Falcon Heavy took off from LC-39A at the Kennedy Space Center at 5:26 PM EDT (21:26 UTC) on June 25, carrying the GOES-U satellite. The two-hour launch window opened at 5:16 PM EDT (21:16 UTC), but liftoff occurred ten minutes later as the weather conditions improved to 70% favorable. GOES-U will be placed into a […]

The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a nearby galactic neighbor located about 159,000 light-years from our Milky Way, harbors an astonishing collection of approximately 60 globular clusters. Among these celestial treasures, NGC 2210 stands out as a captivating example, shining brightly in the night sky at magnitude +11 in the Southern Hemisphere constellation of Doradus. Captured […]

The cosmic tapestry woven by the vast expanse of the universe occasionally presents us with breathtaking coincidences that challenge our perceptions of reality. One such remarkable sight is the striking line of galaxies that appears to be aligned behind the interacting system known as Arp-Madore 2105-332. At first glance, this celestial arrangement might seem like […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]