August 3rd, 2018
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The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has issued an overview on Iran’s Ballistic Missile and Space Launch Programs As noted by the CRS report, Iran has been acquiring, developing, and testing its ballistic missile capabilities for decades. The United Nations Security Council in 2015 adopted resolution 2231, calling on, but not requiring, Iran to not develop nuclear-capable […]
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NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover is now performing 2130 duties. The robot is currently on its way to a potentially softer rock target to drill in the Pettegrove Point member of Vera Rubin Ridge, reports Lauren Edgar, a planetary geologist at the USGS in Flagstaff, Arizona. Bedrock workspace The geology theme group planned several autonomously […]
July 31, 2018 Memo from Mick Mulvaney, Director, Office of Management and Budget FY 2020 Administration Research and Development Budget Priorities: American Space Exploration & Commercialization “Research and innovation in space have a direct impact on Earth, generating advancements in our basic understanding of the universe and our own planet, and inspiring the next […]
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs has issued a document: “Near-Earth Objects and Planetary Defence.” “Addressing such a hazard, including the identification of objects that pose a risk of impact, and planning a corresponding mitigation campaign, require cooperative action in the interest of public safety on the part of the global community,” […]
It doesn’t make sense to haul from Earth building supplies on missions to Mars. But 3D-printing robots could help build homes on the Red Planet using dirt and recycled plastic. NASA’s Swamp Works lab at the Kennedy Space Center is working with Autodesk in experimenting with 3D-printing habitable structures using a process called robotic extrusion, […]
NASA Curiosity Mars rover is now performing Sol 2128 duties. The search for softer rocks on the Red Planet is on, reports Ryan Anderson, a planetary geologist at the USGS in Flagstaff, Arizona. Potential drill site Curiosity is continuing toward a third potential drill site within the Pettegrove Point member of Vera Rubin Ridge, […]
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover is now wrapping up Sol 2127 dutes. Meanwhile, a new Curiosity Mars rover traverse map through Sol 2126 has been issued. The map shows the route driven by NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity through the 2126 Martian day, or sol, of the rover’s mission on Mars (July 30, 2018). Numbering of […]
NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released a report that assesses NASA’s progress in maximizing utilization of the International Space Station to accomplish its human exploration objectives and examines the challenges associated with transitioning the Station to commercial operations and its eventual retirement. The report, NASA’s Management and Utilization of the International Space […]
A heady group of space scientists are ringing a bell concerning how to define the word “planet.” The reminder has been targeted at The International Astronomical Union (IAU), the group that in 2006 voted to demote Pluto from planet status. Titled, “On the Insensitive Use of the Term “Planet 9” for Objects Beyond Pluto,” the […]
Now performing Sol 2124 duties, NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover has been stymied once again by partially drilling into hard rock. “Our attempt at drilling the target ‘Ailsa Craig’ was partly successful,” reports Ryan Anderson, planetary geologist at the USGS in Flagstaff, Arizona. “The drill behaved exactly as it was supposed to, but unfortunately we weren’t […]
