The purpose of this blog is the creation of an open, international, independent and free forum, where every UFO-researcher can publish the results of his/her research. The languagues, used for this blog, are Dutch, English and French.You can find the articles of a collegue by selecting his category. Each author stays resposable for the continue of his articles. As blogmaster I have the right to refuse an addition or an article, when it attacks other collegues or UFO-groupes.
Druk op onderstaande knop om te reageren in mijn forum
Zoeken in blog
Deze blog is opgedragen aan mijn overleden echtgenote Lucienne.
In 2012 verloor ze haar moedige strijd tegen kanker!
In 2011 startte ik deze blog, omdat ik niet mocht stoppen met mijn UFO-onderzoek.
BEDANKT!!!
Een interessant adres?
UFO'S of UAP'S, ASTRONOMIE, RUIMTEVAART, ARCHEOLOGIE, OUDHEIDKUNDE, SF-SNUFJES EN ANDERE ESOTERISCHE WETENSCHAPPEN - DE ALLERLAATSTE NIEUWTJES
UFO's of UAP'S in België en de rest van de wereld Ontdek de Fascinerende Wereld van UFO's en UAP's: Jouw Bron voor Onthullende Informatie!
Ben jij ook gefascineerd door het onbekende? Wil je meer weten over UFO's en UAP's, niet alleen in België, maar over de hele wereld? Dan ben je op de juiste plek!
België: Het Kloppend Hart van UFO-onderzoek
In België is BUFON (Belgisch UFO-Netwerk) dé autoriteit op het gebied van UFO-onderzoek. Voor betrouwbare en objectieve informatie over deze intrigerende fenomenen, bezoek je zeker onze Facebook-pagina en deze blog. Maar dat is nog niet alles! Ontdek ook het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt en Caelestia, twee organisaties die diepgaand onderzoek verrichten, al zijn ze soms kritisch of sceptisch.
Nederland: Een Schat aan Informatie
Voor onze Nederlandse buren is er de schitterende website www.ufowijzer.nl, beheerd door Paul Harmans. Deze site biedt een schat aan informatie en artikelen die je niet wilt missen!
Internationaal: MUFON - De Wereldwijde Autoriteit
Neem ook een kijkje bij MUFON (Mutual UFO Network Inc.), een gerenommeerde Amerikaanse UFO-vereniging met afdelingen in de VS en wereldwijd. MUFON is toegewijd aan de wetenschappelijke en analytische studie van het UFO-fenomeen, en hun maandelijkse tijdschrift, The MUFON UFO-Journal, is een must-read voor elke UFO-enthousiasteling. Bezoek hun website op www.mufon.com voor meer informatie.
Samenwerking en Toekomstvisie
Sinds 1 februari 2020 is Pieter niet alleen ex-president van BUFON, maar ook de voormalige nationale directeur van MUFON in Vlaanderen en Nederland. Dit creëert een sterke samenwerking met de Franse MUFON Reseau MUFON/EUROP, wat ons in staat stelt om nog meer waardevolle inzichten te delen.
Let op: Nepprofielen en Nieuwe Groeperingen
Pas op voor een nieuwe groepering die zich ook BUFON noemt, maar geen enkele connectie heeft met onze gevestigde organisatie. Hoewel zij de naam geregistreerd hebben, kunnen ze het rijke verleden en de expertise van onze groep niet evenaren. We wensen hen veel succes, maar we blijven de autoriteit in UFO-onderzoek!
Blijf Op De Hoogte!
Wil jij de laatste nieuwtjes over UFO's, ruimtevaart, archeologie, en meer? Volg ons dan en duik samen met ons in de fascinerende wereld van het onbekende! Sluit je aan bij de gemeenschap van nieuwsgierige geesten die net als jij verlangen naar antwoorden en avonturen in de sterren!
Heb je vragen of wil je meer weten? Aarzel dan niet om contact met ons op te nemen! Samen ontrafelen we het mysterie van de lucht en daarbuiten.
02-11-2024
New View of Venus Reveals Previously Hidden Impact Craters
A synthetic aperture radar image of Haastte-baad Tessera, cut by a set of unique concentric rings that record a newly recognized type of impact crater on Venus, previously only identified on the icy moons of Jupiter.
New View of Venus Reveals Previously Hidden Impact Craters
Think of the Moon and most people will imagine a barren world pockmarked with craters. The same is likely true of Mars albeit more red in colour than grey! The Earth too has had its fair share of craters, some of them large but most of the evidence has been eroded by centuries of weathering. Surprisingly perhaps, Venus, the second planet from the Sun does not have the same weathering processes as we have on Earth yet there are signs of impact craters, but no large impact basins! A team of astronomers now think they have secured a new view on the hottest planet in the Solar System and revealed the missing impact sites.
Venus is the second planet from the Sun and, whilst it’s often called Earth’s sister planet, the reality is really they differ in many ways. The term comes from similarities in size and composition yet the conditions on Venus are far more hostile. Surface temperatures far exceed the boiling point of water, the dense atmosphere exerts a pressure on the surface equivalent to being 3,000 feet under water and there is sulphuric acid rain in the atmosphere! Most definitely not a nice place to head to for your next vacation.
Venus
If you were to stand on the surface of Venus you would see beautifully formed craters. Looking down on the planet from orbit you would see none due to the thick, dense atmosphere. Yet if you could gaze through the obscuring clouds you would see a distinct lack of larger impact basins of the sort we are familiar with on the Moon. Now, a team of researchers mostly from the Planetary Science Institute believe they solve the mystery of the missing craters.
The Moon. Credit: NASA
They have mapped a region of Venus known as Haastte-baad Tessera using radar technology and the results were rather surprising. The region is thought to be one of the oldest surfaces on Venus and is classed as tessera terrain. This type of feature is complex and is characterised by rough, intersecting ridges to create a tile like pattern thought to be the result of a thin but strong layer of material forming over a weak layer which can flow and convect energy just like boiling water. Images from the area in question reveal a set of concentric rings over 1,400 km across at their widest. The team propose that the feature is the result of two back-to-back impact events. “Think of pea soup with a scum forming on top,” said Vicki Hansen, Planetary Science Institute Senior Scientist.
Obviously there is no pea soup on Venus but instead, the thin crust layer formed upon a layer of molten lava. Venus of today has a thick outer shell called a lithosphere which is about 112 km thick but when Venus was younger, its thought it was just 9km thick! If an impactor struck the hot young Venus then it’s very likely it would have fractured the lithosphere allowing molten lava to seep through and eventually solidify to create the tesserae we see today.
Confusing things slightly however is that features like this have been seen on top of flat, raised plateaus where the lithosphere is likely much thicker. The researchers have an answer for this though, “When you have vast amounts of partial melt in the mantle that rushes to the surface, what gets left behind is something called residuum. Solid residuum is much stronger than the adjacent mantle, which did not experience partial melting.” said Hansen. “What may be surprising is that the solid residuum is also lower density than all the mantle around it. So, it’s stronger, but it’s also buoyant. You basically have an air mattress sitting in the mantle beneath your lava pond, and it’s just going to rise up and raise that tessera terrain.”
The features found by the time seem to show that two impact events happened one after the other with the first creating the build up of lava and the second creating the ring structure seen today.
This image shows nine candidate landing regions for NASA’s Artemis III mission, with each region containing multiple potential sites for the first crewed landing on the Moon in more than 50 years. The background image of the lunar South Pole terrain within the nine regions is a mosaic of LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) WAC (Wide Angle Camera) images. Credit: NASA
It was 1969 that humans first set foot on the Moon. Back then, the Apollo mission was the focus of the attempts to land on the Moon but now, over 50 years on, it looks like we are set to head back. The Artemis project is the program that hopes to take us back to the Moon again and it’s going from strength to strength. The plan is to get humans back on the Moon by 2025 as part of Artemis III. As a prelude to this, NASA is now turning its attention to the possible landing sites.
The Artemis Project is NASA’s program aimed at returning humans to the Moon and establishing a permanent base there. Ultimately with a view to paving the way for missions to Mars. With the first launch in 2017, Artemis intends to land “the first woman and the next man” on the lunar surface by 2025. The program began with Artemis I and an uncrewed mission which orbited the Moon. Arte is II will take astronauts on an orbit of the Moon and finally Artemis III will land humans back on the Moon by 2025. At the heart of the program is the giant Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft.
NASA’s Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches on the Artemis I flight test, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky.
As the plans ramp up for the first crewed landing, NASA are now analysing possible landing sites and have identified nine potential spots. They are all near the South Pole of the Moon and will provide Artemis III with landing sites near to potentially useful resources. Further investigations will be required to further assess them for their suitability.
The team working upon the analysis is the Cross Agency Site Selection Analysis team and they will work with other science and industry partners. The teams will explore each possible site for science value and suitability for the mission including the availability of water ice. The final list so far, and in no particular order, are;
Peak near Cabeus B
Haworth
Malapert Massif
Mons Mouton Plateau
Mons Mouton
Nobile Rim 1
Nobile Rim 2
de Gerlache Rim 2
Slater Plain
The South Polar region was chosen as a region was chosen chiefly because it has water locked up deep in the shadowed craters. The Apollo missions never visited that region of the Moon either so it is a great opportunity for humans to explore this aged region of the lunar surface. To settle on these 9 areas, the team assessed various regions of the south polar region using potential launch window suitability, terrain suitability, communication capability and even lighting levels. The geology team also looked at the landing sites to assess their scientific value
Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt collecting a soil sample, his spacesuit coated with dust. Credit: NASA
NASA will finally settle on the appropriate landing site based upon the decision for the launch date. Once that has been confirmed it will determine the transfer trajectories to the Moon, the orbital paths and the surface environment.
In the vast expanse of interstellar space, Voyager 1 continues its extraordinary journey, defying expectations and pushing the boundaries of human exploration. Launched on September 5, 1977, this intrepid spacecraft has ventured far beyond its initial mission to explore Jupiter and Saturn, now traveling more than 15 billion miles from Earth. As it navigates the uncharted depths of space, Voyager 1 has begun to exhibit anomalous behavior, puzzling NASA scientists and challenging our understanding of the cosmos.
Unprecedented longevity and challenges in deep space
Voyager 1's remarkable endurance has surpassed all initial projections, with the spacecraft continuing to communicate with Earth nearly five decades after its launch. This longevity, however, comes with its own set of challenges. The extreme conditions of interstellar space, coupled with the limitations of 1970s technology, have led to ongoing equipment degradation.
Space radiation has likely accelerated the wear and tear on Voyager 1's components, presenting NASA engineers with unique problems to solve. One of the most critical issues has been the degradation of the spacecraft's thrusters, which are essential for maintaining its orientation and communication with Earth.
The mission team has had to adapt to these challenges, employing innovative solutions to keep Voyager 1 operational. Their efforts have included :
Developing new software to compensate for hardware limitations
Repurposing existing systems for unintended functions
Xarefully managing power consumption to extend the mission's lifespan
A Brief History of Voyager 1 and Voyager 2
Thruster clogging dilemma and ingenious solutions
Perhaps the most perplexing issue faced by Voyager 1 has been the clogging of its thrusters. These vital components are crucial for keeping the spacecraft's High Gain Antenna pointed towards Earth, ensuring continued communication. The problem stems from silicon dioxide buildup, a result of the aging fuel tank's rubber diaphragm deterioration.
