn Research Center and the Johnson, Marshall and Goddard Space Flight Centers.
As for whether the drawings might be worth anything to a collector, Soeder was straight to the point.
“It’s not like finding a Rembrandt in your garage, unfortunately. I don’t think Antiques Road Show is going to be out after me to appraise NASA memorabilia,” he chuckles.
I may not be cashing in on my find, but the opportunity to meet Jim Soeder and learn a new piece of Cleveland history, courtesy of NASA, is something I’ll be talking about for a long time.
https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2025/05/i-found-space-station-blueprints-in-my-garage-and-took-them-to-nasa.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wQPo8OerVk
Solar storms are killing SpaceX's Starlink satellites, says NASA
May 29, 2025
A recent NASA-led study has revealed that solar storms are shortening the lives of satellites in Earth's orbit, especially SpaceX's Starlink satellites.
The research was conducted by Denny Oliveira at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.
It shows how geomagnetic storms caused by the Sun's activity are increasing drag on these satellites and accelerating their re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.
Eruption effects
Solar maximum's impact on satellite lifespan
The Sun goes through an 11-year cycle of activity, with the peak phase called solar maximum.
During this period, solar eruptions intensify and create geomagnetic storms that heat up Earth's atmosphere and cause it to expand outward.
These storms have been found to reduce a satellite's lifetime by as much as 10 days.
The phenomenon was last observed in late 2024 when Oliveira and his team studied its effect on Starlink satellites.
Fleet challenges
Starlink's growing fleet faces unprecedented re-entries
SpaceX currently has over 7,000 Starlink satellites in orbit and plans to launch more every week. The company hopes to have more than 30,000 of these satellites in space.
However, with this increase in the number of satellites comes an increase in re-entries as well.
Between 2020 and 2024, a total of 523 Starlink satellites were tracked re-entering Earth's atmosphere where they are designed to burn up completely.
Storm impact
Geomagnetic storms accelerate satellite re-entries
Oliveira noted that during geomagnetic storms, satellites re-enter Earth's atmosphere faster than expected.
He cited an example when 37 Starlink satellites re-entered just five days after launch, a far cry from the usual 15+ day period.
These rapid re-entries were directly attributed to geomagnetic disturbances caused by heightened solar activity.
Operational implications
Solar storms pose risks and benefits for satellite operators
The accelerated re-entries could help satellite operators like SpaceX remove defunct satellites from orbit more quickly.
However, it also poses a risk as faster re-entries could prevent some satellites from burning up completely in Earth's atmosphere and potentially reaching the ground.
In August 2024, a 2.5kg piece of a Starlink satellite was found on a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada—the only confirmed case of Starlink debris surviving atmospheric re-entry.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/nasa-says-solar-storms-shortening-lifespans-of-starlink-satellites/story
Space Agency Promises Color HD Videos at 60 FPS During the Next Moon Landing
29 May 2025, 10:43 UTC
The images sent back from the Moon during the Apollo missions of the 1970s will forever be remembered by history books.
After all, they showed, for the first time, human beings toiling away on a world other than their native one.
Ok, 'showed' may be a bit of an overstatement, as all the Apollo vids are low-definition, black and white, and so grainy they're borderline annoying.
The reasons behind that had to do with the technologies available at the time.
Not only were most of the cameras sent to the Moon black and white, but the bandwidth available was so limited that even the color ones of later Apollo missions didn't send back crystal clear images.
That will change, of course, as soon as the crew of the Artemis III mission will set foot on the surface of the Moon in 2027.
As per the European Space Agency, one of the major NASA partners for Artemis, the videos we'll see two years from now will be color, digital, and running at 60 frames per second.
It's unclear at this time what such capabilities will mean in terms of actual hardware. That's because, as the European Space Agency (ESA) itself says, sending a video back from the Moon is not as easy as uploading a clip to YouTube.
Aside from the recording equipment itself, which has to survive extreme conditions, including temperature, dust, and light, the videos themselves will have to tackle the challenges of signal delay (there's a 1.3-second delay between the Moon and Earth) and bandwidth.
