Tag: nasa mission

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NASA to unearth mysteries of Moon with the launch of Nova-C lunar lander; Know all about this Artemis mission

NASA's Artemis mission has embarked on a journey to the Moon with the launch of Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lunar lander, named Odysseus, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:05 a.m. EST. This initiative, part of NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) program and the broader Artemis campaign aims to deliver a suite of science instruments and technology demonstrations to our nearest celestial neighbor.Unveiling the Lunar EnvironmentAccording to the US Space Agency, the Nova-C lander is equipped with a range of payloads designed to study various aspects of the lunar surface environment and test technologies critical for future lunar exploration missions. These payloads will provide insights into plume-surface interactions, space weather...
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NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope discovers a record-breaking tiny Brown Dwarf! Know all about it

James Webb Space Telescope run by NASA has helped scientists discover various mysteries of the cosmic world going as far back in time that is extremely close to the Big Bang itself. In a recent groundbreaking discovery, James Webb Space Telescope has identified the smallest free-floating brown dwarf ever observed. NASA scientists have found this smallest object that can form in a star-like manner. Read here to know all about the newly discovered brown dwarf.What are brown dwarfs?As explained by NASA, Brown dwarfs are celestial objects straddling the line between stars and planets. They are born just like stars. They grow dense enough and then they collapse under their own gravity. However, they never become dense and hot enough for hydrogen fusion and turn into a star. Lead author Kevi...
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NASA OSIRIS-APEX set for unprecedented solar approach on mission to asteroid Apophis

NASA's OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft, formerly known as OSIRIS-REx, is actively preparing for a groundbreaking solar approach, bringing it closer to the Sun than ever before as it targets the asteroid Apophis. The spacecraft's closest approach, referred to as perihelion, is set for January 2, 2024, positioning OSIRIS-APEX approximately 46.5 million miles away from the Sun. This distance is roughly half the span between Earth and the Sun and well within the orbit of Venus. NASA has highlighted that this close encounter will subject the spacecraft's components to higher temperatures than originally designed.OSIRIS-REx to OSIRIS-APEXFollowing the successful delivery of the Bennu sample to Earth on September 24, 2023, OSIRIS-REx transitioned into a new mission. The team proposed an additional mis...
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NASA and ISRO to launch NISAR mission in 2024; know all about it

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and NASA are preparing to launch the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission in 2024. Currently, the tests are being conducted before the official launch. NASA JPL reported that the 20-day antenna test was conducted and it passed all the requirements. Now in a media interaction, NASA NISAR Project Manager Phil Barela revealed the progression of the collaborative mission.NISAR mission launchPhil Barela, during the interaction, revealed that the NISAR mission is ready to launch and it will take place in the first quarter of 2024 after conducting a few tests. According to a NASA report, the NISAR mission will have an operation duration of three years during which it will study Earth's wetlands and ice-covered surface every 12 days. This...
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Dragonfly set to break new ground for NASA on Saturn moon Titan

NASA is getting ready for a remarkable journey with its Dragonfly mission, aiming to explore Saturn's enigmatic moon, Titan. With a launch date set for June 2027, it will reach its destination in 2034. Dragonfly is one of the most innovative ventures in planetary exploration. What sets it apart? Let's check out the facts of this remarkable mission.A Pioneering MissionDragonfly will be an exceptional first in several respects. Notably, it marks the maiden voyage of a rotorcraft on an extraterrestrial body. Furthermore, it will utilise nuclear power, an innovative concept for studying outer planets' moons. And, in a feat of innovation, Dragonfly will become the first to navigate its entire scientific payload through the thick atmosphere surrounding Titan, according to a Space.com report....
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Lift-off! NASA chases Psyche Asteroid

In a historic moment, NASA's Psyche Asteroid probe embarked on a groundbreaking journey to a space rock laden with rare metals. This remarkable NASA mission represents the first-ever exploration of a metallic world, diverging from the conventional rocky or icy compositions of most asteroids. Scientists believe that this enigmatic celestial body could unlock insights into the elusive cores of Earth and other rocky planets, speculating that it might be the remnants of an ancient planet.Amid a cloudy midday sky, SpaceX catapulted the satellite into space from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The destination? The colossal asteroid it's named after, Psyche, with an anticipated arrival in 2029. An hour after lift-off, ground controllers jubilantly confirmed the successful separation of the space...
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Largest Asteroid Sample Ever Collected Is Coming Down to Earth

Chunks of asteroid that could tell us about the earliest days of the 4.5 billion-year-old solar system and the possible origins of water on our planet are set to land in the Utah desert Sunday.It's a moment more than a decade in the making for a NASA mission called OSIRIS-REx. Its goal was to scoop up a large sample of rocks and dust from a near-Earth asteroid named Bennu and bring it to our planet to study. The spacecraft successfully snagged its prize in 2020 and this weekend will finally pass by Earth and release a capsule containing the sample and send it careening down to Utah. “This is, of course, the moment we've all been waiting for,” said Lori Glaze, director of NASA's Science Mission Directorate's Planetary Science Division. The sample will help scientists get a snapshot of w...
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NASA spacecraft delivering biggest sample yet from an asteroid

Planet Earth is about to receive a special delivery — the biggest sample yet from an asteroid.A NASA spacecraft will fly by Earth on Sunday and drop off what is expected to be at least a cupful of rubble it grabbed from the asteroid Bennu. closing out a seven-year quest. The sample capsule will parachute into the Utah desert as its mothership, the Osiris-Rex spacecraft, zooms off for an encounter with another asteroid. Scientists anticipate getting about a half pound (250 grams) of pebbles and dust, much more than the teaspoon or so brought back by Japan from two other asteroids. No other country has fetched pieces of asteroids, preserved time capsules from the dawn of our solar system that can help explain how Earth — and life — came to be.Sunday's landing concludes a 4 billion-mile (...
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UFOs: how NASA plans to get to the bottom of unexplained sightings

As reports continue flying in about what were traditionally called UFOs (unidentified flying objects), NASA is taking the topic very seriously. In fact, following the publication of a report from an independent committee of experts in fields including astronomy and aviation safety, the agency has even appointed a new director of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) research.UAP is the term NASA now uses for UFOs. The committee was directed to gather reports of UAPs and try to understand what these mysterious events really are, including answering the question of whether or not they could be extraterrestrial in origin. The committee held a press conference back in May, when it provided an update on its work up to that point. The study team outlined some of the common explanations for ...
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Two supermoons in August! Know when and where to watch

Do you know about the beautiful supermoon in the sky? Ever wondered what a supermoon is? According to NASA, a supermoon occurs when the Moon's orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth at the same time that the Moon is full.August is a thrilling time for moon enthusiasts as it starts and ends with supermoons. On Tuesday, Aug. 1, we'll witness the rise of the Full Sturgeon Moon, and the month concludes with the Full Blue Moon on Aug. 30. These full moons are not only supermoons but also mark the middle points in a sequence of four lunar events, which began with the Full Buck Moon on July 3. This lunar display is known for its dazzling brilliance, enhanced by the supermoon phenomenon, making it appear slightly larger and brighter than a regular full moon. It promises to be a captivating sight ...