24/7 News Coverage
December 20, 2017
MARSDAILY
Opportunity Comes to a Fork in the Road



Pasadena CA (JPL) Dec 17, 2017
Opportunity is continuing her winter exploration of Perseverance Valley on the west rim of Endeavour Crater. The rover continued with several days of collecting color, stereo, Panoramic Camera (Pancam) panoramas of the surrounding terrain. Then, on Sol 4934 (Dec. 10, 2017), after a sol of recharging, Opportunity drove about 28 feet (8.4 meters), approximately east, down the valley to a modest energy lily pad. Beyond this point the channel features of the valley split into a left and right fo ... read more

MARSDAILY
Planting oxygen ensures a breath of fresh air
Paris (ESA) Dec 17, 2017
When resources are limited, you have to work with what you have - especially in the harsh environment of space. Though the International Space Station is regularly restocked by cargo vessels, like t ... more
SPACEMART
Green Light for Continued Operations of ESA Science Missions
Noordwijk, Netherlands (SPX) Dec 14, 2017
ESA's Science Programme Committee (SPC) has approved indicative extensions, up to 2019-2020, for the operation of eight scientific missions. During its meeting at ESA Headquarters in Paris, on ... more
MARSDAILY
Designing future human space exploration on Hawaii's lava fields
Moffett Field CA (SPX) Dec 13, 2017
On the lava fields of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano, a team of NASA researchers and partners have been busy doing science in a most unusual way. They were studying the biology and geology of this remarka ... more
MARSDAILY
Space program should focus on Mars, says editor of New Space
New Rochelle, NY (SPX) Dec 11, 2017
The U.S. space exploration program should continue to focus on robotic sample recovery and human missions to Mars, says Scott Hubbard, Editor-in-Chief of New Space. He details the benefits and risks ... more
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MOON DAILY
Trump tells NASA to send Americans to Moon
Washington DC (AFP) Dec 12, 2017
US President Donald Trump directed NASA on Monday to send Americans to the Moon for the first time in decades, a move he said would help prepare for a future Mars trip. "This time we will not ... more
SPACE TRAVEL
Space Policy Directive calls for human expansion across the solar system
Washington DC (SPX) Dec 11, 2017
President Donald Trump is sending astronauts back to the Moon. The president Monday signed at the White House Space Policy Directive 1, a change in national space policy that provides for a U.S.-led ... more
MARSDAILY
EU exempts fuel for ExoMars mission from Russian sanctions
Moscow (Sputnik) Dec 04, 2017
The ExoMars 2020 mission is the first joint program between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Russia's Roscosmos space corporation. "On November 30, 2017, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) ... more
MARSDAILY
Mars Rover Team's Tilted Winter Strategy Works
Pasadena CA (JPL) Dec 07, 2017
NASA's senior Mars rover, Opportunity, has just passed the shortest-daylight weeks of the long Martian year with its solar panels in encouragingly clean condition for entering a potential dust-storm ... more
MARSDAILY
NASA's oldest Mars rover survives another harsh winter
Washington (UPI) Dec 7, 2017
Opportunity, NASA's senior Mars rover, has lasted through another harsh winter on the Red Planet. ... more
MARSDAILY
Brown: Clay on Mars May Have Formed in Primordial Steam Bath
Providence RI (SPX) Dec 06, 2017
Planetary scientists from Brown University have proposed a new scenario for the formation of ancient clay minerals on Mars that, if shown to be true, could rewrite the early history of the red plane ... more