To get a sense of what 60 fps hd vids from the Moon will require, ESA is currently running a series of test in a special facility called LUNA.
Engineers there are using different technologies and approaches in a bid to determine what the best hardware for recording and transmitting would be.
The findings so far, gained during a simulated moonwalk at the German facility, point to HDR video being the most suitable to show detail in shadowed areas of the Moon.
During the actual missions, clips will be shot by astronauts' cameras, including the ones that will be built into their suits, and sent back to Earth through whatever means available.
For the Artemis III mission, it's likely astronauts will have to make do one way or another to send videos back to Earth, but subsequent missions will take advantage of a constellation of five lunar satellites that will be placed in lunar orbit by ESA before the end of the decade.
Later on, there is even talk of integrating laser-based optical communication systems into everyday lunar operations.
According to the space agency, the videos recorded during moonwalks will be sent directly to Houston, where they will be decoded and then shared with the public.
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/space-agency-promises-color-hd-videos-at-60-fps-during-the-next-moon-landing-252128.html
UK space robots gear up to build solar farms, data centers, megastructures
Updated: May 29, 2025 06:33 AM EST
Robots are already transforming industries here on Earth. The next big challenge is to build massive structures in orbit, hundreds of thousands of miles above Earth.
A new partnership between the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAE) and space-tech innovator Space Solar is turning this vision into reality through their AlbaTRUSS project.
Recently, the team demonstrated that robotic technology can assemble enormous infrastructure in space, entirely without human intervention.
“The AlbaTRUSS project is a milestone not just for our satellite architecture, but for the future of large-scale structures in space, from data centres to energy infrastructure,” said Dr Sam Adlen, Co-CEO of Space Solar.
If all goes as planned, then the goal is to have the first 30MW demonstrator operational by 2029 — with plans to achieve full gigawatt-scale capacity in the early 2030s.
Dual-arm robotic testing
Space Solar is focused on developing gigawatt-scale solar power satellites.
These are not small, conventional satellites; rather, they are envisioned as colossal structures, several kilometers long and 20 meters wide, composed of hundreds of thousands of modular units.
These satellites will capture constant solar energy in space, where the sun truly never sets.
Moreover, space-based solar power offers a solution to the inconsistent nature of terrestrial wind and solar energy.
Therefore, the satellites can provide constant, clean energy 24/7, unaffected by weather conditions. In fact, a single solar panel in space can generate 13 times the energy of its Earth-bound counterpart.
“Once constructed, these satellites capture solar power and beam it back down to Earth in the form of microwaves, which can be received by antennas on the ground and converted into electricity for the grid,” stated Adlen.
The UK startup is actively working towards its goal of wirelessly beaming power from space.
In May, they conducted successful tests of their innovative power-beaming technology, featuring a system that can electronically steer its energy beam 360 degrees. And in the very same month, they hit yet another major milestone
They successfully demonstrated that remotely operated dual-arm robotic manipulators could assemble components for future gigawatt-scale solar power satellites.
Specifically, the proof-of-concept demonstrated that robots could put together a scaled-down structural truss bay – an important tubing element of a satellite’s framework.
This confirmed the robots’ capability to handle a core component of future space-based mega-structures.
The demonstration took place at the UKAEA’s advanced test facilities on Culham Campus, Oxfordshire.
Robots are ideal for space
While the International Space Station stands as humanity’s biggest in-space construction, most satellites are still pre-built.
And the truth is, in-space assembly, especially with risky human spacewalks, is incredibly expensive. This is where robots shine.
Robots are ideal for building, maintaining, and even decommissioning infrastructure in orbit. They don’t need oxygen, can withstand diverse radiation levels, and work tirelessly in the harsh vacuum of space.
“Building a machine as complicated as a fusion power plant on Earth, which will be entirely remotely operated, is similar to building structures in space.
