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This small cluster of stars packs quite a visual morsel. On Dec. 20, 2021, the team behind the Hubble Space Telescope published an image taken by the iconic observatory when it was looking towards the constellation Dorado in the southern sky. Astronomers refer to this stellar gathering as NGC 1755. The open star cluster “resembles … Read more
China moved its Tianhe space station module twice this year to avoid SpaceX Starlink internet satellites, and the nation apparently isn’t too happy about it. Chinese officials filed a note with the United Nations (UN) earlier this month explaining that Starlink spacecraft had two “close encounters” with Tianhe this year, both of them occurring when … Read more
The James Webb Space Telescope is one step closer to finishing the deployment of its massive sunshield. On Wednesday (Dec. 29), the huge new space observatory successfully extended its deployable tower assembly (DTA), a 48-inch-long (1.2 meters) shaft that connects the telescope’s two halves, NASA officials said in a statement. The James Webb Space Telescope‘s … Read more
NASA’s newest flagship space observatory should have enough fuel to more than double its minimum mission life peering into the history of the universe, according to an agency update. The long-awaited James Webb Space Telescope, a collaboration with the Canadian and European space agencies led by NASA, launched into space Saturday (Dec. 25) on an … Read more
The year 2021 was one of major scientific expansion. Thanks to a variety of exploratory missions and their cutting-edge instruments, astronomers have been able to peer into the cosmos like never before. Researchers have turned the Earth into a giant telescope to view powerful jets from a black hole. Solar system surveys have revealed new … Read more
Astronomers have captured a breathtaking radio wave image, showing our closest radio active black hole spewing out massive jets of plasma that span more than 16 times the size of the full moon in our sky. The supermassive black hole in question is located in the center of the galaxy Centaurus A around 12 … Read more
NASA’s new $10 billion observatory is completing a nerve-wracking sequence of steps to reach its final configuration and location. The James Webb Space Telescope‘s “29 days on the edge,” as NASA has dubbed the lengthy and complex deployment process, began when the spacecraft launched on Saturday (Dec. 25). Since then, the observatory has reached key … Read more
By Leah Crane The Psyche spacecraft’s propulsion system undergoes inspection NASA/JPL-CALTECH IF ALL goes well, the first major space mission of 2022 will be the launch of the Space Launch System rocket in February. After many budget and schedule overruns, NASA’s colossal rocket is finally set for its first uncrewed flight, which will carry several … Read more
Beijing on Tuesday accused the United States of irresponsible and unsafe conduct in space over two “close encounters” between the Chinese space station and satellites operated by Elon Musk‘s SpaceX. Tiangong, China’s new space station, had to maneuver to avoid colliding with one Starlink satellite in July and with another in October, according to … Read more
Researchers have imagined a lightweight, flying saucer-style rover that can float across the surface of the Moon and other airless planetary surfaces such as asteroids. The ‘flying saucer’ would be powered by the electric field that builds up due to direct exposure to the Sun and its surrounding plasma. In the absence of an atmosphere, this … Read more