Winter wanderings put Opportunity at 28 Miles on the odometer

MARSDAILY
Opportunity Greets Winter Solstice
Pasadena CA (JPL) Nov 29, 2017
Opportunity is continuing her winter exploration of Perseverance Valley on the west rim of the Noachian-aged Endeavour crater. The winter solstice occurred on Sol 4915 (Nov. 20, 2017). Energy ... more
MARSDAILY
NASA builds its next Mars rover mission
Pasadena CA (JPL) Nov 29, 2017
In just a few years, NASA's next Mars rover mission will be flying to the Red Planet. At a glance, it looks a lot like its predecessor, the Curiosity Mars rover. But there's no doubt it's a souped-u ... more
SPACE TRAVEL
Space Farms: 'Mark Watney in The Martian Was Right to Add Poop to the Soil'
Wageningen, Netherlands (Sputnik) Nov 30, 2017
A group of researchers from Wageningen University and Research has found that earthworms can thrive and reproduce in simulated Martian soil. Given that the creatures are a crucial factor in making s ... more
MARSDAILY
Scientists developed a new sensor for future missions to the Moon and Mars
Moscow, Russia (SPX) Nov 30, 2017
A team of scientists from the Faculty of Physics of Lomonosov Moscow State University and their colleagues developed a compact spectral polarimeter for carrying outmineralogical investigations on th ... more

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Thales Alenia Space signs 3 contracts for NASA's deep space exploration
Rome (SPX) Dec 17, 2017
Thales Alenia Space has signed three contracts in the frame of Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP-2) activities with Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Orbital-ATK, to develop capabilities that can meet NASA human space exploration objectives while also supporting industry commercialization plans. Based on a public-private partnership model, the next step for human spa ... more
Miami (AFP) Dec 14, 2017
Will Trump send Americans to the Moon? Money talks: experts
Dallas TX (SPX) Dec 13, 2017
Researchers analyze thousands of hours of Apollo mission audio
Beijing (XNA) Dec 12, 2017
Robot Moon Base: Beijing's New Lunar Landing Program
Nation 'leads world' in remote sensing technology
Beijing (XNA) Nov 27, 2017
China is now the world leader in remote sensing technologies for scientific purposes and is able to provide an unprecedented amount of data to support research and development for the world, officials said on Tuesday. Remote sensing refers to aerial or satellite-based technologies to detect and measure objects on Earth's surface, atmosphere and oceans. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Sci ... more
Beijing (XNA) Nov 19, 2017
China plans for nuclear-powered interplanetary capacity by 2040
Beijing (Sputnik) Nov 16, 2017
China plans first sea based launch by 2018
Beijing (XNA) Nov 02, 2017
China's reusable spacecraft to be launched in 2020


Initial results and data from observations of 'Oumuamua
San Francisco CA (SPX) Dec 17, 2017
Breakthrough Listen - the initiative to find signs of intelligent life in the universe - is reporting preliminary results and making initial data available from its observations of the "interstellar visitor" 'Oumuamua. The initial block of observations (the first of a planned four blocks) ran from 3:45 pm to 9:45 pm ET on Wednesday, December 13, using the Breakthrough Listen backend instru ... more
Washington (UPI) Dec 19, 2017
Interstellar asteroid 'Oumuamua may actually be made of ice
Paris (AFP) Dec 18, 2017
Visitor from alien star system wears insulating coat: astronomers
Boulder, CO (SPX) Dec 19, 2017
Skye high impact reveals 60-million-year-old meteorite strike in Scotland
Study explains why Jupiter's jet stream reverses course on a predictable schedule
Washington (UPI) Dec 19, 2017
Scientists can finally explain why Jupiter's jet stream regularly reverses course - like clockwork. The revelation could help scientists better understand similar equatorial jet stream oscillations found on Earth and Saturn. The latest research - published this week in the Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets - reveals that gravity waves are the primary driver of the reversal of J ... more
Laurel MD (SPX) Dec 11, 2017
New Horizons Corrects Its Course in the Kuiper Belt
Laurel MD (SPX) Dec 13, 2017
Does New Horizons' Next Target Have a Moon?
Pasadena CA (JPL) Dec 13, 2017
Juno probes the depths of Jupiter's Great Red Spot
Electrical and Chemical Coupling Between Saturn and Its Ring
Uppsala, Sweden (SPX) Dec 14, 2017
A Langmuir probe, developed in Sweden and flown to Saturn on the Cassini spacecraft, has made exciting discoveries in the atmosphere of the planet. Jan-Erik Wahlund at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics in Uppsala and his colleagues show that there is a strong coupling, both chemically and electrically, between the atmosphere of Saturn and its rings. These research results have now been publ ... more
Washington (UPI) Nov 21, 2017
Unique atmospheric chemistry explains cold vortex on Saturn's moon Titan
Pasadena CA (JPL) Nov 22, 2017
Cassini Image Mosaic: A Farewell to Saturn
Bristol UK (SPX) Nov 22, 2017
Unexpected atmospheric vortex behavior on Saturn's moon Titan
Scientists share various perspectives on ozone layer recovery
Greenbelt MD (SPX) Dec 18, 2017
Each year, ozone-depleting compounds in the upper atmosphere destroy the protective ozone layer, and in particular above Antarctica. The ozone layer acts as Earth's sunscreen by absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation from incoming sunlight that can cause skin cancer and damage plants, among other harmful effects to life on Earth. While these different compounds each release either reactiv ... more
Boulder CO (SPX) Dec 14, 2017
Space Mystery Solved by Student Satellite
Laurel MD (SPX) Dec 15, 2017
APL Monitoring Instrument Rides into Space
Greenbelt MD (SPX) Dec 12, 2017
NASA's CATS concludes successful mission on Space Station


