Latest news with #spaceexploration
Sustainability Times
3 hours ago
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'100x More Precise': New NASA Probe Promises Unmatched Exoplanet Scans in Deep-Space Exploration Revolution
IN A NUTSHELL 🚀 NASA's GIRO aims to map exoplanets' interiors using gravity fields and radio signals. aims to map exoplanets' interiors using gravity fields and radio signals. 🌌 The probe operates by detecting subtle changes in gravitational pull through the Doppler effect . . 🛰️ Cost-effective and high precision , GIRO offers 10 to 100 times better accuracy than traditional methods. , GIRO offers 10 to 100 times better accuracy than traditional methods. 🔍 Strategic planning is crucial for GIRO missions, with a focus on precise orbits and planetary protection. The exploration of distant worlds has long been a dream of humanity, and NASA's proposed Gravity Imaging Radio Observer (GIRO) is set to revolutionize our approach. This innovative probe promises to map the interiors of exoplanets and celestial bodies without the need for physical contact. By using gravity fields and radio signals, GIRO aims to uncover the secrets hidden beneath alien surfaces. This low-cost, battery-powered probe represents a significant leap forward in space exploration technology, potentially providing unprecedented insights into the composition and activity of distant planets. Listening to the Universe: How GIRO Works The Gravity Imaging Radio Observer (GIRO) operates by flying in tandem with a host spacecraft near a target celestial body. As the spacecraft and GIRO orbit or fly by a planet or moon, they encounter subtle changes in gravitational pull. These changes, caused by variations in mass within the body, alter their paths slightly. By utilizing the Doppler effect in radio signals, GIRO can detect these changes, effectively 'listening' to the gravity fields. This method allows the probe to map the interior structures of the target, identifying features such as metallic cores, layered rock formations, or even potential volcanic activity. As Ryan Park, principal engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, explains, GIRO acts as a small radio probe reflecting signals sent from the host spacecraft, making it an efficient tool for space exploration. 'Space Needs Nuclear Now': This New Global Race to Harness Atomic Power Beyond Earth Is Accelerating Faster Than Expected A Versatile Tool for Challenging Missions GIRO's design makes it particularly valuable for missions in extreme or hard-to-access environments. Its low-mass, high-accuracy profile allows it to collect detailed data even when time or safety constraints limit mission duration. For instance, GIRO could enable close passes by Uranus' rings or brief flybys of small asteroids. The probe is especially useful when missions can only conduct a limited number of orbits or flybys, making it a flexible addition to broader exploration missions. Park emphasizes that GIRO can be integrated into existing missions, eliminating the need for dedicated gravity-mapping spacecraft. This approach not only saves resources but also enhances the scientific value of exploration missions by adding a gravity science component. 'Nasa Confirms the Unthinkable': China's Giant Water Diversion Project Will Slow Earth's Rotation and Disrupt Global Timekeeping Precision Mapping at an Affordable Cost One of GIRO's most compelling features is its ability to deliver high precision without the high costs typically associated with space missions. According to Park, GIRO can achieve an accuracy that is 10 to 100 times better than traditional ground-based tracking methods. By leveraging lightweight, low-power radio components, GIRO matches the capabilities of previous gravity missions like GRAIL, but at a fraction of the cost and complexity. The probe's spin-stabilized, battery-powered design allows for the deployment of multiple units simultaneously, enhancing data reliability and coverage. This efficiency makes GIRO an attractive option for future missions, providing high-quality data without the need for extensive financial investment. 'It's Growing': NASA Detects Massive Earth Anomaly Expanding Rapidly and Threatening the Entire Continental United States Challenges in Planning and Execution Despite its promising capabilities, missions utilizing GIRO require meticulous planning. Probes must be released into precise orbits to ensure accurate readings and maintain reliable radio contact. Each GIRO unit has a limited battery life, typically around 10 days for missions to outer planets, though solar recharging is possible for inner solar system deployments. Additionally, compliance with planetary protection rules is crucial, as the probes must not risk contaminating celestial bodies with potential for life. The integration of GIRO into a mission could occur within one to three years, but the timeline is subject to factors such as funding, political considerations, and necessary testing. The ongoing development of GIRO underscores the importance of strategic planning and international cooperation in space exploration. As NASA continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in space exploration, the Gravity Imaging Radio Observer stands as a testament to human ingenuity and ambition. By offering a novel approach to mapping distant worlds, GIRO has the potential to transform our understanding of the universe. The probe's development raises intriguing questions about the future of space exploration: How might GIRO's technology be applied to other areas of scientific inquiry, and what new discoveries await us in the cosmos? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.5/5 (23)
Bloomberg
19 hours ago
- Science
- Bloomberg
SpaceX Rocket Explodes in Texas
A SpaceX Starship rocket exploded on a test stand in Texas, adding to a series of setbacks on Elon Musk's space ambitions that include return trips to Mars. (Source: Andrew C of Rocket Future via Associated Press)
