January 30, 2024

SpaceX Launches its 1st Northrop Grumman Capsule on ISS Cargo Run (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
SpaceX has once again lent a hand by providing launch services for one of its competitors as a Falcon 9 rocket took up a Northrop Grumman spacecraft Tuesday at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport on a resupply mission to the ISS. The Cygnus spacecraft on the NG-20 mission loaded with more than 8,200 pounds of supplies and science equipment is the first resupply launch of the year for the orbiting ISS. The Falcon 9’s first-stage booster made its 10th flight with a recovery touchdown at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1, bringing its sonic boom to the Space Coast and parts of Central Florida. (1/30)

Space Weather: One Major Event From a Fully Funded Program (Source: Space News)
Funding for space weather research and operations has grown in recent years. Still, it remains challenging to convey the potential danger of a significant space weather event to lawmakers and the public “because if we do our job, you are not going to see the impact,” said NOAA's Ken Graham. Unlike hurricanes and tornadoes, space weather events don’t often leave a trail of damage.

“We have 50 years of geostationary observations and 60 years of low-Earth orbit observations with an established user base, customer base and partnerships,” said Stephen Volz, assistant administrator for NOAA’s satellite and information service. “NOAA is starting from nothing in establishing a portfolio approach for space weather observations. It is a struggling enterprise.” Volz added, “I often joke that we’re one major space weather disaster away from a fully funded program. But we don’t want it to actually get to that.” (1/30)

NASA Wants to Put a Massive Telescope on the Moon (Source: Phys.org)
As part of this year's NASA Innovative Advance Concepts (NIAC) Program, a team from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center has proposed a design for a lunar Long-Baseline Optical Imaging Interferometer (LBI) for imaging at visible and ultraviolet wavelengths. Known as the Artemis-enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI), this proposed array of multiple telescopes was selected for Phase I development. With a little luck, the AeSI array could be operating on the far side of the moon, taking detailed images of stellar surfaces and their environments. (1/29)

Dark Matter Could be Gently Wobbling Space-Time Around Us (Source: Live Science)
Scientists may soon be able to detect the most mysterious entity in the universe using a fleet of next-generation satellites, a new theoretical study suggests. They propose searching for dark matter particles using gravitational wave detectors — instruments designed to measure subtle ripples in the fabric of space-time.

The wave properties of dark matter could lead to unexpected behaviors. In particular, recent theoretical studies suggest that the density of dark matter within a galactic halo should undergo random changes, jostling entire galaxies and potentially leaving subtle clues about dark matter's makeup. If dark matter is ultralight, and if it indeed behaves like a wave, then scientists could potentially detect its movements with  gravitational wave detectors. (1/29)

Astronomers Discover an Ultra-Short-Period Super-Earth (Source: Phys.org)
Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an international team of astronomers has discovered a new ultra-short-period exoplanet. The newfound alien world, designated Wolf 327 b, is slightly larger and about 2.5 times more massive than the Earth. To date, TESS has identified over 7,000 candidate exoplanets (TESS Objects of Interest, or TOI), of which 415 have been confirmed so far. (1/29)

"Zoozve", The Solar System's First Quasi Moon (Source: IFL Science)
An X thread has been widely-shared over the weekend, in which Radiolab host Latif Nasser explained how he investigated the mystery of a moon labeled "Zoozve" on his 2-year-old's astronomy poster. Nasser's NASA friend (Liz Landau) realized what had happened. The planet was not Zoozve, but object 2002 VE 68. When space objects are first seen, they are given a provisional name based on when they were discovered. The first number part, as you might have guessed, relates to the year. (1/30)

NASA Wants to Fly Another 1-Year Astronaut Mission (Source: Space.com)
NASA wants to run more year-long astronaut missions, but it's unclear when the agency will next be able to do so. NASA's Frank Rubio became the first American to spend more than 365 straight days in space recently, after his Russian Soyuz spacecraft sprang a leak and forced him (and his two Russian crewmates) to extend his stay aboard the ISS by an extra six months.

Now NASA is considering how to bring more agency astronauts aloft for similar lengths of time, following successful near-year-long planned missions aboard the ISS with astronauts Mark Vande Hei (355 days), Scott Kelly (340 days) and Christina Koch (328 days). The challenge is getting a new set of spacecraft ready to support yearlong missions — meaning the U.S. commercial crew vehicles from SpaceX and Boeing. (1/30)

New Glenn Hardware Assembling at Launch Complex 36 (Source: NSF)
As the first month of 2024 closes, Blue Origin is well into production with its orbital rocket, New Glenn. The company continues to check off major milestones as high-fidelity hardware arrives at Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) ahead of a testing campaign and a NASA mission scheduled for late 2024.

