Stretching over 13 million light years, the Cosmic Vine is a colossal structure that houses a minimum of 20 massive galaxies. (Representative image) (NASA/Robert Gendler)

Space

Unveiling the Incredible 13-Million Light Year ‘Cosmic Vine’!

Febin MathewNovember 19, 23Space

Traversing the immense Milky Way Galaxy presents an overwhelming obstacle due to its vastness. Despite our solar system being minuscule in comparison, it is still overshadowed by the immense galaxy clusters observed by advanced telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope. Recently, scientists have made a remarkable discovery: the awe-inspiring “Cosmic Vine,” an extraordinarily large entity. Spanning an astonishing 13 million light-years across, the Cosmic Vine is a vast structure of at least 20 massive galaxies. Looking at this massive scale, the structure was found…

NASA's DSOC experiment achieves a groundbreaking laser communication milestone, paving the way for future Mars missions and deep space exploration. (NASA/Ben Smegelsky)

Space

NASA’s Laser Shines Bright: Record-Breaking Deep Space Communication!

Sanjay PatilNovember 18, 23NASA, Space

NASA’s revolutionary Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment has made history by achieving its first successful transmission of data using laser technology over an incredible distance of nearly 10 million miles (16 million km). This remarkable accomplishment, which is approximately 40 times greater than the distance between the Moon and Earth, represents a significant breakthrough in deep space communication technology. DSOC sets a new standard Part of the recently launched Psyche spacecraft, the DSOC experiment used a near-infrared laser loaded with test data to communicate with the Hale telescope at…

NASA's James Webb Telescope unveils the secrets of Wasp-107b, a distant "sand rain" planet with scorching temperatures and exotic atmospheres. (Representative image) (NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Webb ERO Production Team)

News

Discovering a ‘Sand Rain’ Giant Planet: 200 Light Years Away!

Adarsh V.KNovember 18, 23Space

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has made a groundbreaking discovery about Wasp-107b, a planet situated 200 light years away in the Virgo constellation. This remarkable celestial body, known as the ‘candy floss’ planet due to its substantial yet lightweight composition, exhibits a range of unique characteristics such as sand precipitation, extreme heat, and winds carrying the scent of sulphur dioxide. The “Candy Floss” planet Wasp-107b, discovered in 2017 by intermittent flashes of light from its host star, has become the focus of astronomers’ attention. Recent observations by the James Webb…

James Webb Space Telescope reveals a cosmic water delivery system that may well have brought the same to earth too. (AP)

Space

Unveiling the Universe’s Incredible Water Delivery System: The James Webb Space Telescope!

Sanjay PatilNovember 18, 23Space

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has made a remarkable revelation, uncovering a cosmic process where ice-coated pebbles transport water to developing planets near young stars. This revolutionary finding questions conventional notions about the source of Earth’s water and provides insight into the interconnected nature of various regions within the solar system, spanning from its outermost reaches to its core. JWST’s unparalleled vision penetrated the dust and gas surrounding the four young stars, revealing the dense gas formations of protoplanetary discs that surround the rising stars. Remarkably, the telescope detected…

AST SpaceMobile is aiming to launch satellites for its direct-to-smartphone broadband internet service. (AST SpaceMobile)

Space

Experience the Future of Internet: AST SpaceMobile Prepares for Liftoff!

Nitin MisraNovember 17, 23internet, Space

AST SpaceMobile, a satellite design and manufacturing company based in Texas, is preparing to launch a set of five satellites that will initiate its smartphone-accessible cellular broadband internet service. The company has recently made some adjustments to its deployment strategy in order to enhance satellite coverage. Despite these changes, the launch timeline for the first quarter of 2024 is expected to remain unaffected. According to a Space News report, AST SpaceMobile will pay $5 million more to SpaceX to implement these latest changes before deployment. SpaceX will carry its BlueBird…

The micro rover is being developed for the HAKUTO-R Mission 2 by iSpace. (iSpace)

Space

iSpace Unveils Micro Rover for Epic Hakuto-R Mission 2!

Adarsh V.KNovember 17, 23moon, Space

iSpace, a private lunar robotic exploration company, has revealed the final design of its new micro rover for the upcoming Hakuto-R Mission 2. Despite failing to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, a milestone accomplished by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) earlier this year, iSpace remains determined and has plans for a second mission to attempt a lunar soft landing, along with deploying a rover. Learn more about iSpace’s latest lunar rover presentation. iSpace hot quad bike At a press conference, iSpace founder and CEO Takeshi Hakamada revealed…

Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck unveils bold vision for private Venus mission, defying convention in planetary exploration. (AP)

Space

Exploring the Unknown: Rocket Lab Launches Mission to Venus in Search of Life!

