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Categories: Space: Exploration
Published Saturn V was loud but didn't melt concrete


Abundant internet claims about the acoustic power of the Saturn V suggest that it melted concrete and lit grass on fire over a mile away, but such ideas are undeniably false. Researchers used a physics-based model to estimate the rocket's acoustic levels and obtained a value of 203 decibels, which matched the limited data from the 1960s. So, while the Saturn V was extremely loud, that kind of power is nowhere near enough to melt concrete or start grass fires.
Published Seeing universe's most massive known star


By harnessing the capabilities of the Gemini South telescope in Chile, astronomers have obtained the sharpest image ever of the star R136a1, the most massive known star in the universe. Their research challenges our understanding of the most massive stars and suggests that they may not be as massive as previously thought.
Published Compact QKD system paves the way to cost-effective satellite-based quantum networks


Researchers report an experimental demonstration of a space-to-ground quantum key distribution (QKD) network using a compact QKD terminal aboard the Chinese Space Lab Tiangong-2 and four ground stations. The demonstration represents an important step toward practical QKD based on constellations of small satellites, a setup considered one of the most promising routes to creating a global quantum communication network.
Published Breaking in a new planet


Impacts affect the porosity and structure of moons and planets more dramatically than scientists suspected, increasing their potential habitability for life. Studying how those impacts affect planetary bodies, asteroids, moons and other rocks in space helps planetary scientists understand extraplanetary geology, especially where to look for precious matter including water, ice and even, potentially, microbial life.
Published Mars model provides method for landing humans on Red Planet


A mathematical model developed by space medicine experts could be used to predict whether an astronaut can safely travel to Mars and fulfill their mission duties upon stepping foot on the Red Planet.
Published Wobbling droplets in space confirm late professor's theory


At a time when astronomers around the world are reveling in new views of the distant cosmos, an experiment on the International Space Station has given researchers fresh insight into something a little closer to home: water.
Published Harvesting resources on Mars with plasmas


Researchers have devised a plasma-based way to produce and separate oxygen within the Martian environment. It's a complementary approach to NASA's Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment and may deliver high rates of molecule production per kilogram of instrumentation sent to space. The team presents the method for harnessing and processing local resources to generate products on Mars.
Published Building on the moon and Mars? You'll need extraterrestrial cement for that


Researchers are exploring ways to use clay-like topsoil materials from the moon or Mars as the basis for extraterrestrial cement that could be used by astronauts to create building materials for life in outer space. Scientists have converted simulated lunar and Martian soils into geopolymer cement, which is considered a good substitute for conventional cement.
Published Robotic motion in curved space defies standard laws of physics


Researchers have proven that when bodies exist in curved spaces, they can in fact move without pushing against something.
Published As reflective satellites fill the skies, students are making sure astronomers can adapt


Students have completed a comprehensive brightness study to characterize mega-constellation satellites cluttering the skies.
Published Webb captures stellar gymnastics in the Cartwheel Galaxy


NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has peered into the chaos of the Cartwheel Galaxy, revealing new details about star formation and the galaxy's central black hole.
Published Modeling reveals how dwarf planet Ceres powers unexpected geologic activity



For a long time, our view of Ceres was fuzzy, according to a geoscientist. A dwarf planet and the largest body found in the asteroid belt -- the region between Jupiter and Mars speckled with hundreds of thousands of asteroids -- Ceres had no distinguishable surface features in existing telescopic observations from Earth.
Published Space travel: Bone aging in fast forward


Long periods in space damage bone structure irreparably in some cases and can make parts of the human skeleton age prematurely by up to 10 years, according to new research. Adapted training programs in conjunction with medication could provide better protection for astronauts on future space missions. The research findings also have implications for treating rheumatic conditions in clinical practice.
Published Scientists discover places on the moon where it's always 'sweater weather'


A team led by planetary scientists has discovered shady locations within pits on the moon that always hover around a comfortable 63 degrees Fahrenheit. The pits, and caves to which they may lead, would make safer, more thermally stable base camps for lunar exploration and long-term habitation than the rest of the moon's surface, which heats up to 260 degrees during the day and drops to 280 degrees below zero at night.
Published Explosive volcanic eruption produced rare mineral on Mars


Planetary scientists have an answer to a mystery that's puzzled the Mars research community since NASA's Curiosity rover discovered a mineral called tridymite in Gale Crater in 2016.
Published Why Jupiter doesn't have rings like Saturn


Because it's bigger, Jupiter ought to have larger, more spectacular rings than Saturn has. But new research shows Jupiter's massive moons prevent that vision from lighting up the night sky.
Published Global map of lunar hydrogen: Data confirms role water played in moon's formation



Using data collected over two decades ago, scientists have compiled the first complete map of hydrogen abundances on the Moon's surface. The map identifies two types of lunar materials containing enhanced hydrogen and corroborates previous ideas about lunar hydrogen and water, including findings that water likely played a role in the Moon's original magma-ocean formation and solidification.
Published Deep dive into the dusty Milky Way



An animated dive into the dusty Milky Way reveals the outlines of our galaxy taking shape as we look out further and further from Earth. Based on new data from an interactive tool that exploits data from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission and other space science data sets, astronomers have created an animation to model dust in the Milky Way.
Published Predicting equatorial plasma bubbles with SWARM


Changes in atmospheric density after sunset can cause hot pockets of gas called 'plasma bubbles' to form over the Earth's equator, resulting in communication disruptions between satellites and the Earth. New AI models are now helping scientists to predict plasma bubble events and create a forecast.
Published What a Martian meteorite can teach us about Earth's origins


What do Mars and Iceland have in common? These days, not so much. But more than 4.5 billion years ago, it's possible the Red Planet had a crust comparable to Iceland today. This discovery, hidden in the oldest martian fragments found on Earth, could provide information about our planet that was lost over billions of years of geological movement and could help explain why the Earth developed into a planet that sustains a broad diversity of life and Mars did not.