Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News
April 23, 2018
MOON DAILY
The New Space Race: NASA to Award 1st Contracts for Gateway Moon Base



Washington DC (Sputnik) Apr 23, 2018
As the space race heats up, the first contracts for the manufacture of key components for humanity's Gateway orbital lunar base will be awarded in 2019, according to NASA. Expected to begin next year, a big push to reignite space exploration will see landmark awards for contractors to begin building humanity's first orbital moon base, according to NASA. Intended to be used as a staging area for deep-space exploration and study, the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway (LOP-G) will orbit the moon, ... read more

IRON AND ICE
Four Years of NASA NEOWISE Data
Pasadena CA (JPL) Apr 23, 2018
NASA's Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) mission has released its fourth year of survey data. Since the mission was restarted in December 2013, after a period of hibern ... more
MOON DAILY
Moon Colonization: Why do we want it and what technologies do we have?
Moscow (Sputnik) Apr 20, 2018
Scientists are convinced that humankind is capable of turning the Moon into a space outpost: people have cosmodromes, heavy carrier rockets, space modules and lunar rovers. Sputnik reveals what is b ... more
MARSDAILY
Clear as mud: Desiccation cracks help reveal the shape of water on Mars
Boulder CO (SPX) Apr 20, 2018
As Curiosity rover marches across Mars, the red planet's watery past comes into clearer focus. In early 2017 scientists announced the discovery of possible desiccation cracks in Gale Crater, w ... more
MOON DAILY
SSTL and Goonhilly Earth Station Sign Collaboration Agreement with ESA for Commercial Lunar Missions
Guildford, UK (SPX) Apr 19, 2018
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), Goonhilly Earth Station (GES) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed a collaboration agreement for Commercial Lunar Mission Support Services at the ... more
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MARSDAILY
SwRI's Martian moons model indicates formation following large impact
San Antonio TX (SPX) Apr 19, 2018
Southwest Research Institute scientists posit a violent birth of the tiny Martian moons Phobos and Deimos, but on a much smaller scale than the giant impact thought to have resulted in the Earth-Moo ... more
SPACE MEDICINE
Inactivity bigger threat to muscles in space than low oxygen, study says
Washington DC (UPI) Apr 18, 2018
In experiments designed to measure the impacts of spaceflight on human muscle health and performance, researchers were surprised to find inactivity had a greater negative effect than hypoxia. ... more
MOON DAILY
Walking on the Moon - underwater
Paris (ESA) Apr 18, 2018
It's one of the deepest 'swimming pools' in Europe, but for three years has been helping preparations for a human return to the Moon. ESA's Neutral Buoyancy Facility at the European Astronaut Centre ... more
EXO WORLDS
Scientists blast iron with lasers to study the cores of rocky exoplanets
Washington (UPI) Apr 17, 2018
By blasting a small iron sample with high-powered lasers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, scientists can replicate the extreme pressure and density conditions found inside the cores of large, rocky exoplanets. ... more
DRAGON SPACE
China to launch Long March-5 Y3 rocket in late 2018
Beijing (XNA) Apr 17, 2018
China plans to launch its heavy-lift carrier rocket, the Long March-5 Y3, in late 2018, after finding the cause of the failure of the Long March-5 Y2, according to the St ... more
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OUTER PLANETS
Pluto's Largest Moon, Charon, Gets Its First Official Feature Names
Munich, Germany (SPX) Apr 17, 2018
Legendary explorers and visionaries, real and fictitious, are among those immortalized by the IAU in the first set of official surface-feature names for Pluto's largest moon, Charon. The names were ... more
MOON DAILY
Indian Space Agency claims to have saved $120 mln on second Lunar mission
New Delhi (Sputnik) Apr 20, 2018
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has claimed that it has saved $120 million in public money in the upcoming moon mission "Chandrayaan-2," which is expected to be launched in October-Nov ... more
EXO WORLDS
We think we're the first advanced earthlings - but how do we really know?
Rochester UK (SPX) Apr 18, 2018
Imagine if, many millions of years ago, dinosaurs drove cars through cities of mile-high buildings. A preposterous idea, right? Over the course of tens of millions of years, however, all of the dire ... more
STELLAR CHEMISTRY
Structured light and nanomaterials open new ways to tailor light at the nanoscale
Helsinki, Finland (SPX) Apr 23, 2018
What happens when you excite novel assemblies of nanomaterials using structured light? Joint research between Tampere University of Technology (TUT) (Finland) and University of Tubingen (Germany) ha ... more
ROBO SPACE
For heavy lifting, use exoskeletons with caution
Columbus OH (SPX) Apr 23, 2018
You can wear an exoskeleton, but it won't turn you into a superhero. That's the finding of a study in which researchers tested a commercially available exoskeleton - a mechanical arm attached ... more