It could be a lunar station or a facility on Mars, so we’re talking about the future of humanity as well as ensuring energy security,” said Professor Rob Buckingham, Executive Director of UKAEA.
If successful, these robotic advancements could enable massive infrastructure projects in Earth’s orbit, including data centers and colossal energy farms.
And the research is already underway, with institutions like the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) actively developing robotic technologies for both lunar surface infrastructure and in-space assembly and manufacturing.
Meanwhile, NASA’s ARMADAS program continues to develop robotic systems for the autonomous construction of large-scale structures using modular components.
https://interestingengineering.com/space/space-robots-to-build-solar-farms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E6ngiKmVVI
Beaming solar power from space is closer to reality after breakthrough Japanese test
May 29, 2025, 7:03 AM
Forward-looking: Recent tests have proven that beaming solar energy to Earth from low-orbiting satellites is theoretically possible with existing technology.
If implemented, the method could resolve several flaws of conventional solar panels, providing a continuous source of renewable energy while occupying minimal space.
Researchers from Japan Space Systems (JSS) recently beamed energy wirelessly from a speeding jet to antennae on the ground.
The successful experiment confirms the viability of numerous tools that might eventually transmit solar power from space to Earth.
Low-orbit solar panels that beam energy to the surface have multiple advantages over ground-based solar farms. Without interference from the Earth's atmosphere, they can collect several times more energy.
The arrays would send power to Earth in the form of microwaves, which lose only five percent of their energy when passing through the atmosphere.
Furthermore, maintaining proper orbit enables the transmission of solar energy at night, ensuring an uninterrupted, round-the-clock supply.
Scientists theorize that solar energy from space might supplement the energy needed to power various land and air vehicles, further reducing carbon emissions.
Ground-based receivers would also cover far smaller areas than typical solar or wind farms.
However, some obstacles remain. Significant amounts of energy are lost during conversion to and from microwave emission.
Furthermore, all artificial satellites must deal with micrometeorites and the prospect of creating space debris. Some also theorize that orbital microwave emitters could become weapons of mass destruction.
Early JSS experiments confirmed wireless power transmission at distances ranging from 30 to 100 meters, while the latest test achieved complete success from a fast-moving object at 5km (3.1 miles).
The scientists flew a small jet over an antenna array and measured energy reception from multiple angles, demonstrating the capability to quickly and accurately redirect microwave transmissions.
The microwave transmissions utilize quantum interference to bounce waves from multiple sources simultaneously, which cancels out all waves except those moving in a chosen direction.
The concept resembles the act of splashing waves at multiple points in a body of water, which creates pockets of intense waves that complement each other and calm areas where waves cancel each other out.
JSS ultimately plans to beam energy from satellites orbiting 36,000km (22,369 miles) above the Earth. Researchers from Caltech completed a similar experiment in 2023.
The university's Microwave Array for Power-transfer Low-orbit Experiment directed enough energy from low-Earth orbit to power two LED lights on the ground.
Last year, a California startup proposed selling solar power redirected from space using an array of satellites equipped with mirrors.
https://www.techspot.com/news/108097-beaming-solar-power-space-closer-reality-after-breakthrough.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7YVO7RWN5E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5SBF48WqV4
China to build robot thruster to shield space station from Elon Musk’s satellite swarm
Updated: May 29, 2025 07:50 AM EST
The militarization of space continues to gain momentum.
One of the world’s leading space powers, China, is developing a new robotic defense system for its Tiangong space station.
The space system will utilize autonomous vehicles capable of intercepting and latching onto suspicious spacecraft. Once in their grasp, these bots would thrust away from the orbital station, removing the danger.
The new development was announced by Sun Zhibin of the National Space Science Centre in Beijing during a talk at Nanjing University of Science and Technology on Tuesday, a report from the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reveals.
China’s space defense bots
During his talk, Sun outlined key plans for China’s Tiangong space station. The orbital outpost, launched in 2021, is one of the key showcases of China’s space leadership.
In recent years, the nation has challenged the US’s space science and research dominance.
