Space News, Exploration & Discoveries - SciTechDaily

Unlocking Cosmic Mysteries: Scientists Develop Innovative New Method To Probe Dark Matter

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 00:26:40 +0000

Dark matter is fundamental to our understanding of the Universe, yet its exact nature remains a mystery. Uncovering the identity of dark matter is a...

“Unusually Massive” – Astronomers Discover a Planet That Shouldn’t Exist

Penn State — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 13:39:06 +0000

Researchers at Penn State have discovered an unusually massive planet, LHS 3154b, orbiting an ultracool dwarf star. This finding, contradicting current theories, prompts a reassessment...

Space Solar Farms Edge Closer to Reality: Pioneering Study Shows Viability

University of Surrey — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 12:16:05 +0000

New research from the Universities of Surrey and Swansea suggests that it’s viable to create affordable, lightweight solar panels capable of generating power in space....

Eyes in Space: ISS Crew’s Sci-Fi Week of Research and Unpacking

NASA — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 08:06:03 +0000

Science hardware, microbiology, and eye checks topped the research schedule aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday, December 4. The Expedition 70 crew also...

To the Moon and Beyond: NASA’s Artemis Engine Roars in Latest Test

NASA's Stennis Space Center — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 00:40:05 +0000

NASA’s third RS-25 engine test on November 29 was a key part of a 12-test series for certifying the engines used in the SLS rocket...

Jupiter’s Surprising Atmospheric Discovery: Webb Reveals Intense 3,000-Mile-Wide Jet Stream

Robert Sanders, University of California - Berkeley — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 23:53:51 +0000

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a high-speed jet stream in Jupiter’s atmosphere, moving at 320 miles per hour and situated 15 to 30...

NASA’s SunRISE Mission: Six Mini-Satellites Set To Illuminate Solar Mysteries

Jet Propulsion Laboratory — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 18:19:56 +0000

The satellites are part of the agency’s SunRISE mission, which will study the physics behind explosions that the Sun generates. Most NASA missions feature one...

Cosmic Antiquity: The Ancient Stars of NGC 2210 Exposed by Hubble

ESA/Hubble — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 09:19:44 +0000

NGC 2210 in the Large Magellanic Cloud is a notable globular cluster around 11.6 billion years old, offering insights into the age and formation of...

Space Rendezvous: Progress 86’s Critical Cargo Arrives at the International Space Station

NASA — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 08:14:47 +0000

The Roscosmos Progress 86 spacecraft, launched from Kazakhstan, successfully docked with the ISS on December 3, 2023, delivering nearly three tons of supplies for the...

This Week @NASA: Cleaner Fuel for Aviation on Earth, Scientific Balloon Campaign, Artemis Moon Rocket

NASA — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 05:39:00 +0000

In search of cleaner fuel for aviation… A scientific balloon campaign in Antarctica… And a key engine test for NASA’s Artemis Moon rocket… A few...

Scientists Were Wrong – Tiny Crystals Reveal That the Moon Is Millions of Years Older Than Previously Thought

Northwestern University — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 01:47:35 +0000

Scientists from Northwestern University contributed to the analysis of lunar samples that were collected by astronauts during the Apollo 17 mission. By analyzing tiny crystals...

Webb Captures Mysterious Reappearance of a Ghostly Object – “This Thing Is a Real Monster!”

University of Texas at Austin — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 16:09:04 +0000

The James Webb Space Telescope’s discovery of AzTECC71, a dusty star-forming galaxy from the early universe, challenges previous assumptions about galaxy prevalence and composition, offering...

“Teenage Galaxies” Unveiled: Webb Space Telescope’s Remarkable Glimpse Into the Early Universe

Carnegie Institution for Science — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 08:39:56 +0000

Studying “teenage galaxies” from the ancient universe can teach scientists about how these massive systems of stars mature and evolve. Galaxies that formed just 2...

Hubble’s Spectacular Comeback: 30 Years of Stellar Clarity

NASA — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 06:22:50 +0000

The 1993 space shuttle Endeavour mission successfully repaired the Hubble Space Telescope, correcting its flawed vision and marking a significant achievement for NASA. This mission...

Cosmic Rhythms: Strange Discovery of a Six-Planet System in Perfect Harmony

University of Chicago — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 22:03:17 +0000

Study led by University of Chicago astronomer Rafael Luque may tell us about how planets form. Scientists have discovered a rare sight in a nearby...

Cosmic Cartography Mission: NASA’s IMAP To Set Sail for Interstellar Mapping

Desiree Apodaca, NASA — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 14:33:16 +0000

IMAP, set for launch in late April to May 2025, marks a key phase in space exploration, focusing on mapping solar wind interactions and the...

Lost in Space: Is a Giant Void Driving the Universe Apart?

Indranil Banik, University of St Andrews — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 09:25:42 +0000

Cosmologists propose a giant void in space as a solution to the “Hubble tension,” challenging conventional models and suggesting a revision of Einstein’s gravity theory....

Space Freight and Genetic Feats: ISS Crew’s Cosmic Countdown to Cargo Day

NASA — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 08:29:06 +0000

A cargo craft is in orbit today on its way to the International Space Station (ISS) following its Friday morning launch. Meanwhile, advanced space biology...

Progress 86 Launches to International Space Station With Essential Supplies

NASA — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 06:17:23 +0000

Roscosmos’s Progress 86 spacecraft launched successfully for the ISS, carrying nearly three tons of supplies. It’s set to dock on December 3, following successful deployment...

Mary Cleave, NASA’s Pioneering Astronaut and Scientist, Dies at 76

NASA — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 23:13:27 +0000

Mary Cleave, a pioneering NASA astronaut who embarked on two spaceflights and later became the first woman to lead NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, has passed...

Hubble’s Hiccup: Gyro Issue Causes NASA To Suspend Telescope Operations

NASA — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 19:43:26 +0000

NASA is troubleshooting Hubble’s gyro issue to resume its science operations, ensuring its continued astronomical discoveries alongside telescopes like the James Webb. NASA is working...

Cosmic Cannonballs: Unraveling the Mystery of a Pulsar’s Bizarre Brightness Shifts

ESO — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 18:32:22 +0000

An extensive astronomical study involving 12 telescopes both on the ground and in space, including three European Southern Observatory (ESO) facilities, astronomers have uncovered the...

Watch Live: Historic Launch of EIRSAT-1, Ireland’s First Satellite

European Space Agency (ESA) — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 15:50:40 +0000

Watch the live launch broadcast of Ireland’s first satellite EIRSAT-1 on ESA Web TV Channel 2 and ESA YouTube, currently scheduled for December 1. Coverage...

Webb’s Galactic Surprise: Reveals Rocky Planet Secrets in Cosmic Extremes

Space Telescope Science Institute — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 13:40:48 +0000

Astronomers find a range of molecules that are among the building blocks for rocky planets. Space is a harsh environment, but some areas are even...