New testing of model improves confidence in the performance of ITER

ROBO SPACE
A robot by NTU Singapore autonomously assembles an IKEA chair
Singapore (SPX) Apr 19, 2018
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) scientists have developed a robot that can autonomously assemble an IKEA chair without interruption. Designed by Assistant Professor ... more
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ROBO SPACE
Researchers design 'soft' robots that can move on their own
Houston TX (SPX) Apr 19, 2018
If Star Wars' R2-D2 is your idea of a robot, think again. Researchers led by a University of Houston engineer have reported a new class of soft robot, composed of ultrathin sensing, actuating electr ... more
EXO WORLDS
Are we alone? NASA's new planet hunter aims to find out
Tampa (AFP) April 16, 2018
SpaceX postponed the launch of NASA's new planet-hunting mission Monday in order to verify the Falcon 9 rocket's navigation systems, the California-based company said. ... more
TIME AND SPACE
En route to the optical nuclear clock
Munich, Germany (SPX) Apr 19, 2018
The nucleus of thorium-229 possesses a property that is unique among all known nuclides: It should be possible to excite it with ultraviolet light. To date, little has been known about the low-energ ... more
STELLAR CHEMISTRY
Ultrafast electron oscillation and dephasing monitored by attosecond light source
Yokohama, Japan (SPX) Apr 19, 2018
Collaborative research team of Prof. Jun Takeda and Associate Prof. Ikufumi Katayama in the laboratory of Yokohama National University (YNU) and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) successfully obs ... more
IRON AND ICE
Close Call: Giant Asteroid Flies Through the Earth-Moon Orbit
Tucson AZ (Sputnik) Apr 17, 2018
With just a few hours' notice, a relatively large asteroid whipped through the Earth-moon orbit over the weekend. You may have missed it though; humanity only learned of the asteroid hours before th ... more
24/7 Nuclear News Coverage
24/7 War News Coverage
24/7 War News Coverage

Clear as mud: Desiccation cracks help reveal the shape of water on Mars
Boulder CO (SPX) Apr 20, 2018
As Curiosity rover marches across Mars, the red planet's watery past comes into clearer focus. In early 2017 scientists announced the discovery of possible desiccation cracks in Gale Crater, which was filled by lakes 3.5 billion years ago. Now, a new study has confirmed that these features are indeed desiccation cracks, and reveals fresh details about Mars' ancient climate. "We are n ... more
+ SwRI's Martian moons model indicates formation following large impact
+ US, Russia likely to go to Mars Together, former NASA astronaut says
+ NASA scientist to discuss 'Swimming in Martian Lakes: Curiosity at Gale Crater'
+ Trace Gas Orbiter reaches stable Mars orbit, ready to start science mission
+ Mars impact crater or supervolcano?
+ The Rock Outcrop 'Tome' Continues to Garner Interest On Mars
+ Mars Express to get major software update


