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Space News
Livescience
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Image Credit: Livescience
Scientists made fake Martian dust — and found a big surprise about what makes Mars red
- The characteristic red hue of Mars may be due to ferrihydrite instead of rusted iron minerals, as previously believed.
- New research suggests that Mars' red color is better matched by ferrihydrite, an iron oxide that contains water.
- This indicates that Mars may have been a cool ocean world in the past, challenging the assumption that it turned red after losing its water.
- Further research is needed to determine the original source of ferrihydrite and its timing and composition in Mars' history.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
Science in Orbit: Results Published on Space Station Research in 2024
- NASA and its partners have conducted over 4,000 research investigations on the International Space Station, leading to 4,400 research publications, with 361 published in 2024 alone.
- Research on the space station advances technology on Earth and prepares for future space exploration missions.
- Key findings include the Microgravity Investigation of Cement Solidification, JAXA Colloidal Clusters, and Optical Imaging of Bubble Dynamics on Nanostructured Surfaces.
- The Microgravity Investigation of Cement Solidification uses AI to analyze cement samples formed in microgravity for potential applications in civil engineering and manufacturing.
- The JAXA Colloidal Clusters research focuses on pyramid-shaped clusters with applications in optical and laser communications systems.
- NASA's study on bubble dynamics reveals insights into bubble growth in microgravity that can improve thermal cooling systems and sensors.
- ESA's Cytoskeleton investigation explores cellular responses to space, providing insights into aging processes and potential countermeasures for astronaut health.
- The Canadian Space Agency's Wayfinding study examines spatial awareness in astronauts, revealing impacts of microgravity on spatial processing regions of the brain.
- The Mini-EUSO telescope project by Roscosmos-ESA-Italian Space Agency aids in detecting space debris and meteors to enhance space activity safety.
- Research on the ISS in 2024 has led to significant contributions in various fields, offering insights into space-based technology and human health in space.
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Eu-Startups
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From space junk to interplanetary travel: Magdrive’s €9.9 million funding for spacecraft propulsion
- Oxfordshire-based startup Magdrive has raised €9.9 million in a seed funding round to develop spacecraft propulsion technology.
- The funding round was led by Redalpine and saw participation from Founders Fund, Balerion, Alumni Ventures, Outsized Ventures, 7percent, and Entrepreneur First.
- Magdrive's propulsion system offers unrivaled thrust and efficiency, enabling spacecraft to travel farther and maneuver with greater precision.
- The funding will support Magdrive's research and development, construction of a manufacturing facility, and establishment of a US office.
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TechCrunch
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Image Credit: TechCrunch
Redalpine, Founders Fund back Magdrive’s electric thruster business
- UK-based startup Magdrive has secured $10.5 million in funding to develop its electric propulsion system for satellites.
- Magdrive's electric propulsion system offers higher thrust, smaller form factor, and high specific impulse compared to traditional systems.
- The scalable technology allows for sustained rendezvous and proximity operations, stochastic movements, and satellite servicing missions.
- The funding round was led by redalpine and included participation from Founders Fund and other investors.
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Universe Today
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Image Credit: Universe Today
China’s Tianwen-2 Is About to Launch. Here’s What We Know About Its Target Kamo’oalewa
- China is preparing to launch the Tianwen-2 mission to explore asteroid 469219 Kamo’oalewa and Comet 311P/PanSTARRS in a first-ever asteroid-comet exploration mission.
- A rare quasi-satellite of Earth, asteroid Kamo’oalewa fluctuates between quasi-satellite and horseshoe orbits, potentially posing a future impact risk.
- Researchers suggest Kamo’oalewa may be ejecta from the Moon's Giordano Bruno crater, showing a spectral resemblance to Apollo 14 and Luna 24 soil returns.
- A recent study by the European Space Agency aims to refine Kamo’oalewa's orbit and study the Yarkovsky and YORP effects affecting its rotation.
- Kamo’oalewa's fast rotation poses challenges for sample collection, with an expected return of approximately 100 grams of material on the Tianwen-2 mission.
- Comparison to lunar S-type asteroids suggests Kamo’oalewa may have regolith on its surface, hinting at unexpected features for such fast rotators.
- Tianwen-2's mission timeline includes a rendezvous with Kamo’oalewa in 2026, sample collection, and exploration of periodic comet 311/P PanSTARRS in 2034.
- China's CNSA has embarked on incremental space exploration, with plans for a Mars sample return mission in 2028 following the success of previous missions.
- The launch of Tianwen-2 signifies China's continued advancements in space exploration, aiming to unravel the mysteries of asteroid Kamo’oalewa and beyond.
- The mission's goal is to expand our understanding of asteroid and comet compositions, shedding light on the origins of celestial bodies in our solar system.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
NASA Prepares Gateway Lunar Space Station for Journey to Moon
- NASA is preparing Gateway lunar space station for its journey to the Moon.
- The Power and Propulsion Element, assembled by Maxar Space Systems in California, will make Gateway the most powerful solar electric spacecraft ever flown.
- Gateway will allow NASA to conduct unique science and exploration while preparing astronauts to go to Mars.
- Artemis IV mission astronauts will be the first to inhabit the lunar space station.
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Metro
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Image Credit: Metro
New update on chance of ‘city killer’ asteroid hitting Earth in 2032
- The chance of the 'city killer' asteroid hitting Earth in 2032 has been calculated to be 0.0027%.
- Nasa has concluded that there is no significant potential for this asteroid to impact our planet for the next century.
- Even though there is still a small chance of it hitting the Moon on December 22, 2032.
- Improved observations and early detection give us a better chance to deflect or avoid potential asteroid impacts.
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Earthsky
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Image Credit: Earthsky
Look for the colors of the stars
- In January 2023, Jeremy Likness captured a photo of Mars and Aldebaran in the Hyades star cluster in Monroe, Washington.