Sanjay PatilNovember 17, 23Space, Venus

Rocket Lab, a private aerospace company, is revolutionizing planetary exploration by embarking on a groundbreaking mission. Unlike traditional government-led initiatives by NASA and other agencies, Rocket Lab is defying the belief that interplanetary exploration necessitates massive budgets and government support. Instead, they are set to launch the first-ever private mission to investigate Venus for signs of microbial life, marking a paradigm shift in this field. CEO Peter Beck sees a departure from the norm, stating, “A private company is going to another planet for tens of millions of dollars to…

Know all about Tenacity, the Dream Chaser spaceplane that is designed to resupply the ISS. (Sierra Space)

Space

NASA’s Final Countdown: Dream Chaser Spaceplane Ready to Resupply the ISS!

Adriana MaraisNovember 9, 23NASA, Space

The field of commercial space technology is still relatively new. In the past, government-funded space agencies like NASA, ROSCOSMOS, JAXA, and ISRO were solely responsible for space exploration and technology development, using their findings to benefit their respective nations. It wasn’t until the emergence of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic that space technology started being seen as an entrepreneurial opportunity. However, even in 2023, there is still much untapped potential in this field. A prime example is Sierra Space’s Tenacity, the company’s first…

Know all about KMI, the space tech startup, which is working to remove space debris. (KMI)

Space

Space Junk Pays Off: Company Lands $5 Million Contract!

Jim HendlerNovember 9, 23Earth, Space

The accumulation of space debris in low Earth orbits is posing a growing threat, with defunct human-made objects such as satellites, rocket fragments, and other waste cluttering the Earth’s orbit. This space junk has become a major obstacle for space agencies and organizations seeking to launch spacecraft and place vital satellites in these orbits. However, while some see this as a problem, others view it as an opportunity. Kall Morris Inc. (KMI), a space tech startup, is actively working to address this issue by removing space debris. Recently, the company…

Know all about the ghostly cosmic hand spotted by the X-ray telescopes of NASA. (NASA/CXC/Stanford Univ./R. Romani et al. (Chandra); NASA/MSFC (IXPE); Infared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/DECaPS; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt))

Space

Striking Celestial Hand Captured by NASA Chandra and IXPE Telescopes

Adriana MaraisNovember 2, 23NASA, Space

Space is a realm full of enigmas, and despite our continuous efforts to unravel them, the discovery of something new never fails to evoke a sense of wonder. This is one of the driving factors behind the substantial investments made by space agencies like NASA in space exploration. In the year 2021, NASA successfully launched the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), a space observatory equipped with three identical telescopes specifically designed to measure the polarization of cosmic X-rays. Collaborating with the NASA Chandra telescope, it has recently stumbled upon a…

Know all about the ghostly cosmic hand spotted by the X-ray telescopes of NASA. (NASA/CXC/Stanford Univ./R. Romani et al. (Chandra); NASA/MSFC (IXPE); Infared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/DECaPS; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt))

Space

Spectacular Celestial Hand Captured by NASA Chandra and IXPE Telescopes

Febin MathewNovember 2, 23NASA, Space

Space is a realm full of enigmas, and despite our continuous efforts to unravel them, the discovery of something new never fails to evoke a sense of wonder. This is one of the driving factors behind the substantial investments made by space agencies like NASA in space exploration. In the year 2021, NASA successfully launched the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), a space observatory equipped with three identical telescopes specifically designed to measure the polarization of cosmic X-rays. Collaborating with the NASA Chandra telescope, it has recently stumbled upon a…

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, astronaut Jing Haipeng waves as he is carried out of the re-entry capsule of the Shenzhou-14 manned space mission after it landed successfully at the Dongfeng landing site in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. (AP)

Space

Chinese Astronauts Land Back on Earth After Successful Trip

Sanjay PatilOctober 31, 23Astronaut, Space

According to state media, three Chinese astronauts have successfully returned to Earth on Tuesday following a five-month stay in orbit at the country’s space station. Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu and Gui Haichao hit China’s Dongfeng landing site at 8:11 a.m. (0011 GMT), according to state broadcaster CCTV. Footage showed their reentry capsule parachuting into the rugged Gobi desert, raising a cloud of orange dust as it hit the ground. “On-site medical monitoring and insurance personnel confirmed that the astronauts… are in good health,” CCTV said. “The flight mission of the…

Scientists have confirmed the existence of infrared auroras on Uranus. (Pixabay)

Space

Uranus’ Infrared Auroras Detected for the First Time

Nitin MisraOctober 30, 23Space

After almost twenty years of research, scientists have made a significant discovery by confirming the existence of breathtaking infrared auroras in the northern areas of Uranus. This finding not only improves our understanding of auroras on Uranus but also provides a glimpse into the possible reasons behind the unusually high temperature of this distant gas giant. Uranus, like its planetary siblings, is significantly hotter than theoretical models predict, especially given its enormous distance from the Sun. Astrophysicist Emma Thomas of the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom hypothesizes that…

In a historic achievement by Japanese scientists, mouse embryos have been shown to thrive in space, raising hope about reproduction beyond Earth. (Pexels)

Space

First-Ever Embryos Grown in Space Achieved on International Space Station

Febin MathewOctober 30, 23Space

Researchers from the University of Yamanashi in Japan have achieved a significant milestone by successfully cultivating mouse embryos in the distinct zero gravity environment of space. This pioneering experiment signifies the first instance where a fertilized mouse egg has progressed into a blastocyst on the International Space Station (ISS). The crucial blastocyst stage The blastocyst stage is a crucial milestone in embryo development, where cells first differentiate into the inner cell mass that later forms the fetus and the trophectoderm cells that contribute to the formation of the placenta, The…

Lunar Eclipse 2023: NASA suggests that people can take beautiful pictures of the lunar eclipse with smartphones.