NASA engineers have had to think creatively to address this critical issue. With the first set of thrusters decommissioned in 2002 and the second set showing signs of wear by 2018, the team faced a daunting challenge. The discovery that the openings in the trajectory correction thrusters—the third and final set—had narrowed to a mere 0.0015 inches (half the width of a human hair) further complicated matters.
Carefully analyzing the remaining thruster capabilities
Developing new firing sequences to maximize efficiency
Implementing software updates to optimize thruster performance
Voyager 1's scientific legacy and ongoing discoveries
Despite these technical challenges, Voyager 1 continues to make groundbreaking discoveries and contribute to our understanding of the universe. The spacecraft's crossing of the heliopause—the outer boundary of the heliosphere—marked a historic milestone in space exploration. This achievement has provided invaluable data about the structure and role of the heliosphere in shielding our solar system from cosmic rays.
The information gathered by Voyager 1 has profound implications for future interplanetary missions and our understanding of the cosmos. Some key contributions include :
As Voyager 1 continues its journey, it complements the findings of its twin, Voyager 2, which is now over 12 billion miles from Earth. Together, these probes offer humanity an unprecedented view of the outermost reaches of our solar neighborhood and beyond.
Future implications and the legacy of Voyager 1
The mission team is acutely aware that Voyager 1's remaining set of thrusters may not last indefinitely. Every operational day becomes a testament to human ingenuity and perseverance as the spacecraft pushes further into the unknown. The eventual failure of these thrusters will mark the end of active communication with Voyager 1, but its legacy will endure.
The data collected by Voyager 1 will continue to inform scientific research and exploration for years to come. Its incredible journey has proven that humanity can push the boundaries of exploration to unprecedented extremes, from the icy regions of the outer planets to the edge of interstellar space.
Future missions inspired by the Voyagers will benefit immensely from the lessons learned during this pioneering expedition. As we plan for human expeditions to the outer planets and beyond, the experiences gained from these spacecraft will be invaluable. Interestingly, a hidden population of objects discovered beyond the Kuiper Belt in the outer Solar System further emphasizes the importance of continued exploration and the potential for new discoveries in our cosmic backyard.
Voyager 1's anomalous behavior in interstellar space serves as a reminder of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in space exploration. As we continue to push the boundaries of our knowledge, the spirit of innovation and determination embodied by the Voyager mission will guide us towards new frontiers and uncharted territories in the vast expanse of the universe.
Voyager 1's Mysterious Message: Decoding the Deep Space Anomaly | Explore
Voyager 1 Has Detected a Mysterious Cosmic Hum In Deep Space
NASA’s Starliner astronauts to achieve feat … technically … during SpaceX Dragon relocation
NASA’s Starliner astronauts to achieve feat … technically … during SpaceX Dragon relocation
Story by Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel
The SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft, carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov approaches to dock to the Harmony module at the International Space Station, Sept. 29, 2024, in Earth Orbit.
ORLANDO, Fla. — A parking spot shuffle coming up this weekend more than 250 miles above Earth will mark a unique feat for a pair of NASA astronauts who will become the first to fly in both Boeing’s Starliner and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft.
NASA’s Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams who flew up to the International Space Station in Starliner, but remained on board when NASA opted to return it back to Earth without crew, are now part of the four-member crew that will fly home on the SpaceX Crew Dragon Freedom next year.
Freedom arrived to the ISS on Sept. 29 with just two crew — NASA’s Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov —leaving room for Wilmore and Williams on that flight home targeting February 2025.
But because parking space is limited at the ISS, all four will climb on board early Sunday for a short trip moving from the Crew Dragon Freedom from the front-facing port of the space station’s Harmony module, and redock it to the space-facing port of the same module.
That will make room for the planned launch of a SpaceX Cargo Dragon on the CRS-31 mission launching from Kennedy Space Center’s Space Launch Complex 39-A as early as 9:29 p.m. Monday carrying 6,000 pounds of supplies.
The ISS has only the two ports capable of parking either SpaceX Dragon or Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The Russian side of the station has its own spots for Soyuz crewed vehicles and Progress cargo vehicles, while the Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft can connect on the ISS’ Unity module.
See SpaceX's Crew-6 Dragon approach space station in this epic time-lapse
For Dragon and Starliner, NASA prefers to bring on new spacecraft to the forward-facing port, so each time a new ship is coming, they have to move the one that’s already there.
So while Crew Dragon Freedom’s trip will take less than an hour, it will be the first time Williams and Wilmore will have traveled in it under its own propulsion.
It will also mark their fourth spacecraft within which they will have traveled, not including the ISS, as both had previously flown on both space shuttle and Soyuz missions.
That’s similar to the record set by NASA’s John Young, who flew in four spacecraft. He flew on two Gemini missions, two Apollo missions, one with a landing on the moon so it meant a ride down and back up to the surface in the Apollo lunar lander, and then two missions of the Space Shuttle Program, including the first
Because of the moon lander’s liftoff from the lunar surface, Young would still hold the record for number of different spacecraft launching off of the surface of a planet or moon.
Other astronauts have at least been inside at least four spacecraft in space, as they either are assigned duties such as unloading cargo from visiting vessels like Cygnus and Dragon, or get a little tour from their fellow space station crew of the ships they flew up on.
The first person to be inside any of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in space was when NASA astronaut Bob Hines floated in after the uncrewed Orbital Flight Test 2 in 2022 after it docked with the ISS when he was part of Expedition 67.
The ISS is now amidst Expedition 72 having been continuously occupied since Nov. 2, 2000.
SpaceX and Boeing were awarded contracts under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to provide U.S.-based launches to and from the ISS until it’s decommissioned.
SpaceX is now in its ninth rotational mission having flown the test Demo-2 mission in 2000 followed by operational flights about every six months since. It has Crew-10 scheduled for February and Crew-11 for as early as next July.
Boeing meanwhile was unable to complete its version of the Demo-2 flight called the Crew Flight Test this summer four years after SpaceX accomplished the feat, but could still find a way to certification by NASA to begin operational missions beginning with Starliner-1 before the end of 2025.
NASA and Roscosmos, meanwhile, continue to do seat swap missions allowing for cosmonauts to ride up on the Crew Dragon flights while astronauts take one of the three seats on board the Soyuz missions.
Dissection has begun on hands from one of Peru's hotly debated 'alien mummies' — seen in an eerie new video revealing bones and odd metallic structures.
Worldwide controversyhas followed these now roughly dozen or so small peculiar specimens, often referred to as the 'Nazca Tridactyls' after the region in Peru where they are believed to have been taken by anonymous local 'huaqueros' (tomb raiders).
Now, doctors claimed to have removed a 'light metal' implant from the new specimen's palm, a reporter who is working with medical professionals involved in the investigation told DailyMail.com.
The short video documents the moment one physician carefully pulls the suspected 'alien implant' from the Nazca Tridactyl's severed, three-fingered hand with tweezers.
Mexican Navy forensic doctor Dr Jose Zalce Benitez — who devoted his free time to remove the metal — said: 'It is a very complex metal alloy that requires special knowledge and techniques to be able to achieve it with such quality and purity.'
'It was possible to identify elements such as aluminum, tin, silver, copper, cadmium and osmium among others in smaller quantities and percentages,' Dr Zalce added.
The video also depicts what appears to be one of the mummified hands peeled back to reveal two of its 'metacarpal' or 'palm' bones.
Mexican Navy Forensic doctor Dr. Jose Zalce Benitez, working with a colleague, removed an 'implantation of light metal' from the hand (pictured) of a tiny, 2-ft-tall specimen - believed by some to be an 'alien mummy' - as reporter Fernando Correa Dominguez told DailyMail.com
Dissection has begun on these hands from one of Peru's macabre and hotly debated 'alien mummies' - seen in eerie new videos revealing two of its apparent 'metacarpal' or 'palm' bones (above) as well as a thin, eerie metallic structure
'This tridactyl hand, from which I obtained the metal, does not belong to any of the bodies presented at the Mexican Congress,' Dr Zalce emphasized.
'This hand is part of a series of loose pieces that belong to the place where the tridactyl bodies of Peru were found,' the physician and forensic expert clarified.
The doctor's volunteer investigation into these unusual, potentially extraterrestrial bodies dates back to his testimony before an open hearing of Mexico's Congress last year, during which two similar alleged 'alien' corpses were presented.
Since that September 12, 2023 congressional presentation, two distinct sizes of these alleged 'alien mummies' have been subjected to public scrutiny — but the new video examination relates to the smaller and more controversial of the specimens.
The alleged 'metal implant' can be see looking like a torn patch of silvery reptilian scales in the new video, as it is tilted toward the camera by Dr Zalce's gloved hand.
Reporter Fernando Correa Dominguez explained to DailyMail.com that the hand had been carefully rehydrated by the doctors to better remove the 'metal implant.'
Initially, Correa noted, 'they did not see any moisture inside the hand, [only] dehydrated skin tissue was observed inside the tendons and muscles.'
Dr Zalce described the procedure in more detail: 'We used a forensic technique to protect the tissue and minimize its degradation [...] a special serum that is used for the rehydration of corpses that has very specific concentration percentages.'
Correa told DailyMail.com that this hand from this alleged non-human mummy had been rehydrated by Drs Zalce and Rangel to better remove the 'metal implant' (above)
Above: 'The metal implant,' as Correa explained from Mexico on Wednesday, 'looks like aluminum and tin: a very light alloy [...] However, it is not possible to confirm what type of metals it contains until it is subjected to metallurgical analysis
'We use sterile swabs with a soft surgical cotton tip to avoid any type of damage or contamination to both the metal sample and the tridactyl hand,' Dr Zalce elaborated.
'This technique is used by the FBI and helps recover data or information from relevant evidence in forensic investigations,' the physician noted.
Correa, who took credit for bringing Dr Zalce onto this project, added that the severed 'tridactyl' hand closely resembles the hands present on the specimens brought before Mexican Congress last year.
That spectacle within the nation's highest legislative body had been spearheaded by UFO researcher and broadcaster Jaime Maussan, Correa's boss for over two decades at the paranormal-focused TV news magazine 'Tercer Milenio.'
'It is a hand from small bodies,' Correa told DailyMail.com, 'such as the mummies of Josephina, Victoria and Louise' as the mummies have been nicknamed by the team.
These purported beings — typically just under two feet (60.96 centimeters) long — have originated from sites in Peru along with larger, more human-sized specimens, similarly coated in white, powdery algae fossils known as diatomaceous earth.
Critics, including top Peruvian officials from the Ministry of Culture, have claimed the smaller bodies are grim fabrications, based on two specimens seized by customs.
Dr Flavio Estrada, a forensic archaeologist with Peru's Institute for Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, concluded the seized bodies were grisly dolls, 'assembled with bones of animals from this planet, with modern synthetic glues.'
Radiologist technician Guillermo Ramirez examines an x-ray of one of Maussan's 'Nazca mummy' specimens (above) at Noor Clinic, in Huixquilucan, Mexico on September 18, 2023
'They're not extraterrestrials,' Dr Estrada pronounced after his group's examination last January. 'It's totally a made-up story.'
