Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News
August 17, 2018
DRAGON SPACE
China unveils Chang'e-4 rover to explore Moon's far side



Beijing (XNA) Aug 17, 2018
China's moon lander and rover for the Chang'e-4 lunar probe, which is expected to land on the far side of the moon this year, was unveiled Wednesday. Images displayed at Wednesday's press conference showed the rover was a rectangular box with two foldable solar panels and six wheels. It is 1.5 meters long, 1 meter wide and 1.1 meters high. Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China's lunar probe program, said the Chang'e-4 rover largely kept the shape and conditions of its predecessor, Yutu (Jad ... read more

MARSDAILY
Six Things About Opportunity'S Recovery Efforts
Pasadena CA (JPL) Aug 17, 2018
NASA's Opportunity rover has been silent since June 10, when a planet-encircling dust storm cut off solar power for the nearly-15-year-old rover. Now that scientists think the global dust storm is " ... more
MARSDAILY
The Science Team Continues to Listen for Opportunity as Storm Diminishes
Pasadena CA (JPL) Aug 17, 2018
The planet-encircling dust storm on Mars continues to decay, although in fits and starts. Atmospheric opacity (tau) over the rover site was estimated down near 2.1, but then popped up to 2.5. ... more
EXO WORLDS
Scientists discovered organic acid in a protoplanetary disk
Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia (SPX) Aug 17, 2018
The importance of the finding is that the organic acid is much more difficult to obtain than other organic molecules found in protoplanetary discs before. If methanol is obtained from carbon monoxid ... more
EXO WORLDS
Ultrahot planets have starlike atmospheres
Tempe AZ (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
Recent observations by NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes of ultrahot Jupiter-like planets have perplexed theorists. The spectra of these planets have suggested they have exotic - and improb ... more
ADVERTISEMENT



ADVERTISEMENT


Previous Issues Aug 16 Aug 15 Aug 14 Aug 13 Aug 11
ADVERTISEMENT



EXO WORLDS
Magnetic fields can quash zonal jets deep in gas giants
Livermore CA (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
Magnetic fields around a planet or the Sun can overpower the zonal jets that affect atmospheric circulation. New research by a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientist and a col ... more
EXO WORLDS
Impact of a stellar intruder on our solar system
Bonn, Germany (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
The solar system was formed from a protoplanetary disk consisting of gas and dust. Since the cumulative mass of all objects beyond Neptune is much smaller than expected and the bodies there have mos ... more
EXO WORLDS
Iron and titanium in the atmosphere of exoplanet orbiting KELT-9
Geneva, Switzerland (SPX) Aug 16, 2018
Exoplanets, planets in other solar systems, can orbit very close to their host star. When, in addition to this, the host star is much hotter than our Sun, then the exoplanet becomes as hot as a star ... more
MARSDAILY
Planet-Encircling Dust Storm of Mars shows signs of slowing
Pasadena CA (JPL) Aug 15, 2018
The planet-encircling dust storm on Mars continues to show indications of decay. Dust-lifting sites have decreased and surface features are starting to emerge. There are indications that the a ... more
IRON AND ICE
Earth mini-moons: Potential for exciting scientific and commercial opportunities
Washington DC (SPX) Aug 14, 2018
The detection of "mini-moons" - small asteroids temporarily captured in orbit around Earth - will vastly improve our scientific understanding of asteroids and the Earth-Moon system, says a new revie ... more
24/7 Space News Coverage
24/7 Technology News Coverage
24/7 China News Coverage

