On Episode 100 of This Week In Space, Tariq and Rod welcome back Dr. Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute to share what it's like to fly on a private spaceplane.Alan, a planetary scientist and principal investigator of NASA's New Horizons mission to...
We Are StarStuff
Secret Sky: Tropical Novaya Zemlya effects
Back to Article List Now you see me, now you don’t. During the dry season at Botswana’s Makgadikgadi salt pan, temperature inversions lead to all manner of mirages. Credit: Stephen James O’Meara Any reference will tell you the Novaya Zemlya effect is a polar...
New Study Addresses how Lunar Missions will Kick up Moondust.
Before the end of this decade, NASA plans to return astronauts to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo Era. But this time, through the Artemis Program, it won’t be a “footprints and flags” affair. With other space agencies and commercial partners, the...
ESA – Astro Chat with Marco Sieber
Marco Sieber is one of ESA’s five astronaut candidates currently undergoing basic astronaut training at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne. Join us as we speak to Marco about his first months of training and living in Germany, his background as a...
Will NASA be able to return Mars samples to Earth? New audit raises doubts
NASA's bold plan to get pristine samples of Mars to Earth for analysis is facing major challenges, according to a new report.Design, cost and scheduling are all significant obstacles, an audit report of NASA's Mars Sample Return (MSR) Program by the agency's...
Sky This Month: March 2024
Mercury at centre, on April 9, 2023, two days before its greatest evening elongation and best appearance in the evening sky for 2023 for northern hemisphere observers. Mercury was about magnitude -0.2 this night and was obvious to the naked eye. The star at...
Planetary Atmospheres: Why study them? What can they teach us about finding life beyond Earth?
Universe Today has surveyed the importance of studying impact craters, planetary surfaces, exoplanets, astrobiology, solar physics, and comets, and what these fantastic scientific fields can teach researchers and space fans regarding the search for life beyond...
ESA – Proba-3’s laser-precise positioning
An infrared view of a laser-based test campaign – taking place at Redwire Space in Kruibeke, Belgium – which represents crucial preparation for ESA’s precision formation flying mission, Proba-3.Later this year, two satellites will be launched together into...
We review the newly released Oukitel BP2000 power station
KEY SPECIFICATIONSPower: 2048WhCapacity: 640,000 mAhOutput ports: 15 (5x AC, 4x USB-A (2x 12W, 2x 18W), 2x USB-C PD 100W, 1x car 12V/10A, 1x 24V/10 AV, 2x 12V/3A DC5521)Charging time: 80% charge in 53 mins using ACIP rating: NoneWeight: 50.7 lbs (23...
25 facts about the 2024 total solar eclipse
This stunning view of the total solar eclipse in 2017 was made by combining seven exposures ranging from short to long. The surface of the Moon is visible in this image because it is illuminated by light reflected off Earth, called Earthshine. Credit: Michael...