But Colorado attorney Josh McDowell has told DailyMail.com that these two alleged mummies, which were confiscated by Peruvian customs from courier DHL at an airport in Lima, only superficially resemble those brought before Mexico's congress.
These contraband specimens, he said, also did not resemble those kept at the University of Ica in Peru, where many of the Nazca Tridactyls are currently stored.
McDowell said that the seized 'mummies,' dressed-up in miniature imitations of traditional Andean dress, had merely been bootlegs made by an artist who intended to cash-in on the 'Nazca mummy' craze.
'The artist that made them said as much,' he continued.
'There is a way to obtain definitive answers as to what these specimens are through genetic testing and additional forensic examination,' McDowell emphasized.
'It would mean a true collaborative effort with a multidisciplinary team of scientists, working with the Peruvian Ministry of Culture, to complete the studies legally, ethically and with respect to the cultural heritage of Peru.'
The prolific UFO researcher and broadcaster Jaime Maussan (left) was Correa's boss for decades at the paranormal-focused TV news magazine 'Tercer Milenio.' Above, Correa (right) and Maussan pose beside a statue of a 'grey alien' in Tercer Milenio's studio in Mexico City
But whatever the truth behind these two seized 'alien mummies,' Correa said that the hand dissected by his partners closely match those presented to Mexico's congress.
'Dr Ricardo Rangel, molecular geneticist, and Dr Zalce, a physician expert in forensic sciences, are the two scientists with the most experience in this case,' he said.
'I invited them from the beginning to analyze the bodies of the Nazca mummies.'
Correa noted that Rangel and Zalce's study of this specimen's hand greatly resembled the internal structure of Maussan's prior Nazca bodies, scanned via a noninvasive x-ray-like method, high-resolution computed tomography.
'Both agreed on the inside of the hand,' Correa said.
'There is anatomical correspondence with this member that comes from the same place where the other specimens were found: a cave in the Peruvian desert,' he said.
But even some sympathetic observers and amateur 'ancient alien' archeologists online have voiced their doubts about the hand as depicted in the new video.
Posters on the Reddit forum r/alienbodies likened the interior seen in the new alien hand video to 'wet sludge and bones' or hastily stuffed 'with ground coffee beans.'
'The more I learn about these,' one opined, 'the less authentic I believe them to be.'
For his part, Dr Rangel, whose past research work has focused on a form of gene called Human leukocyte antigens (HLA), has focused the most of his studies on DNA samples taken from the Nazca mummies over the past few years.
In one of his 2023 assessments of the specimens, he asserted that 'there is a probability greater than 50 percent that this organism is not related to living beings known to date on our planet.'
While new rockets and human missions to the Moon are in the press, NASA is quietly thinking through the nuts and bolts of a long-term presence on the Moon. They have already released two white papers about the lunar logistics they’ll require in the future and are now requesting proposals from companies to supply some serious cargo transportation. But this isn’t just for space transport; NASA is also looking for ground transportation on the Moon that can move cargo weighing as much as 2,000 to 6,000 kg (4,400 to 13,000 pounds.)
In a recent press release, NASA asked U.S. industry to submit proposals for logistics ideas and solutions to help the agency land and move cargo on the lunar surface during the upcoming Artemis missions.
“NASA relies on collaborations from diverse partners to develop its exploration architecture,” said Nujoud Merancy, deputy associate administrator, strategy and architecture in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Studies like this allow the agency to leverage the incredible expertise in the commercial aerospace community.”
In the two white papers, NASA outlined the “gaps” they have lunar logistics and mobility as part of its Moon to Mars architecture. In the first paper, “Lunar Logistics Drivers, Needs,” NASA said that as the Artemis missions and goals are conceptualized and planned, it is imperative to accurately predict logistics and resupply needs, not only for mission goals but for the very important need of keeping the humans alive and healthy. They need to have a good plan and the ability to transport landed cargo and exploration items from where they are delivered to where they are used.
“The total amount of logistics items required to keep the crew alive and healthy, to maintain systems, and to perform productive science and utilization can be relatively large,” the authors wrote. “It can also heavily influence the design of the architecture and exploration missions. The architecture must therefore be based on comprehensive, accurate estimates of logistics item needs and include assessment of a suitable logistics sub-architectures to deliver those needs.”
How to provide various things like food, water, air, spare parts, and other similar products required to sustain life, as well as maintain all the various systems and structures are key to having productive science and utilization activities. NASA also expects they will need to move all these supplies around on the Moon, including to the lunar South Pole where they plan to send crews in the future. The paper outlines the importance of accurately predicting logistics resupply needs, as they can heavily influence the overall architecture and design of exploration missions.
An artist’s conception shows NASA’s generic concept for the Lunar Terrain Vehicle. (NASA Illustration)
NASA’ said their current planned lunar mobility elements, such as the Lunar Terrain Vehicle and Pressurized Rover, have a capability limit of about 1,760 pounds (800 kilograms) and will primarily be used to transport astronauts around the lunar surface. However, future missions could include a need to move cargo totaling around 4,400 to 13,000 pounds (2,000 to 6,000 kg). That’s why NASA wants input from companies who have experience in this area.
But to be able to move cargo around to various places on the Moon, NASA first needs to get the supplies to the lunar surface. The second white paper, “Lunar Surface Cargo,” looks at the lunar surface cargo delivery needs, compares those needs with current cargo lander capabilities, and outlines considerations for fulfilling this capability gap. NASA said that access to a diverse fleet of cargo landers would empower a larger lunar exploration footprint, and that a combination of international partnerships and U.S. industry-provided landers could supply the concepts and capabilities to meet this need.
“Given diverse cargo needs of varying size, mass, delivery cadence, and operational needs, a diverse portfolio of cargo lander capabilities will be necessary to achieve NASA’s Moon to Mars Objectives,” the paper says. “Encouraging the development of varied cargo lander concepts and capabilities will be key to establishing a long-term lunar presence for science and exploration.”
Planned and potential cargo to the lunar surface. Credit: NASA
While the request for proposals doesn’t explicitly seek new concepts for landing vehicles, it does ask for integrated assessments of logistics that can include transportation elements.
“We’re looking for industry to offer creative insights that can inform our logistics and mobility strategy,” said Brooke Thornton, industry engagement lead for NASA’s Strategy and Architecture Office. “Ultimately, we’re hoping to grow our awareness of the unique capabilities that are or could become a part of the commercial lunar marketplace.”
This is What it Sounds Like When the Earth’s Poles Flip
Is there something strange and alien confined deep inside the Earth? Is it trying to break free and escape into the heavens? No, of course not.
But in a new soundscape from the ESA, it sure sounds like it.
About every 450,000 years, Earth’s magnetic poles flip. North becomes south and vice versa in a phenomenon called geomagnetic reversal. This discovery was shocking since the planet’s magnetic field is such a foundational part of our environment. However, these reversals appear to be mostly harmless to life.
Geomagnetic reversals are chaotic events. Though they occur on average about every 450,000 years, there’s no pattern to them. There have been about 183 of them in the last 83 million years, leading us to the 450,000-year number. But the last one was 780,000 years ago, and some say that we’re overdue for the next one.
Sometimes, the events are excursions rather than full reversals. That’s when the field shifts for several hundred years and then returns to its original orientation, like the Laschamps event about 41,000 years ago. In an excursion, the field reverses in Earth’s outer core while its inner core remains unchanged. These happen more frequently than full reversals, but their exact number and timing are more difficult to determine since their effects aren’t global.
The evidence for these reversals and excursions is found in paleomagnetism. Paleomagnetism measures the orientation of magnetic elements like iron in volcanic rock as it cools. By determining the age of the rock, scientists can determine the orientation of Earth’s magnetic field when the rock solidified. The history of Earth’s magnetic reversals is recorded where new magma cools as the seafloor spreads.
Magnetic stripes are the result of reversals of the Earth’s field and seafloor spreading. The new oceanic crust is magnetized as it forms and then moves away from the ridge in both directions. This diagram shows a ridge (a) about 5 million years ago, (b) about 2 million years ago, and (c) in the present. Image Credit: By Chmee2 – derived from File:Oceanic.Stripe.Magnetic.Anomalies.Scheme.gif, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18557170
During these excursions and reversals, the magnetic field’s strength weakens. During the Laschamps event, which lasted several hundred years, the field weakened to only 5% of its normal strength.
Earth’s magnetic fields deflect cosmic rays away from Earth, and at only 5% of its normal strength, the field lets in far more cosmic rays than usual. Cosmic rays are high-energy particles, usually protons or atomic nuclei, that come from the Sun and from objects both inside and outside of the Milky Way and travel at relativistic speeds. When they strike Earth’s atmosphere, they produce showers of secondary particles.
No matter how often they occur or what causes them, scientists are pretty sure that the Laschamps event was the latest excursion, and the European Space Agency decided it would be good if we knew what it sounded like.
The ESA launched its three-satellite Swarm mission in 2013 to study Earth’s magnetic fields. Swarm measures magnetic signals not only from the core but also from the mantle, the oceans, and all the way up to the ionosphere and magnetosphere. Scientists at the Technical University of Denmark and the German Research Centre for Geosciences used Swarm data and data from other sources to create a soundscape of the Laschamps event.
The scientists used recordings of natural sounds, such as rocks falling and wood creaking, and blended them into alien-like sounds that were both familiar and strange. The result sounds Earthly, subterranean, natural, and creepy all at the same time as if some ancient part of the Earth is writhing around inside the planet, which, in a way, it is.
The first version was created in 2022 and was played as a sort of public art installation in Copenhagen. There were 32 speakers, and each one played the sound represented by changes in the magnetic field at 32 locations around the world.
The spaceagency's robot is fighting both steep and slippery terrain as it ascends the wall of Mars' Jezero Crater, the site of once vigorously flowing water. The Mars rover is headed to more sites that may reveal whether the Red Planet ever hosted microbial life. It took advantage of the elevation to capture an expansive vista of its 3.5-year-journey.
"The image not only shows our past and present, but also shows the biggest challenge to getting where we want to be in the future," Rick Welch, Perseverance’s deputy project manager, said in a statement. "If you look at the right side of the mosaic, you begin to get an idea what we’re dealing with. Mars didn’t want to make it easy for anyone to get to the top of this ridge."
The mosaic below shows dozens of sites of exploration significance (as well as other Mars landmarks) as Perseverance and its six metallic tires rumbled across the Martian desert — a place now 1,000 times drier than the driest desert on Earth. The labels can be tough to read, so the broad vista is followed up by two close-ups: An area showing where NASA's experimental and record-breaking Ingenuity helicopter crashed, and the region where the rover dramatically landed in 2021.
An annotated image from the Perseverance rover showing significant spots on the robot's journey through the Jezero Crater.
At center-right, the "Ingenuity" label shows where the small robotic helicopter rests in the desert after 72 successful flights.
At center, the location of the Perseverance rover's landing site in 2021.
