January 9, 2024

NASA to Push Back moon Mission Timelines Amid Spacecraft Delays (Source: Reuters)
NASA is set to delay its next few missions to the moon under a key program as technical hurdles mount with the various spacecraft it intends to use to get there, according to four people familiar with NASA's plans. The U.S. space agency is expected to announce the plans on Tuesday after spending months tracking progress with contractors and considering changes to the Artemis program, a multi-billion dollar effort that includes returning the first astronauts to the moon since the last Apollo mission in 1972. (1/8)

Eugene Shoemaker Is The Only Human To Be Buried On The Moon (Source: IFL Science)
Despite controversy, human remains are on their way to the Moon today, after Space burial firm Celestis, which promises to launch the remains of loved ones into space, purchased space on board private firm Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander. The mission has been criticized by the Navajo Nation (amongst others) for ignoring the sacred position the Moon has in many indigenous cultures, with the President of the Navajo Nation describing it as a “desecration of this sacred space.”

Surprisingly, though this is not the first commercial mission to place remains on the lunar surface; there are already human remains "buried" on the Moon. They belong to Eugene Shoemaker, whose ashes were launched to his final resting place by Celestis on January 6, 1998. Twenty-eight grams (1 ounce) of Shoemaker's ashes were sent on board NASA's Lunar Prospector, inside a small vacuum-sealed polycarbonate capsule. (1/8)

The LEO Satellite Industry Needs More Engineers (Source: IEEE Spectrum)
The LEO satellite market is likely to grow from more than US $4 billion in 2022 to nearly $7 billion in 2031, according to Business Research Insights. Although the market is growing, the number of engineers and technologists who understand the complicated systems is not. That’s why in 2021 IEEE launched the Low-Earth-Orbit Satellites and Systems (LEO SatS) project under the leadership of Witold Kinsner. The IEEE Fellow is a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Manitoba, Canada, and past vice president of IEEE Educational Activities. (1/7)

High Speed Internet at Sea (Source: Maritime Executive)
Far above the planet, thousands of satellites are orbiting Earth. Some are taking high-resolution photographs and beaming them back to ground stations, allowing companies like San Francisco-based Planet Labs to count how many ships are in a port. The spate of viral satellite images of Evergreen Marine’s Ever Given, grounded in the Suez Canal in March 2021, cemented the importance of satellites for tracking and documenting the global shipping fleet.

Other satellites provide television and phone service and, increasingly, Internet access to remote corners of the planet. More and more, these spaceborne sentinels are linking up with the maritime sector. CMS began installing Starlink on ships in 2022. Litt, who already had Starlink at his house, was asked by Maersk Line if his company could put it on a ship, and the first installation occurred in May of 2022. That first ship ended up becoming a test platform for Starlink, whose engineers set sail with CMS for a week while they performed operational and functional tests. (1/7)

Private Moon Lander Peregrine Is Already in Big Trouble (Sources: Gizmodo, Space News)
“Unfortunately, it appears the failure within the propulsion system is causing a critical loss of propellant,” the company noted on X. “The team is working to try and stabilize this loss, but given the situation, we have prioritized maximizing the science and data we can capture.” What’s more, and as a result of this apparent critical failure, Astrobotic is now brainstorming “alternative mission profiles” for Peregrine in an attempt to salvage the project and explore different avenues for achieving at least some objectives despite the setback."

Astrobotic said late Monday that those thrusters will run out of fuel in about 40 hours, after which it will start to tumble and lose power, effectively ending the mission. That rules out a landing on the moon, with Astrobotic hoping to instead operate the spacecraft "as close to lunar distance as we can" before losing power. Astrobotic was carrying 20 payloads from NASA and other customers on Peregrine, the first in a series of commercial lander missions backed by the agency. (1/8)

Moon Mission Carries Sports Drink and Human Remains - is This Compatible with Science? (Source: Sky News)
NASA hopes the innovation of tech start-ups will bring down the costs of transporting equipment to the moon. It paid Astrobotic $108m (£85m) to put five experiments on the lunar surface. That's a bargain. It's also a gamble. Astrobotic's shed-sized lunar lander, called Peregrine, is untested, as was the rocket that launched it towards the heavens.