Walking on the Moon - underwater
Paris (ESA) Apr 18, 2018
It's one of the deepest 'swimming pools' in Europe, but for three years has been helping preparations for a human return to the Moon. ESA's Neutral Buoyancy Facility at the European Astronaut Centre has been the site of the 'Moondive' study, using specially weighted spacesuits to simulate lunar gravity, which is just one sixth that of Earth. The three-year study took place in the Centre's ... more
+ SSTL and Goonhilly Earth Station Sign Collaboration Agreement with ESA for Commercial Lunar Missions
+ The New Space Race: NASA to Award 1st Contracts for Gateway Moon Base
+ Moon Colonization: Why do we want it and what technologies do we have?
+ Indian Space Agency claims to have saved $120 mln on second Lunar mission
+ NASA offers 4K tour of the moon
+ NAU planetary scientist's study suggests widespread presence of water on the Moon
+ Indian space agency postpones second Moon mission to October
Pluto's Largest Moon, Charon, Gets Its First Official Feature Names
Munich, Germany (SPX) Apr 17, 2018
Legendary explorers and visionaries, real and fictitious, are among those immortalized by the IAU in the first set of official surface-feature names for Pluto's largest moon, Charon. The names were proposed by the New Horizons team and approved by IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature. The International Astronomical Union (IAU), the internationally recognized authority for na ... more
+ Pluto's largest moon, Charon, gets its first official feature names
+ Juno Provides Infrared Tour of Jupiter's North Pole
+ SSL to provide of critical capabilities for Europa Flyby Mission
+ Jupiter's turmoil more than skin deep: researchers
+ New Horizons Chooses Nickname for 'Ultimate' Flyby Target
+ Jupiter's Great Red Spot getting taller as it shrinks
+ Jupiter's Jet-Streams Are Unearthly
Scientists blast iron with lasers to study the cores of rocky exoplanets
Washington (UPI) Apr 17, 2018
By blasting a small iron sample with high-powered lasers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, scientists can replicate the extreme pressure and density conditions found inside the cores of large, rocky exoplanets. The experiments have offered scientists unique insights into the core conditions found inside faraway super-Earths. "The discovery of large numbers of planets ... more
+ We think we're the first advanced earthlings - but how do we really know?
+ Are we alone? NASA's new planet hunter aims to find out
+ Newly discovered salty subglacial lakes could help search for life in solar system
+ SPHERE Reveals Fascinating Zoo of Discs Around Young Stars
+ Once upon a time, an exoplanet was discovered
+ A Cosmic Gorilla Effect Could Blind the Detection of Aliens
+ NASA's newest planet-hunter, TESS, to survey the entire night sky
SpaceX blasts off NASA's new planet-hunter, TESS
Tampa (AFP) April 19, 2018
NASA on Wednesday blasted off its newest planet-hunting spacecraft, TESS, a $337 million satellite that aims to scan 85 percent of the skies for cosmic bodies where life may exist. "Three, two, one and liftoff!" said NASA commentator Mike Curie as the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) soared into the cloudless, blue sky atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida at ... more
+ Lockheed awarded $928M for hypersonic strike weapon
+ US Air Force awards nearly $1 bn for hypersonic missile
+ New DARPA Challenge Seeks Flexible and Responsive Launch Solutions
+ Arianespace to launch BSAT-4b; marking the 10th satellite launch for B-SAT
+ ULA Atlas V launch to feature full complement of Aerojet Rocketdyne solid rocket boosters
+ RL10 Selected for OmegA Rocket
+ ISRO not facing funds crunch: Chairman K.Sivan