Along its journey through Jezero Crater this year, the rover discovered a curious leopard-spotted rock that incited profound scientific interest. The unique white splotches may have been created by microbial organisms. "The rock exhibits chemical signatures and structures that could possibly have been formed by life billions of years ago when the area being explored by the rover contained running water," NASA said in a statement. But, crucially, much more research, over many years, is needed to confirm this possibility. The sample collected by the rover must be brought back to Earth — a highly complex and costly Mars Sample Return mission the agency is currently assessin
Ascending the crater's edge has proven daunting. The sand is loose, and the heavy rover slips. "For every two steps forward Perseverance takes, we were taking at least one step back," Camden Miller, the rover's remote driver, explained. The team has tried driving backwards up the steep terrain, and has crisscrossed back and forth across the slope, "switchbacking" like hikers traveling up a mountain.
Once the rover completes its ascent, it will sleuth out more sites that may hold clues to Mars' past climate and habitability. In the future, Martian missions will also search the planet's subsurface for hints of life:Life may have teemed, or even currently teem, in subsurface areas protected from the planet'sextreme radiationand cold.
It's one of the biggest unanswered questions in science – if there's life beyond Earth, where is it?
While you might think the answer is 'far far away', surprisingly, it could be much closer to home than we thought.
A new study suggests that extraterrestrials could be hiding just 1.7 billion miles from Earth - on Uranus' moon, Miranda.
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory have discovered evidence of an ocean beneath Miranda's surface, which they say could be habitable.
'To find evidence of an ocean inside a small object like Miranda is incredibly surprising,' said Tom Nordheim, co-author of the study.
'It helps build on the story that some of these moons at Uranus may be really interesting—that there may be several ocean worlds around one of the most distant planets in our solar system, which is both exciting and bizarre.'
Based on the findings, the researchers are calling for a new mission to Uranus.
'We're excited by the possibilities and eager to return to study Uranus and its potential ocean moons in depth,' Mr Nordheim added.
A new study suggests that extraterrestrials could be hiding just 1.7 billion miles from Earth - on Uranus' moon, Miranda
It's one of the biggest unanswered questions in science – if there's life beyond Earth, where is it? While you might think the answer is 'far far away', surprisingly, it could be much closer to home than we thought
Among the 288 moons orbiting the planets in our solar system, the scientists say that Miranda 'stands out'.
Images snapped by NASA's Voyager-2 spacecraft back in 1986 showed that the moon's southern hemisphere was a 'Frankenstein-like hodgepodge' of grooved terrain.
The researchers compared this landscape to the squares on a quilt - and suspected it may be the result of tidal forces within the moon.
In their new study, the team reassessed these images to understand what the moon's interior could look like.
Firstly, the team mapped the moon's surface features, including its cracks and ridges.
Next, they developed a computer model to test several possible structures of the moon's interior.
Their analysis revealed that the interior that produced the best match with the surface was a vast ocean under Miranda's icy surface, some 100-500 million years ago.
This ocean was no more than 19 miles below the surface, and extended for at least 62 miles, according to the model.
The only spacecraft to visit Uranus was NASA's Voyager 2 in 1986 - and this isn't the first time that scientists have called for a fresh mission
Given Miranda's radius is just 146 miles, this suggests the ocean would have filled almost half of the moon's body.
Caleb Strom, who led the study, said: 'That result was a big surprise to the team.'
The researchers are unsure if the ocean is still there , and say that if it is, it's relatively thin.
'But the suggestion of an ocean inside one of the most distant moons in the solar system is remarkable,' Mr Strom added.
Based on the findings, the researchers are calling for a new mission to Uranus to photograph its moon once again.
'We won't know for sure that it even has an ocean until we go back and collect more data,' Mr Nordheim said.
'We're squeezing the last bit of science we can from Voyager 2's images.'
The report called Uranus 'one of the most intriguing bodies in the solar system', and said studying it would improve our understanding of ice giants generally.
The group said the spacecraft should operate in the system over a number of years, orbiting the ice giant and sending a probe into its atmosphere.
A NASA-led study has revealed that alien life could be hiding beneath the icy layers of Mars.
Scientists suggested that the Red Planet's ancient ice packs may have long acted as a shield for microbial life, blocking out deadly cosmic radiation.
But the key to their survival would be ice that likely formed from dusty snowfall, where sunlight absorbed by that darker dust would allow pockets of melt water to develop safely under its icy surface, lead author Dr Aditya Khuller told DailyMail.com.
Computer modeling showed that the amount of light piecing the water ice could trigger photosynthesis in these shallow pools of meltwater — similar to pools on Earth that are teeming with life.
'These are called "cryoconite holes" and form when dust and sediment on top of the ice melt into the ice because it is darker than the ice,' said Dr Khuller, who worked as a planetary scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
A host of tiny, plant-like creatures have been documented in cryoconite holes on Earth — including algae, fungi, and cyanobacteria, all of which pull in energy from the sun via photosynthesis to live.
'If we're trying to find life anywhere in the universe today, Martian ice exposures are probably one of the most accessible places we should be looking,' Dr Khuller said.
A 2016 image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter documenting what scientists believe is dusty ice lining the edges of a set of Martian gullies. Planetary scientist Dr Aditya Khuller and his co-authors believe this ice (pictured) should be a prime candidate in the search for alien life
These cryoconite colonies have been uncovered and studied everywhere from Antarctica, to Greenland, to Norway's Svalbard archipelago: an island chain midway between the Scandinavian country's northern coast and the North Pole.
'The microorganisms typically go dormant in the winter,' Dr Khuller told Space.com, 'when there is not enough sunlight to form liquid water within the dusty ice.'
'So, the two key ingredients for photosynthesis can be present within dusty Martian ice in the mid-latitudes,' he added. 'Photosynthesis requires adequate amounts of sunlight and also liquid water to occur.'
The new study builds off of Dr Khuller's work as a PhD student, when he worked on a project to predict the dust content of ice deposits on Mars — based off of data collected by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander and its Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
The team poured this data into computer simulations that were originally built to predict the brightness of terrestrial snow and glacier ice on Earth.
These brightness models built off of Earth's well-studied and better understood ice, they theorized, would help estimate the dust content mixed into distant Martian ice.
'This small amount of dust has a very important effect,' Dr Khuller told DailyMail.com.
'The depth to which enough sunlight can reach for photosynthesis to occur within the ice changes depending on how dusty the ice is,' he noted. 'Similarly, the amount of dust within the ice also changes the depth [down] to which harmful ultraviolet radiation can penetrate.'
The Martian life that may one day be found in the Red Planet's dusty ice might resemble life in ' 'cryoconite holes' here on Earth. Above, researchers sample a cryoconite hole on the Longyearbreen glacier, somewhere along Norway's Svalbard archipelago in 2017
'The microorganisms typically go dormant in the winter when there is not enough sunlight to form liquid water within the dusty ice,' researchers said. Above, More cryoconite sampling performed during that same field work for a 2017 Arctic microbiology course on Svalbard
The team's computer modelling efforts predicted that ice containing higher amounts of dust, 0.01 to 0.1 percent, will only be able to support life at a depth around five to 38 centimeter below the surface.
But, Dr Khuller noted: 'There are zones where photosynthesis could occur at [...] meter-depths for cleaner ice.'
The cleaner ice was found to be especially fertile territory for deeper pockets of microbial life along Mars' mid-latitude ranges, in both its northern and southern hemispheres.
At 40° latitude in both hemispheres, these colonies of tiny alien life could exist as far down as 2.15 to 3.10 meters deep, based on Dr Khuller and his team's estimates, published Thursday in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment.
But, complicating matters, Mars, unlike Earth, has two different kinds of naturally occurring ice: frozen water and frozen carbon dioxide, a la man-made 'dry ice.'
Thanks to the thin and dry atmosphere on Mars, planetary and atmospheric scientists are still debating whether or not melting 'water ice' even becomes liquid water there at all — with many arguing it 'sublimates' immediately into water vapor.
The ice sheets that might hold life on Mars were formed by dusty snow storms over the course of dozens of ice ages that hit the Red Planet across the past 5 million years. Above: a May 12, 2016 NASA image taken with the Hubble Space Telescope showing Mars' visible cloud cover
Above a NASA-funded artist's concept of what Mars might have once looked like with liquid water (blue regions). Data collected by NASA's Curiosity rover has suggested that Mars was once a water world fit for life - whose surface later became inhospitable to human or other life
Melting water ice shielded under layers of ice and snow might fare better, but there is still a lot of guess work in this process, Dr. Khuller noted.
'As far as I know, it is currently believed that Martian dust across the planet has the same composition,' he continued.
'However, we currently do not have any samples of Martian material returned to Earth for detailed analyses,' he added, 'so it is difficult to be sure.'
'We'd love to access samples from within that ice at some point, but that's for a future mission to consider.' told DailyMail.com
Big questions remain as to whether or not photosynthetic life exists on Mars now or even if it once did during its earlier epochs, when it had more liquid water and a stronger magnetosphere to protect it from the sun's cosmic rays.
But, at least, for now, Dr Khuller and his colleagues have helped narrow down where alien life is most likely to be on the vast 55.74 million square-miles of Martian surface.
'I am working with a team of scientists to develop improved simulations of if, where, and when dusty ice could be melting on Mars today,' Dr Khuller told DailyMail.com.
'Additionally, we are recreating some of these dusty ice scenarios in a lab setting to examine them in more detail,' said the researcher, who will be joining the University of Washington's Applied Physics Laboratory in Seattle this coming November.
Is There Life on Mars? We Asked a NASA Scientist
Encounters with UFOs; Search for ancient life on Mars; James Webb Space Telescope | Full Episodes
Strange green spots on Mars found by NASA's Perseverance rover (photo)
Strange green spots on Mars found by NASA's Perseverance rover (photo)
Story by Conor Feehly
Mysterious green spots hidden in Martian rock indicate past interaction with liquid water.
NASA's Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image, a nighttime mosaic of the Malgosa Crest abrasion patch at “Serpentine Rapids,” using its SHERLOC WATSON camera, located on the turret at the end of the rover's robotic arm. The diameter of the abrasion patch is 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) and the large green spot in the upper center left of the image is approximately 2 millimeters (about 0.08 inch) in diameter. Mosaic source images have been debayered, flat-fielded, and linearly color stretched. This image was acquired on Aug. 19, 2024 (sol 1243, or Martian day 1,243 of the Mars 2020 mission) at the local mean solar time of 19:45:30.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA's Perseverance rover is approaching four years of activity on the Martian surface — and all this time, the rover has been exploring ancient environments, collecting samples, and investigating whether our reddish neighbor may have once supported microbial life
In its latest findings, Perseverance took a nighttime mosaic image of the Malgosa Crest abrasion patch, at a location called the "Serpentine Rapids," using its SHERLOC WATSON camera. The image revealed white, black and, surprisingly, green-ish spots within the rock. While these rocks' composition remains a mystery, the unexpected find has scientists excited about what other hidden gems Perseverance might stumble across going forward.
To acquire images from within the rock, Perseverance made an abrasion patch in a rock outcrop named "Wallace Butte." The abrasion patch measured five centimeters (roughly two inches) in diameter, and the large green spot that can be seen in the upper left of the image is approximately two millimeters (about 0.08 inches) in diameter. The image was acquired on Aug. 19, on Martian day 1,243 of the Mars 2020 mission.
Rocks on Earth that resemble the studied red Martian rocks typically get their color from oxidized iron, the same type of iron that makes our blood red and similar to the oxidized red rust you might find on your car. The green spots that can be seen in Perseverance's new image are also common in red rocks on Earth, and are formed when liquid water seeps through sediment before hardening into rock. This process supports a chemical reaction that transforms oxidized iron to its reduced form, creating a green hue in the rock.