But while NASA celebrates the value for money from involving commercial know-how, there is a cost. To make the sums add up, Astrobotic has sold space to other companies with aims that are far from scientific. One company is sending a can of its sports drink in a powdered form so future astronauts can mix it with lunar water. And even more controversially there are capsules containing cremated human remains and DNA. That's angered the Navajo Nation of indigenous Americans, who regard the moon as sacred.

Even those with no spiritual connection to the moon might feel a little uneasy over commercial missions. For decades it has been a giant science lab - a time capsule that could tell us something about the solar system's history - and in future it could be a location for new radio telescopes that could peer into space without interference from Earth. (1/8)

New Dark Energy Measurements (Source: The Conversation)
In a new study soon to be published in the Astronomical Journal, we have measured the properties of dark energy in more detail than ever before. Our results show it may be a hypothetical vacuum energy first proposed by Einstein – or it may be something stranger and more complicated that changes over time. Since those initial measurements, we’ve been using supernovae and other probes to measure the nature of dark energy. Until now, these results have shown the density of dark energy in the universe appears to be constant.

Finally, after more than a decade of work and studying around 1,500 Type Ia supernovae, the Dark Energy Survey has produced a new best measurement of w. We found w = –0.80 ± 0.18, so it’s somewhere between –0.62 and –0.98. This is a very interesting result. It is close to –1, but not quite exactly there. To be the cosmological constant, or the energy of empty space, it would need to be exactly –1. (1/8)

NASA Just Spotted an Exploded Star Blasting Vital Elements Into Space (Source: Mashable)
Around 3,000 years ago, a star 15 times bigger than our sun exploded. Now, scientists are watching it blast valuable elements into space. Astronomers have a powerful new observatory orbiting Earth, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency-led XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission). In collaboration with NASA, the team just captured an unprecedented view of this exploded star, now called "supernova remnant N132D," located some 160,000 light-years away.

Massive stars forge elements deep inside their hot, pressurized cores, and can also create elements during a violent stellar blast that occurs when they run out of fuel and collapse. The XRISM observatory picked up evidence of iron, calcium, sulfur, silicon, and argon. (1/6)

Telescope Spots Complex Iron Rings Around a Star 500 Light-Years Away (Source: Interesting Engineering)
The Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) has analyzed the planet-forming disk around HD 144432, a young star around 500 light-years distant. The telescope identified a three-ring structure within the region where planets are in the process of forming. The spaces between these rings are filled with dust, gas, and elements that function as the fundamental building blocks for planets. Researchers detected various silicates and minerals in the dust composition similar to those found in Earth's crust and mantle. The observations suggest metallic iron is present, the first detection of such a component in a planet-forming disk. (1/8)

Examining One of the Largest Stars in the Milky Way as it Fades From View (Source: Phys.org)
Astronomers have captured the first close-up images of a massive star known as RW Cephei that recently experienced a strange fading event. The images are providing new clues about what's happening around the massive star approximately 16,000 light years from Earth. Scientists were surprised last year by the fading of the enormous star, which is an example of a "cool hypergiant," a star that has grown to huge dimensions as it approaches the end of its life. RW Cephei is so large that if it were placed at the sun's location, its outer layers would reach beyond the orbit of Jupiter.