China to launch Long March-5 Y3 rocket in late 2018
Beijing (XNA) Apr 17, 2018
China plans to launch its heavy-lift carrier rocket, the Long March-5 Y3, in late 2018, after finding the cause of the failure of the Long March-5 Y2, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. The Long March-5 Y2 rocket was launched from Wenchang Space Launch Center in the southern province of Hainan on July ... more
+ The Long Game: China Seeks to Transfer Its Silk Industry to Far Side of the Moon
+ Flowers on the Moon? China's Chang'e-4 to launch lunar spring
+ China's 'space dream': A Long March to the moon
+ China says Earth-bound space lab to offer 'splendid' show
+ Tiangong-1 expected to burn up on reentering atmosphere
+ Earth-bound Chinese spacelab plunging to fiery end
+ Chang'e-4 Lunar Probe will Reach the Far Side of the Moon
Four Years of NASA NEOWISE Data
Pasadena CA (JPL) Apr 23, 2018
NASA's Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) mission has released its fourth year of survey data. Since the mission was restarted in December 2013, after a period of hibernation, the asteroid- and comet-hunter has completely scanned the skies nearly eight times and has observed and characterized 29,375 objects in four years of operations. This total includes 788 near-Ea ... more
+ Lyrid meteor shower to peak over the weekend
+ Close Call: Giant Asteroid Flies Through the Earth-Moon Orbit
+ Trail of glassy beads helps scientists track down missing crater
+ Here, There and Everywhere: Across the Universe with the Beatles
+ A star disturbed the comets of the solar system in prehistory
+ Russian scientists use lasers to destroy mini asteroids
+ NASA plans giant spacecraft to defend Earth by nuking deadly asteroids


US Air Force to begin fighter-mounted laser testing this summer
Washington (AFP) March 19, 2018
The US Air Force will this summer begin testing a laser that will be mounted on an F-15 warplane, an official said Monday. The Pentagon last year awarded a $26 million contract to Lockheed Martin for a laser program called SHiELD (Self-protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator.) The idea is to put a laser system on aircraft with an output of about 50 kilowatts to test their ability to zap ... more
+ Navy taps Northrop Grumman for laser weapon system
+ Lockheed Martin awarded first part of billion dollar laser weapons deal
+ Navy orders laser weapon systems from Lockheed Martin
+ Lockheed Martin to develop compact airborne high energy laser capabilities
Raytheon tapped for Air and Missile Defense Radar Program
Washington (UPI) Apr 20, 2018
Raytheon has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy for services in support of the Air and Missile Defense Radar Program. The deal, announced by the Department of Defense, is valued at more than $136.5 million under the terms of a fixed-price-incentive, firm target contract, which is a modification of a previous contract. The contract from Naval Sea Systems Command enables Rayt ... more
+ Pentagon awards $67.8M contract for Ballistic Missile Defense System
+ Syrian air defence shoots down missiles over Homs: state media
+ Saudis down new missile from Yemen rebels: state media
+ Saudis intercept ballistic missile from Yemen: coalition
+ Lockheed tapped for upgrades to Patriot, THAAD missile systems
+ Estonia calls for deployment of Patriot missiles and US troops
+ Saudis intercept new missile fired by Yemen rebels: coalition


Titan topographic map unearths cookie-cutter holes in moon's surface
Ithaca NY (SPX) Jan 19, 2018
Using the now-complete Cassini data set, Cornell University astronomers have created a new global topographic map of Saturn's moon Titan that has opened new windows into understanding its liquid flows and terrain. Two papers, recently published in Geophysical Review Letters, describe the map and discoveries arising from it. Creating the map took about a year, according to doctoral student ... more
+ Cassini finds Titan has 'sea level' like Earth
+ Giant Storms Cause Palpitations in Saturn's Atmospheric Heartbeat
+ Electrical and Chemical Coupling Between Saturn and Its Ring
+ Unique atmospheric chemistry explains cold vortex on Saturn's moon Titan
+ Cassini Image Mosaic: A Farewell to Saturn
+ Unexpected atmospheric vortex behavior on Saturn's moon Titan
+ Heating ocean moon Enceladus for billions of years
Robot developed for automated assembly of designer nanomaterials
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Apr 19, 2018
A current area of intense interest in nanotechnology is van der Waals heterostructures, which are assemblies of atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) crystalline materials that display attractive conduction properties for use in advanced electronic devices. A representative 2D semiconductor is graphene, which consists of a honeycomb lattice of carbon atoms that is just one atom thick. The d ... more
+ Course set to overcome mismatch between lab-designed nanomaterials and nature's complexity
+ This 2-D nanosheet expands like a Grow Monster
+ A treasure trove for nanotechnology experts
+ UCLA researchers develop a new class of two-dimensional materials
+ Nanostructures made of previously impossible material
+ Mining hardware helps scientists gain insight into silicon nanoparticles
+ Big steps toward control of production of tiny building blocks