With New Glenn being 98 meters tall and seven meters wide, the vehicle is a large step up from the company’s suborbital rocket, New Shepard. This presents new challenges with design, manufacturing, transport, and testing. However, Blue Origin seems confident with its plan as there appears to be flight hardware for multiple rockets in production, and testing of the first tankage is currently in flow. Click here. (1/30)

Spaceport Flyover Video Provides Launcher Updates (Source: NSF)
In this Cape Canaveral Spaceport Flyover, SpaceX works to upgrade Pad 39A, actual Blue Origin flight hardware was spotted, and the final Delta IV Heavy sits ready and waiting on the pad. Click here. (1/30)

Robert Bigelow Gives Trump $1 Million for Legal Fees, to Donate $20 Million More (Source: Reuters)
Hotelier [and erstwhile space industry entrepreneur] Robert Bigelow said he gave Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump $1 million for his legal fees and agreed to donate another $20 million to a pro-Trump outside group for campaign purposes. Trump faces four pending criminal cases this year, including two over his efforts to reverse his 2020 presidential election loss, one over his handling of classified documents upon leaving office and another over his hush money payments to a porn star.

Bigelow said he felt Trump was being unfairly targeted in the criminal cases, and that his sympathy towards Trump had motivated the donation. The Justice Department says it acts without political bias. Bigelow's major donation, which had not been previously reported, shows how Trump can still count on certain deep-pocketed donors. (1/30)

Astronomers are Puzzled Over an Enigmatic Companion to a Pulsar (Source: Science News)
Circling around a pulsar in our galaxy is a mysterious entity that is either a very heavy neutron star, one of the lightest black holes ever discovered, or an exotic and never-before-seen quasi-stellar object. The new finding comes from the MeerKAT Radio Telescope in South Africa, which carefully monitored 13 millisecond pulsars in a dense cluster of stars 40,000 light years from Earth. These pulsars are a type of neutron star that quickly spin, rotating in fractions of a second, while sending out powerful beams of radiation like a cosmic lighthouse. (1/18)

SpaceX Sued for Negligence in Accident That Led to Worker's Coma (Source: Reuters)
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is facing a negligence lawsuit brought by the wife of a worker whose skull was fractured during a 2022 rocket engine malfunction. The Jan. 18, 2022, engine malfunction involving Francisco Cabada was among the worker injuries detailed in a Reuters investigation of SpaceX late last year. Reuters documented at least 600 previously unreported workplace injuries at Musk’s rocket company: crushed limbs, amputations, electrocutions, head and eye injuries and one death.

His wife, Ydy Cabada, filed the lawsuit in a state court in Los Angeles, California, last week on behalf of her husband, who remains in a coma more than two years later. Cabada was injured when part of a Raptor V2 engine broke away during pressure testing at the SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California. The part, a fuel-controller assembly cover, careened into the SpaceX technician’s head, fracturing his skull. (1/26)

Space Force Picks Northrop Grumman Refueling Port Design for Future Spacecraft (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force says it will use a refueling port developed by Northrop Grumman on future spacecraft. The Space Force's Space Systems Command designated Northrop Grumman's Passive Refueling Module (PRM) as a favored interface to enable future in-space refueling of military satellites. The PRM has a docking mechanism to allow a refueling vehicle in orbit to transfer propellant to another satellite to extend its useful life. Space Systems Command will also aid development of a tanker capable of delivering 1,000 kilograms of hydrazine to satellites in geostationary orbit. The adoption of Northrop Grumman's PRM, while not exclusive, marks the first time the Space Force has publicly identified a preferred system. (1/30)

China Aims for Lunar South Pole Crater Rim (Source: Space News)
China will attempt to land on the rim of a crater near the lunar south pole on a 2026 robotic mission. Chang'e-7 will target one of a handful of sites on the rim of Shackleton Crater thought to offer exceptionally long periods of illumination at the lunar south pole, according to a recently-published journal article. Such a site could offer favorable illumination while also being close to permanently shadowed regions which could host volatiles such as water ice. The region may be near a candidate landing site for NASA's Artemis 3 crewed landing. The multi-component Chang'e-7 mission will feature an orbiter, a lander, a rover and a mini-flying probe. (1/30)

