NASA finally opens OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample canister | Not dead yet: Japan prepares for possible recovery of SLIM | Giant geomagnetic storm to slam into Earth, fueling auroras
Created for znamenski.spacecom@blogger.com | Web Version
It's finally open. After months of anticipation, NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission has achieved a significant milestone by successfully accessing the treasure trove of asteroid material that the probe collected during its billion-mile journey.
"According to the telemetry data, SLIM's solar cells are facing west. So if sunlight begins to shine on the lunar surface from the west, there is a possibility of generating power, and we are preparing for recovery. #SLIM can operate with power only from the solar cells," the team said.
The sun has launched a blob of plasma toward Earth that could trigger a geomagnetic storm in the planet's magnetic field, officials say. This could bring stunning aurora displays to parts of the United States, primarily northern and upper Midwest Tuesday (Jan. 23), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center.
In May next year, NASA plans to launch a spacecraft to capture minuscule dust particles streaming into our solar system from interstellar space, in hopes of studying the very building blocks of our cosmic backyard. The primary goal of the mission, called the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), is to study the huge, sun-created bubble known as the heliosphere that surrounds our solar system.
One of the Milky Way's brightest globular clusters is emanating mysterious radio waves from its heart, new observations have revealed. Scientists believe the intriguing signal may be produced by a medium-sized black hole; if true, that'd make this result the first of its kind.
SpaceX wants to do a land swap in Texas to "expand its operational footprint around its launch facilities" for its giant new Starship rocket. The company plans to give 477 acres to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department near the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge a little north of Boca Chica in coastal South Texas.
Sierra Space deliberately blew up its first full-scale space station module prototype recently to get ready for future space missions that could take place as soon as 2030, the company announced on Monday (Jan. 22). The blast was equivalent to using 164 sticks of dynamite.
This handsome 144-page hardcover collectible is themed specifically around all aspects of Mandalorian appearances in the "Star Wars" empire, touching upon the actors that portrayed these indelible characters, their codes and oaths, culture and customs, and the craftsmanship of their armor and weapons. And yes, there's even a special chapter on that adorable Force-fortified alien we first knew as Baby Yoda, then later as Grogu when its real name was announced to viewers.