- Observing stars in the dark sky allows one to appreciate the variations in their colors, from red to yellow to blue-white.
- In 2025, Jupiter and Mars will be prominent among the stars of Taurus and Gemini.
- Capella, a golden star in Auriga, contrasts with reddish Aldebaran and bluish Pleiades in Taurus.
- Sirius appears white, whereas Betelgeuse in Orion is red and Rigel is blue.
- A star's color indicates its spectral type, with Capella being a G star, Aldebaran a K star, and Betelgeuse an M star.
- Surface temperature determines a star's color, with yellow stars like Capella having mid-range temperatures and blue stars like Rigel being hot.
- Stars with high surface temperatures appear blue, while those with lower temperatures appear red in color.
- Winter offers a great opportunity to appreciate the colors of stars, with Orion being a standout constellation for observing various colored stars.
- Understanding the relationship between a star's color and its spectral class can provide insights into their temperatures.
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Livescience
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Image Credit: Livescience
Blue Ghost spacecraft captures rare, stunnning views of Earth eclipsing the moon
- The Blue Ghost lunar lander, part of Blue Ghost Mission 1, captured stunning images of Earth eclipsing the moon.
- The mission, led by Firefly Aerospace and NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, aims to learn about the moon and demonstrate new technology.
- Blue Ghost launched on Jan 15, circled Earth, and will attempt a lunar landing on March 2.
- The lander filmed the lunar far side and will conduct experiments exploring the moon's formation and test new technologies.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
NASA: New Study on Why Mars is Red Supports Potentially Habitable Past
- A new study funded by NASA provides evidence that Mars may have had a cool, wet, and potentially habitable climate in the past.
- Research suggests that Mars' red dust is likely due to the presence of water-rich iron mineral ferrihydrite.
- Ferrihydrite formation indicates Mars could have sustained liquid water before transitioning to a dry environment billions of years ago.
- The study highlights coordinated research between NASA and international partners in exploring Mars' habitable past.
- Data from Mars missions and laboratory experiments support the theory of ferrihydrite's role in Mars' coloration.
- The study aims to understand ancient Martian climate, chemical processes, and potential habitability for life.
- Future Mars samples could conclusively test the proposed formation model for Mars' reddish dust.
- The return of samples from Mars, such as those collected by the Perseverance rover, will provide valuable insights.
- The study opens doors for applying mineral formation principles, awaiting confirmation from Mars samples analysis.
- Laboratory experiments and spectral measurements help researchers explore Mars' environmental history and conditions.
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Metro
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Image Credit: Metro
Why is Mars red? Scientists think they’ve found answer to mystery
- Scientists believe they have discovered the reason behind the red color of Mars.
- A study suggests that ferrihydrite, a water-rich iron mineral, could be the main cause.
- The theory is based on the recreation of Martian dust in a lab and observational data.
- This finding not only explains the color but also provides insights into Mars' past environment.
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COSMOS
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Image Credit: COSMOS
The Red Planet slowly gives up its oceanic secrets
- Recent research indicates Mars may have once had cool water in large volumes, potentially supporting microbial life.
- Using radar data from the Chinese Zhurong rover, scientists identified geological formations on Mars resembling coastlines from an ancient ocean.
- Chemists studying the Red Planet's rusty hue suggest Mars's red color is likely due to the presence of a mineral called ferrihydrite, formed in cool, wet conditions.
- The discovery of ferrihydrite implies Mars rusted earlier than previously thought, highlighting the planet's watery past.
- A team of researchers has developed a miniature laser-powered mass spectrometer to detect traces of microbial life in gypsum, a mineral found on Mars.
- Gypsum is known for its fossilization potential, preserving biological structures and chemical biosignatures, making it an important target for life detection.
- Detecting fossils of alien life on Mars would be a groundbreaking scientific discovery with implications for future rover missions.
- The innovative detection method could aid in locating potential sites for future exploration, although researchers emphasize the need for additional validation methods.
- Understanding Mars's watery history and the presence of potential biosignatures is crucial for exploring the possibility of past microbial life on the Red Planet.
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Popsci
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Image Credit: Popsci
Why is Mars red? Our old understanding might be wrong.
- A new study published in Nature Communications challenges the old understanding of how Mars got its red color.
- The hypothesis focuses on ferrihydrite, which might have formed when Mars still had water, potentially during a habitable period.
- Mars acquired its red color from rusted iron minerals reacting with water and oxygen, similar to rust formation on Earth.
- Iron in Mars' rocks reacted with oxygen and water in its wetter past, creating rust that was washed into rivers and seas.
- Volcanic activity and ice-melting events further contributed to the rust formation on Mars.
- New analysis suggests that Mars' red color is better matched by ferrihydrite, an iron oxide containing water, rather than hematite.
- Ferrihydrite likely formed when Mars still had water on its surface, preserving a watery signature for billions of years.
- Comprehensive proof of ferrihydrite in Martian dust was obtained through a study combining space mission data and lab experiments.
- ESA's Mars Express and Trace Gas Orbiter, along with NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and rovers, contributed to the research.
- Future missions like NASA's Perseverance rover and ESA's Rosalind Franklin rover aim to deepen the understanding of Mars' red color.
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Digitaltrends
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Image Credit: Digitaltrends
How to watch SpaceX’s 8th Starship flight test this week
- SpaceX is targeting Friday, February 28, for the eighth test of the Starship rocket.
- The mission will include the deployment of four Starlink simulators and experiments focused on enabling the upper stage to return to the launch site.
- The test flight will be livestreamed on SpaceX's website or on its X account starting about 40 minutes before liftoff.
- The schedule is subject to change, so it is advised to check for updates on SpaceX's website or X account.
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