Former NRO Chief Joins Stellar Solutions (Source: Space News)
The former head of the NRO's launch office has joined defense and intelligence contractor Stellar Solutions. Retired Space Force Col. Chad Davis will be director of sigint, or signals intelligence, programs at Stellar. He spent 28 years in the Air Force and Space Force, including four years as director of the NRO's Office of Space Launch. The 30-year-old company specializes in systems engineering for ground systems and launch vehicles. It has more than 300 employees working with U.S. and international aerospace companies and government agencies. (1/30)

GOES Instrument Could Help Track Atmospheric Methane (Source: Space News)
An instrument on the latest series of GOES weather satellites could be useful in tracking atmospheric methane. With imagery from the GOES Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), researchers identified a large natural gas pipeline release and quantified total emissions from it, monitoring it through ABI images updated every five minutes. Methane emissions are tracked usually by satellites in low Earth orbit that can revisit the same source only a few times a day. By contrast, ABI images in GEO can provide continuous monitoring of methane emissions, scientists noted. (1/30)

France's Grasp Successfully Tests Atmospheric Aerosols Instrument (Source: Space News)
French startup Grasp said an instrument for monitoring atmospheric aerosols is working well. The company launched the GAPMAP-0 multi-angle multispectral polarimeter last April on an Austrian cubesat. The company says the instrument's performance is confirming their plans to develop a 10-satelite constellation with similar instruments, slated for launch by 2028. The instrument is able to provide high-quality observations of atmospheric particulates, clouds and surface properties. (1/30)

Orbital Outpost X Hires New CEO (Source: Space News)
Orbital Outpost X (OOX), a startup working on components for commercial space stations, has hired a new CEO. The company said Tuesday that Negar Feher, who previously held posts at Lockheed Martin, Maxar Technologies, Momentus Space and SpaceRyde, will be its CEO. OOX develops components, systems and subsystems for commercial space stations, such as a universal interface to transfer fluids, electricity and data. The company raised $5 million last May from Space Infrastructures Ventures of the Netherlands. (1/30)

Redwire Targets Global Semiconductor Market with In-Space Manufacturing Initiative (Source: Space Daily)
Redwire Corporation has announced a strategic maneuver to extend its in-space manufacturing technology. This development involves the launch of the first pathfinder mission for its autonomous semiconductor manufacturing platform, known as MSTIC. The MSTIC platform is scheduled to be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) on Northrop Grumman's upcoming 20th cargo resupply mission (NG-20).

Semiconductors are pivotal in the functionality of numerous modern devices, including smartphones, computers, automobiles, and medical equipment. Valued at over $600 billion in 2022, the global semiconductor market is on a trajectory to exceed $1 trillion by 2030. Present challenges, such as geopolitical tensions and intricate production processes in the semiconductor supply chain, highlight the need for innovative solutions and an emphasis on domestic production. (1/30)

Netherlands Leads in Laser Satellite Communication with TNO's Latest Compact Terminal Achievement (Source: Space Daily)
In a significant advancement for space communication technology, TNO has reported the successful testing and commissioning of its compact laser satellite communication terminal, CubeCAT. This milestone not only validates TNO's innovative approach in laser technology but also establishes a robust space flight heritage for the technology at the core of FSO Instruments' product lineup.

Laser satellite communication, emerging as a formidable alternative to the traditional radio-frequency communication, offers fast, secure connections between various entities like ground stations, satellites, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The CubeCAT, developed by TNO - the Netherlands organization for applied scientific research - represents a novel implementation of this technology in a compact form. (1/30)

Zeno Power Selects Westinghouse for Key Role in Radioisotope Power System Fabrication (Source: Space Daily)
Zeno Power has recently announced a strategic partnership with Westinghouse Electric Company, a significant move in the pursuit of advancing radioisotope power systems (RPSs). This collaboration is set to transform the way RPSs are fabricated, leveraging Westinghouse Electric's extensive experience in handling radioisotope materials. (1/30)

