Space News and Discussions

[wjfox]

[weatheriscool]

Possible first evidence of coronal rain on a cool, small M-dwarf star
https://phys.org/news/2021-12-evidence- ... dwarf.html
by Sam Sholtis, Pennsylvania State University

High-resolution spectroscopic observations of a stellar flare on a small, cool star indicate the possibility of coronal rain, a phenomenon that has been observed on our sun but not yet confirmed on a star of this size. This faint star, known as vB 10, which is about a tenth the size of the sun and produces less than 1% of the sun's energy, was studied using the Penn State Habitable-zone Planet Finder (HPF) at the large Hobby Eberly Telescope (with its 10 m mirror). These observations with the HPF spectrograph allowed researchers to measure a shift in the wavelength of certain atomic lines from the flare that are consistent with hot plasma raining back down on the star's surface and are similar to observations of coronal rain from the sun.

A paper describing the observations, by a team led by Penn State scientists, includes a time-series analysis of the flare and could help astronomers put constraints on the energy and frequency of such events. The paper has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal and is available online.

"As the name suggests, the Habitable-zone Planet Finder was designed to detect planets by looking for shifts in the light spectra from M-dwarf stars that result from the star 'wobbling' under the gravitational pull of orbiting planets," said Larry Ramsey, professor emeritus of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State and an author of the paper. "But we knew from the start that we might learn more about stellar activity from these spectra than we do about planets."

[caltrek]

How Astronomers Decided Where to Point the Most Powerful Space Telescope NASA Ever Built
by Loren Grush
December 20, 2021

https://www.theverge.com/22789561/nasa- ... exoplanets

Introduction:

(The Verge) In late March, Grant Tremblay was sitting at his computer at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, listening in on a Zoom meeting, when he saw a string of emails pop up in his inbox. The title of each email read: “Cycle 1 JWST Notification Letter.”

He knew immediately that this was the day he and his colleagues in the astronomy community had been eagerly awaiting: it was Blacker Friday.
Blacker Friday, to be clear, didn’t have anything to do with discounts, or Fridays. (It was a Tuesday.) It was the day that Tremblay, an astrophysicist at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and other astronomers around the world, would learn if they would receive a small amount of time to use the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, one of the most powerful space telescopes ever created.

Blacker Friday is named after Brett Blacker, who co-runs the science policies group at the Space Telescope Science Institute, or STScI. Each year, the institute is responsible for selecting which astronomers will get time to use NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. And each year, after a lengthy decision-making process, Blacker would send out a flurry of emails to hopeful astronomers, all on the same day at the same time, informing them if their proposals to use the telescope had been accepted or rejected. Thus, Blacker Friday — also sometimes known as the Blacker Apocalypse — was born.

This year the stakes were even higher on Blacker Friday because, for the first time ever, astronomers were being informed if they would get time with JWST, a brand-new space observatory that is significantly larger and more powerful than Hubble. Set to launch to deep space at the end of December, the nearly $10 billion NASA-built telescope promises the ability to peer into the recesses of the Universe like never before. Ahead of JWST’s launch, STScI had the daunting task of figuring out which of the 1,173 proposals for the observatory’s first year of life — known as Cycle 1 — should get time with the telescope. How do you prioritize what the most advanced piece of space equipment in the world should do when it first turns on?

[Yuli Ban]

Cardiff-based Space Forge, which is pioneering returnable satellites that are designed for manufacturing next generation super materials in space, has secured a £7.7m equity boost in what is Europe’s largest ever seed funding round for a space tech company.

The four times oversubscribed funding round, backed by investor including Type One Ventures, World Fund and SpaceFund, recognises the global potential of Space Forge’s returnable platform for in-space manufacturing to reduce CO2 emissions.

[weatheriscool]

Could acid-neutralizing life-forms make habitable pockets in Venus' clouds?

by Jennifer Chu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
https://phys.org/news/2021-12-acid-neut ... venus.html

It's hard to imagine a more inhospitable world than our closest planetary neighbor. With an atmosphere thick with carbon dioxide, and a surface hot enough to melt lead, Venus is a scorched and suffocating wasteland where life as we know it could not survive. The planet's clouds are similarly hostile, blanketing the planet in droplets of sulfuric acid caustic enough to burn a hole through human skin.

And yet, a new study supports the longstanding idea that if life exists, it might make a home in Venus' clouds. The study's authors, from MIT, Cardiff University, and Cambridge University, have identified a chemical pathway by which life could neutralize Venus' acidic environment, creating a self-sustaining, habitable pocket in the clouds.