Last year, Chinese astronauts performed a nine-hour spacewalk, breaking a record previously set by NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
“Sometimes another spacecraft may deliberately come close – maybe just to take a look – but it can still interfere with our operations,” Sun explained during his public talk, according to the SCMP report.
“In such cases, we first try to assess their intent. Then we choose how to respond – whether by dodging, adjusting our orbit, or releasing a small robot to grab and redirect the object,” he continued.
The US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing a similar technology. Its robotic satellite inspection system could also be used to counter potential threats.
Several startups, such as Astroscale, are also developing rendezvous and capture technologies. However, these are predominantly for space debris.
Starlink close calls
In December 2021, China filed a complaint to the United Nations, stating its Tiangong space station had to perform two evasive maneuvers due to SpaceX’s Starlink satellites.
According to the report filed with the UN, Starlink-1095 and Starlink-2305 lowered their orbital trajectories.
This brought them within Tiangong’s operational zone of roughly 380km (236 miles). Tiangong was crewed during two near misses on July 1 and October 21.
The complaint to the UN stated that these events “constituted dangers to the life or health of astronauts aboard the China Space Station”.
It is understandable that nations will build technologies to protect their multi-billion-dollar space infrastructure.
However, it is worth noting that military space missions go against the principles set out in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty – a foundational document for international space law.
Unfortunately, the world’s fractured political sphere is increasingly impacting space operations.
One example comes in the form of the Trump administration’s proposed space budget, which would drastically cut NASA’s science spending – ultimately benefitting China.
The ISS, once a beacon of global scientific collaboration, will also face cuts, and may be deorbited sooner than expected.
https://interestingengineering.com/space/china-to-deploy-space-defense-bots
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3312063/china-plans-arm-tiangong-space-station-self-defence-bots-scientist-says
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250529/Necrosis-may-hold-the-key-to-unlocking-longevity-and-space-health-solutions.aspx
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41388-025-03431-y
Necrosis may hold the key to unlocking longevity and space health solutions
May 29 2025
The process of necrosis, a form of cell death, may represent one of the most promising ways to change the course of human aging, disease and even space travel, according to a new study from researchers at UCL, drug discovery company LinkGevity and the European Space Agency (ESA).
In the study, published in Nature Oncogene, a world-leading international team of scientists and clinicians explore the potential of necrosis – when cells die unexpectedly as a result of infection, injury or disease – to reshape our understanding and treatment of age-related conditions.
Challenging prevailing views, the paper brings together evidence from cancer biology, regenerative medicine, kidney disease, and space health to argue that necrosis is not merely an endpoint, but a key driver of aging that presents an opportunity for intervention.
Dr. Keith Siew, an author of the study from UCL Centre for Kidney & Bladder Health, said: "Nobody really likes talking about death, even cell death, which is perhaps why the physiology of death is so poorly understood.
And in a way necrosis is death. If enough cells die, then tissues die, then we die. The question is what would happen if we could pause or stop necrosis."
Dr. Carina Kern, lead author of the study and CEO of LinkGevity, a biotech company based at Cambridge's Babraham Research Campus and part of the NASA Space-Health program, said:
"Necrosis remains one of the last frontiers in medicine – a common thread across aging, disease, space biology, and scientific progress itself."
Cells are the fundamental building blocks of life and can die in various ways.
'Programmed' forms of cell death are beneficial, carefully orchestrated processes that allow our tissues to replenish themselves and function well throughout life.
But 'unprogrammed' cell death, or necrosis, is an uncontrolled and catastrophic process that leads to tissue degeneration and biological decline.
At the centre of the necrotic process is calcium, a vital resource that effectively controls the cell by determining which functions are switched on or off.
Calcium ions are normally maintained at a level that is 10,000 to 100,000 times higher outside the cell than inside of it.
When this finely tuned balance fails, calcium floods the cell like an electrical short circuit, pushing the cell into chaos.
Unlike programmed death, where cells dismantle in an orderly manner, necrosis causes cells to rupture, spilling toxic molecules into surrounding tissues.