ClearSpace and Orbit Fab Forge Strategic Partnership for In-Space Refueling Services (Source: Space Daily)
ClearSpace and Orbit Fab has unveiled a comprehensive strategic partnership that is aiming to significantly advance in-space refueling and servicing capabilities which will crucual for a sustainable space economy to develop and grow. Under and MoU agreement, Orbit Fab and ClearSpace are committed to developing critical technologies. This initiative builds upon their prior collaborative efforts, which commenced several years ago. The synergy of the two companies will expedite the availability of propellants in space. This will be achieved through a unique refueling service architecture, which combines an Orbit Fab fuel depot with a ClearSpace shuttle. (1/30)

China's FY-3G Commences Space-Based Atmospheric Precipitation Measurements (Source: Space Daily)
Researchers from the China Meteorological Administration have achieved a significant milestone in Earth observation with the successful deployment of the FengYun 3G (FY-3G) satellite, a novel technology designed to collect detailed precipitation data from space. This satellite represents the first of two planned missions aimed at improving our understanding of global precipitation patterns, including in areas where ground-based measurements are challenging, such as over oceans and complex terrains. (1/30)

Australian Space Startups to Benefit from UniSA's Enhanced Accelerator Program (Source: Space Daily)
The University of South Australia (UniSA) is taking a significant step in bolstering its support for the burgeoning space industry. In a collaborative effort, UniSA's Innovation and Collaboration Centre (ICC) and the Australian Centre for Business Growth (AuCBG) have unveiled a new scaleup pathway for space startups. This initiative builds upon the already established Venture Catalyst Space accelerator program by offering a comprehensive six-month Growth Ramp scaleup program, designed to accelerate businesses' development beyond their initial stages. (1/30)

SAFE Orbit Act: A Step Towards Safer and More Efficient Space Operations (Source: Space Daily)
In a major move to enhance space situational awareness (SSA) and manage the increasingly congested low-Earth orbit, US Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Gary Peters (D-MI), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) have introduced the Situational Awareness of Flying Elements in (SAFE) Orbit Act. This bipartisan bill is aimed at directing the Office of Space Commerce (OSC) within the U.S. Department of Commerce to play a pivotal role in acquiring and disseminating crucial unclassified data, analytics, information, and services related to space activities and space traffic coordination.

Senator Cornyn emphasized the importance of this legislation, stating, "Building our knowledge of objects orbiting in space and their surrounding environments will help us mitigate the risks associated with space exploration and commercial space development." He underscored that the SAFE Orbit Act mandates the OSC to collect and share relevant data to strengthen space situational awareness and space traffic coordination efforts. (1/30)

General Atomics to Showcase Optical Communication Terminals in Space with SDA Contract (Source: Space Daily)
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has been awarded a pivotal contract by the Space Development Agency (SDA). This contract mandates GA-EMS to demonstrate the capabilities of its Optical Communication Terminals (OCTs), which are to be hosted on their GA-75 spacecraft, a 75-kilogram class satellite, in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). (1/30)

Scientists More Hopeful Than Ever That Perseverance Has Already Found Life on Mars (Source: Science Alert)
If signs of life really do exist on Mars, there's a chance the Perseverance rover has already rolled over them. Underground radar images suggest it is searching in the perfect spot for fossilized microbial life. As the robotic explorer, nicknamed Percy, wheels across a three-billion-year-old landscape, its instruments have confirmed that at least one Martian crater was filled with water long ago. Scientists strongly suspected the Jezero Crater once contained a delta system, as its surface holds the telltale signs of a dried-out lake bed, fed by an ancient river. That's why a Mars rover was sent to investigate the crater in February of 2021. (1/29)

Sidus Space Announces Stock Sale (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space announced the sale of shares of its Class A common stock in an underwritten public offering. The company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. As of Monday morning (Jan. 29), 1,251,700 shares were being sold at a public offering price of $4.50 per share for gross proceeds of $5,632,650, before deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses. (1/30)

The Sacred Moon: Navigating Diverse Cultural Beliefs in Lunar Missions (Source: Space Review)
The presence of cremated remains on the Peregrine lunar lander sparked controversy after the Navajo Nation expressed its objections. Deana Weibel examines the varying beliefs regarding the Moon and the challenges navigating them that entities planning lunar missions face. Click here. (1/29)
 
The Ingenuity of Technology Demos (Source: Space Review)
NASA announced last week the the Ingenuity Mars helicopter’s mission had come to an end after it was damaged on a flight earlier this month. Jeff Foust reports on the success of Ingenuity and its implications for Mars exploration and future technology demonstrations. Click here. (1/29)
 