News

How To Capture The 2023 Lunar Eclipse With Your Smartphone

Nitin MisraOctober 28, 23Space

The October 2023 lunar eclipse will be visible across India, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Varanasi at midnight today (October 28-29). This celestial event offers photography lovers a chance to capture the beautiful lunar eclipse. While experts use fancy cameras and telescopes to capture stunning eclipse photos, the US space agency NASA suggests that people can take photos of the beautiful lunar eclipse with their smartphones. Here are NASA’s simple tips for taking great lunar eclipse photos with your smartphone. – Planning is key: If you want…

NASA's dragonfly mission: Pioneering craft to reveal Titan's secrets with a quadcopter drone. (NASA/JHU-APL)

Space

NASA to Make Historic Achievement on Saturn’s Moon Titan with Dragonfly Mission

Jim HendlerOctober 27, 23NASA, Space

NASA is preparing for an extraordinary expedition as it gears up for the Dragonfly mission, which aims to investigate Titan, Saturn’s mysterious moon. The mission is scheduled to launch in June 2027 and is expected to arrive at its destination in 2034. Dragonfly stands out as one of the most groundbreaking endeavors in the field of planetary exploration. So, what makes this mission so exceptional? Let’s delve into the details of this remarkable undertaking. A groundbreaking mission Dragonfly is an exceptional first in many respects. In particular, it marks the…

NASA's advancements in lidar technology promise to transform the way we explore and understand distant worlds, with foldable optics and multi-wavelength lasers leading the charge. Pic credit: NASA (NASA)

Space

NASA Refines Lidar Technology for Space Exploration

Jim HendlerOctober 27, 23NASA, Space

NASA has been making remarkable strides in developing Lidar technology, aiming to create more compact, agile, and adaptable tools for space exploration. Lidar technology plays a critical role in assisting NASA scientists and explorers by enabling remote sensing, surveying, mapping, 3D image scanning, hazard detection and navigation. Lidar, which stands for light detection and ranging, is a remote sensing technology similar to sonar and radar that uses pulses of light to accurately measure distances and target characteristics. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center is at the forefront of efforts to advance…

NASA's ILLUMA-T payload, set to launch to the International Space Station, will demonstrate the advantages of laser communications for space missions, paving the way for faster and more efficient data transmission. Pic credit: NASA (NASA)

Space

NASA Tests Laser Communications System on International Space Station with ILLUMA-T Experiment

Febin MathewOctober 27, 23Earth, NASA, Space

In November, NASA will demonstrate the capabilities of laser communications for space missions by sending the ILLUMA-T payload to the International Space Station (ISS). This groundbreaking technology will greatly improve data transmission, enabling faster and more effective communication between the ISS and Earth. This advancement will greatly benefit researchers and the field of space exploration. NASA is developing laser communications technology through missions such as ILLUMA-T (Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal) to improve communications from space. Laser communication uses invisible infrared light…

Astronomy's next frontier: The Roman Space Telescope's mission promises a profound exploration of our galaxy and the cosmos beyond, unlocking mysteries of distant worlds and celestial phenomena. Pic Credit: NASA (NASA)

Space

NASA to Uncover Universe Mysteries with Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

Sanjay PatilOctober 26, 23NASA, Space

Scheduled for a launch in approximately May 2027, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is poised to offer an unprecedented perspective on the Milky Way Galaxy. This NASA endeavor seeks to observe an extensive array of stars, numbering in the hundreds of millions, in order to detect minute fluctuations that may signify the existence of various cosmic entities such as exoplanets, far-off stars, icy bodies within our solar system, black holes, and other celestial phenomena. Roman’s abilities are essential in time-domain astronomy, which focuses on studying the evolution of the…

China to launch a new space station. (Representative image) (Pixabay)

Space

China Launches Expedition to Space Station

Adarsh V.KOctober 26, 23Space

On Thursday, China dispatched a new team to its Tiangong space station, marking another milestone in its expanding space program, which aims to send astronauts to the Moon within the next decade. Shenzhou-17 blasted off from the Jiuquan launch site in northwest China at 11:14 a.m. (0314 GMT) carrying a team of three astronauts, the youngest average age since the space station was built. At the farewell ceremony, hundreds of supporters waved the Chinese national flag and clutched yellow flowers to cheer on the three astronauts, who wore white and…