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On Saturday 29 June, thousands of visitors made their way to ESA’s European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT), as part of the very first ESA open day to be held in the UK.
Space News & Blog Articles
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Mapping the Milky Way’s Dark Matter Halo
Anytime astronomers talk of mapping the Milky Way I am always reminded how tricky the study of the Universe can be. After all, we live inside the Milky Way and working out what it looks like or mapping it from the inside is not the easiest of missions. It’s one thing to map the visible matter but mapping the dark matter is even harder. Challenges aside, a team of astronomers think they have managed to map the dark matter halo surrounding our Galaxy using Cepheid Variable stars and data from Gaia.
'This is how we get to Mach 3:' Virgin Galactic's Jameel Janjua on his long journey to space (exclusive)
Jameel Janjua made it 'to the bitter end' in a Canadian astronaut government selection in 2009, but wasn't chosen. He found a different path to space, however: Virgin Galactic.
The Fiery Heart of Antares
A long-ago incident forged a connection with Antares, the topaz-colored star at the heart of the Scorpion.
Ammonites Were Doing Fine Until the Asteroid Hit
I must confess, I think asteroids and I think of movies like Deep Impact or Armageddon! Scientists think that an asteroid like the ones that appeared in the Hollywood blockbusters struck Mexico 66 million years ago and led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. It now seems they may not have been the only ones that were wiped from our planet. Ammonites are marine mollusks that flourished for 350 million years but they were wiped out too. Some research suggests they were struggling in North America but thriving in other parts of the world.
A Handy Attachment Could Make Lunar Construction a Breeze
Moving large amounts of regolith is a requirement for any long-term mission to the Moon or Mars. But so far, humanity has only sent systems capable of moving small amounts of soil at a time – primarily for sample collection. Sending a large, dedicated excavator to perform such work might be cost-prohibitive due to its weight, so why not send a bulldozer attachment to a mobility unit already planned for use on the surface? That was the thought process of an interdisciplinary team of engineers from NASA and the Colorado School of Mines. They came up with the Lunar Attachment Node for Construction and Excavation – or LANCE.
Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket launching for 1st time ever this week
Europe's new heavy-lift Ariane 6 rocket is set to make its long-delayed debut on Tuesday (July 9).
European Space Agency makes final preparations for inaugural Ariane 6 launch
The Ariane 6 rocket stands at the launch pad at the Europe Spaceport in French Guiana following the removal of the mobile launch gantry. Image: M. Pédoussaut/ESA
To quote the title track of Swedish rock band Europe’s third album, “It’s the final countdown” for the long awaited Ariane 6 to finally take flight. After running years behind schedule, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Arianespace are less than a week from the planned debut.
Space radiation can damage satellites − my team discovered that a next-generation material could self-heal when exposed to cosmic rays
The space environment is harsh and full of extreme radiation. Scientists designing spacecraft and satellites need materials that can withstand these conditions.
Astrophotographer captures stunningly detailed photos of our 'fuzzy' sun
Check out these three incredible solar images taken by astrophotographer Mark Johnston from his backyard in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Jumping on an asteroid: How VR is being used to visit worlds we can never reach
At the 2024 Astronomical Society of Australia's Annual Scientific Meeting, I got to walk on an asteroid in virtual reality. Here's what I found in Ryugu World.
Chasing the midnight sun along Norway's arctic coastline
Join me on an adventure along Norway's stunning coastline as I explore the strange phenomenon of the midnight sun, where the sun doesn't set below the horizon.
Webb Looks at One of the Best Gravitationally Lensed Quasars Ever Discovered
It looks like a distant ring with three sparkly jewels, but the Webb telescope’s (JWST) most recent image is really the view of a distant quasar lensed by a nearby elliptical galaxy. The telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) looked at the faint apparition during a study of dark matter and its distribution in the Universe.
NASA's Skyrocketing Need for Cargo Deliveries to the Moon
NASA has big plans for the Moon. Through the Artemis Program, NASA plans to create a program of “sustained exploration and lunar development.” This will include the creation of the Lunar Gateway, an orbital habitat that will facilitate missions to and from the surface, and the Artemis Base Camp that will allow for extended stays. Through its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, NASA has contracted with commercial partners like SpaceX and Blue Origin to deliver scientific experiments and crew to the lunar surface.
SpaceX's Starship to fly again 'in 4 weeks,' Elon Musk says
SpaceX aims to launch the fifth test flight of its huge Starship rocket just four weeks from now, Elon Musk said.
This Week In Space podcast: Episode 118 —Understanding the Darkness
On Episode 118 of This Week In Space, Rod and guest co-host Isaac Arthur talk with Alina Kiessling and Jason Rhodes of JPL about the concepts of dark matter and dark energy.
Watch NASA's 1st year-long mock Mars mission wrap up today
Four volunteers will exit a mock Mars habitat at NASA's Johnson Space Center today (July 6), bringing the agency's first year-long simulated Red Planet mission to an end.
'Space Cadet' is a silly sendup of NASA's serious astronaut training program (review)
A review of Prime Video's new NASA astronaut training comedy, "Space Cadet," starring Emma Roberts.
The great silence: Just 4 in 10,000 galaxies may host intelligent aliens
Without plate tectonics, oceans and continents, complex life that is able to invent and master advanced technology might never evolve.
Earth has 7 strange quasi-moons — and you could name one of them
The International Astronomical Union has partnered with the Radiolab podcast to present a quasi-moon-naming contest.
Journey to JAXA: Why I skipped Mount Fuji and went straight to the Japanese space agency
Japan has many iconic tourist destinations, but one place unlikely to be on many itineraries is about 90 minutes from central Tokyo – and it's just as intriguing as one of the world's most photogenic mountains.