Space-Related Incidents During Taiwan’s Elections (Source: Space Review)
A Chinese launch earlier this month had repercussions for an ongoing election in Taiwan. Ajey Lele discusses that incident and related ones in a contentious part of the world. Click here. (1/29)

Axiom Space Tests Lunar Spacesuit at NASA's Johnson Space Center (Source: NASA)
As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency is working to land astronauts on the lunar surface during Artemis III, laying the groundwork for a long-term human presence at the Moon for the benefit of all. When the Artemis astronauts take their first steps near the South Pole of the Moon, they will be wearing a spacesuit developed by Axiom Space. In the time since NASA selected the company to provide the spacesuit and supporting systems for Artemis III, Axiom Space has continued to progress with spacesuit design and testing.

In late 2023, NASA and Axiom Space test subjects wore the next-generation lunar spacesuit during testing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they performed a number of maneuverability tasks that will be required during moonwalks, such as bending down to pick up lunar samples while using lunar geology tools. Axiom Space will continue to test the lunar spacesuit in facilities such as NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. (1/29)

Eutelsat Cuts Annual Outlook on OneWeb Network Delays (Source: XM)
Eutelsat Group ETL.PA on Monday lowered revenue and earnings targets for its 2023-2024 financial year saying newly merged OneWeb's low earth orbit (LEO) activities were running behind schedule, sending its shares lower. The group, formed by the September merger of French satellite company Eutelsat with Britain's OneWeb, said delays to its ground network would directly impact revenue but also margins as a bigger share of sales would come from user terminals than expected. (1/29)

South Korea. and U.S. Discuss Space Cooperation (Source; Yonhap)
Senior officials from South Korea and the United States discussed cooperation in space exploration as Seoul pushes ahead with the establishment of its independent space agency in May, officials said Monday. First Vice Science Minister Cho Seong-kyung met with Pam Melroy, the deputy administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Agency, during her visit to the U.S. last week and discussed measures to expand space cooperation between the two countries, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT. (1/29)

Surgical Robot Headed to International Space Station (Source: Nebraska Today)
A surgical robot developed by Nebraska’s Shane Farritor is headed to the ISS for testing. The Miniaturized In vivo Robotic Assistant — or MIRA — is among the experiments on the NASA’s NG-20 cargo mission, launching this month from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. It will be the first surgical robot on the space station and one of the first times remote surgery tasks have been tested in space. The mission will help identify the next steps for creating surgical technologies suitable for long-distance space travel, but it also has implications for health care here on Earth. (1/29)

Australia's ELA Releases Designs for Rocket Testing Facility (Source: Australian Defense)
Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) has revealed completed designs for its Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) buildings – assembly, integration and testing facilities for up to seven rocket launch companies to be based at the Arnhem Space Center (ASC). The delivery of the HIF designs completes the company’s designs for its Space Launch Complex (SLC) – a designated area of the spaceport at which each resident launcher will locate for all preparatory work prior to and including lift off – and is comprised of up to two launch pads and one HIF building for each launch company. (1/29)

Sutherland Spaceport Wants to Downsize and Relocate Parts of the Facility (Source: HN Media)
The Sutherland Spaceport is to submit a second planning application to downsize and relocate some elements of the facility which has already been granted consent to start work. The 2020 application – like the current one – sought to construct a vertical launch spaceport with a launch operations control center, launch pad complex, antenna park together with roads and fencing. But the applicant now wants to change four main elements of the original application.

The hoped for changes to the primary site are: 1) relocate the range tracking infrastructure to the east of the main complex; 2) reduce the size of the launch pad area and change its layout; and 3) reduce the in both the footprint and height of the launch site integration facility (LSIF). Up to 12 launches a year will be permitted from the spaceport, which will include a control center, 2.5km of road and a launch pad, occupying a total of just over 10 acres of the 740-acre site. (1/28)

AAC Clyde Space Wins SEK 9.9 M Sirius Order (Source: AAC Clyde Space)
AAC Clyde Space has secured an order valued at EUR 0.9 million for its Sirius range of computers and services. The order is planned for delivery during the fourth quarter of 2024. "The order reaffirms our customers' trust in the Sirius product line, which is known for its highly capable, reliable and accessible onboard computers," said CEO Luis Gomes. The client, a repeat customer for the Group, has opted to remain unnamed. (1/22)