ADVERTISEMENT


ADVERTISEMENT

MOON DAILY
India's Second Moon Mission as "Complex" as NASA's Apollo Mission
New Delhi (Sputnik) Aug 14, 2018
The Indian Space Agency had planned the launch of its second moon mission for October this year, but scientists reviewing their preparedness suggested that more tests were needed before the launch. ... more
EXO WORLDS
Omega Centauri unlikely to harbor life
Riverside CA (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
Searching for life in the vast universe is an overwhelming task, but scientists can cross one place off their list. Omega Centauri - a densely packed cluster of stars in our galactic backyard ... more
TECH SPACE
GTAR Technologies tapped for inflatable satellite antennas
Washington (UPI) Aug 13, 2018
GATR Technologies has received a $522.5 million contract modification for multiple size Inflatable Satellite Antenna systems, kits, spare parts and training. ... more
TECH SPACE
PhD student develops spinning heat shield for future spacecraft
Manchester UK (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
A University of Manchester PhD student has developed a prototype flexible heat shield for spacecraft that could reduce the cost of space travel and even aid future space missions to Mars. Heat ... more
SPACE MEDICINE
Bioengineers use magnetic force to manage pain
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
UCLA bioengineers have demonstrated that a gel-like material containing tiny magnetic particles could be used to manage chronic pain from disease or injury. Broadly, the study demonstrates the promi ... more


UTMB researchers successfully transplant bioengineered lung

ROBO SPACE
UCLA-developed artificial intelligence device identifies objects at the speed of light
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
A team of UCLA electrical and computer engineers has created a physical artificial neural network - a device modeled on how the human brain works - that can analyze large volumes of data and identif ... more
Space News from SpaceDaily.com

ADVERTISEMENT



SPACE MEDICINE
Stem cell may explain why dogs have such a good sense of smell
Washington (UPI) Aug 10, 2018
Why did some mammals, like dogs, develop such a powerful sense of smell, while others, like humans, get stuck with a relatively puny olfactory system? ... more
ROBO SPACE
Soft multi-functional robots get really small and spider-shaped
Boston MA (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
Roboticists are envisioning a future in which soft, animal-inspired robots could be safely deployed in difficult-to-access natural and man-made environments, such as in delicate surgical procedures ... more
OUTER PLANETS
Study helps solve mystery under Jupiter's coloured bands
Canberra, Australia (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
Scientists from Australia and the United States have helped to solve the mystery underlying Jupiter's coloured bands in a new study on the interaction between atmospheres and magnetic fields. ... more
EXO WORLDS
Tiny tunnels inside garnets appear to be the result of boring microorganisms
Washington DC (SPX) Aug 09, 2018
Complex systems of microscopic tunnels found inside garnet crystals from Thailand are most likely the result of microorganisms making their homes inside these minerals, according to a study publishe ... more
EXO WORLDS
Scientist begins developing instrument for finding extraterrestrial bacteria
Greenbelt MD (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
A NASA scientist wants to create a planetary robot that would mimic what biologists do every day in terrestrial laboratories: look through microscopes to visually identify microbial life living in s ... more
24/7 Nuclear News Coverage
24/7 War News Coverage
24/7 War News Coverage

Six Things About Opportunity'S Recovery Efforts
Pasadena CA (JPL) Aug 17, 2018
NASA's Opportunity rover has been silent since June 10, when a planet-encircling dust storm cut off solar power for the nearly-15-year-old rover. Now that scientists think the global dust storm is "decaying" - meaning more dust is falling out of the atmosphere than is being raised back into it - skies might soon clear enough for the solar-powered rover to recharge and attempt to "phone home." ... more
+ The Science Team Continues to Listen for Opportunity as Storm Diminishes
+ Planet-Encircling Dust Storm of Mars shows signs of slowing
+ Aerojet Rocketdyne delivers power generator for Mars 2020 Rover
+ Still no change in Opportunity's status
+ Sorry Elon Musk, but it's now clear that colonising Mars is unlikely
+ Russia Plans to Send Capsule With Microorganisms to Mars
+ Mars Dust Storm May Have Peaked