Sometimes, microbes play a role in this process on Earth, but decaying organic matter can also create the right conditions for the reduction reaction. Chemical interaction between sulfur and iron can also facilitate iron-reduction reactions without the help of microorganisms.
Exactly what type of reaction was responsible for the green spots found in Perseverance's image will remain a puzzle, however, as there was not enough room for the rover to safely place its arms holding the SHERLOC and PIXL instruments directly on top of the green spot. Thus, the robotic explorer was denied a closer look. The team hopes Perseverance unearths something similar in the future to get a better understanding of what type of chemical reactions are generating these features in the rock.
Next on the agenda for Perseverance is to ascend to theJezero Crater rim, during which time it will have to cover steep terrain. Then it will finally leave the crater it has called home for the last two years.
NASA has captured the moment the 'Great Halloween Comet' was swallowed by the sun.
The agency's probe witnessed the comet soar directly into the sun's fiery orbit and disintegrated without a trace Monday.
Astronomers discovered C/2024 S1 ATLAS in September, giving it the nickname due to it making a close approach days before Halloween.
Models predicted that the comet would glow brighter than Venus by the holiday, but on October 24, ATLAS flew past Earth and swung around the sun.
NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) was the last to see the comet as it soared within 750,000 miles of the sun and disappeared.
Karl Battams, lead for NASA’s Sungrazer Project, said: 'This comet was likely already a rubble pile by the time it entered SOHO’s field of view.
'Unlike comet C/2023 A3, which never passed closer than about a third of Earth’s distance to the sun, C/2024 S1 is a true sungrazer: It passed within 1one percent of Earth’s distance to the sun, and has been completely vaporized as a result.'
Both comments are known as 'sungrazers' due to traveling close to our planet's star, where they light up brightly and often break into smaller pieces.
NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) witnessed the final moments of the 'Great Halloween Comet' as it soared closer to the sun
The Halloween Comet had shown signs of instability when telescopes in Hawaii identified it on September 27, including a sudden release of dust and cause.
While not unusual behavior for a comet, it was a sign of nucleus fragmentation that means the ball of ice is starting to break apart.
And the farther out in space an objects forms, the faster it is likely to happen.
Astronomer Heinrich Kreutz was the first to name the comets in the late 1880s, studying as they grazed close to the sun.
And many even followed the same orbit.
'That is, they were all fragments of a single comet which had broken up,' the European Space Agency, which partners with NASA to operate SOHO, said.
It is probable that the original comet, and its fragments, had broken up repeatedly as they orbited the Sun with a period of about 800 years.
'In honor of his work, this group of comets was named the Kreutz sungrazers.'
Sungrazing comets have been observed possibly as far back as the year 371 BC.
A comet seen by Aristotle and Ephorus may have been a Kreutz sungrazer.
C/2023 A3 - also known as Tsuchinshan-Atlas - also made a close pass at Earth this month.
The comet, known as a sungrazer, took a straight path Earth's star and vaporized in the fiery orbit
Astronomers suggested the comet orbits the sun once every 80,000 years, making its current trip through our solar system the first since humans began to move out of Africa.
A3 was discovered by researchers last year and first observed at China's Purple Mountain Observatory and an Atlas (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) telescope in South Africa.
It is named after both observatories.
It is thought to have originated from the Oort cloud, a giant spherical icy shell that surrounds our solar system and dates back some 4.5 billion years and may measure as much as 25 miles across.
Dr Gregory Brown, senior public astronomy officer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, said: 'The comet itself comes from an extremely distant part of our solar system, a place called the Oort cloud.
'It contains lots of bits left over from the formation of the solar system. Every so often, one of those bits will be nudged inwards in towards the solar system, where it could end up in a very, very long orbit.
'Those orbits can take extraordinarily long periods of time - thousands of years. The estimate on this particular comet is that if it is in a stable orbit, its last path to the inner solar system was about 80,000 years ago.'
While comets often appear as a flaming fireball in the sky, Dr Brown said they are sometimes referred to as 'dirty snowballs', as they contain a considerable amount of ice.
As they fall in towards the sun they thaw out, and the gas and dust trapped within their ice is released, forming a misty cloud around them and the illusion of a 'tail'.
All seven astronauts have been forced into the US side of the orbiting laboratory due to 50 'areas of concern' and four cracks in a Russian-made module.
If the leaks become severe, the space station could rapidly lose oxygen and pressure.
The moment Houston sounds the alarm of a threat, astronauts would have to race to shut the hatch of the leaking section and head to 'lifeboats' docked on the ship.
A spaceflight expert told DailyMail.com that if evacuation became necessary, each crew would escape in their assigned NASA spacecraft, including the SpaceX Dragon capsule and the Russian Soyuz.
NASA's Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stich said that in the event of an emergency, SpaceX's Dragon could be powered up within minutes.
The capsules have been stocked with emergency suits, allowing the crew to quickly put on the proper gear as they flee the orbiting laboratory, saving more valuable time.
However, the US space agency has admitted that it is not prepared for capsule failures due to the lack of ready-to-launch vehicles, which could leave the crew stranded without a way home.
NASA has committed to fully use and safely operate the space station through 2030, with plans to retire the ISS sometime after.
NASA has a plan in place for an emergency evacuation of the ISS and it could be used amid cracks and leaks on the ship. All seven astronauts are staying on the US side due to a leak in the Russian module
Independent spaceflight safety expert Laura Forczyk told DailyMail.com: 'If the leaks on the ISS worsen significantly to the point where NASA and Russia conclude the situation is unsafe, it may mean decommissioning the ISS sooner than expected.'
The main leak was identified in a service module transfer tunnel in Russia's Zvezda module that provides station living quarters, life support systems, electrical power distribution and data processing, flight control and propulsion systems.
American astronauts who came to the ISS on SpaceX's capsule are prepared to escape on their spacecraft if necessary.
But the evacuation plan for Don Pettit, a NASA astronaut who flew to the ISS aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft with two Russian astronauts in September, is a bit more complicated.
In the event of an emergency, he would not return to Earth on Soyuz. Instead, he would have to cram inside the SpaceX capsule, which was recently equipped with an extra seat just in case Pettit needs it, NASA spokesperson Jimi Russell told DailyMail.com.
It is unclear why Pettit would not return in the Russian craft, but some have suggested the swap would be due to the growing tensions between Russia and the US.
NASA does not currently have an official evacuation plan for American astronauts assigned to Russian spacecraft. But the agency has awarded a $266,000 contract order for SpaceX to build one out.
In the event that the leaks, cracks and other issues render the entire ISS uninhabitable, the astronaut crews would follow protocol to shelter in their respective spacecraft.
This is not the first time the ISS has sprung a leak. In 2018 astronauts rushed to fix a hole (pictured) which had appeared in the outer wall of the Soyuz capsule on the orbiting laboratory.
ESA astronaut Tim Peake took this photo from inside Cupola in 2016, showing a 7 mm-diameter circular chip gouged out by the impact from a tiny piece of space debris
Each crew's capsule has an assigned shelter-in-vehicle plan that will protect astronauts from threats aboard the ISS, and allow them to flee the space station if necessary, according to a September report from NASA's Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
'It was designed with these kinds of contingencies in mind,' Stich said previously.
They also contain astronaut suits so that crews can quickly and conveniently suit-up in an emergency situation.
It can take up to 30 minutes to get inside a spacesuit, according to NASA.
Streamlining this process as much as possible would be critical in an emergency situation.
These vehicles would be the astronauts' only hope of escape. If something happened to them, it would be a different story.
'Due to the high costs and a limited budget, the lack of ready-to-launch vehicles prevent the Agency from having an immediate response capability if crew vehicles encounter significant damage and are no longer safe for crew evacuation,' the report states.
Russia's Zvezda module launched in 2000 and 'served as the early cornerstone for the first human habitation of the station,' NASA has said. But like the rest of the ISS, this module is aging and requires maintenance to keep working.
There was no immediate danger, but it was eventually located and has been patched multiple times over the last five years.
The Zvezda module is used to access a Russian cargo dock. Due to the escalating leak, the Russian space agency has agreed to keep the module sealed except when needed
A new leak was identified in 2021, also in the Russian Zvezda module, which was deemed a 'fairly serious issue.'
If the leak grew severe, NASA and Roscosmos may be forced to permanently close the hatch to the affected tunnel.
And if the leaks worsened to a point where the habitability of the entire space station was affected, astronauts would be forced to sequester inside their spacecraft and potentially return to Earth.
Shepherd reiterated claims by Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, that it was 'becoming a serious issue.'
Despite the fact that NASA has patched the main leak repeatedly, the amount of air escaping the station has only increased over the last five years.
NASA is now tracking 50 'areas of concern' related to a leak in the Russian Zvezda Service Module Transfer Tunnel (labelled) which sprung a leak in 2019
The Canadarm2 robot arm was struck by space debris in May 2021, creating a hole that fortunately didn't impact the functionality of the robotic arm
It was the focus of the September report from the OIG, which found that the leak then hit record rates in April - losing 3.7 pounds of air every day.
The OIG has escalated the threat rating to five out of five in NASA's internal risk assessments.
But this leak is just the tip of the iceberg. NASA officials told the Washington Post they are tracking four other cracks and 50 'areas of concern' on the ISS.
Speaking to the Washington Post, NASA associate administrator Jim Free said: 'We have conveyed the seriousness of the leaks multiple times, including when I was in Russia earlier this year.'
The cracks have 'all been covered with a combination of sealant and patches,' by Roscosmos, and further repairs are ongoing.
But they remain a concern, especially because the leaks are located near a hatch. NASA and Roscosmos to only open the hatch when absolutely necessary and to keep it sealed in the evenings.
The aging ISS has remained in orbit for 10 years longer than NASA originally planned.
The OIG identified 588 replacement parts that were operating beyond their operational lifetimes, according to the September report.
To make matters worse, OIG is monitoring several other risks that could imperil the ISS, including potential collisions with micro-meteors and space debris.
The Sun Has Reached Its Solar Maximum and it Could Last for One Year
These extreme UV light images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory shows the Sun at solar minimum (left, Dec. 2019) compared to the current solar maximum.Image Credit: NASA/SDO
The Sun Has Reached Its Solar Maximum and it Could Last for One Year
For most of human history, the Sun appeared stable. It was a stoic stellar presence, going about its business fusing hydrogen into helium beyond our awareness and helping Earth remain habitable. But in our modern technological age, that facade fell away.
We now know that the Sun is governed by its powerful magnetic fields, and as these fields cycle through their changes, the Sun becomes more active. Right now, according to NASA, the Sun is at its solar maximum, a time of increased activity.
Solar Maximum means pretty much what it sounds like. In this phase of the cycle, our star is exhibiting maximum activity. The Sun’s intense magnetic fields produce more sunspots and solar flares than at any other time in its 11-year cycle.
The Solar Maximum is all based on the Sun’s magnetic fields. These fields are measured in Gauss units, which describe magnetic flux density. The Sun’s poles measure about 1 to 2 gauss, but sunspots are much higher at about 3,000 gauss. (Earth is only 0.25 to 0.65 gauss at its surface.) Since the magnetic field is so much stronger where sunspots appear, they inhibit convective heating from deeper inside the Sun. As a result, sunspots appear as dark patches.