AAC Clyde Space Succeeds with Laser Communication Terminal in Space (Source: AAC Clyde Space)
AAC Clyde Space with its partner TNO, have successfully transferred data from a compact laser satellite communications terminal, called SmallCAT, onboard a spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to Earth, thereby demonstrating that the laser satellite communication technology works under spaceflight conditions. AAC has contributed electronics and firmware to the laser communication terminal. (1/24)

Airbus Takes Over Space Coast's OneWeb Constellation Factory (Source: Space News)
Eutelsat OneWeb has sold its 50% share of the factory that built more than 600 satellites for its low Earth orbit constellation (LEO) to Airbus, the operator’s joint venture partner. Airbus said Jan. 29 it is now the sole owner of Airbus OneWeb Satellites (AOS) in Merritt Island, adjacent to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, which it has repurposed for other commercial and government customers.

Airbus U.S. Space & Defense recently retooled the Merritt Island factory to accommodate the  Arrow450 production line and is starting an expansion project to meet increased demand for  small satellites from commercial and government customers deepening the company’s  presence in Florida. The Airbus OneWeb Satellites joint venture, established in 2016, built more than 600 satellites  at the rate of two per day for the OneWeb first generation constellation, currently operating on orbit. (1/29)

A Moore’s Law for Space (Source: Space News)
Something fundamental has changed in space. After decades of slow growth, the number of spacecraft launched annually has doubled every two years since 2015. And the trend shows no sign of slowing, with tens of thousands of planned spacecraft to be launched over the next few years. This exponential growth is reminiscent of Moore’s Law, the decades-long observation that the number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles every two years.

The consequences of the continuation of Moore’s law and the ever-increasing computing power for lower costs over the past six decades has changed the course of our society, our economy, and our way of life. Could we be witnessing a similar revolution in space? The trend line for this proposed Moore’s Law for Space has only been exponentially growing for just over eight years. In that same spirit, it is useful to consider what might happen if this trend continues.

First, it is necessary to point out that nearly all this recent growth in satellites are in Low Earth Orbit, which is generally defined as being below 2,000 km in altitude. These are not geostationary satellites. And the great majority of these satellites are commercial, not governmental. If the launch rate of spacecraft does continue to double every two years, the world could see an increase in the severity of the already serious space debris issue. Collisions in space, each of which creates yet more debris, are already happening, and increasing the number of satellites will only increase the risk of collision. Click here. (1/29)

'This Might Be the Seeds of Life': Organic Matter Found on Asteroid Ryugu Could Explain Where Life on Earth Came From (Source: Live Science)
A detailed investigation of asteroid Ryugu samples has provided further evidence that the organic molecules which gave rise to life to our planet were brought here by ancient comets. Ryugu is a 2850-foot wide near-Earth asteroid that lacks a protective atmosphere. This means its surface is directly exposed to space and can gather interplanetary dust, which changes the asteroid's surface composition when struck.

The team of scientists behind the new developments in the quest to find life's origins found 5 to 20-micrometer-wide "melt splashes" created when cometary dust in particular pelted the surface of Ryugu. And within these melt splashes, the researchers found small carbonaceous materials similar to primitive organic matter. "This organic matter might be the small seeds of life once delivered from space to Earth," said Megumi Matsumoto. (1/29)

Finding Life On Mars Could Be The "Worst News Ever" For Humanity (Source: IFL Science)
At some point yet to come are we, like other alien civilizations out there, about to destroy ourselves before we are able to leave Earth, perhaps through war or using up our resources before we can escape? Somewhat disconcertingly, some philosophers and scientists have suggested that this means if we were to find life on, say, Mars it would have some less-than-ideal implications for where we are in relation to the Great Filter.

Bostrom believes that in order to narrow down where the filter takes place, we should look at life on Earth to see which steps are improbable. "One criterion is that the transition should have occurred only once," he wrote. "Flight, sight, photosynthesis, and limbs have all evolved several times here on Earth, and are thus ruled out."

He also argued that evolutionary features that took a long time to occur even after prerequisites were met would indicate that this evolutionary step was improbable, eg the original emergence of life. The step from animals to humans took place over a relatively short time period, geologically speaking, suggesting it's a weak candidate for a Great Filter event. If we were to find evidence of vertebrates on Mars (very unlikely, but we can dream!) he believed that would be terrible news, as it would suggest that the bulk of the Great Filter is still in our future. (1/28)