Lifeboat Foundation

A research team reports in the journal Angewandte Chemie that gamma radiation can transform methane into a diverse range of products at room temperature, including hydrocarbons, oxygenated molecules, and amino acids. This reaction likely plays a significant role in the formation of complex organic molecules in the universe—and may even contribute to the origins of life. Additionally, it presents new opportunities for industrially converting methane into high-value products under mild conditions.

With these research results, the team led by Weixin Huang at the University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei) has contributed to our fundamental understanding of the early development of molecules in the universe.

“Gamma rays, high-energy photons commonly existing in cosmic rays and unstable isotope decay, provide external energy to drive chemical reactions of simple molecules in the icy mantles of interstellar dust and ice grains,” states Huang. “This can result in more complex organic molecules, presumably starting from methane (CH₄), which is widely present throughout the interstellar medium.”

Following a signing ceremony Wednesday in Denmark’s capital city, Copenhagen, NASA embraced Denmark as the 48th nation to commit to the safe and responsible exploration of space that benefits humanity.

“We welcome Denmark’s signing of the Artemis Accords today,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Denmark, as a founding member of the European Space Agency (ESA), has contributed to space exploration for decades, including collaborating with NASA on Mars exploration. Denmark’s signing of the Artemis Accords will further international cooperation and the peaceful exploration of space.”

Christina Egelund, minister of higher education and science, signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Denmark. Alan Leventhal, U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark also participated in the ceremony, and Nelson contributed recorded remarks.

This is SpaceX’s full journey from Earth to Mars and back. #shorts

SpaceX Dragon demonstrated its capability to reboost the International Space Station (ISS) for the first time on Friday, with the spacecraft’s Draco thrusters adjusting the station’s orbit.

What Happened: The spacecraft adjusted the station’s orbit through a reboost of altitude by 7/100 of a mile at apogee and 7/10 of a mile at perigee, NASA said. The Dragon spacecraft fired its Draco thrusters for about 12 minutes and 30 seconds in the process.

The Roscosmos Progress spacecraft and the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft also provide reboost for the space station now.

SpaceX and NASA have successfully tested the Dragon spacecraft’s reboost capabilities, enhancing the International Space Stations altitude.

This test adds to existing capabilities provided by Roscosmoss Progress and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecrafts. Alongside its reboost demonstration, the Dragon spacecraft also completed a substantial resupply mission, carrying over 6,000 pounds of supplies.

SpaceX’s Reboost Demonstration

The Elon Musk-led spaceflight company will attempt to catch the Super Heavy booster for a second time as it returns to Earth.

The order of the planets is something most of us learn in school: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and (until 2006) Pluto.

So, you would be forgiven for thinking that as Earthlings, our closest planetary neighbor is Venus. And in a way, you would be right – at its nearest, Venus approaches Earth closer than any other planet in the Solar System. Likewise, its orbit is closer to our orbit than any other. However, in another sense, you would be wrong. At least, that is the argument put forward in an article published in PhysicsToday.

Continue reading “A New Planet Is Now Our Closest Neighbor” »

NASA is currently working on the first practical field test toward the possibility of faster than light travel. Traveling faster than light has always been attributed to science fiction, but that all changed when Harold White and his team at NASA started to work on and tweak the Alcubierre Drive.

Special relativity may hold true, but to travel faster or at the speed of light we might not need a craft that can travel at that speed. The solution might be to place a craft within a space that is moving faster than the speed of light! Therefore the craft itself does not have to travel at the speed of light from it’s own type of propulsion system. It’s easier to think about if you think in terms of a flat escalator in an airport.

Continue reading “NASA Admits Alcubierre Drive Initiative: Faster Than The Speed Of Light” »

Watch the video from Boeing Space explaining all.