Despite its huge size, RW Cephei is so far away that it appears as a pinpoint even using the largest of conventional telescopes. To see the star close up required the remarkable abilities of the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) Array telescopes. The final pictures show a star convulsed by motions in its outer layers that create fainter and brighter patches across its surface. Furthermore, the appearance changed significantly over the 10-month period of observations that coincided with the transition from its faintest state to a slow recovery toward its former brightness. (1/8)

China's FAST Telescope Detects Scintillation Arc in Fast Radio Burst (Source: CGTN)
Astronomers detected a scintillation arc in the spectrum of fast radio burst (FRB) for the first time using China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), the world's largest single-dish and most sensitive radio telescope. FRBs are mysterious radio flashes lasting only a few thousandths of a second that were confirmed in 2016 to originate from the cosmos. There is still no explanation for their origins. (1/2)

Linear Energy Transfer Spectrometer Overview (Source: NASA)
Nic Stoffle, science and operations lead for the Linear Energy Transfer Spectrometer (LETS), provides an overview of the instrument. LETS launched aboard Astrobotic’s Peregrine Mission One flight on Jan. 8 as part of a Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) delivery to the Moon. The LETS radiation sensor will collect information about the lunar radiation environment and relies on flight-proven hardware that flew in space on the Orion spacecraft’s inaugural uncrewed flight in 2014. It is being developed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Click here. (1/8)

Electro-luminescently Cooled Zero-Boil-Off Propellant Depots Enabling Crewed Exploration of Mars (Source: NASA)
One crucial area where new missions and enabling technologies are needed is the long-duration storage of cryogenic propellants in various space environments; relevant propellants include liquid Hydrogen (LH2) for high specific impulse Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) which can be deployed in strategic locations in advance of a mission. Such LH2 storage tanks could be used to refill a crewed Mars Transfer Vehicle (MTV) to send and bring astronauts home quickly, safely, and cost-effectively.

We propose a breakthrough mission concept: a cryogenic liquid storage depot capable of storing LH2 with ZBO even in the severe and fluctuating thermal environment of LEO. Our innovative storage depot mission employs thin, lightweight, all-solid-state panels attached to the tank’s deep-space-facing surfaces that utilize a long-understood but as-yet-unrealized cooling technology known as Electro-Luminescent Cooling (ELC) to reject heat from cold solid surfaces as non-equilibrium thermal radiation with orders of magnitude more power density than Planck’s Law permits for equilibrium thermal radiation. (1/4)

Space Force Confirms Rocket Lab Satellite Contract (Source: Space News)
The Space Force's Space Development Agency (SDA) confirmed it is the customer for an 18-satellite contract Rocket Lab announced last month. The contract, valued at up to $515 million, will be for 18 Transport Layer Tranche 2 Beta communications satellites scheduled for launch in mid-2027. The spacecraft will carry radios using the UHF and S-band frequencies that military and intelligence units rely upon for voice and low-speed data transmissions. The satellite buses for SDA will be a derivative of those Rocket Lab is developing for the communications company Globalstar. (1/9)

Army Guidance on Space System Integration in Ground Warfare (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Army has unveiled new guidance underscoring the vital role of space systems in modern ground warfare. In a memo released Monday, the service outlined a vision for enhanced integration of space capabilities across all Army operations and activities. That includes the Army's explicit commitment to develop capabilities to disrupt adversaries' use of space capabilities if necessary to defend U.S. and coalition forces. The memo also calls for greater investment in space capabilities. The memo was signed by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth and Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer. (1/9)

JPL Lays Off 100 Amid Budget Uncertainty (Source: Space News)
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) laid off 100 contractors last week because of uncertainty about the federal budget. The layoffs primarily affected the Mars Sample Return (MSR) program, which NASA is slowing down as a precaution if the program receives a significant budget cut in the final fiscal year 2024 appropriations bill, as proposed in a Senate bill. JPL leadership warned that, if that cut is enacted, layoffs of JPL employees may also be necessary. The cuts do not affect missions like the NISAR Earth science spacecraft or Europa Clipper, both of which remain on schedule for launch this year. (1/9)

Muon Space Wins USAF Contract for Multispectral Cloud Characterization (Source: Space News)
Muon Space has won a U.S. Air Force contract to study how its climate monitoring satellites can be used for cloud characterization. Under a Small Business Innovation Research Phase 1 contract, Muon Space will perform a feasibility study about how the multispectral instrument is has developed could be used to meet the Defense Department's cloud characterization needs. Imaging cloud cover is an important requirement that DoD is looking to fill with a new line of weather satellites. Muon Space is developing small satellites to monitor Earth’s climate and ecosystems and launched its first satellite last summer. (1/9)