Sunspots are visual indicators of the Sun’s 11-year cycle. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and an international group called the Solar Cycle Prediction Panel watch sunspots to understand where the Sun is at in its cycle.
“During solar maximum, the number of sunspots, and therefore, the amount of solar activity, increases,” said Jamie Favors, director of the Space Weather Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “This increase in activity provides an exciting opportunity to learn about our closest star — but also causes real effects at Earth and throughout our solar system.”
The effects came into focus for many of us recently. In May 2024, the Sun launched multiple CMEs. As the magnetic fields and charged particles reached Earth, they triggered the strongest geomagnetic storm in 200 decades. These created colourful aurorae that were visible much further from the poles than usual. NASA says that these aurorae were likely among the strongest displays in the last 500 years.
Scientists know the Sun is at its solar maximum. But it lasts for an entire year. They won’t know when its activity peaks until after they’ve watched it for months and its activity has declined.
“This announcement doesn’t mean that this is the peak of solar activity we’ll see this solar cycle,” said Elsayed Talaat, director of space weather operations at NOAA. “While the Sun has reached the solar maximum period, the month that solar activity peaks on the Sun will not be identified for months or years.”
Each cycle is different, making it difficult to label peak solar activity. Different peaks have different durations and have higher or lower peaks than others.
Understanding the Sun’s cycle is important because it creates space weather. During solar maximum, the increased sunspots and flares also mean more coronal mass ejections (CMEs.) CMEs can strike Earth, and when they do, they can trigger aurorae and cause geomagnetic storms. CMEs, which are blobs of hot plasma, can also affect satellites, communications, and even electrical grids.
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured these images of solar flares below, as seen in the bright flashes in the left image (May 8, 2024 flare) and the right image (May 7, 2024 flare). The image shows 131 angstrom light, a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares and which is colourized in orange.
During the solar maximum, the Sun produces an average of three CMEs every day, while it drops to one CME every five days during the solar minimum. The CMEs’ effect on satellites causes the most concern. In 2003, satellites experienced 70 different types of failures. The failures ranged from erroneous signals in a satellite’s electronics to the destruction of electrical components. The solar storm that occurred in 2003 was deemed responsible for 46 of those 70 failures.
CMEs are also a hazard for astronauts orbiting Earth. The increased radiation poses a health risk, and during storms, astronauts seek safety in the most shielded part of the ISS, Russia’s Zvezda Service Module.
Galileo and other astronomers noticed sunspots hundreds of years ago but didn’t know exactly what they were. In a 1612 pamphlet titled “Letters on Sunspots,” Galileo wrote ‘The sun, turning on its axis, carries them around without necessarily showing us the same spots, or in the same order, or having the same shape.’ This contrasted with others’ views on the spots, some of which suggested they were natural satellites of the Sun.
We’ve known about the Sun’s magnetic fields for 200 hundred years, though at first, scientists didn’t know the magnetism was coming from the Sun. In 1724, an English geophysicist noticed that his compass was behaving strangely and was deflected from magnetic north throughout the day. In 1882, other scientists correlated these magnetic effects with increased sunspots.
In recent decades, we’ve learned much more about our stellar companion thanks to spacecraft dedicated to studying it. NASA and the ESA launched the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) in 1995, and NASA launched the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in 2010. In 2011, we got our first 360-degree view of the Sun thanks to NASA’s two Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft. In 2019, NASA launched the Parker Solar Probe, which also happens to be humanity’s fastest spacecraft.
Our understanding of the Sun and its cycles is far more complete now. The current cycle, Cycle 25, is the 25th one since 1755.
This figure shows the number of sunspots over the previous twenty-four solar cycles. Scientists use sunspots to track solar cycle progress; the dark spots are associated with solar activity, often as the origins for giant explosions—such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections—that can spew light, energy, and solar material out into space. Image Credit: NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center
“Solar Cycle 25 sunspot activity has slightly exceeded expectations,” said Lisa Upton, co-chair of the Solar Cycle Prediction Panel and lead scientist at Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. “However, despite seeing a few large storms, they aren’t larger than what we might expect during the maximum phase of the cycle.”
The most powerful flare so far in Cycle 25 was on October 3rd, when the Sun emitted an X9 class flare. But scientists anticipate more flares and activity to come. There can be significantly powerful storms even in the cycle’s declining phase, though they’re not as common.
On October 3, 2024, the Sun emitted a strong solar flare. As of this date, this solar flare is the largest of Solar Cycle 25 and is classified as an X9.0 flare. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured imagery of this solar flare – as seen in the bright flash in the center – on October 3, 2024. The image shows a blend of 171 Angstrom and 131 Angstrom light, subsets of extreme ultraviolet light. Image Credit: NASA/SDO
The Sun’s 11-year cycle is just one of its cycles, nested in larger cycles. The Gleissberg cycle lasts between 80 to 90 years and modulates the 11-year cycle. The de Vries cycle or Suess cycle lasts between 200 and 210 years, and the Hallstatt cycle lasts about 2,300 years. Both of these cycles contribute to long-term solar variation.
However, even with all we know about the Sun, there are big gaps in our knowledge. The Sun’s magnetic poles switch during the 11-year cycle, and scientists aren’t sure why.
There’s a lot more to learn about the Sun, but we won’t run out of time to study it any time soon. It’s in the middle of its 10-billion-year lifetime and will be a main-sequence star for another five billion years.
Remember that “Alien Signal” Sent by the ExoMars Orbiter Last Year? It’s Just Been Decoded
In May 2023, the ESA’s Exomars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), currently in orbit around Mars, sent a signal to Earth to simulate a possible extraterrestrial transmission. As part of the multidisciplinary art project “A Sign in Space,” the purpose was to engage citizen scientists in helping to decode it. The campaign was inspired by Cosmicomics by Italian writer/journalist Italo Calvino, a series of short stories exploring various scientific principles. The project is partnered with the SETI Institute, the Green Bank Observatory, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF).
After three radio astronomy observatories on Earth intercepted the message, the challenge was to extract the message from the raw data of the radio signal and then decode it. After ten days, more than 5000 citizen scientists worldwide gathered online and used their combined resources to extract the signal. After a year of attempts, two U.S. citizens – the father-daughter team of Ken and Keli Chaffin – managed to crack the code after days of simulations. They discovered that the message consisted of five clusters of white dots and lattices against a black background, suggesting cellular formation and life!
The project was founded by Daniela de Paulis, a media artist and licensed radio operator currently serving as the Artist in Residence at the SETI Institute and the Green Bank Observatory. Daniela and a small group of astronomers and computer scientists crafted the message with support from the ESA, the SETI Institute, and the Green Bank Observatory. On June 7th, 2024, she received the decoded image, which depicted five amino acids—the very building blocks of life—in a retro-like format.
Ken Chaffin included the following message with the solution he and his daughter submitted:
“My decoded message is a simple image with 5 amino acids displayed in a universal (hopefully) organic molecular diagram notation and a few single pixel points that appear between the clusters and molecular diagrams. I used a Margolus reversible 2×2 block cellular automata (BCA) with the simplest reversible rule, which is called ‘single point (CCW) rotation,’ acting only on 2×2 cells that contain only a single point or pixel per the header instructions, conserving pixel or point count, 625 pixels in and 625 out. The starmap image appears to have the molecular forms encoded in a 3D local degree of freedom set of basis vectors (also shown in the header).
“The CA effectively transforms and projects this 3D info onto a 2D plane. I can run my Unity game engine based simulator forwards (CCW rotation) and backwards (CW rotation) in time and transform the starmap representation to the amino acid diagrams in 6625 generations and reverse the rotation process to transform the amino acid diagrams back to the starmap image in 6625 generations. I say starmap but I really read from the binary message file each run. The decoded image is only visible for 1 frame lasting about 1/10th of a second, but I can pause and manually step as well as reverse my CA engine…Here is a screen capture of my decoded image [see below].
“The ‘blocks’ have 1, 6, 7, or 8 ‘pixels’ representing the atomic number of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen. Single and double bonds are designated as single and double lines. C-H bond angle is indicated with a caret ^ sign. These signs were produced by the CA. I have not edited the image in any way. It’s absolutely obvious to me what this is, as well as to my chemist friend I ran this by. It is amazing to watch all of the CA gliders or spaceships carry the binary bits of the message all over the ‘galaxy’ and then suddenly come together in coherence and meaning…”
The image shows the Chaffis solution. Credit: A Sign in Space
Now that the tasks of extracting and decoding the message are complete, Daniela and her colleagues are taking a step back to observe how citizen scientists are shaping the challenge. The next step is to interpret the message and determine what it was meant to convey, a task that currently remains open. According to the project team, there are several ways for the public to engage, which include using the description and solution provided by the Chaffins to conduct independent analysis and post the results on the project’s Discord channel.
Participants must include a description of the method they used so that their approach can be replicated and verified. The possibilities are endless, ranging from an attempt at communication, cultural exchange, or a threat of invasion. Ultimately, this exercise aims to determine whether or not humanity is ready to make first contact with an alien civilization.
China’s ‘Thousand Sails’ Joins Starlink as the Latest Mega-Satellite Constellation in Orbit
With ‘Thousand Sails,’ China joins the race to fill up Low Earth Orbit with mega-satellite constellations.
It’s getting crowded up there in Low Earth orbit (LEO). By now, flocks of Starlinks have become a familiar sight, and the bane of astrophotographers as the ‘vermin of the skies.’ Now, several new competitors have joined the fray, with more waiting in the wings.
Perhaps, you’ve seen one of these curious-looking ‘satellite trains,’ and wondered what they were. Certainly, the advent of satellite trains courtesy of Starlink have added to the annals of purported UFO videos shot via smartphone across YouTube. Now, more agencies worldwide are getting into the game in 2024, assuring that the next ‘star’ you wish on at dusk may, in fact, be an artificial satellite.
Approaching An Artificial Sky
Streaks and trails due to the increasing number of Starlinks in orbit have also become a standard feature in modern deep sky images. While techniques to remove these have been pioneered by astrophotographers, these will continue to impact deep sky astronomy. This impact extends to sky surveys soon set to come online such as the Vera Rubin Observatory, set to see first light early next year in 2025.
The first batch of Thousand Sails satellites in orbit, shortly after launch. Credit: Nick James.
SpaceX has implemented mitigation plans in response, including use of sun visors on first generation satellites, diffuse ‘dielectric mirror’ material on newer Version 2 (V2) platforms, and angling solar arrays. These have seen some success. Certainly, spotters have noted that the new Version 2’s have a bluer tint, and seem to shine at magnitude +7 once they’re boosted into their respective orbital slots. This is near the +7 magnitude threshold called for by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Radio noise from these new communications satellite constellations is also an issue that astronomers now have to contend with. LOFAR (The Netherlands Institute for Astronomy’s Low Frequency Array) notes that “new observations with the LOFAR radio telescope…have shown that the second generation ‘V2-mini’ Starlink satellites emit up to 32 brighter unintended radio waves than satellites from the previous generation.”
