fraser

fraser , 7 hours ago to random

Orbital images of the Moon and Mars show circular pits, thought to be the collapsed roofs of lava tubes on the surfaces of those worlds. Now, scientists have mapped one of these lava tubes using radar reflection data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The researchers created a 3-dimensional map of the lava tube's entrance. Places like this could be an idea to set up research stations on the Moon, as astronauts would be protected from the harsh lunar environment.

https://pressroom.unitn.it/comunicato-stampa/existence-lunar-lava-tube-cave-demonstrated

fraser , 2 months ago to random

On May 14th, the Sun unleashed an X8.7 solar flare from one of its sunspot complexes. This is significantly more powerful than the X2.2 flare that set off auroras across much of the planet. But don't expect good auroras this time since the flare went off near the edge of the Sun and wasn't directed at our planet. It could still disrupt electronics and communications. This is continuing to be an excellent solar cycle, with more to come as the Sun approaches solar max.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuBa3TUND9E

fraser , 2 months ago to random

Last November, NASA's Voyager 1 sent home garbled data, and engineers traced the problem to the flight data subsystem (FDS). The problem turned out to be a single chip in the FDS memory. They couldn't repair the chip but could move the affected code into sections and store them in different parts of the FDS system. They tested the new system this week, sending signals to the Voyager 1, 22.5 light-hours away. It worked, and Voyager 1 is back.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/voyager/2024/04/22/nasas-voyager-1-resumes-sending-engineering-updates-to-earth/

fraser , 3 months ago to random

Seen from the ground, a total solar eclipse looks like the Moon blocking out the Sun. However, as seen from space, the eclipse is a shadow that passes across the surface of the Earth. A series of images from the GOES-16 satellite at 36,000 km altitude were stitched into a video showing the Moon's shadow falling on the Earth, passing through North America, and off into space again.

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2024/04/Total_solar_eclipse_seen_from_space

fraser , 4 months ago to random

According to satellite measurements, worldwide fossil fuel emissions are continuing to rise. Carbon dioxide emissions reached record levels in 2023, rising 1.1% above 2022, adding 36.8 billion metric tons. This doesn't account for deforestation and the wildfire season in Canada, which brings the total to 40.9 billion metric tons. The average concentration in 1750 was 278 parts per million and now stands at 420 ppm.

https://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/152519/emissions-from-fossil-fuels-continue-to-rise

fraser , 4 months ago to random

We've seen that missions to the Moon have very short lifespans. As soon as the two-week-long lunar night sets in, temperatures drop so low rovers and landers can't keep their batteries warm, ending their missions. A new paper proposes that a spacecraft in a halo orbit on the far side of the Moon could stay in perpetual sunlight and then beam power wirelessly to rovers and landers, helping them survive the lunar night and communicate from the far side.

https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.16320