This sparks a chain reaction that causes widespread inflammation and affects tissue repair, creating a snowball effect that ultimately leads to frailty and the onset of chronic age-related conditions such as kidney disease, heart disease and Alzheimer's.
Dr. Siew added: "When cells die, it's not always a peaceful process for the neighbours."
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"Necrosis has been hiding in plain sight. As a final stage of cell death, it's been largely overlooked. But mounting evidence shows it's far more than an endpoint.
It's a central mechanism through which systemic degeneration not only arises but also spreads. That makes it a critical point of convergence across many diseases.
If we can target necrosis, we could unlock entirely new ways to treat conditions ranging from kidney failure to cardiac disease, neurodegeneration, and even aging itself."
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Dr. Carina Kern, lead author of the study and CEO of
Notably, it is in the kidneys that necrosis may have its most devastating and underappreciated impact.
Necrosis induces kidney disease, which can lead to kidney failure requiring a transplant or dialysis. By age 75 nearly half of all individuals develop some degree of kidney disease as part of the natural aging process.
Dr. Siew added: "With kidney disease, there's no one underlying reason that the kidneys fail. It could be a lack of oxygen, inflammation, oxidative stress, a build-up of toxins, and so on.
All of these stressors eventually lead to necrosis, which initiates a positive feedback loop that spirals out of control, leading to kidney failure.
We can't stop all of these stressors, but if you could intervene at the point of necrosis, you'd effectively achieve the same result."
Another area where interrupting necrosis could have a big impact is spaceflight, where astronauts often experience accelerated aging and kidney-related decline due to the effects of low gravity and exposure to cosmic radiation.
A 2024 study involving Dr Siew demonstrated that the human kidney may be the ultimate bottleneck for long-duration space missions.
The authors say finding solutions to this accelerated aging and kidney disease may be the final frontier for human deep space exploration.
Professor Damian Bailey, an author of the paper from the University of South Wales and Chair of the European Space Agency (ESA) Life Sciences Working Group, said:
"Targeting necrosis offers potential to not only transform longevity on Earth but also push the frontiers of space exploration.
In space, the same factors that cause aging on Earth are made worse by cosmic radiation and microgravity – speeding up degeneration dramatically."
Dr. Kern added: "In many age-related diseases – affecting diverse organs such as the lungs, kidneys, liver, brain, and cardiovascular system – relentless cascades of necrosis fuel the progression of disease.
This is often alongside impaired healing that leads to fibrosis, inflammation and damaged cells. Each cascade triggers and amplifies the next.
"If we could prevent necrosis, even temporarily, we would be shutting down these destructive cycles at their source, enabling normal physiological processes and cell division to resume – and potentially even allowing for regeneration."
The paper is a collaborative effort by clinicians and scientists from institutions including UCL Division of Medicine, Harvard Medical School-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, Mayo Clinic, NASA Space-Health program, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of South Wales, and the European Space Agency.
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China urges U.S. to stop expanding military build-up in space
2025-05-29
China has urged the U.S. to stop expanding military build-up in space and take concrete actions to uphold global strategic stability, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense said on Thursday.
Zhang Xiaogang made the remarks at a press conference in response to U.S. plans for the Golden Dome missile defense system.
The U.S. presses ahead with the Golden Dome system, deploys space-based weapons, continuously expands its military build-up, and stokes an arms race in outer space, Zhang stated.
Such acts violate relevant principles of the Outer Space Treaty, heightening the risk of turning space into a war zone, triggering a space arms race, and shaking the international security and arms control regime, he stressed.
"Its actions will once again open Pandora's box," Zhang said. This proves again that no country has done more than the U.S. in militarizing space and making it a battlefield, he added.
https://www.ecns.cn/m/news/cns-wire/2025-05-29/detail-iherwsih6788200.shtml
Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) for 2024 Released
May 29, 2025
Dr. V. Narayanan, Chairman, ISRO/ Secretary, DOS, released the Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) for 2024 compiled by ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operations Management (IS4OM) on 22nd April 2025.
