Out There: Space Exploration

Space exploration of our solar system and beyond -- via telescope and/or space travel -- to stars, planets, moons and other intriguing space objects/ phenomena: searching for places to find/grow resources or possibly even colonize; and hopefully discover life elsewhere.

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Ghost particle that crashed into Antarctica traced back to star shredded by black hole
CNET - Jackson Ryan
A black hole gobbled up a star in deep space and flung a high-energy subatomic bullet at the Earth. Don't worry, the planet's doing fine.
Feb 25
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Perseverance Kicks Off Elaborate Effort to Bring Mars Rocks to Earth
smithsonianmag.com - Theresa Machemer
The Perseverance Rover is about to gather a rock collection with no equal. On February 18, the rover landed in Mars’ Jezero Crater to gather rock …
Feb 22
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The White Dots in This Image Are Not Stars or Galaxies. They're Black Holes
ScienceAlert - Michelle Starr
The image above may look like a fairly normal picture of the night sky, but what you're looking at is a lot more special than just glittering stars. …
Feb 22
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New discoveries, stunning images from Mars deepen understanding of red planet
ctvnews.ca - Alexandra Mae Jones
TORONTO -- Stunning new images of deep canyons and spidery frost deposits on Mars, plus new gassy discoveries, are rocking the science world in a …
Feb 13
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Apollo 15 landing site is strikingly clear in image captured from Earth
space.com - Nicoletta Lanese
Scientists captured this striking image of the Apollo 15 landing site by shooting a powerful radar signal from Earth into space and bouncing it off …
Feb 6
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Black Holes
A giant black hole suddenly went dark, and no one knows why
space.com - Rafi Letzter
Beginning in 2018, one of the brightest X-ray lights in the sky went dark, and scientists still aren't sure why. The black hole responsible for …
Feb 6
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NASA Set to Explore Psyche 16 Asteroid, Thought to Be Worth Thousands of Times the Global Economy
Entrepreneur
Psyche might be composed of platinum and gold, and could also provide valuable information about the origin of the earth. NASA's Psyche mission is progressing considerably. Just a year and a half after...
Feb 4
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Vast 'Belts' Around Earth Accelerate Particles Close to Light Speed, And Now We Know How
ScienceAlert - Michelle Starr
When you look up at the sky, the region of space around Earth may look as clear as a song, but there's a heck of a lot going on out there that we …
Feb 7
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Here’s the first photo from China’s new Mars mission – and it’s stunning
bgr.com - Mike Wehner
NASA’s Perseverance rover mission is slated to arrive on Mars on February 18th, and it’ll surely be a big day for space science the world over. …
Feb 6
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NASA's Perseverance Mars rover landing will be thrilling must-see TV
CNET - Eric Mack
When the next robot on Mars touches down on the red planet, the views will be truly otherworldly.
Feb 18
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The Valoria 1 crew is fighting to survive the night — Commander's Report: sol 8
space.com - Michaela Musilova
Dr. Michaela Musilova is the director of Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) program, which conducts analog missions to the moon …
Jan 31
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Maine company successfully launches prototype rocket
Associated Press
BRUNSWICK, Maine (AP) — A Maine company that's developing a rocket to propel small satellites into space passed its first major test on Sunday. Brunswick-based bluShift Aerospace launched a 20-foot (6-meter)...
Jan 31
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Space
Puzzling six-exoplanet system with rhythmic movement challenges theories of how planets form
eso.org
eso2102 — Science Release Puzzling six-exoplanet system with rhythmic movement challenges theories of how planets form Using a combination of …
Jan 25
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Seven facts about the new head of NASA, Steve Jurczyk
futurism.com
The new leader of NASA appears to have deleted his Twitter account — and other facts you probably didn't know. Former NASA administrator Jim …
Jan 25
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[Excerpt] "In 1992, she was chosen from over 5,300 applicants to become one of four astronauts in the Canadian Space Agency. In 1999, she became the first Canadian to board the International Space St …
Julie Payette: Canada governor general quits amid bullying claims
bbc.co.uk - BBC News
Jan 22
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Supernovae
This is the remnant of a star that exploded 1,700 years ago
Digital Trends - By Georgina Torbet
When a large star reaches the end of its life, it explodes in an enormous outpouring of energy called a supernova. As the shockwave from the …
Jan 17
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Planetary System
Scientists have identified one of the oldest planetary systems ever discovered
slashgear.com - Shane McGlaun
Researchers have identified what they say is one of the oldest planetary systems that has ever been discovered. The planetary system has a rocky …
Jan 17
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Virgin Orbit launches satellites into space
Axios - Rebecca Falconer
Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rocket reached space and successfully deployed 10 payloads for NASA's Launch Services Program on Sunday, Richard Branson's …
Jan 18
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SpaceX will launch its 1st Starlink satellites of 2021 on Wednesday. Here's how to watch.
space.com - Amy Thompson
Editor's note: SpaceX has successfully launched its first Starlink mission of 2021. Read our full wrap story here. Original story: CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. …
Jan 19
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SpaceX Starship SN9 flies high, explodes on landing just like SN8
CNET - Eric Mack
After delays and a flap with the FAA, the Mars rocket prototype ran a vertical 10K on Tuesday.
Feb 3
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SLS: Nasa's 'megarocket' engine test ends early
BBC News - By Paul Rincon
A critical engine test for Nasa's new "megarocket" has ended early, but the agency denied it amounted to a failure. Shortly before 22:30 GMT (17:30 EST) on Saturday, the four engines ignited, burning more...
Jan 17
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Energy
The world's first integrated quantum communication network
phys.org - by University of Science and Technology of China
Chinese scientists have established the world's first integrated quantum communication network, combining over 700 optical fibers on the ground with …
Jan 6
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Aerospace
Space Launch System rocket could conduct a hot fire test soon
slashgear.com - Shane McGlaun
NASA’s Space Launch System rocket is ready to proceed to the final test in the Green Run series. The final test is the hot fire test and could happen …
Jan 6
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Methane
Mars methane mysteriously missing
SYFY WIRE - Phil Plait
For many years, planetary scientists have been tracking a Martian ghost: methane gas. It was first seen by ground-based observations of Mars back in …
Dec 29, 2020
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Arianespace launches French military spy satellite on Soyuz rocket to cap 2020
space.com - Tariq Malik
Arianespace launched a new reconnaissance satellite for the French military into orbit Tuesday (Dec. 29), marking the European launch provider's …
Dec 29, 2020
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Meteorites
Mysterious asteroid the size of a dwarf planet is lurking in our solar system
Live Science - Rafi Letzter
Where did this strange meteorite come from? There's a giant asteroid somewhere out in the solar system, and it hurled a big rock at Earth. The evidence …
Dec 26, 2020
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Spacecraft
Hello, Venus! Solar Orbiter spacecraft makes first swing past planet
space.com - Meghan Bartels
The joint U.S.-European Solar Orbiter spacecraft had an appointment with Venus this morning (Dec. 27), the first in a series of planetary flybys to …
Dec 27, 2020
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Science
Why tardigrades spilled all over the Moon in 2020
Inverse - Passant Rabie
In April 2019, the Israeli Beresheet spacecraft crash-landed on the Moon. Along for the ride were thousands of tiny creatures, which scientists now …
Dec 24, 2020
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Samples from Ryugu asteroid revealed after delivery to Earth
Mashable - Kellen Beck
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) showed off a collection of samples from the asteroid Ryugu on Thursday following the return of the Hayabusa2 probe. The curation work for the Ryugu sample...
Dec 26, 2020