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Space News
Earthsky
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Image Credit: Earthsky
New tree is a towering East African giant of the rainforest
- A newly discovered species, Tessmannia princeps, a giant tree found in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania, is a towering East African giant of the rainforest.
- Tessmannia princeps reaches heights up to 130 feet above the rainforest canopy and has a trunk diameter of about 9 feet, with additional buttresses of 10 feet.
- The tree, belonging to the Fabaceae family, is estimated to have existed for thousands of years with some individuals possibly being over 3,000 years old.
- Discovered by Andrea Bianchi and the Mwakisoma brothers in 2019, Tessmannia princeps was unknown to botanical science and is found in two isolated areas in Tanzania.
- The new tree's uniqueness and limited habitat make it vulnerable, as it may not adapt outside its current ecosystem.
- The tree's name, princeps, means 'foremost' in Latin, reflecting its towering presence in the rainforest comparable to giant sequoias.
- Tessmannia princeps' growth at high elevations, vine-like limbs, clustered leaves, and bean-like seeds place it in the bean, pea, and legume family.
- Research indicates the tree's slow growth rate, with larger specimens estimated to be around 2,000 to 3,000 years old.
- Despite threats from deforestation, Tessmannia princeps remains a remarkable find contributing to the biodiversity of the East African rainforest.
- In conclusion, Tessmannia princeps stands as a monumental addition to the rainforest ecosystem, highlighting the importance of conservation efforts to protect such unique species.
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Livescience
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Image Credit: Livescience
Eclipse map: Will the March 29 solar eclipse be visible in your state?
- A partial solar eclipse will occur on Saturday, March 29, 2025, visible in 13 U.S. states, parts of northeastern Canada, western Europe, and Africa.
- The East Coast of the U.S. and Canada will witness the largest portion of the sun being blocked out, creating a 'devil horns' effect during sunrise.
- NASA released a map showing the eclipse path, revealing the extent of sun coverage and peak times in various locations.
- The eclipse will peak at different times in locations like St. John’s, Canada; Boston; New York City; and London, covering varying percentages of the sun.
- Over 800 million people will be able to witness the partial eclipse, with live streams available for those not in the viewing path.
- Eye protection is crucial to observe the eclipse safely, with NASA warning against looking directly at the sun without proper equipment.
- Avoid using cameras, telescopes, or binoculars to look at the sun during the eclipse without certified solar filters to prevent eye damage.
- Missing the March 29 eclipse, another partial eclipse will be visible in September 2025, with a total solar eclipse in 2026 across various regions.
- Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow on Earth's surface and blocking out sunlight.
- It is essential to follow safety guidelines when watching solar eclipses to prevent eye injuries from the sun's rays even during a partial eclipse.
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Spaceflightnow
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NASA switches Starliner crew to SpaceX Dragon as testing continues on troubled Boeing capsule
- NASA has announced the makeup of SpaceX Crew-11, which includes astronauts reassigned from other missions, with Zena Cardman leading the flight scheduled for July 2025 alongside Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov.
- Crew-11 will coincide with the ISS's 25th anniversary of continuous human presence, and will have a brief handover with Crew-10 currently at the station.
- Zena Cardman, initially part of Crew-9, was reassigned due to changes in the Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test mission, leading to an open question regarding Stephanie Wilson's new assignment.
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Knowridge
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Image Credit: Knowridge
Scientists discover long-chain hydrocarbons on Mars
- Scientists have discovered large organic molecules, specifically long-chain hydrocarbons, in a rock sample taken by the Mars Curiosity Rover.
- These molecules resemble fragments of fatty acids, which are part of the chemical recipe for life.
- The discovery suggests interesting chemical mixing on ancient Mars and significance for understanding the history of Yellowknife Bay in Gale Crater.
- This finding aides in the further study of rock samples and the potential detection of chemical signatures of past life on Mars.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
NASA Shares SpaceX Crew-11 Assignments for Space Station Mission
- NASA has announced the crew assignments for the SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station.
- The crew includes Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke from NASA, Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui from JAXA, and Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov from Roscosmos.
- They will launch no earlier than July 2025 for a long-duration science expedition.
- This mission marks the 11th crew rotation with SpaceX under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
- The crew will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to prepare for future Moon missions and benefit Earth.
- Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke bring experience from previous space missions to the Crew-11 team.
- Cardman, a geobiologist, was previously assigned to Crew-9, while Fincke has logged 382 days in space and nine spacewalks.
- Kimiya Yui, a JAXA astronaut with previous spaceflight experience, and Oleg Platonov, a cosmonaut, will also join the mission.
- Yui conducted experiments during his previous space mission, while Platonov brings a background in engineering and cosmonaut training.