Within Venus' atmosphere, scientists have long observed puzzling anomalies—chemical signatures that are hard to explain, such as small concentrations of oxygen and nonspherical particles unlike sulfuric acid's round droplets. Perhaps most puzzling is the presence of ammonia, a gas that was tentatively detected in the 1970s, and that by all accounts should not be produced through any chemical process known on Venus.

In their new study, the researchers modeled a set of chemical processes to show that if ammonia is indeed present, the gas would set off a cascade of chemical reactions that would neutralize surrounding droplets of sulfuric acid and could also explain most of the anomalies observed in Venus' clouds. As for the source of ammonia itself, the authors propose that the most plausible explanation is of biological origin, rather than a nonbiological source such as lightning or volcanic eruptions.

[weatheriscool]

Scientists confirm evidence of a new class of galac­tic nebulae
https://phys.org/news/2021-12-scientist ... bulae.html
by University of Innsbruck

For the first time, scientists⁠—starting from a discovery by scientific amateurs⁠—have succeeded in confirm evidence for a fully developed shell of a common-envelope system (CE), the phase of the common envelope of a binary star system.

"Toward the end of their lives, normal stars inflate into red giant stars. Since a very large fraction of stars are in binary stars, this affects the evolution at the end of their lives. In close binary systems, the inflating outer part of a star merges as a common envelope around both stars. However, inside this gas envelope the cores of the two stars are practically undisturbed and follow their evolution like independent single stars," explains astrophysicist Stefan Kimeswenger of the University of Innsbruck. The researchers have now published their results in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Discovery thanks to amateur astronomers

Many stellar systems are known to be remnants of such an evolution. Their chemical and physical properties serve as a fingerprint. Also, stellar systems that are just about to develop a common envelope had already been discovered due to their specific and high brightness. However, the fully developed envelope of a CE and its ejection into interstellar space had not been observed in this form so far.

[weatheriscool]

Hundreds of new pulsating variable stars detected
https://phys.org/news/2021-12-hundreds- ... stars.html
by Tomasz Nowakowski , Phys.org

Using the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), astronomers have detected more than 300 pulsating variable stars by observing the Milky Way's satellite galaxy Antlia 2 (or Ant 2 for short). The finding, reported in a paper published December 15 on arXiv.org, could improve our understanding of this galaxy and its surroundings.

Variable stars could offer important hints into aspects of stellar structure and evolution. They could be also helpful for better understanding of the distance scale of the universe. In particular, the so-called RR Lyrae (RRL) variables are a powerful tool for studying the morphology, metallicity and age of galaxies, especially those with low surface brightness. In general, RRLs are pulsating horizontal branch stars of spectral class A or F, with a mass of around half the sun's.

At a distance of about 422,000 light years, Ant 2 is a low-surface-brightness dwarf satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. It has a half-light radius of 9,450 light years and is some 100 times more diffuse than any known ultra diffuse galaxy (UDG).

[weatheriscool]

The earliest atmosphere on Mercury
https://phys.org/news/2021-12-earliest- ... rcury.html
by David Appell , Phys.org

Mercury is a most unusual planet. The smallest planet in the solar system, and the closest planet to the sun, it is in a 3:2 spin resonance, slowly turning and experiencing scorching heat up to 430 degrees Celsius, and the night side frigid, down to -170 degrees Celsius. Due to its much larger iron-rich core compared to Earth, it has the second-highest average density in the solar system, just 1.5 percent below Earth's. Despite its proximity to the sun, the surface of Mercury was, surprisingly, found to be rich in volatile elements such as sodium and sulfur.

Notably, the planet's separation into an iron-rich core and rocky mantle (the geological region between the core and the crust) suggests Mercury had a magma ocean early in its formation. Like any liquid, this ocean would have evaporated, but in the case of Mercury, the temperatures were likely to have been so high that the vapor was not composed of water, but rock. In a new study published in The Planetary Science Journal, Noah Jäggi and colleagues modeled how the evaporation of the surface of this magma ocean would form an atmosphere and determined whether losses from the atmosphere could alter Mercury's composition, addressing an open question of why moderately volatile elements like sodium have accumulated on Mercury's surface. Their results were surprising, Jäggi, a graduate student at the University of Bern, told Phys.org.