China Begins 2024 with Key Kuaizhou 1A Satellite Launch (Source: Space Daily)
China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC), a prominent state-owned space contractor, has announced the successful launch of a Kuaizhou 1A carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, situated in the northwestern Gobi Desert. This event, occurring on Friday evening, signifies the commencement of China's ambitious space endeavors for the year 2024. The solid-propellant rocket successfully deployed four satellites into the Tianmu 1 meteorological observation network in their designated orbits. (1/9)

China Launches Astrophysics Satellites (Source: Space News)
China launched an astrophysics mission Tuesday that will study black holes and supernova explosions. A Long March 2C rocket lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 2:03 a.m. Eastern and placed the Einstein Probe spacecraft into orbit. The spacecraft features "lobster-eye" optics to enable a wide field of view for its X-ray instrument. Astronomers plan to use the spacecraft to study supernovae, tidal disruptions of stars caused by black holes and other phenomena that generate X-rays. ESA contributed to the mission with support for the testing and calibrating of the detectors and optical elements for the spacecraft's X-ray telescope. (1/9)

Rocket Lab to Launch Four SSA Satellites for NorthStar Earth and Space (Source: Rocket Lab)
Rocket Lab's next Electron launch will carry four space situational awareness (SSA) satellites for a Canadian company. Rocket Lab said Monday that the "Four of a Kind" mission is scheduled to launch on Jan. 18 from New Zealand. It will carry four satellites built by Spire for NorthStar Earth and Space, part of a constellation being developed by NorthStar to provide SSA services. Rocket Lab also plans to recover the Electron first stage as part of its ongoing efforts to eventually reuse those boosters. (1/9)

Scottish Spaceport Pushes for Elevated Space Position in Government (Source: The Independent)
A Scottish spaceport wants the U.K. prime minister to elevate the profile of space in the government. At a U.K. Parliament hearing Monday, Scott Hammond, deputy CEO of SaxaVord Spaceport, said the government needs a senior minister devoted to space, a topic currently in the portfolio of the country's science minister. Having a space minister, Hammond argued, could help deal with the red tape his spaceport has encountered securing approvals for launches. (1/9)

Orbex Gets New CEO (Source: Orbex)
Small launch vehicle developer Orbex has hired yet another CEO. The company said Monday that Phillip Chambers, a "scale-up" expert who invested in Orbex's Series C round in 2022, joined the company as CEO. Chambers has previously led a number of technology companies but has little experience in space beyond his investment in Orbex. Chambers becomes the fourth CEO in less than a year for Orbex. Longtime CEO Chris Larmour resigned in April 2023 and was replaced on an interim basis by Kristian von Bengtson. Martin Coates took over as CEO in late May. In addition to Chambers, Orbex said it hired Miguel Belló Mora, former director general of the new Spanish Space Agency, as its executive chairman. (1/9)

ESA Gives Us a Glimpse of its Future Space Exploration Plans with a Cool New Video (Source: Universe Today)
The European Space Agency (ESA) has made incredible contributions to space exploration and space-based science. Last year, the agency launched the Euclid space telescope, which will survey the Universe back to 3 billion years after the Big Bang to measure cosmic expansion and the influence of Dark Energy. After more than a decade of development, the Ariane 6 launch vehicle conducted its first full-scale dress rehearsal, which included an engine fire test. In a recent video, the ESA showcased its plans for the future, which include some new launch vehicles and engine technology. Click here. (1/5)

3 Space Exploration Stocks for Out-Of-This-World Returns (Source: Investor Place)
You can’t go wrong with any of these space stocks: Virgin Galactic (SPCE): SPCE has an upcoming space mission that could boost investor sentiment regarding space stocks; Boeing (BA): Wall Street considers BA stock a Strong Buy, and its valuation looks attractive; and Northrop Grumman (NOC): NOC has major projects in the works for the space industry and reported an excellent most recent quarter. (1/8)