- NASA's Commercial Crew Program aims to enable commercial human space transportation and expand opportunities in low Earth orbit.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
Meet the Space Ops Team: Anum Ashraf
- Anum Ashraf, Ph.D., serves as the mission commitment lead for NASA's SCaN Program.
- She ensures that critical data is efficiently transferred between groups to support space missions.
- Previously, Ashraf led the DEMETER project, developing an innovative solution for measuring Earth's radiation.
- Ashraf is excited to collaborate with NASA, industry, academia, and space enthusiasts for space exploration.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
NEO Surveyor Instrument Enclosure Inside Historic Chamber A
- The instrument enclosure of NASA’s Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEO Surveyor) underwent critical environmental tests inside the historic Chamber A at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
- The 12-foot-long angular structure was subjected to frigid, airless conditions, simulating the deep space environment.
- The instrument enclosure is designed to protect the spacecraft’s infrared telescope and remove heat from it during operations.
- NEO Surveyor is NASA’s first space-based detection mission for planetary defense, aimed at locating, measuring, and characterizing asteroids and comets that may pose a hazard to Earth.
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Guardian
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Image Credit: Guardian
Gloucestershire company wins prize for inventing way to produce clean water on moon
- A £150,000 prize for a device that can produce clean water from icy lunar soil has been won by a pair of inventors.
- The solution involves a microwave oven, a motorised device for feeding woodchips into a barbecue, and sound waves.
- The challenge is to produce drinking water from ice-rich regolith around the moon's south pole for future moon missions.
- The winning solution, called the SonoChem system, uses a multi-step contraption to vaporise and purify the water.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
Understanding Cosmic Explosions: StarBurst Arrives at NASA for Testing
- StarBurst, a wide-field gamma-ray observatory, has arrived at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center for testing and final instrument integration.
- The observatory is designed to detect the initial emission of short gamma-ray bursts, which are important indicators of neutron star mergers.
- Neutron star mergers produce gamma-ray bursts and gravitational waves, allowing scientists to study these events using both light and ripples in space-time.
- The testing at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center will ensure StarBurst's ability to survive launch and the harsh environment of space.
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Livescience
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Image Credit: Livescience
James Webb telescope zooms in on bizarre 'Einstein ring' caused by bending of the universe
- The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured a stunning image of a bizarre astronomical optical illusion.
- The image shows an Einstein ring, which is a distorted view of two distant galaxies in the constellation Hydrus.
- Gravitational lensing caused by a massive object bending light creates the Einstein ring phenomenon, in which a more distant galaxy's light appears as a ring.
- The image was captured by JWST's Near-InfraRed Camera instrument and includes data from the Hubble Space Telescope.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
NASA’s Dust Shield Successfully Repels Lunar Regolith on Moon
- NASA’s Electrodynamic Dust Shield (EDS) successfully demonstrated its ability to remove regolith, or lunar dust and dirt, from its various surfaces on the Moon during Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1.
- The EDS technology uses electrodynamic forces to lift and remove the lunar dust from its surfaces.
- This milestone marks a significant step toward sustaining long-term lunar and interplanetary operations by reducing dust-related hazards to a variety of surfaces for space applications.
- The EDS technology is supporting NASA’s Artemis campaign and beyond.
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Livescience
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Image Credit: Livescience
How to watch Saturday's sunrise 'devil horn' solar eclipse online for free
- A partial solar eclipse will occur on March 29, 2025, with the new moon covering up to 93% of the sun's visible surface.
- Multiple free online live streams are available to watch the eclipse unfold, with prime views coming from St. John's in Canada.
- Timeanddate.com's live feed will show the eclipse from various angles and locations around the world.
- It is important to wear protective eyewear when watching the eclipse in person, as there will be no moment of totality during this partial eclipse.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
Cellular Immunity, Robotics, and Cargo Departure Preps Top Crew Day
- The Expedition 72 crew members explored ways to protect their immune and circulatory systems in microgravity and tested robotic docking procedures aboard the International Space Station.
- The Immunity Assay investigation collects blood and saliva samples to detect space-caused cellular stress and tissue damage, potentially leading to treatments for crews.
- Roscosmos cosmonauts studied how blood flows from the brain to their limbs in microgravity to understand the circulatory system's adaptation to spaceflight.
- Astrobee robotic free-flyers were maneuvering inside the Kibo laboratory module, testing autonomous docking techniques, which may enable satellite servicing and manufacturing in space.
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Futurity
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Image Credit: Futurity
Model hints more Earth-like planets may exist
- New research suggests more Earth-like planets may exist.
- The study presents a new model for the formation of super-Earths and mini-Neptunes.
- The research proposes that these planets emerge from distinct rings of planetesimals.
- The findings have implications for future exoplanet research and may change our understanding of planet formation.
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