Searching for Continuous Gravitational Waves
Hannover, Germany (SPX) Apr 13, 2018
A permanent Max Planck Independent Research Group under the leadership of Dr. M. Alessandra Papa has been established at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute; AEI) in Hannover. The primary goal of the research group "Searching for Continuous Gravitational Waves" is to make the first direct detection of gravitational waves from rapidly rotating neutr ... more
+ Feature: Every second counts to trace a gravitational wave
+ Astronomers discover galaxies spin like clockwork
+ New method enables high-resolution measurements of magnetism
+ ESA Creates Quietest Place In Space
+ Bursting with Excitement - A Look at Bubbles and Fluids in Space
+ NASA Technology to Help Locate Electromagnetic Counterparts of Gravitational Waves
+ Transportable optical clock used to measure gravitation for the first time
Can we tell black holes apart to test theories of gravity?
Bonn, Germany (SPX) Apr 17, 2018
One of the most fundamental predictions of Einstein's theory of relativity is the existence of black holes. In spite of the recent detection of gravitational waves from binary black holes by LIGO, direct evidence using electromagnetic waves remains elusive and astronomers are looking for it with radio telescopes. For the first time, collaborators in the ERC funded project BlackHoleCam, inc ... more
+ Atoms may hum a tune from grand cosmic symphony
+ En route to the optical nuclear clock
+ Chemical analysis technique gets major upgrade from Russian scientists
+ Understanding quantum chromodynamics
+ Dense Stellar Clusters May Foster Black Hole Megamergers
+ The background hum of space could reveal hidden black holes
+ One string to rule them all


For heavy lifting, use exoskeletons with caution
Columbus OH (SPX) Apr 23, 2018
You can wear an exoskeleton, but it won't turn you into a superhero. That's the finding of a study in which researchers tested a commercially available exoskeleton - a mechanical arm attached to a harness - that's typically worn by workers to help them carry heavy objects hands-free. In the journal Applied Ergonomics, the researchers report that that the device relieved stress on the ... more
+ A robot by NTU Singapore autonomously assembles an IKEA chair
+ Researchers design 'soft' robots that can move on their own
+ Two robots are better than one for NIST's 5G antenna measurement research
+ Want computers to see better in the real world? Train them in a virtual reality
+ Visual recognition: Seeing the world through the eyes of rodents
+ Russia's Robot FEDOR to Be the First to Fly to Space on Board New Spacecraft
+ How accurate is your AI
US to drop curbs on drone tech to boost arms sales
Washington (AFP) April 20, 2018
The United States dropped some restrictions Thursday on sales of its advanced drones in order to reinforce the armies of its allies and compete with China on the world arms market. President Donald Trump's White House announced an update to its policy on arms transfers to promote US exports and jobs, and specifically to loosen the rules on selling unmanned warplanes. Trump's chief trade ... more
+ Dynetics to develop Gremlins UAV system for DARPA
+ MSAB and URSA Partner on Drone Forensic Technology
+ Air Force contracts with SRC for drone supplies, services
+ OFFSET "Sprinters" to Pursue State-of-the-art Solutions for Second Swarm Sprint
+ Israeli drone crashes in southern Lebanon
+ Insitu tapped to manage ScanEagle UAS in Afghanistan
+ CPI Antenna receives new contract for UAV comms from Cubic Mission
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