Amazonian Leaders Visit “Space for Earth” (Source: NASA)
Amazonian leaders visited “Space for Earth,” an immersive audio-visual installation that draws from near real-time satellite data and images, in NASA’s Earth Information Center at the NASA Headquarters in Washington on Nov. 17, 2023. The leaders, joined by University of Richmond faculty and NASA representatives, gathered to discuss how NASA’s data can be used to help protect the Amazon. (1/4)

Success and Setbacks (Source: Space Review)
The first launch of a new rocket carried the first lunar lander developed by a startup. Jeff Foust reports on how ULA’s Vulcan finally soared while Astrobotic’s Peregrine unfortunately stumbled. Click here. (1/9)
 
India’s Mission for Understanding the Dynamics of the Sun (Source: Space Review)
An Indian spacecraft, Aditya-L1, reached its orbit around the Earth-Sun L1 point over the weekend to carry out a mission of observing the Sun. Ajey Lele discusses the importance of the mission for both space science and India. Click here. (1/9)
 
NewSpace, Satcom, and Heavy Rockets (Source: Space Review)
Last week, the commercial arm of India’s space agency ISRO announced it would launch a communications satellite not on one of India’s own rockets but instead with SpaceX. Aditya Chaturvedi examines the implications of that decision. Click here. (1/9)

UN Space Tsar Calls for Increase in Junk Clean-up Efforts (Source: Financial Times)
Governments and industry should speed up efforts to implement voluntary guidelines for the sustainable use of space, rather than push for a new global treaty that will be “difficult” to conclude, according to a leading UN official. A rapid increase in rocket launches and satellites has sparked concerns over risks of dangerous collisions generating volumes of “space junk”, sparking calls for tighter regulation of activities in low earth orbit. “We do need a multilateral process [and] as much collaboration as possible,” said Aarti Holla-Maini, new director of the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs. (1/8)

10 Things About Living On The International Space Station You Probably Never Realized (Source: SlashGear)
Running the ISS is a crew that can number up to seven individuals. These astronauts and cosmonauts spend months in space and have to go through extensive training to make sure they will be able to withstand the unique environmental pressures that come with living on the ISS. That's because everyday tasks and bodily functions that require little thought on Earth can suddenly become very difficult in microgravity. Living on the ISS is much harder than you might have realized, given that the crew has to put up with all of these different factors as part of their daily life. Click here. (1/7)

If You Fell From A Skyscraper On The Moon Would You Get Hurt? (Source: IFL Science)
Of course, in real life, any small fall on the Moon could potentially be quite deadly. During one Moon walk, astronaut John Young turtled himself while attempting to join in the "Moon Olympics". But say suits weren't a problem, and you have a breathing device sorted. Would the reduced gravity of the Moon allow you to gently fall to the lunar surface, landing harmlessly like Superman?

Say you fell from 100 meters: by the time you hit the lunar surface you would reach the velocity of 17.89 meters per second, or 64.4 kilometers per hour. At that speed, you will very likely injure yourself. If you were to jump off the tip of the tallest skyscraper in the world (after you transferred it to the Moon, for some reason) you would reach the velocity of 51.53 meters per second, or 185.5 kilometers per hour, more than enough to cause serious damage or death. (1/8)

Satellites Reveal 75% of World's Industrial Fishing Vessels are 'Hidden' (Source: Space.com)
The team's analysis showed that 75 percent of the world's industrial fishing vessels and more than 25 percent of transport and energy vessels are not publicly tracked, which presents challenges for managing natural resources such as protected marine areas, according to the study. Most of the unmapped industrial fishing vessels were found around Africa and south Asia. While there are a number of legitimate reasons why a vessel might not appear in a public monitoring system, many of the unmapped vessels are often engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, according to the statement. (1/8)

The Patagonian Enigma: China's Deep Space Station in Argentina (Source: The Diplomat)
Javier Milei’s presidential victory in Argentina may be a turning point in the country’s relations with China. Initially, Milei was critical of China and skeptical of international trade blocs. However, after his election, he has adopted a more pragmatic stance given Argentina’s economic ties with China. Nonetheless, it remains crucial for Milei’s government to actively reevaluate and consider terminating the 2014 deep space station agreement with Beijing, ensuring that national interests are prioritized.