India's Second Moon Mission as "Complex" as NASA's Apollo Mission
New Delhi (Sputnik) Aug 14, 2018
The Indian Space Agency had planned the launch of its second moon mission for October this year, but scientists reviewing their preparedness suggested that more tests were needed before the launch. The mission is now likely to be preceded by Israel's moon mission, planned for December this year. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced the postponement of its much-awaite ... more
+ At 60, NASA shoots for revival of moon glory days
+ MIDAS cameras spot pair of lunar flashes caused by meteoroid impacts
+ Russia may use ISS Modules in Lunar Gateway Project
+ Israel plans its first moon launch in December
+ The toxic side of the Moon
+ Waystation to the Solar System
+ Queqiao satellite the bridge to China's lunar exploration
Study helps solve mystery under Jupiter's coloured bands
Canberra, Australia (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
Scientists from Australia and the United States have helped to solve the mystery underlying Jupiter's coloured bands in a new study on the interaction between atmospheres and magnetic fields. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. Unlike Earth, Jupiter has no solid surface - it is a gaseous planet, consisting mostly of hydrogen and helium. Several strong jet streams flo ... more
+ Million fold increase in the power of waves near Jupiter's moon Ganymede
+ New Horizons team prepares for stellar occultation ahead of Ultima Thule flyby
+ High-Altitude Jovian Clouds
+ 'Ribbon' wraps up mystery of Jupiter's magnetic equator
+ The True Colors of Pluto and Charon
+ Radiation Maps of Jupiter's Moon Europa: Key to Future Missions
+ Dozen new Jupiter moons declared
Scientists discovered organic acid in a protoplanetary disk
Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia (SPX) Aug 17, 2018
The importance of the finding is that the organic acid is much more difficult to obtain than other organic molecules found in protoplanetary discs before. If methanol is obtained from carbon monoxide on the surface of dust particles under stellar radiation, then formic acid requires more complex reactions, which are not possible without active processes of organic synthesis. 'We have found ... more
+ Impact of a stellar intruder on our solar system
+ Iron and titanium in the atmosphere of exoplanet orbiting KELT-9
+ Ultrahot planets have starlike atmospheres
+ Magnetic fields can quash zonal jets deep in gas giants
+ Omega Centauri unlikely to harbor life
+ Scientist begins developing instrument for finding extraterrestrial bacteria
+ Tiny tunnels inside garnets appear to be the result of boring microorganisms
Aerojet Rocketdyne Expands Solid Rocket Motor Center of Excellence at Arkansas Facility
Little Rock AR (SPX) Aug 17, 2018
Aerojet Rocketdyne, a leader in the development and manufacture of aerospace and defense products, has announced plans to expand its Southern Arkansas facility near Camden, where the company manufactures solid rocket motors and warheads critical to national defense. Aerojet Rocketdyne's currently envisioned expansion plans include investing in new infrastructure and creating more than 140 ... more
+ Stennis Begins 5th Series of RS-25 Engine Tests
+ Student Experiments Soar with Early Morning Launch from Wallops
+ NASA Administrator Views Progress Building SLS and Orion Hardware
+ NASA Reveals How It Would Stay Afloat Without Delivery of Russian Rocket Engines
+ SpaceX vows manned flight to space station is on track
+ US Working Hard to Cease Reliance on Russian Rocket Engines - NASA
+ RS-25 Engine Tests Modernization Upgrades


