SpaceX successfully launched 26 more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from California, expanding its global broadband network. The Falcon 9 rocket, on its third flight, deployed the satellites as part of the Group 15-9 mission. The booster landed successfully on a droneship, ensuring its reuse for future launches, supporting SpaceX's goal of cost-effective space access.
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European Space Agency's Proba-3 mission has successfully created artificial solar eclipses using two satellites flying in precise formation. This innovative approach allows scientists to study the sun's corona for extended periods, achieving up to six hours of totality per eclipse. The mission promises a wealth of data, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of the sun's behavior and its impact on Earth.
The Axiom-4 mission to the ISS, involving ISRO and international partners, is now set for June 22, 2025, following multiple postponements. The mission, featuring astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary, along with Peggy Whitson, aims to conduct vital scientific experiments.
SpaceX's Starship prototype faced another setback. A static fire test resulted in an explosion. The incident raises concerns about the rocket's reliability. This test follows previous failures, including a destroyed Super Heavy booster. Starship is crucial for missions to the Moon and Mars. SpaceX insists that these tests provide valuable data. The company aims to reduce space travel costs.
Scientists have achieved a groundbreaking feat by detecting a 13-billion-year-old microwave signal from the Cosmic Dawn using Earth-based telescopes in Chile. This discovery, made by the CLASS project, provides unprecedented insights into the early universe and the formation of the first stars and galaxies.
International Space Station astronauts celebrated with 'space sushi'. Jonny Kim shared the crew's creative meal on social media. They used rice, spam, fish, gochujang, and wasabi. Limited supplies didn't stop them. Astronauts taped surfaces to keep food from floating. The meal boosted morale and fostered connection. Social media users admired their resourcefulness and ingenuity.
The summer solstice marks the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of astronomical summer, while the Southern Hemisphere experiences its shortest day and the beginning of winter. Solstices occur due to Earth's tilt, causing unequal distribution of sunlight. Equinoxes, conversely, bring equal day and night, with the sun directly overhead at the equator.
A 60-meter asteroid, 2024 YR4, has a 4.3% chance of hitting the Moon on December 22, 2032. NASA warns the impact could eject lunar debris towards Earth, endangering satellites and future lunar missions. Scientists estimate a significant portion of this debris could damage or disable satellites, potentially causing widespread communication and GPS failures.
A comprehensive mapping of biofluorescence across 459 fish species reveals its ancient origins in eels and subsequent independent evolution over 100 times. Coral reefs significantly accelerate this trait's development, with reef-dwelling species acquiring it ten times faster. The research highlights the potential of biofluorescence as a species-specific signaling system and a valuable tool for taxonomic research.
A rare black iceberg, spotted off Labrador, Canada, has captivated scientists and social media users. The dark coloration is likely due to sediment incorporated into the ice as a glacier moved over land. As the iceberg melted, these sediment-rich layers were revealed, creating a striking visual phenomenon and a scientific puzzle.
A recent study of 514-million-year-old archaeocyathid reefs in Nevada reveals that early reefs didn't consistently boost biodiversity like modern coral reefs. Researchers found inconsistent patterns of marine life around these ancient reefs, largely dependent on localized conditions. This discovery challenges assumptions about reef ecosystems and offers insights into the evolution of marine systems.