Enter China’s ‘Thousand Sails’ Initiative
China also recently joined the competition in LEO, with the launch of a Long March-6 rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center with 18 satellites for Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST). This is part of the company’s ‘Thousand Sails’ initiative.
The first batch of Thousand Sails satellites head to orbit. Credit: CNSA.
Dubbed China’s answer to Starlink, This will see an initial 1,296 satellites for the constellation placed in orbit by 2027. The company also has plans to expand the network to 12,000 satellites into the 2030s. This first batch went into a polar (sun-synchronous) orbit, and the resulting satellite train was spotted in orbit shortly after launch.
The Long March 6A booster fuel dump from the first Thousand Sails deployment, shortly after launch. Credit: Dan Bush/Missouri Skies.
And there’s more in store. China also launched a Long March 6 rocket on September 5th, with 10 new satellites for Geely Group Automotive. These are part of the company’s effort to build a communication network for autonomous vehicles.
An artist’s impression of Geely Group satellites in orbit. Credit: Geely Group.
As a follow-on this month, China also launched a Long March-6 rocket on October 15th with another batch of 18 satellites headed into a polar orbit. This group is also part of the Thousand Sails constellation. Satellite spotters have already tracked these in orbit, with an estimated brightness of up the +4th magnitude when near the zenith on a visible pass. Keep in mind, China isn’t beholden to any obligations to mitigate the impact that satellite constellations might have on the night sky…nor do any formal international standards exist.
More Mega Satellite Constellations to Come
Not to be outdone, SpaceX is putting up more than just Starlink. Last month, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket on September 12th, with the first five Bluebird satellites. These are ASTMobile’s follow-on to the BlueWalker-3 test satellite, still in orbit. With a phased-array antenna 10-meters across when deployed, BlueWalker-3 reaches magnitude 0. The company plans to put 110 of these potentially brilliant Bluebirds in orbit over the next few years.
A Bluewalker antenna unfolded on Earth. Credit: ASTMobile.
OneWeb is also still putting satellites in orbit. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine War has forced the company to forego Soyuz launches. Instead, OneWeb now relies on competitor SpaceX to get into orbit.
The OneWeb satellite constellation currently hosts 660 satellites in orbit, right around the initial target number set by the company Eutelsat-OneWeb for nominal operation. The company began offering services through residential providers last year, including Hughesnet, Viasat and ironically, Starlink.
Starlink’s current status is 7,125 satellites in orbit, with 23 more planned tonight with the launch of Starlink Group 6-61 from the Cape. 12,000 satellites in orbit are planned for in the coming years, and the constellation could extend to a total of 34,400 satellites in future years.
Not to be outdone, the Unites States’ Department of Defense is putting its own dedicated satellite constellation in space. Dubbed Starshield, the network already has 73 satellites in orbit, and a total of more than a 100 are planned. As expected, the DoD is already shaping up to be Starlink’s (and SpaceX’s) biggest customer.
Hunting Satellite Trains
Other bright reflectors are making themselves seen in the night sky as well. ACS-3 (the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System) was launched this past April on a Rocket Lab Electron rocket. The mission successfully unfurled this summer on August 29th. ACS-3 is the latest in a batch of satellites to attempt to test solar sail technologies in orbit. Mission planners could use this tech on future missions for maneuvering, propulsion or reentry disposal. Previous missions, including NanoSail-D2 and Planetary Society’s Light Sail have struggled with this tech, demonstrating just how difficult it’s turning out to be.
ACS-3 is definitely tumbling: we’ve seen it flare up to 0 magnitude (as bright as Vega) on a good pass. This seems to be very angle dependent.
You can track these missions and more on Heavens-Above. The leaders for the first two batches of respective Thousand Sail groups are 2024-140A and 2024-145A. Plus, Heavens-Above tracks Starlink batches (which are once again going up at a furious rate) on a dedicated page. We saw the most recently launched Starlink Group Batch 8-19 this past weekend… and that was from under the bright lights of downtown Bristol, Tennessee.
The Promise and Peril of Mega-Sat Constellations
To be sure, we’re a huge consumer of roaming WiFi. If we can continue our career and online exploits from a remote basecamp, then that’s a good thing… but there also needs to be oversight when it comes to what we’re collectively doing to our night sky as a resource.
Are we headed towards a future where artificial stars in the night sky outnumber real ones? Perhaps, the best thing that amateur satellite trackers can do now, is to chronicle what’s happening, as the Anthropocene era leaves its mark on a brave new night sky.
Did Some of Earth’s Water Come from the Solar Wind?
The Sun releases a steady stream of charged particles called the Solar Wind. When it strikes unprotected surfaces like asteroids or the Moon, it can change the chemistry and even create water molecules. Image Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith
Did Some of Earth’s Water Come from the Solar Wind?
The source of Earth’s water is an enduring mystery that extends to exoplanets and the notion of habitability. In broad terms, Earth’s water was either part of the planet from the beginning of its formation in the solar nebula or delivered later, maybe by asteroids and comets.
New research suggests that the Sun’s relentless solar wind could’ve played a role.
Scientists have worked hard to understand how Earth has so much life-giving water. There’s lots of research supporting the asteroid/comet delivery scenario. There’s also evidence that it accumulated water as it grew. During its accretion phase, it may have absorbed water-rich planetesimals.
To try to understand how Earth’s water fits into the history of the planet and the Solar System, researchers examine the isotope ratio on Earth and in meteorites. The isotopic composition of Earth’s water is most similar to primitive meteorites. On the other hand, it’s different from that of comets and nebular gas.
This implies that Earth’s water came from the same cosmochemical reservoir that is also the source of primitive meteorites.
It’s a complicated issue. Maybe Earth’s water has multiple sources. Maybe some of it was created in space long after Earth and the rest of the Solar System formed, and then delivered to Earth.
New research in The Astrophysical Journal explores how water can be created by the solar wind as it strikes surfaces holding oxygen-containing minerals. It’s titled “Stellar Wind Contribution to the Origin of Water on the Surface of Oxygen-containing Minerals.” The lead author is Svatolpuk Civiš from the J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry at the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague.
The solar wind is a steady stream of charged particles—mostly protons and electrons—that come from the Sun. H+ ions, which are simply protons, are the most abundant particles in the solar wind. They make a big contribution to the solar wind’s properties. Could the wind trigger the creation of water molecules?
The researchers performed laboratory experiments to find out. They tested 14 oxygen-containing minerals. “To investigate the process of water formation on the surface of oxidic materials and water abundances, we used the technique of surface bombardment with hydrogen or deuterium atoms and ions,” the authors write in their paper.
The list of materials tested in the laboratory. Note that two of the samples are meteorites and that one of the samples, TiO2 P25 anatase, did not produce water in its discharge. Image Credit: Civiš et al. 2024.
The experiments had two phases: the first tested whether the minerals would produce water when exposed to the solar wind, and the second tested their adsorption capacity. Separate from absorption, adsorption is the adhesion of a sample to a surface.
The team produced water and then measured it using two methods: a microwave (MW) discharge experiment and sputter gun irradiation. They tested the results with a type of spectrometry analysis called Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) analysis.
“Both these experiments include a mineral sample bombarded by hydrogen/deuterium ions, which, among other possibilities, react with surface oxygens in the mineral lattice and form water molecules,” the authors write.
This figure illustrates the two types of laboratory tests. The left panel shows the MW discharge method and the right panel shows the Ion sputter gun method. Image Credit: Civiš et al. 2024.
The oxide material samples were not only exposed to the strong current of H, H+ and molecular hydrogen that mimic the solar wind. They were also exposed to intense visible and UV radiation generated in the hydrogen discharge.
“The stellar wind irradiation of rocky oxygen-containing minerals results in a reaction between H+ ions and silicate minerals to produce water and OH, which could explain the presence of water in the regoliths of airless worlds such as the Moon, as well as the water abundances in asteroids,” the authors write.
Previous research has established that a chemical reaction occurs between hydrogen ions and silicate minerals when rocky materials are exposed to solar wind irradiation. Some researchers have observed the formation of OH (hydroxide) and water, while others have only found OH. This research goes deeper by testing the rocky materials for water adsorption.
The researchers tested the samples’ water adsorption capacity. Then, they calculated how much material would need to reach Earth to account for the amount of water on contemporary Earth.
“Besides material acquired by the Earth during accretion, the solar wind origin of water and its delivery to Earth could have gone on even during post-accretional bombardment,” the authors write. Here, they’re referring to the hypothetical Late Heavy Bombardment.
Previous research shows that ” asteroid and comet impacts during the classical Late Heavy Bombardment would bring in about ?1020 kg of material,” the authors write. “If that material’s surface was fully saturated with adsorbed water as composed of one of our minerals, our calculations suggest that at least one ocean equivalent of water could have been brought in.”
This schematic from the research shows how the solar wind can create water molecules on rocky bodies like asteroids. The water is adsorbed into a thin film and adheres to the asteroid. Eventually, some of this water is delivered to Earth by impacts. Image Credit: Civiš et al. 2024.
There’s not much doubt about the results of these tests and the ability of the solar wind to create water.
“The results of the experiments summarized in this work, focused on surface bombardment with hydrogen atoms, clearly confirm the theory of the interaction of excited hydrogen or deuterium Rydberg atoms and ions with the surface oxygens of oxide minerals,” the authors explain. “Our experiments attempt to explain the origin of water in the areas of oxygen-containing solid material (e.g., dust, meteoroids, asteroids, comets) exposed to a stream of charged particles close to a parent star.”
Earth’s atmosphere and magnetosphere shield it from the solar wind, so there’s no way the wind could’ve created water right on Earth’s surface. However, as the study shows, the wind can create water on the surface of other bodies like asteroids, and the water can be adsorbed and held firm, then delivered to Earth via impacts.
“This scenario is also applicable to the origin of water on Earth,” the authors write. “Due to this effect, a water molecule can be adsorbed on the surface of oxygen-containing particles and then transported over long distances and times,” the researchers write.
This study won’t be the end of the ongoing effort to account for Earth’s water. In a fascinating roundabout way, this research brings us back to asteroids and meteorites delivering Earth’s water. If it can happen here, it can happen on exoplanets elsewhere in the galaxy.
Add Astronaut Nutrition to the List of Barriers to Long-Duration Spaceflight
NASA Astronauts Kjell Lindgren (center) and Scott Kelly (right) and Kimiya Yui (left) of Japan consume space grown food for the first time ever, from the Veggie plant growth system on the International Space Station in August 2015. Credit: NASA TV
Add Astronaut Nutrition to the List of Barriers to Long-Duration Spaceflight
Though there are no firm plans for a crewed mission to Mars, we all know one’s coming. Astronauts routinely spend months at a time on the ISS, and we’ve learned a lot about the hazards astronauts face on long missions. However, Mars missions can take years, which presents a whole host of problems, including astronaut nutrition.
Nutrition can help astronauts manage spaceflight risks in the ISS, but long-duration missions to Mars are different. There can be no resupply.
In physiological terms, low gravity and radiation exposure are the two chronic hazards astronauts face on the ISS. Low gravity can lead to muscle loss and bone density loss, and radiation exposure increases the risk of developing cancer and other degenerative diseases. When astronauts make the trip to Mars, each leg of the journey can take 6 or 7 months, and they may stay on Mars for 500 days.