China unveils Chang'e-4 rover to explore Moon's far side
Beijing (XNA) Aug 17, 2018
China's moon lander and rover for the Chang'e-4 lunar probe, which is expected to land on the far side of the moon this year, was unveiled Wednesday. Images displayed at Wednesday's press conference showed the rover was a rectangular box with two foldable solar panels and six wheels. It is 1.5 meters long, 1 meter wide and 1.1 meters high. Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China's lun ... more
+ China's SatCom launch marketing not limited to business interest
+ China to launch space station Tiangong in 2022, welcomes foreign astronauts
+ China solicits international cooperation experiments on space station
+ Growing US unease with China's new deep space facility in Argentina
+ China developing in-orbit satellite transport vehicle
+ PRSS-1 Satellite in Good Condition
+ China readying for space station era: Yang Liwei
Earth mini-moons: Potential for exciting scientific and commercial opportunities
Washington DC (SPX) Aug 14, 2018
The detection of "mini-moons" - small asteroids temporarily captured in orbit around Earth - will vastly improve our scientific understanding of asteroids and the Earth-Moon system, says a new review published in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Science. These small and fast-moving visitors have so-far evaded detection by existing technology, with only one confirmed mini-moon discovery to date. ... more
+ The Umov Effect: Space dust clouds and the mysteries of the universe
+ "Great Show" predicted for Perseid meteor peak on August 12-13
+ Researchers at the University of New Mexico uncover remnants of early solar system
+ What Looks Like Ceres on Earth
+ China Focus: Capture an asteroid, bring it back to Earth?
+ Twenty Years of Planetary Defense
+ NASA's Dawn spacecraft focused on Ceres as it nears end of mission


Team Dynetics receives contract for next phase of 100kW laser weapon system for US Army
Huntsville AL (SPX) Aug 07, 2018
The U.S. Army awarded Dynetics, Lockheed Martin and its partners a $10 million contract to continue development for the next phase of the High Energy Laser Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator (HEL TVD) program, a 100-kilowatt class laser weapon system. Laser weapons are ideally suited to address high volume, low cost threats because of their inexpensive cost per shot and deep magazine. Team Dyne ... more
+ Dyenetics, Lockheed chosen for work on 100 KW laser weapon
+ Raytheon contracted to develop laser for U.S. Army
+ China firm develops 'laser gun'
+ High-Tech firepower: Russia develops new space laser cannon
+ US Air Force to begin fighter-mounted laser testing this summer
+ Navy taps Northrop Grumman for laser weapon system
+ Lockheed Martin awarded first part of billion dollar laser weapons deal
TOTE Services contracted for SBX-1 ballistic missile tracking radar
Washington (UPI) Aug 16, 2018
TOTE Services of Jacksonville, Fla., has received an $11 million contract for operation and maintenance of the Sea-Based X-Band Radar vessel. The contract, announced Wednesday by the Department of Defense, will last one year with four-and-a-half years worth of possible options, which could bring the cumulative value of this contract to $65.3 million, the Pentagon said. Work will ... more
+ Lockheed receives contract for missile warning satellites
+ Sweden to purchase PAC-3 MSE missile defense system
+ Lockheed receives contract for Aegis ballistic missile defense
+ One dead, 11 wounded as Saudi intercepts Yemen rebel missile
+ Romania minister under fire over 'ballistic' gaffe
+ Japan to spend $4.2 bn over 30 years on missile defence system radar
+ US Congress pushes Ballistic Missile Defense Program based on laser-armed drones


Cassini data yields super sharp infrared images of Titan
Washington (UPI) Jul 19, 2018
Cassini disappeared into Saturn's atmosphere late last year. But the spacecraft continues to yield impressive images. This week, NASA shared a series of super sharp infrared images of Saturn's moon Titan, compiled using 13 years of data collected by the probe's Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer, or VIMS instrument. The moon's hazy atmosphere prevents clear observations of ... more
+ Listen: Sound of Electromagnetic Energy Moving Between Saturn, Enceladus
+ Signatures of complex organic molecules spotted on Saturn's moon Enceladus
+ Complex organics bubble up from ocean-world Enceladus
+ Surprising magnetic reconnection spotted on Saturn's dayside
+ Cosmic Ravioli And Spaetzle
Hybrid nanomaterials bristle with potential
Thuwal, Saudi Arabia (SPX) Aug 14, 2018
By combining multiple nanomaterials into a single structure, scientists can create hybrid materials that incorporate the best properties of each component and outperform any single substance. A controlled method for making triple-layered hollow nanostructures has now been developed at KAUST. The hybrid structures consist of a conductive organic core sandwiched between layers of electrocatalytica ... more
+ Nanotube 'rebar' makes graphene twice as tough
+ Individual silver nanoparticles observed in real time
+ Researchers use nanotechnology to improve the accuracy of measuring devices
+ A new 'periodic table' for nanomaterials
+ Physicists uncover why nanomaterial loses superconductivity
+ Squeezing light at the nanoscale
+ A new way to measure energy in microscopic machines


