Unusual, long-lasting gamma-ray burst challenges theories
The big idea A bright flash of gamma rays from the constellation Boötes that lasted nearly one minute came from a kilonova, as we described in a new paper. This finding challenges what astronomers know about some of the most powerful events in the universe. The unusual cosmic explosion was detected by the Neil Gehrels …
Orion takes a selfie on way to Sunday splashdown
Simultaneously, it whets our appetites with a spectacular astronaut’s eye view of what’s in store the next time Orion flies with a crew of four on the Artemis 2 mission slated for liftoff by late 2024. Orion harnessed the Moon’s gravity, significantly bending its trajectory for a slingshot maneuver back to Earth at a distance …
Orion conducts lunar flyby; captures Earth and Moon in photos
NASA’s new era of Artemis exploration continues gathering momentum as the unpiloted Orion crew capsule successfully completed its outbound powered flyby (OPF) engine burn Monday morning, Nov. 21, and made its closest flyby of the Moon – keeping the human space vehicle and Artemis 1 mission precisely on track for targeting its distant retrograde orbit …
Artemis era is underway as test flight launches to the Moon
The Artemis era of exploration officially opened with the spectacular nighttime blastoff of NASA’s mammoth SLS rocket for the first time on the Artemis 1 mission on Wednesday, Nov. 16, from the Kennedy Space Center on its maiden lunar test flight with the Orion crew capsule. The mission places America back on the path of …
Artemis 1: Here’s what to expect and why it’s important
NASA’s Artemis 1 mission is poised to take a key step toward returning humans to the Moon after a half-century hiatus. The launch was initially scheduled for the morning of Aug. 29, 2022 but was postponed due to an issue with one of the rocket’s engines. NASA rescheduled the launch to Sept. 3, 2022, but …
Hurricane delays launch of Artemis to Nov. 16
While Hurricane Nicole did not cause any significant damage to NASA’s Artemis 1 rocket stack on Thursday, Nov. 10, the program managers have delayed the next launch to no earlier than Wednesday, Nov. 16. That amounts to a two-day delay from the prior target of just past midnight on Nov. 14. NASA decided to leave the …
Who is Artemis? Ancient lunar goddess turned feminist icon
Artemis I will send a rocket without a crew on a monthlong journey around the Moon. The program aims to increase women’s participation in space exploration – 30% of its engineers are women. In addition, the Artemis I mission will carry two mannequins designed to study the effects of radiation on women’s bodies so that …
NASA targeting Nov. 14 for next Artemis 1 launch attempt
NASA is targeting Monday, Nov. 14 as the date for the next launch attempt of the Artemis I mission with a nighttime liftoff of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft on a test flight around the Moon and back. The late-night launch window on Nov. 14 opens at 12:07 a.m. EST and …
DART mission a success as NASA spacecraft crashes into asteroid
In a world first, NASA has crashed a spacecraft into an asteroid in an attempt to push the rocky traveler off its trajectory. The Double Asteroid Redirection Test – or DART – is meant to test one potential approach that could prevent an asteroid from colliding with Earth. David Barnhart is a professor of astronautics …
Artemis second launch attempt set for Saturday afternoon
Following a scrub called on the first launch attempt of the Artemis I Moon rocket on Monday, Aug 29, NASA officials have reviewed their options and decided to make a second launch attempt this weekend. Liftoff of the Artemis 1 mission is now slated for Saturday, Sept. 3 at 2:17 p.m. EDT (18:17 UTC) from …