Early planetary magma oceans aren't unusual, explained Lindy Elkins-Tanton, director of the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University. "We think all rocky planets have one or more—maybe several—magma oceans as they form. The impacts of accretion toward the end of planet formation are just that energetic; they will melt the planets to some depth."

[Ken_J]

[raklian]

Perspective, bruh.

[weatheriscool]

Iran state TV says Tehran launched rocket into space
Source: AP

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran on Thursday announced it launched a satellite carrier rocket bearing three devices into space, though it’s unclear whether any of the objects entered orbit around the Earth.

The state TV report, as well as others by Iran’s semiofficial news agencies, did not say when the launch was conducted nor what devices the carrier brought with it. However, the launch comes amid difficult negotiations in Vienna over Iran’s tattered nuclear deal.

Previous launches have drawn rebukes from the United States. The U.S. State Department, Space Force and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Ahmad Hosseini, a Defense Ministry spokesman, identified the rocket as a Simorgh, or “Phoenix,” rocket. He said the three devices were sent up 470 kilometers (290 miles).

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/space-launch ... 883d162771

[caltrek]

Leveraging Space to Advance Stem Cell Science and Medicine
December 30, 2021

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/938905

Introduction:

(EurekAlert) LOS ANGELES — The secret to producing large batches of stem cells more efficiently may lie in the near-zero gravity conditions of space. Scientists at Cedars-Sinai have found that microgravity has the potential to contribute to life-saving advances on Earth by facilitating the rapid mass production of stem cells.

A new paper, led by Cedars Sinai and published in the peer-review journal Stem Cell Reports, highlights key opportunities discussed during the 2020 Biomanufacturing in Space Symposium to expand the manufacture of stem cells in space.

Biomanufacturing—a type of stem cell production that uses biological materials such as microbes to produce substances and biomaterials suitable for use in preclinical, clinical, and therapeutic applications—can be more productive in microgravity conditions.

“We are finding that spaceflight and microgravity is a desirable place for biomanufacturing because it confers a number of very special properties to biological tissues and biological processes that can help mass produce cells or other products in a way that you wouldn’t be able to do on Earth,” said stem cell biologist Arun Sharma, PhD, research scientist and head of a new research laboratory in the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Smidt Heart Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences.

Conclusion:

“While we are still in the exploratory phase of some of this research, this is no longer in the realm of science fiction,” Sharma said. “Within the next five years we may see a scenario where we find cells or tissues that can be made in a way that is simply not possible here on Earth. And I think that’s extremely exciting.”

[weatheriscool]

Plasma lensing discovered in black widow pulsar
https://phys.org/news/2021-12-plasma-le ... ulsar.html
by Zhang Nannan, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), a research team led by Dr. Wang Shuangqiang from the Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory (XAO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered plasma lensing phenomenon in a black widow pulsar PSR J1720-0533.

Black widow pulsar systems have a low-mass companion star in a compact orbit with a millisecond pulsar. They are characterized by ablating the companion by emission from pulsar. Black widow pulsars get their name from the "black widow" spiders, the females of which eat the males after mating. Black widow pulsars offer valuable opportunities to investigate the characteristics of the companion stars under intense irradiation.

In this study, the researchers found that the emission of PSR J1720-0533 during the ingress of the eclipse shows quasi-periodic modulations, which may be caused by plasma lensing.

By analyzing the lensing phenomenon, the researchers concluded that the maximum magnification for the lens is 1.6, corresponding to a lens size of tens of kilometers. The discovery of the plasma lensing phenomenon in PSR J1720-0533 demonstrates a link between the dispersion measurement and lensing.

Moreover, the researchers examined the polarization profiles near the eclipse of PSR J1720-0533 and found that the linear polarization of the emission disappeared before the dispersion measurement showed significant changes. This phenomenon provides strong evidence that there is a significant magnetic field in the companion.

[caltrek]

Japan Plans to Land Astronaut on the Moon in Second Half of 2020s
by Rintaro Sakurai
December 29, 2021

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14512833

Introduction:

(The Asahi Shimbun) The government plans to land a Japanese astronaut on the moon in the second half of the 2020s who would become the first non-American to reach the surface of Earth’s natural satellite.

The lunar goal was announced at a Dec. 28 meeting of the Space Development Strategy Headquarters, led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, that discussed revisions of Japan’s basic space policy.

It was the first time for Japan to specify a time frame for a human landing on the moon.

Japan has already decided to join the U.S.-led Artemis program aimed at exploring the moon and landing an astronaut there in or after 2025.

