Space – Lifeboat News: The Blog

Starwatch: a supermoon to celebrate the vernal equinox

Mar 17
2019

Full moon marks the midway point of the moon’s cycle, and this month it will be a supermoon – the third supermoon of the year.

The first woman to fly commercial to space describes what it’s like to see Earth from 55 miles up

Posted by Genevieve Klien in futurism, space

Mar 16
2019

Beth Moses will use her flight to craft future astronaut training.

Our Mission

Posted by Caycee Dee Neely in space

Mar 15
2019

This is something near and dear to me.

The Out Astronaut Project is a collaboration between Stardom Space and Project PoSSUM to address the under-representation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) people in science and space. We highlight the contributions of LGBTQ members currently working in science and space and provide grants to promising LGBTQ students currently pursuing professions in space-related fields.

Indian Scientists Measure 1.3-Billion-Volt Thunderstorm, the Strongest on Record

Posted by Genevieve Klien in climatology, particle physics, space

Mar 15
2019

Scientists in India observed the highest-voltage thunderstorm ever documented with the help of a subatomic particle you might not hear much about: the muon.

The researchers operate the GRAPES-3 telescope, which measures muons, particles that are similar to electrons but heavier. Specifically, the Gamma Ray Astronomy at PeV EnergieS Phase-3 (GRAPES-3) muon telescope measures high-energy particles from outer space called cosmic rays. It typically picks up 2.5 million muons each minute, mapped on a 13-by-13 grid across the sky. But during thunderstorms, it experiences quick changes to the amount of muons it receives. The GRAPES-3 researchers added electric field monitors to the experiment, and devised a way to turn these muon fluctuations into measurements of the voltage of passing storms.

One Family Has Sent Flowers to NASA for More Than 30 Years

Posted by Genevieve Klien in space

Mar 15
2019

The Shelton family from Texas sent their first bouquet in 1998 after the Challenger disaster. And they haven’t stopped since.

Research set to shake up space missions

Posted by Caycee Dee Neely in materials, space

Mar 15
2019

New 2D materials research shows their capacity to survive and work well in the environment of space.

A new study from The Australian National University (ANU) has found a number of 2D materials can not only withstand being sent into space, but potentially thrive in the harsh conditions.

NASA is Everywhere: Farming Tech with Roots in Space

Posted by Michael Lance in food, space

Mar 14
2019

Today is National Agriculture Day! From enabling higher crop yields to maximizing every drop of water for farmers, NASA is working to help transform the agriculture industry. Check out some of the farming tools that have roots at NASA:

Growing plants can be tough, whether you’re on a spaceship or Earth. A special fertilizer made it easier for astronauts on the International Space Station and farmers down below, resulting in just one of the space program’s many contributions to agriculture.

Numerous farming tools have roots at NASA. Over the years, companies large and small have partnered with the agency, honed technologies and delivered innovations to benefit the industry. These are just a few examples:

Uranus smells like farts, astronomers have confirmed — and the discovery indicates there was ‘a big shakeup’ early in the solar system

Posted by Michael Lance in space

Mar 14
2019

Uranus’ hydrogen-sulfide gas is also extremely toxic.

Scientists had suspected that Uranus had clouds of hydrogen sulfide, a compound that gives rotten eggs and flatulence their pungent smells. But researchers couldn’t be certain until new Gemini Observatory telescope observations.

Made In Space Archinaut Program Reaches Major Milestone as Development Continues

Posted by Caycee Dee Neely in robotics/AI, space

Mar 13
2019

The Made In Space Archinaut program has accomplished another exciting milestone. During recent testing at Northrop Grumman’s Space Park facilities in Redondo Beach, California, we successfully operated Archinaut’s core additive manufacturing and robotic assembly technology suite in a space-like environment. These operations took place in a thermal vacuum (TVAC) chamber, simulating the extreme temperature and vacuum pressure of what a satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) would be exposed to. The completion of this ground-based testing raises the technology readiness level (TRL) of the Archinaut platform and demonstrates that core Archinaut technologies are now prepared to operate in space.

The Archinaut platform looks to provide mission critical, space-optimized structures on orbit that would otherwise be too large to launch, using on-demand, adaptable manufacturing. With the marriage of additive manufacturing and robotic assembly, Archinaut enabled structures can range from:

Latest El Niño/La Niña Watch Data

Posted by Michael Lance in space

Mar 13
2019

Will there be another El Niño this 2019? Check out these data from the TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason missions of NASA!