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Venturi Space Shows Off Its Pitch for a New Lunar Lander
Monaco-based Venturi Space has debuted a new design for a next-generation lunar rover that it's calling Mona Luna. It's a pitch that it hopes the European Space Agency (ESA) will pick up during its ministerial conference later this year. It includes a new deformable wheel design and a sleek, futuristic look, with instruments held near the center to protect against harsh moon temperature swings throughout the day/night cycle. The Venturi Space pitch is that the ESA already has a lunar launch vehicle in the Ariane 6, and a lunar lander in the Argonaut for future payload delivery to the Moon. But what it doesn't have, though, is a lunar rover, and Venturi wants to be the company to provide it, as reports. Mona Luna is a next-generation rover design that looks sleek and futuristic, eschewing the gangly, many-limbed rovers we're used to seeing exploring Mars in recent years. That's because the Mona Luna keeps most of its instruments internally to better protect them against the extreme elements and temperature swings that can be experienced on the moon's surface. In the above concept video, Venturi shows the rover opening its back panel to reveal a number of modular sensors and tools, which the articulating arm can attach and detach to and from at will. That allows a single arm to provide the full functionality of the rover, cutting back on overall costs and weight in the design. It also allows each instrument to have the same level of flexible control. Another technology Venturi is pioneering for this design is its deformable wheels. These wheels are capable of handling extreme temperature swings from -240 degrees C to 130 degrees C while retaining the same strength and support so that the rover can continue to operate even in the lunar south pole. This hyper-mobile wheel design should also let the rover traverse more demanding surface conditions, letting it travel where previous rovers would be unable to even attempt. Although the rover's weight is 1650 pounds, with payloads, it could reach as high as 4,400 pounds. The wheels are designed to handle that while still maintaining the ability to reach nine miles per hour or up to 12 miles per hour with lighter payloads. If Venturi is successful in convincing the ESA to provide some of its budget for a rover contract, it will be able to show proof of its concepts before a potential 2030+ mission. The wheel technologies are being used in the next generation of NASA's own lunar vehicle, the Flex Rover, currently under development at California-based Astrolab. That vehicle is expected to launch for a lunar south pole mission sometime in 2026 or 2027.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Life on Mars: Humans will live in huge 'space oases' on the Red Planet in just 15 years, European Space Agency predicts
Imagine a future where humans live in huge 'space oases' on Mars – luxury indoor habitats made of heat-reflective material that grow their own food. Robots are sent into the vast Martian wilderness, where they explore without the risk of exhaustion, radiation poisoning or dust contamination. Enormous space stations and satellites are manufactured in orbit, AI is trusted to make critical decisions, and the whole solar system is connected by a vast internet network. While this sounds like science-fiction, the European Space Agency (ESA) hopes it will become a reality in just 15 years. In a new report, the agency – which represents more than 20 countries including the UK – outlines an ambitious vision for space exploration by 2040. 'By 2040, we envision a resilient European presence across Earth's orbits and the solar system,' it says. 'Expanding into space is not a luxury but a necessity and space is no longer a frontier – it is a territory. 'It unlocks unknown resources that open new markets and enable scientific breakthroughs.' The new report, 'Technology 2040: A Vision For The European Space Agency', shows the public where ESA wants to be 'in the decades to come and the directions for how to get there'. As part of its vision, in just 15 years' time, humans will dwell in 'plentiful' habitats called 'space oases' in Earth's orbit and also on the moon, Mars and far beyond. These white domes will protect humans from cosmic radiation, offering a place for them to sleep, eat and work between trips outside. They will be utterly self-sustaining habitats, creating their own power and food, making resupply missions from Earth a thing of the past. More than ever before on Earth, humans will rely on autonomous technology akin to the droids in Star Wars to explore the vast planet, about 4,212 miles in diameter. Much like 2015 film 'The Martian', plants will thrive in glass-ceilinged greenhouses, giving us foods like potatoes, rice, fungus, tomatoes, and leafy greens. ESA says the habitats must protect astronauts from the harsh conditions outside, calling for 'smart radiation shielding materials'. They will be packed with high-tech sensing capabilities to forecast, monitor and mitigate variable hazards such as incoming space rocks. If and when they land on Mars, comet bodies and asteroids will be mined, their materials put to use for building materials while also being analysed to reveal more about our solar system's history. ESA also envisions a future where 'large space structures', like spaceships, satellites, telescopes and space stations, won't be bound by the limitations of the launch vehicles dimensions. For example, the tennis-court-sized James Webb Space Telescope was painstakingly and expensively designed to fit within its launch rocket 'like a model ship in a bottle' before unfolding in space four years ago. Instead, such a machine could be manufactured and assembled directly in orbit, or on the surface of the moon or Mars. Autonomous spacecraft will no longer need gatherings of humans to shepherd them from a distance because they'll have the required intelligence of their own, eliminating the need for ground control. Space debris, meanwhile, will be recycled and reused to create a 'circular and sustainable' space economy, mitigating environmental impacts To date, human habitation in space has been limited to space stations in low-Earth orbit, where crew members stay for short periods – around six months at most. But in the near future, people would stay in space for months or years at a time, or eventually move there permanently, making us a multiplanetary species. The new report, 'Technology 2040: A Vision For The European Space Agency', shows the public where ESA wants to be 'in the decades to come and the directions for how to get there' ESA says: 'The next steps in human exploration will involve longer stays and farther destinations. 'Key to the success of these undertakings will be the creation of more permanent infrastructure with increased independence from Earth.' While undoubtedly an exciting vision, ESA and its members no doubt have their work cut out to make it a reality in just 15 years. As yet, no human has ventured further from Earth than 248,655 miles, as achieved by the Apollo 13 crew on April 14, 1970. In comparison, Mars is 140 million miles from Earth on average, and our only presence there is a collection of debris and rovers in various states of activity. NASA and Elon Musk's SpaceX are both planning to put humans on Mars in the next 20 years – but no spaceship yet in existence is ready for the journey. The most promising vessel is SpaceX's Starship, which has been designed for long-distance space travel, but it could be decades before it's ready for a Mars trip. On Wednesday night, Starship exploded into a bull of flames after a malfunction during a routine ground test in Texas. Despite once being home to lush oceans of liquid water billions of years ago, any traces of H2O on Mars today are well hidden. But experts say there's two miles of water buried beneath the surface in an area of the planet's equator, known as the Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF). The water is frozen as ice in a layer measuring over two miles (3.7km) thick, according to new data from the Mars Express spacecraft. If melted, the water would cover the whole of Mars in a layer of liquid up to 8.8 feet (2.7 metres) deep, and would be enough to fill Earth's Red Sea. Although melting the ice may require an ambitious drilling operation when astronauts land on Mars, it could potentially be used for drinking or growing crops.
Forbes
a day ago
- Science
- Forbes
NASA Spacecraft ‘Touches Sun' For Final Time In Defining Moment For Humankind
The heavily armored Parker Solar Probe has traveled to within just 3.86 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) of the sun's surface — what NASA calls 'hyper close.' It's the third and final time it has performed the feat, following similar achievements on Dec. 24, 2024, and March 22, 2025. Parker launched on Aug. 12, 2018, and has since conducted 23 perihelions — close passes — of the sun, getting to within 3.86 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) twice before today's repeat performnce. For scale, that's four yards from the end zone if the distance between Earth and the sun was the length of an American football field, according to mission scientists. During this final perihelion of the mission, the probe will be traveling at around 430,000 miles per hour (690,000 kilometers per hour). According to NASA, that's fast enough to get from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., in a single second. Perihelion 24 also sees it forced to withstand temperatures of 1,600 to 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit (870 to 930 degrees Celsius). Its only armor against both temperature and extreme ultraviolet radiation is a carbon composite shield. Parker is in a highly elliptical orbit, which takes 88 days but allows it to occasionally swoop particularly close to the sun. One of the main objectives of the mission is to understand why the sun's corona, its outer atmosphere, is a million times hotter than the photosphere, its surface. The corona is where the solar wind originates from, so solar physicists must understand it better if they are to forecast space weather more accurately. That's important because the state of the solar wind — a stream of charged particles interacting with the Earth's atmosphere — can damage satellites and harm astronauts, as well as cause Northern Lights. The latter half of Parker's mission has coincided with the peak of Solar Cycle 25, the current 11-year-long cycle of the sun, during which our star experiences a waxing and waning of magnetic activity. A study published on June 3 used data from Parker while flying close to the sun, reveal a new source for energetic particles in the solar corona. The mechanism, called magnetic reconnection, heats the solar atmosphere, accelerating solar wind particles. Magnetic reconnection — when magnetic field lines converge, break apart and reconnect in an explosive physical process — is responsible for powerful solar events, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections. 'We've seen how magnetic reconnection behaves near Earth, but Parker has now shown how potent it is near the sun, where magnetic fields are significantly stronger,' said Dr. Mihir Desai, lead author and a scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. Parker isn't going anywhere. Locked in the orbit of the sun, it will continue to loop around our star. However, it was gravity assists at Venus that gave the spacecraft enough momentum to get so close to the sun. No, it's within the orbit of Venus, that opportunity is lost, so it won't be able to reach any closer to the sun than it already has done. According to Live Science, the spacecraft's thrusters will eventually run out of fuel, and it will burn up, though its heat shield may remain in orbit for thousands of years.