The last time a human has reached the moon’s surface was decades ago in NASA’s Apollo program.

[weatheriscool]

Japan Plans to Land Astronaut on the Moon in Second Half of 2020s
by Rintaro Sakurai
December 29, 2021

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14512833

Introduction:

(The Asahi Shimbun) The government plans to land a Japanese astronaut on the moon in the second half of the 2020s who would become the first non-American to reach the surface of Earth’s natural satellite.

The lunar goal was announced at a Dec. 28 meeting of the Space Development Strategy Headquarters, led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, that discussed revisions of Japan’s basic space policy.

It was the first time for Japan to specify a time frame for a human landing on the moon.

Japan has already decided to join the U.S.-led Artemis program aimed at exploring the moon and landing an astronaut there in or after 2025.

The last time a human has reached the moon’s surface was decades ago in NASA’s Apollo program.

I'd put my money on Elon getting us back first but it just shows how incapable nasa has become that Japan probably stands a better chance of doing it before them.

[weatheriscool]

We Just Got The First Haunting Photo From NASA's Asteroid Deflecting Spacecraft
NANCY ATKINSON, UNIVERSE TODAY
30 DECEMBER 2021

It might not look like much, but here is the first monumental image from the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART). Earlier this month, a circular door covering the aperture of its DRACO telescopic camera was opened, allowing the camera to take its first image.

Now, imagine what the camera's last image will be like: a REALLY closeup view of a binary asteroid system, Didymos and especially, its moonlet Dimorphos.

The goal of DART is to intentionally collide with Dimorphos. If everything goes according to plan, this will alter the asteroid's motion so that ground-based telescopes can accurately measure any changes.

https://www.sciencealert.com/we-just-go ... tmOSceI7-I

[caltrek]

Will Space Advertising Take Off in 2022?
by Tom Cassauwers
December 27, 2021

https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/ ... ff-in-2022

Introduction:

(Al Jazeera) Advertising in outer space might seem like a vulgar idea, but it’s one with a long history. It’s also getting more popular because the cost of going to space is falling. But the side effects, such as light pollution and space debris, might not be worth it.

In August, the Canadian company Geometric Energy Corporation (GEC) announced that it wanted to launch a small satellite with a billboard on it on a SpaceX rocket. The story immediately went viral, and SpaceX and GEC received a barrage of criticism.

In 2019, Russian entrepreneur Vlad Sitnikov got caught up in a similar controversy. “I’m an ad guy”, Sitnikov told Al Jazeera. “So I thought it would be cool to see a new type of media in the sky.”

Sitnikov had previously founded his own advertisement agency, and now wanted to do something with space advertising. So he turned to friends in the space industry, and eventually the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, a private university located in Moscow. They came up with the idea to send a group of small satellites up, all with screens on them, which together could act as a billboard visible from earth on which advertisements could be shown.

He launched concept images, which showed a Coca Cola advertisement appearing in the sky. That is when criticism started pouring in, saying the proposal was vulgar, but also might contribute to issues like light pollution.

[Yuli Ban]

[weatheriscool]

Nine Engine SpaceX Starship for 50% More Payload to Orbit
December 29, 2021 by Brian Wang
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2021/12/174223.html

Elon Musk says that future Starships – or at least certain Starship variants – are being upgraded with 50% more Raptor engines and stretched propellant tanks. This will increase engines from 6 to 9. SpaceX will also increase fuel to about 300 tons. This will enable a larger Starship and Superheavy to launch 220 tons to orbit instead of 150 tons.

On December 17th, the Elon confirmed a tweet from three months ago.

Something like this maybe? pic.twitter.com/NI1lSwuOEv

— The_Denks (@TheDenks) December 18, 2021

[caltrek]

Spaceflight 2022: Missions to Watch in the Coming Year
by David Dickinson
December 30, 2021

https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-n ... ming-year/

Introduction:

(Sky and Telescope) 2022 promises to be a busy year for spaceflight. SpaceX will attempt the first orbital test flight of its Starship early in the calendar year, and NASA’s heavy-lift rocket may finally fly mid-year after many delays. Several lunar missions are in the works, as is a mission to an iron asteroid. To top it all off, Mars reaches opposition, and thus launch season, at the close of 2022.

(Keep in mind, launch schedules are fluid and subject to change. What follows (see article linked above quote box) reflects the status of missions as December 30, 2021.)