China’s pursuit of minerals, hydrocarbons, and food resources in Latin America and Africa is a strategic move to fuel its industrial growth. In a hypothetical global conflict involving the United States, these countries, including Argentina, would be key suppliers of essential raw materials for China’s survival. Consequently, China has established a network of trade and investment treaties in those regions. (1/8)

The UFO Movement Sees Otherworldly Growth (Source: Wall Street Journal)
For many years, the Connecticut chapter of America’s largest UFO research group investigated alien life on Earth from the shadows. That wasn’t by choice—it was because almost nobody ever came to meetings in a suburban basement just outside of Hartford. But times are changing. Today, the ranks of the Mutual UFO Network of Connecticut have swelled from six to nearly 100, and the meetups are happening in broad daylight. On the first Saturday of every month, several dozen Mufon members cram into red vinyl booths at AD’s Pizzeria in the town of Windsor Locks and spend hours discussing flying saucers. (1/8)

Should We Send Humans to Pluto? (Source: Phys.org)
Pluto lacks the harsh environments of Europa and Venus, but like Titan, the extremely vast distance could pose potential concerns for sending humans to this distant world. So, should we send humans to Pluto? "I think we should send humans everywhere in the solar system, eventually," said Dr. Alan Stern. "But it would be premature to send human beings to most places in the solar system, including Pluto, today, because we don't know enough about the planet to design such a mission. (1/8)

SpaceX Execs Worried Elon Musk Was on Drugs for 'Cringeworthy' Meeting (Source: Business Insider)
After Elon Musk arrived nearly an hour late to an all-hands meeting at SpaceX, rambling and slurring his words for about 15 minutes before the meeting was taken over by the spacecraft manufacturer's president, executives of the company privately worried whether Musk was on drugs, the Wall Street Journal reported. The Journal's new report said Musk was unusually incoherent when he took the stage in front of his SpaceX employees to discuss the development of the company's Big Falcon Rocket prototype, with one executive describing the event to the outlet as "nonsensical," "unhinged" and "cringeworthy."

SpaceX's president, Gwynne Shotwell, had to step in for Musk and take over the meeting, the Journal reported. Musk's drug use, which people familiar with the matter said included LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, and ketamine, is at the center of an extensive new report from the Journal that details how executives at several of the billionaire's companies have struggled to manage his substance use and erratic behavior. At SpaceX, where illicit drug use could jeopardize the billions of dollars of government contracts enjoyed by the defense contractor due to federal regulations, the Journal's reports of Musk's drug use put at risk nearly $1 trillion in assets held by investors, about 13,000 jobs, and the future of the US space program. (1/7)

In 2019 a Mysterious Radio Signal Hit Earth. Now Scientists Have a Wild Explanation (Source: The Messenger)
The signals were unlike anything scientists had ever seen before: Radio wave circles, emanating from outer space, so huge that they could contain entire galaxies. Detected in 2019 by the brand-new Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder telescope, they stopped the observing scientists in their tracks: What were they? What caused them? They couldn't answer.

