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Category: space – Page 328

Space Force eyes a future of speed and agility in orbit

For its latest Hyperspace Challenge accelerator, the U.S. Space Force selected three startups specializing in satellite propulsion, picks reflecting the military’s growing interest in nimble satellites that can maneuver to outplay adversaries.

This marks a shift for the Pentagon, which traditionally has launched satellites into orbit and restricted their movements to conserve fuel. But with rivals fielding maneuverable spacecraft, U.S. officials are calling for a shift to “dynamic space operations,” enabled by autonomous refueling and other in-orbit services.

“Having the ability to refuel would really open new possibilities,” said John Plumb, assistant secretary of defense for space policy. He said the Pentagon is encouraged to see commercial companies developing technologies for in-orbit logistics that also have significant utility for the military.

Robot stand-in mimics your movements in VR

Researchers from Cornell and Brown University have developed a souped-up telepresence robot that responds automatically and in real-time to a remote user’s movements and gestures made in virtual reality.

The robotic system, called VRoxy, allows a remote user in a small space, like an office, to collaborate via VR with teammates in a much larger space. VRoxy represents the latest in remote, robotic embodiment from researchers in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science.

Ryugu Samples illuminate Terrestrial Weathering Effects on Primitive Meteorites

A groundbreaking study conducted by a team of international scientists has unveiled unprecedented insights into the nature of the asteroid Ryugu and shed light on the composition of water-and carbon-rich small bodies in the solar system.

Asteroids like Ryugu are remnants of planetary embryos that never reached larger sizes, making them invaluable windows into materials that formed in the early solar system.

The study centered on laboratory measurements of the samples brought back to the Earth by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft in 2020.

Mystery in the Cosmos: Telescope Array Detects Ultra-High Energy Extraterrestrial Particle With No Obvious Source

A groundbreaking detection of an extremely energetic cosmic ray by the Telescope Array experiment raises questions about its source, as it points to a cosmic void, challenging current theories in cosmic ray origins and high-energy physics.

Discovery of an Exceptional Extraterrestrial Particle

Researchers involved in the Telescope Array experiment have announced the detection of an extraordinarily energetic cosmic ray. This particle, which originated beyond our galaxy, possesses an astounding energy level of over 240 exa-electron volts (EeV). Despite this remarkable find, its exact source remains elusive, as its arrival direction does not point to any known astronomical entities.

Pew! Pew! Pew! NASA’s 1st successful two-way laser experiment is a giant leap for moon and Mars communications

NASA has completed its first laser link with an in-orbit laser relay system, marking a significant advancement in space communication technology.

The successful demonstration of two-way laser communications on Dec. 5 between laser terminals in different orbits could provide a basis for faster communications between Earth and the moon or even beyond.

Orange tabby cat named Taters steals the show in first video sent by laser from deep space

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An orange tabby cat named Taters stars in the first video transmitted by laser from deep space, stealing the show as he chases a red laser light.

The 15-second video was beamed to Earth from NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, 19 million miles (30 million kilometers) away. It took less than two minutes for the ultra high-definition video to reach Caltech’s Palomar Observatory, sent at the test system’s maximum rate of 267 megabits per second.

The video was loaded into Psyche’s laser communication experiment before the spacecraft blasted off to a rare metal asteroid in October. The mission team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, decided to feature an employee’s 3-year-old playful kitty.

NASA sends cat video over 19 million miles using laser

In a groundbreaking experiment, NASA has successfully sent a 15-second, high-definition cat video over 19 million miles to Earth from space.

NASA has sent an ultra-high definition, 15-second-long cat video over 19 million miles (over 30 million km), the space agency said on Monday. This was not done for fun, though the video choice is undoubtedly some in-joke, but rather an experiment for its Deep Space Optical Communications. The video was beamed to Earth from its $1.2 billion Psyche asteroid probe launched in October 2023.

Cat vids over the void

The probe is on a six-year-long mission and is set to travel around 2.2 billion miles (3.6 billion km) during its mission. Pysche is scheduled to rendevous with a rare, metal-rich asteroid that may explain how the cores of rocky planets like Earth first formed. The video of a cat called “Taters” was uploaded to the probe before launch and was sent to Earth on December 11 as a side mission to its main task.

China’s secret aircraft deployed 6 ‘mysterious wingmen’ in space

Just four days after arriving in Earth’s orbit, China’s Shenlong space plane has been observed releasing six enigmatic “wingmen.”

China’s Shenlong (meaning “Divine Dragon”) robotic space plane has something strange four days after it arrives in Earth’s orbit.

In an unexpected move, China’s Shenlong space plane has been observed deploying 6 ‘wingmen’ objects, some of which are chatting.

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