Household phenomenon observed by Leonardo da Vinci finally explained
Cambridge UK (SPX) Aug 09, 2018
An everyday occurrence spotted when we turn on the tap to brush our teeth has baffled engineers for centuries - why does the water splay when it hits the sink before it heads down the plughole? Famous inventor and painter Leonardo da Vinci documented the phenomenon, now known as a hydraulic jump, back in the 1500s. Hydraulic jumps are harmless in our household sinks but they can cause viol ... more
+ GRAVITY Confirms Predictions of General Relativity Near Galactic Center
+ How to weigh stars with gravitational lensing
+ Could Gravitational Waves Reveal How Fast Our Universe Is Expanding?
+ Einstein's Theory of Gravity Still Passes the Test
+ VLT makes most precise test of Einstein's general relativity outside Milky Way
+ Precise gravitation lens test confirms general relativity
+ Scotland's space expertise key to gravitational waves study
Astronomers discover the most distant radio galaxy ever
Amsterdam, Netherlands (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
After nearly twenty years, the record of the most distant radio galaxy ever discovered has been broken. A team led by PhD student Aayush Saxena (Leiden Observatory, the Netherlands) has found a radio galaxy from a time when the universe was only 7% of its current age, at a distance of 12 billion light-years. The team used the Giant Meter-wave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in India to initially id ... more
+ Finding the happy medium of black holes
+ The universe's rate of expansion is in dispute - and we may need new physics to solve it
+ Early opaque universe linked to galaxy scarcity
+ MSU astronomers discovered supermassive black hole in an ultracompact dwarf galaxy
+ Unraveling the nature of 'whistlers' from space in the lab
+ UT-ORNL team makes first particle accelerator beam measurement in six dimensions
+ Physicists measure energy difference between two quantum states


UCLA-developed artificial intelligence device identifies objects at the speed of light
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
A team of UCLA electrical and computer engineers has created a physical artificial neural network - a device modeled on how the human brain works - that can analyze large volumes of data and identify objects at the actual speed of light. The device was created using a 3D printer at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering. Numerous devices in everyday life today use computerized cameras to i ... more
+ Soft multi-functional robots get really small and spider-shaped
+ A system to synthesize realistic sounds for computer animation
+ A kernel of promise in popcorn-powered robots
+ Chip labour: Robots replace waiters in China restaurant
+ Research identifies key weakness in modern computer vision systems
+ Optical fibers that can feel the materials around them
+ US Army selects Lockheed Martin as integrated systems developer for autonomous convoy program
Threat from on high: race on to bolster drone defences
Paris (AFP) Aug 13, 2018
From hand-held copters that zoom around the living room to high-speed craft offering the sensation of flying over the countryside, drones have won over legions of fans - and are proving a growing challenge for security authorities. Experts say models readily available on the market can easily be turned into a "poor man's weapon", a remote-controlled bomb or a means of filming a site in prep ... more
+ Drones fly to rescue of Amazon wildlife
+ 26 days in the air: Airbus drone smashes world record
+ Insitu tapped for RQ-21A spare, sustainment parts
+ Insitu contracted for ScanEagle MEAUS surveillance drones
+ An insect-inspired drone deforms upon impact
+ AeroVironment awarded contract for drone data links for Norway
+ Insitu receives contract for ScanEagle UAVs for Afghanistan
Daily Newsletters - Space - Military - Environment - Energy

Buy Advertising Media Advertising Kit Editorial & Other Enquiries Privacy statement
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2018 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement