NASA – Herald Quest

A Jupiter-size exoplanet formed around a tiny star. Astronomers aren’t sure how

5Aug

By Raeesa SayyadNo Comments

Science

A Jupiter-size exoplanet formed around a tiny star. Astronomers aren’t sure how

A massive, Jupiter-size planet has been found orbiting a relatively small, low-mass star, surprising astronomers and challenging theories on how planets form. The extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, orbits the red dwarf TOI-4860. Located in the constellation of Corvus, TOI-4860 has a mass equivalent to just around a third of the sun's. The exoplanet in question, aptly designated TOI-4860 b , falls close enough to the star to complete an orbit approximately once every 1.5 Earth days, classifying it as a "warm Jupiter." This is unusual for two reasons. First, with widths equivalent to about three-quarters of Jupiter's, planets like this one aren't supposed to form around low-mass stars. Second, TOI-4860 b seems to be enriched with a high proportion of metals — a term astronomers use ...

NASA chooses finalists for next small astronomy mission

18Mar

By Dan BarwellNo Comments

Space

NASA chooses finalists for next small astronomy mission

NASA has chosen four finalists for the organization's next small astronomy mission, both rocket and International Space Station experiments to consider a wide range of astronomical phenomena. NASA declared March 16 the selection of two Small Explorer, or SMEX, missions and two smaller Missions of Opportunity for additional study. The full-scale SMEX mission proposals will get $2 million each for nine-month idea studies, and the Missions of Opportunity $500,000 each for comparative studies. “Each of these missions would take the next steps in some of the hottest areas of astrophysics today,” Paul Hertz, director of NASA’s astrophysics division, said in a statement. “With the high science rewards for low dollar amounts, Explorers missions successfully fill the scientific gaps in our ...

SpaceX wins NASA agreement to launch Earth science mission

10Feb

By Dan BarwellNo Comments

Space

SpaceX wins NASA agreement to launch Earth science mission

NASA awarded an agreement to SpaceX Feb. 4 for the launch of an Earth science mission has successfully staved off cancellation a few times. NASA declared it selected SpaceX to launch the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) spacecraft on a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in December 2022. The organization said the agreement is valued at $80.4 million, covering the launch and related services. SpaceX independently said the launch will utilize a "flight-proven" Falcon 9, one where the rocket's first stage has previously propelled at least one mission. “SpaceX is honored to continue supporting NASA’s critical scientific observational missions by launching PACE, which will help humanity better understand, protect and preserve our planet,” Gwynne Shotwell, president ...

Boeing’s crew capsule proclaimed prepared for first space flight

14Dec

By Mark RonaldNo Comments

Space

Boeing’s crew capsule proclaimed prepared for first space flight

The renewed space race is prepared for the next step. Boeing's Starliner team container is prepared for its first trip. NASA and Boeing managers on Thursday consented to a Dec. 20 liftoff for its first test flight to the International Space Station. "Hopefully, we should all be getting an early Christmas present this year," said Phil McAlister, director of NASA's commercial spaceflight development. Only a few technical issues stay to be finished, he noted. Nobody will be on board, only a mannequin named Rosie. Three astronauts will strap in for the second test flight of a Starliner at some point one year from now. SpaceX likewise plans to launch astronauts for NASA one year from now. The organization led a test flight without a crew back in March. NASA went to th...

NASA researchers recognize tremendous thermonuclear blast deep in space

12Nov

By Gook JahnNo Comments

Space

NASA researchers recognize tremendous thermonuclear blast deep in space

NASA recently identified a monstrous thermonuclear explosion originating from outer space. The offender seems to be a distant pulsar, the space agency reports, which is the stellar remains of a star that blew up in a supernova, however, was too small to even consider forming a black hole. NASA detected the burst since it sent out an intense beam of x-rays that got by the organization's orbital observatory NICER. All things considered, it serves as a strong update: space is a very perilous, amazingly metal place. The August blast released in 20 seconds a similar same amount of energy Sun would require 10 days to release, as indicated by investigating published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters a month ago. "This burst was outstanding," NASA astrophysicist Peter Bult, who...

Astronaut catches wildfires in an astounding time-lapse photograph from ISS

25Oct

By Lee TriebelNo Comments

Space

Astronaut catches wildfires in an astounding time-lapse photograph from ISS

An astounding time-lapse caught by the International Space Station shows the Earth, stars and even occasions like thunderstorms and wildfires. The time-lapse was made from an aggregate of 400 photos through the span of 11 minutes as the ISS went from Namibia toward the Red Sea, as per NASA. NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who tweets about her encounters on the International Space Station and recently shared in the first all-women spacewalk, caught the pictures. The circular streaks in the picture are star-trails, while the thinner dotted lines with darker orange hues are fired consuming crosswise over Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Around the north, one can see thunderstorms covering a lot of central Africa. As indicated by NASA, one of the most striking h...