But now, thanks to years of study, a team of physicists led by Alison Coil, a professor at the University of California San Diego, think they have a potential answer to part of the mystery of what they call "odd radio circles." In a paper published on Monday in Nature, the scientists lay out their theory: The radio wave circles are shockwaves that have traveled through the cosmos in the aftermath of massive stars exploding into supernovae —basically, a bomb blast of ultrafast, strong galactic winds. (1/8)

Fighting for Space: The Low Earth Satellite Race (Source: Al Jazeera)
The commercial possibilities of space offer the potential to empower the roughly three billion people who are currently without broadband internet and provide an invaluable tool for researchers. But there is potential peril embedded in the promise. Expanded internet access increases the surveillance capabilities of government and private entities. The military use of satellites has already resulted in sabre-rattling between world powers. Reflected light from satellites could change the way we see the stars in the night sky. And every new satellite increases the chance of a disastrous collision which could set off a chain of events that could render the Earth’s orbit unusable. Click here. (1/8)

University of Florida Plans Space Mission Institute (Source: Gainesville Sun)
The University of Florida has announced a plan to put more than $2 million toward the launch of a space-related research institute. UF was awarded $130 million in funding from the Florida Legislature in 2023 and President Ben Sasse chose to put most of it toward strategic initiatives that will advance interdisciplinary scholarship and enhance the student experience.

The Space Mission Institute will be managed by UF Research and receive $2.5 million of these funds to create a hub where scientists and scholars at UF can conduct research, collaborate and innovate. Programs such as the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, the College of Pharmacy and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, among others, will utilize the hub.

The university said it has over 100 faculty members who conduct space research as well as faculty leaders who are nationally recognized in major NASA fields. Rob Ferl, IFAS assistant vice president for research, said members of the institute will work to improve relationships with Space Florida and the Space Life Sciences Laboratory at the Kennedy Space Center as well as seek new partnerships with the International Space Station National Laboratory. (1/8)

Stolen and Destroyed Moon May Have Flipped Venus's Spin, Messing It Up for Good (Source: IFL Science)
Venus is truly an odd twin of Earth. Despite its similar size, the planet has such a thick, hot atmosphere that it would crush you and cook you if you were to stand on its surface. And the space oddities don’t end there. As all the other planets spin anticlockwise on their axes, Venus spins clockwise. The reason is unclear, but a new proposal sees Venus capturing and then destroying a moon.

Researchers want us to cast our eyes back to near the beginning of the Solar System. It was a time when the rocky planets had assembled most of their mass, but there were still plenty of building blocks hanging about. A planetesimal could have been captured by Venus. The research duo looked at hundreds of thousands of simulations and found scenarios that they deem both possible, and with the power to explain the properties of Venus today. First of all, the moon capture would have been retrograde. This means that was going around Venus in the opposite direction.

The assumption is that Venus at that point was spinning in the same direction as the other planets. The captured moon in the scenario was kept thanks to the presence of material around Venus that removed orbital energy. (1/8)

What Does Space Smell Like? (Source: Space.com)
Astronauts have described some unusual scents in space, which is not surprising considering the chemistry there is far different from that on Earth. So what does space smell like, and what are the cosmic sources of these odors? Space is an airless vacuum, so technically, you can't smell anything in space — if you tried, you'd be dead. However, space is not a complete vacuum. It's full of all manner of molecules, some of which have their own strong odors when we smell them on Earth. Learning about what different parts of space might smell like is a really cool way to get a better understanding of cosmic chemistry. (1/8)

Two Alien Minerals Unknown to Earth Found in Meteorite (Source: Greek Reporter)
Geologists have recently discovered two alien minerals unknown to Earth in a meteorite in Somalia. A small, 2.5 ounce (70-gram) fragment of the fifteen thousand kilogram fallen comet known as El Ali revealed the alien ore. Scientists stumbled upon the unknown mineral in the meteorite while sampling a slice. It was only after analyzing the segment in a lab that they realized they had discovered something completely new.

Herd named one of the alien deposits ‘elaliite’ after the El Ali meteorite. The other he termed ‘elkinstantonite’ after Professor Lindy Elkins-Tanto, the vice president of the Interplanetary Initiative at Arizona State University. Elkins-Tanton is also the chief investigator of what they call the ‘Psyche’ mission, part of the NASA operation to reach the Asteroid Psyche 16 by 2023. (1/8)