An executive summary of the ISSAR is presented below.
Introduction
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) performs Space Situational Awareness (SSA) activities to protect national space assets against various space environmental hazards, such as Resident Space Objects including space debris, natural objects like asteroids and meteoroids, energy and particle flux.
ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Operations Management (IS4OM) functions as the nodal entity to concert all space sustainability efforts, including SSA activities, and to improve compliance with internationally recognised guidelines on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities.
The prime activities conducted are regular assessment of close approach risks posed by resident space objects to satellites and launch vehicles, predicting uncontrolled atmospheric re-entries, and studying the evolution of space object populations.
As an integral part of SSA activities, an annual assessment of the prevailing space situation is compiled in the form of the Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) for dissemination to the relevant stakeholders.
The highlights of the most recent space situational assessment are presented next.
Global Scenario
The year 2024 witnessed the highest number of launches since the beginning of the space age. There were 261 launches attempts, out of which 254 launches were successful resulting in an addition of 2578 operational satellites.
A total of 2963 objects were placed in orbit. This number was less than that of the previous year, which was 3135 objects from 212 launches in 2023.
Five lunar missions were launched in 2024 indicative of the renewed interest in lunar exploration.
There were three major on-orbit break-up events in 2024. One major fragmentation of a Long March rocket stage (CZ-6A) reportedly added around 650 catalogued objects.
Some of these fragments decayed within the same year, resulting in a net addition of 702 fragmented objects to the population of space debris by the end of 2024.
Since the number of debris originating from the fragmentation events was more (702 compared to 69 in the previous year), hence, a total of 3665 objects from 254 launches and on-orbit break-up events were added to the space object population.
A total of 2095 catalogued objects re-entered the atmosphere, this is also the highest number of re-entries. Out of them, 335 objects were Starlink satellites, there was a deliberate, large-scale deorbit of early V1 satellites.
The year also witnessed intense solar activities as the peak of the 11-year solar cycle (Solar Cycle 25) was approached. There were 18 strong (G3 class), 20 severe (G4 class), and 2 extreme (G5 class) geomagnetic storms which accelerated the orbital decay.
Although number of satellites placed in orbit was relatively less and a greater number of objects re-entered the atmosphere compared to the previous year, the total number of objects added to the space object population was higher because of the fragmentation events.
Consequently, the growing trend in the space object population continued in 2024.
Indian Scenario
Statistics of On-Orbit Indian Objects
A total of 136 Indian spacecraft, including those from private operators/academic institutions, were launched in Earth-orbit till 31 Dec 2024.
As of 31 Dec 2024, the number of operational satellites owned by Govt. of India is 22 in LEO (Low Earth Orbit) and 31 in GEO (Geo-synchronous Earth Orbit).
In addition, two Indian deep space missions, namely, Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter (CH2O) and Aditya-L1 at Sun-Earth Lagrange’s point were also active.
The propulsion module of Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft continued to operate in a high Earth orbit (more than 1 lakh km away) after being relocated from its lunar orbit since Nov 2023.
There were five launches from Sriharikota, namely PSLV-C58/XPoSat, PSLV-C59/PROBA-3, PSLV-C60/SPADEX, GSLV-F14/INSAT-3DS, and SSLV-D3/EOS-08 mission, all of them successfully injected the payloads in their nominally designated orbits.
ISRO's GSAT-20 was launched by Falcon-9 Block 5 of SpaceX from Cape Canaveral. TSAT-1A was also launched by Falcon-9. Consequently, a total of 8 Indian satellites, 1 foreign satellite, and 6 rocket bodies (including POEM-3 and POEM-4) were placed in their intended orbits.
The upper stage of PSLV-C3 underwent an accidental break-up in 2001 and generated 371 debris. While most of these fragments have re-entered the atmosphere, 41 PSLV-C3 debris were still in orbit by the end of 2024.
cont.
https://www.isro.gov.in/ISSAR_2024.html