The many faces of Cassiopeia A

The many faces of Cassiopeia A

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured a remarkable image of the Cassiopeia A (Cas A) supernova remnant, revealing its intricate and dynamic nature. This cosmic spectacle, located approximately 11,000 light-years away, is the aftermath of a massive star that exploded in the late 17th century, although its brilliance went unnoticed at the time. […]

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Saharan Dust Over Messina Strait

Saharan Dust Over Messina Strait

The Strait of Messina, a narrow waterway separating the Italian mainland from Sicily, is renowned for its picturesque scenery and vibrant marine life. However, this idyllic setting can be temporarily disrupted by atmospheric phenomena, such as the passage of Saharan dust storms originating from the vast desert regions of North Africa. These dust storms, driven […]

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Ariane 6 pre-show wet dress rehearsal finished

Ariane 6 pre-show wet dress rehearsal finished

The excitement was palpable as teams from ESA, CNES, and ArianeGroup meticulously prepared for the wet dress rehearsal of Ariane 6 flight model-1. Months of meticulous planning had led to this pivotal moment, where every step would be executed with unwavering precision. The first task was to roll back the colossal 90-meter-tall Ariane 6 mobile […]

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Rocket Lab reaches 50th Electron mission launch

Rocket Lab reaches 50th Electron mission launch

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket has achieved remarkable milestones in its development. The vehicle is the first to use an entirely carbon-fiber body, the first to use electric turbopumps, and according to Rocket Lab, is the fastest commercially developed rocket in history to reach 50 launches, taking just seven years and 25 days, narrowly beating this […]

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SpaceX Elevates Second Starbase Tower for Flight Five

SpaceX Elevates Second Starbase Tower for Flight Five

SpaceX’s test site at Starbase, Masseys, is picking up the pace, with Ship 26 conducting a Static Fire test on June 3. This marked Ship 26’s first-ever multi-engine static fire and the inaugural first lighting of the Massey’s test stand. After nearly two hours from the first signs of venting, Ship 26 lit its engines […]

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Drone racing trains neural AI for space

Drone racing trains neural AI for space

In the quest to push the boundaries of spacecraft autonomy, researchers at ESA and TU Delft have turned to an unconventional testing ground: drone racing. By unleashing neural network-controlled drones in a high-speed, unpredictable environment, they aim to evaluate the performance of these cutting-edge AI systems before deploying them in space missions. The key challenge […]

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Webb finds surprising carbon-rich materials around young star

Webb finds surprising carbon-rich materials around young star

Using Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), the team investigated the contents of ISO-Chal 147’s disk by observing it in the mid-infrared and collecting spectral data. From this data, they constructed an emission spectrum of light that highlighted the elements and compounds present within the disk. Webb found the disk to contain the richest hydrocarbon chemistry to […]

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ESA Impact 2024 June Council Edition

ESA Impact 2024 June Council Edition

The EU-ESA Space Council, a pivotal event that shapes the trajectory of European space endeavors, has recently concluded. This gathering of visionary minds and decision-makers has set forth a series of groundbreaking initiatives that promise to propel Europe’s ambitions in the cosmic frontier to unprecedented heights. At the forefront of these developments lies the future […]

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Ariane 6 Launches GRBBeta, Small Satellite Big Astrophysics

Ariane 6 Launches GRBBeta, Small Satellite Big Astrophysics

GRBBeta is designed to detect and study gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) – immensely energetic explosions observed in distant galaxies. These are the brightest and most extreme explosive events in the Universe. A typical GRB releases as much energy in a few seconds as the Sun will in its entire 10-billion-year lifetime. GRBs are thought to be […]

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