This dwarfs the eight days that the Apollo 11 astronauts spent in space. These long trips will tax astronauts’ health and NASA is working to understand what role nutrition can play in helping astronauts stay healthy and manage the risks.
“The importance of nutrition in exploration has been documented repeatedly throughout history, on voyages across oceans, on expeditions across polar ice, and on treks across unexplored continents,” the authors write.
Scientists have learned a lot about nutrition since the age of sailing and exploration, but the authors write that “a key difference between past journeys and space exploration is that astronauts are not likely to find food along the way.” This means that understanding astronaut nutritional requirements and food system requirements on long journeys is “as critical to crew safety and mission success as any of the mechanical systems of the spacecraft itself.”
The book examines the unique challenges astronauts face and presents data from multiple studies that are analogous to those challenges. For example, nutrition research from Antarctica duplicates the isolation and lack of sunlight astronauts can face on long missions, and head-down tilt-bed rest duplicates the musculoskeletal disuse they must endure.
This figure shows how HDT bed rest is used as an analogue for astronauts during long-duration microgravity spaceflight. Image Credit: Hargens AR et al. 2016.
Astronauts face a long list of health risks on long-duration spaceflights. Radiation exposure and its cancer risk and microgravity and its effect on muscle and bone are the most well-known risks. But there are other lesser-known risks, too.
Astronauts can suffer from neuro-ocular syndrome, their immune systems can be weakened, and their gut biota can change. All of these conditions are linked with nutrition. While scientists don’t have a complete understanding of how everything works, it’s clear that nutrition plays a role. The book outlines the types of research being done and what the current understanding is. But the authors are clear about one thing: the system of providing astronauts with proper nutrition needs work.
ISS astronauts, except for Russians, get part of their food in Crew Specific Menu (CSM) containers that each astronaut orders. They provide between 10% and 20% of their food. They also receive a small supply of fresh foods and limited shelf-life foods on each re-supply mission. This has increased the variety of foods for astronauts and helped with nutrition, but astronauts still say they’d like more CSM and fresh foods.
Here in the developed world on Earth, it’s fairly straightforward to meet nutritional needs. Most of us have access to supermarkets and/or farmer’s markets where we can buy fresh produce and other healthy foods. That same variety simply isn’t available in space. ISS astronauts have done some experimental “farming” and have successfully grown a few food plants like lettuce, kale, and cabbage. However, that’s a long way away from growing enough food to help with nutrition, especially on a Mars mission, where presumable space and payload will be at a premium.
Crops successfully grown in Veggie include lettuce, Swiss chard, radishes, Chinese cabbage and peas. Image Credit: NASA
One obvious question about astronaut nutrition is whether supplements can replace nutritious food. The authors present evidence that discredits that idea. “Many previous studies have shown that the complex synergistic benefits provided by whole foods cannot be replicated by supplements,” they write. In fact, in some instances, supplements can be dangerous. “Recent studies have also found that supplementation with certain antioxidants such as vitamin E and vitamin A can increase risks of cancer and all-cause mortality,” the authors explain.
The need for a space food system goes beyond nutrition. There are social and well-being benefits, too. Knowing that you have access to a variety of healthy foods keeps morale up. The ability to share or trade high-value food items with your fellow astronauts can create goodwill and a desire to cooperate. Think of sharing a meal with friends or family and all the social connection it provides.
According to the authors, there’s currently no solution to the nutrition roadblock for Mars missions. In fact, there’s currently no system designed to supply astronauts with the needed nutrition for any long-duration spaceflight. “Currently, no food system exists to meet the nutrition, acceptability, safety, and resource challenges of extended exploration missions, such as a mission to Mars,” the authors write.
However, the researchers say it’s critical that we develop one. Without it, long-duration missions and the astronauts who crew them will suffer and possibly face catastrophic failure.
“A space food system, developed and provisioned to deliver all the defined nutritional requirements, should be available on every human mission as an essential countermeasure to health and performance decrements,” the authors write.
Pentagon officials have been left perplexed by a swarm of mystery drones that flew over Langley Air Force base for 17 consecutive nights.
The flock of drones flew in a specific pattern over the base in east Virginia, with one or two-fixed wing drones flying over 100ft in the air, as smaller quadcopters flew below them.
General Mark Kelly, a commander at the airbase, said the drones were almost impossible to catch.
Despite flying across large areas around the base for more than a fortnight in December 2023, the Air Force could not shoot them down due to strict federal laws that stop the military from shooting them down unless they pose a threat.
94th Fighter Squadron F-22As approaching Langley Air Force Base
Some suspect the drones may have originated from Russia or China in an attempt to test American responses.
In a statement, the US Air Force confirmed the breaches but played down the potential threat.
“The number of UASs [uncrewed aerial systems] fluctuated and they ranged in size/configuration," the US Air Force said.
“None of the incursions appeared to exhibit hostile intent but anything flying in our restricted airspace can pose a threat to flight safety. The FAA was made aware of the UAS incursions.”
Analysts noted that the quadcopters did not utilise frequencies typically associated with commercial drones, suggesting they were not operated by hobbyists.
Due to the sensitive military location, as well as the prolonged nature of the incursions, analysts contacted the White House to help formulate an effective response.
Officials grappled with various options to combat the potential surveillance threat, although all choices have so far been rejected.
One suggestion involved using electronic signals to disrupt the drones' navigation systems, but this was dismissed due to the risk of interfering with Wi-Fi networks and emergency response systems.
Another proposal considered the use of directed energy weapons, an emerging military technology, to shoot down the drones.
However, the Federal Aviation Authority raised concerns about the potential danger to commercial aircraft during the holiday season.
A third option explored was the deployment of nets by the US Coast Guard to capture the drones.
This idea was also rejected due to questions over legal authority and the practical challenges of tracking the swift-moving aircraft.
While the investigation into the Langley incident continues, a potential lead emerged in January when a Chinese student was arrested for unlawfully photographing naval installations.
Fengyun Shi, who was studying at the University of Minnesota, was apprehended whilst attempting to fly back to China.
Shi was caught flying a drone near a shipyard operated by HII, a company responsible for constructing nuclear submarines and the latest Ford Class aircraft carriers.
The student's drone, which had crashed into a tree, contained photos of Navy vessels in dry dock taken around midnight.
During a federal court appearance, Shi's attorney stated: "If he was a foreign agent, he would be the worst spy ever known."
However, the connection between this incident and the Langley drone sightings remains unclear.
The Langley incident is not isolated, as drones have been spotted at other sensitive US military sites.
Just two months prior, the Energy Department's Nevada Nuclear Security Site outside Las Vegas detected five drones over three days.
This location is used for testing nuclear weapons, underscoring the potential security risks posed by such incursions.
These events follow the high-profile Chinese spy balloon incident over Malmstrom Air Force base in Montana, where nuclear assets are stored.
On February 4 last year, the US Air Force responded by dispatching an F-22 fighter jet armed with an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile to take down the balloon over water.
Mystery drones flew over US military bases for 17 days
Mysterious US spaceship executing unprecedented maneuvers above Earth: ‘National security missions in space’
Mysterious US spaceship executing unprecedented maneuvers above Earth: ‘National security missions in space’
A secretive US spaceship is about to attempt unprecedented flight maneuvers above Earth.
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-7) is an experimental space plane operated by the United States Space Force (USSF).
Although little has been revealed about the purpose of the vehicle, an official painting of the X-37B unveiled last year depicted the futuristic vehicle intercepting an adversary satellite positioning to disable a friendly satellite.
The US Space Force’s X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle at Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 12, 2022.
U.S Space Force/Boeing / SWNS
A rendering of the X-37B conducting an aerobraking maneuver.
Courtesy Boeing Space / SWNS
USSF have now announced the X-37B will begin executing a series of “novel maneuvers” called aerobraking.
This sees a number of passes using the drag of Earth’s atmosphere to change its orbit around Earth while expending minimal fuel.
If successful, it will allow the X-37B to safely dispose of its service module components in accordance with recognized standards for space debris mitigation.
A rendering showing the spacecraft intercepting an adversary satellite.
John Ayre/Space Force / SWNS
The X-37B seen at Kennedy Space Center on Oct. 27, 2019. U.S Space Force/Boeing / SWNS
Since December 2023, USSF, supported by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, has conducted radiation effect experiments and has been testing Space Domain Awareness technologies in a “Highly Elliptical Orbit.”
Once the aerobrake maneuver is complete, USSF say the X-37B will “resume its test and experimentation objectives until they are accomplished,” at which time the vehicle will de-orbit and execute a safe return as it has during its six previous missions.
Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall stated, “This novel and efficient series of maneuvers demonstrates the Space Force’s commitment to achieving groundbreaking innovation as it conducts national security missions in space.”
Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman praised the team for its efforts. “This first of a kind maneuver from the X-37B is an incredibly important milestone for the United States Space Force as we seek to expand our aptitude and ability to perform in this challenging domain. The success is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the team.”
Mysterious US Spaceship Executing Unprecedented Maneuvers Above Earth: National Security in Space!
Mystery spaceship returns to Earth
Beyond these experiments, very little is known about the X-37B's capabilities and purpose. However, during the Aspen Security Forum in 2019, former U.S. Air Force (USAF) Secretary Heather Wilson explained how the X-37B capabilities allow it to avoid detection, saying:
"[The X-37B is] fascinating [because it] can do an orbit that looks like an egg and, when it's close to the Earth, it's close enough to the atmosphere to turn where it is. Which means our adversaries don't know – and that happens on the far side of the Earth from our adversaries – where it's going to come up next. And we know that that drives them nuts. And I'm really glad about that."
"[Wilson's comments may shed light on] a previously secret orbit-related capability. The dip into the atmosphere causes a change in the timing of when it next comes overhead. So [trackers'] predictions are off, and [they] have to search for it all over again. Even a timing change makes more work for [adversaries] than just being able to use the existing orbital prediction."
Once the aerobrake maneuver is complete, the X-37B will resume its tests and experiments until they are fulfilled. As the USSF indicated before the launch of the OTV-7 mission, these tests include operating in new orbital regimes, experimenting with future SDA technologies, and investigating the radiation effects on plant seeds provided by NASA – the "Seeds-2" experiment.
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Over mijzelf
Ik ben Pieter, en gebruik soms ook wel de schuilnaam Peter2011.
Ik ben een man en woon in Linter (België) en mijn beroep is Ik ben op rust..
Ik ben geboren op 18/10/1950 en ben nu dus 74 jaar jong.
Mijn hobby's zijn: Ufologie en andere esoterische onderwerpen.
Op deze blog vind je onder artikels, werk van mezelf. Mijn dank gaat ook naar André, Ingrid, Oliver, Paul, Vincent, Georges Filer en MUFON voor de bijdragen voor de verschillende categorieën...
Veel leesplezier en geef je mening over deze blog.
![Above: 'The metal implant,' as Correa explained from Mexico on Wednesday, 'looks like aluminum and tin: a very light alloy [...] However, it is not possible to confirm what type of metals it contains until it is subjected to metallurgical analysis](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/10/24/11/91194925-13992603-Above_The_metal_implant_as_Correa_explained_from_Mexico_on_Wedne-a-29_1729764512936.jpg)