Crew of three docks at International Space Station
Moscow (AFP) Dec 19, 2017
A three-man space crew made up of American and Japanese rookie astronauts and an experienced Russian cosmonaut successfully docked at the International Space Station to begin a six-month mission Tuesday. NASA TV footage showed the Soyuz MS-07 capsule containing Scott Tingle of NASA, Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency dock at the ISS ... more
Miami (AFP) Dec 17, 2017
'Dragon back' as cargo reaches space station
Cape Canaveral AFS FL (SPX) Dec 17, 2017
SpaceX resupply truck Dragon on route to ISS for space research delivery
Baikonur, Kazakhstan (AFP) Dec 17, 2017
2 rookie astronauts, and cosmonaut blast off to ISS
Spanning disciplines in the search for life beyond Earth
Greenbelt MD (SPX) Dec 19, 2017
The search for life beyond Earth is riding a surge of creativity and innovation. Following a gold rush of exoplanet discovery over the past two decades, it is time to tackle the next step: determining which of the known exoplanets are proper candidates for life. Scientists from NASA and two universities presented new results dedicated to this task in fields spanning astrophysics, Earth sci ... more
Atlanta GA (SPX) Dec 19, 2017
Cold suns, warm exoplanets and methane blankets
New Haven CT (SPX) Dec 20, 2017
A New Approach for Detecting Planets in the Alpha Centauri System
Washington DC (SPX) Dec 15, 2017
NASA uses AI to uncover eighth planet circling distant star


Insitu to support Navy's ScanEagle UAV system
Washington (UPI) Dec 19, 2017
Insitu Inc. has been awarded a modified contract by the U.S. Navy for services to support the ScanEagle Unmanned Aviation System, an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform. The deal, announced Monday by the Department of Defense, is worth more than $22.7 million under the terms of a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract, meaning that if the ... more
The Hague (AFP) Dec 13, 2017
Dutch police ground drone-fighting eagles
Washington (UPI) Dec 13, 2017
Jet-powered drone tested by BAE Systems
Washington (UPI) Dec 7, 2017
Hensoldt intros new counter-drone system
Eclipse 2017: Science from the Moon's Shadow
Washington DC (SPX) Dec 18, 2017
On Dec. 11, 2017, six researchers discussed initial findings based on observations of the Sun and on Earth gathered during the solar eclipse that stretched across North America on Aug. 21, 2017. Ranging from new information about the way the Sun's atmosphere generates heat, to how the dip in solar energy affected Earth's atmosphere, and even how to protect against contaminating other planets wit ... more
New Orleans LA (SPX) Dec 14, 2017
Space weather, EarthScope, and protecting the national electrical grid
Boulder CO (SPX) Dec 11, 2017
CU Boulder solar instruments, experiments headed for space
New York NY (SPX) Dec 11, 2017
Mount Sinai researchers use breakthrough technology to understand eclipse eye damage


In first, SpaceX launches recycled rocket and spaceship
Miami (AFP) Dec 15, 2017
For the first time, SpaceX on Friday blasted off both a rocket and a cargo ship that have flown before, a step forward in the company's goal to lower the cost of spaceflight. After the launch, the California-based company headed by Internet tycoon Elon Musk landed its rocket booster upright on solid ground at Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX has now managed to return 20 of its rocket boos ... more
Stennis Space Center, MS (SPX) Dec 15, 2017
RS-25 Engine Test is Giant Step for 3-D Printing
Paris, France (SPX) Dec 17, 2017
ArianeGroup signs contract with ESA for future Prometheus engine
Kourou (AFP) Dec 12, 2017
Ariane 5 rocket takes off with European GPS satellites
Stellar Nursery Blooms into View
Garching, Germany (SPX) Dec 18, 2017
The OmegaCAM camera on ESO's VLT Survey Telescope has captured this glittering view of the stellar nursery called Sharpless 29. Many astronomical phenomena can be seen in this giant image, including cosmic dust and gas clouds that reflect, absorb, and re-emit the light of hot young stars within the nebula. The region of sky pictured is listed in the Sharpless catalogue of H II regions: int ... more
Baltimore MD (SPX) Dec 19, 2017
Hubble's Celestial Snow Globe
Maunakea HI (SPX) Dec 18, 2017
A new spin to solving mystery of stellar companions
Garching, Germany (SPX) Dec 18, 2017
Astronomers approve 86 new star names from around the world


Sierras lost water weight, grew taller during drought
Pasadena CA (JPL) Dec 18, 2017
Loss of water from the rocks of California's Sierra Nevada caused the mountain range to rise nearly an inch (24 millimeters) in height during the drought years from October 2011 to October 2015, a new NASA study finds. In the two following years of more abundant snow and rainfall, the mountains have regained about half as much water in the rock as they had lost in the preceding drought and ... more
Mainz, Germany (SPX) Nov 30, 2017
Researchers measure magnetic moment with greatest possible precision
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Nov 28, 2017
Physicists make most precise measurement ever of a proton's magnetic moment
Pasadena CA (JPL) Nov 15, 2017
Listening for gravitational waves using pulsars
Make-believe worlds makes for better understanding of real Universe
Berkeley CA (SPX) Dec 19, 2017
Seeing is believing, or so the saying goes. And in some cases, a world of make-believe can help you realize what you're actually seeing, too. Scientists are creating simulated universes, for example - complete with dark matter mock-ups, computer-generated galaxies, quasi quasars, and pseudo supernovae - to better understand real-world observations. Their aim is to envision how new Ea ... more
Noordwijk, Netherlands (SPX) Dec 14, 2017
Herschel Data Links Mysterious Quasar Winds to Furious Starbursts
Washington DC (SPX) Dec 14, 2017
Most Distant Supermassive Black Hole Found
Vienna, Austria (SPX) Dec 14, 2017
New manifestation of magnetic monopoles discovered


Engineers program tiny robots to move, think like insects
Ithaca NY (SPX) Dec 18, 2017
While engineers have had success building tiny, insect-like robots, programming them to behave autonomously like real insects continues to present technical challenges. A group of Cornell University engineers has been experimenting with a new type of programming that mimics the way an insect's brain works, which could soon have people wondering if that fly on the wall is actually a fly. Th ... more
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Dec 15, 2017
Lockheed Martin and NEC to Enhance Satellites, Space Travel with Artificial Intelligence
Moscow (Sputnik) Dec 13, 2017
Not Your Grandpa's Robot: Russian Robot 'FEDOR' May Become Self-Learning
El Segundo CA (SPX) Dec 13, 2017
Aerospace's SeedTECH AI advances to second round of $5M IBM Watson XPRIZE
Nation 'leads world' in remote sensing technology
Beijing (XNA) Nov 27, 2017
China is now the world leader in remote sensing technologies for scientific purposes and is able to provide an unprecedented amount of data to support research and development for the world, officials said on Tuesday. Remote sensing refers to aerial or satellite-based technologies to detect and measure objects on Earth's surface, atmosphere and oceans. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Sci ... more
Beijing (XNA) Nov 19, 2017
China plans for nuclear-powered interplanetary capacity by 2040
Beijing (Sputnik) Nov 16, 2017
China plans first sea based launch by 2018
Beijing (XNA) Nov 02, 2017
China's reusable spacecraft to be launched in 2020
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