In Today’s Deep Space Extra… The solar system is under increased observation from robotic spacecraft and space telescopes, whose findings are helping to pave the way for future human explorers.
Space Science
Our vast solar system and its many explorers
New York Times (7/6): The solar system and beyond are under scrutiny like never before with a wide range of spacecraft, including the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope, now at 26 years old, a sort of elder statesman. A week ago, NASA approved extensions for nine missions focused on Mars, the moon, asteroid belt and the unexplored Kuiper Belt.
Mars was probably more like Earth billions of years ago. What happened?
Christian Science Monitor (7/5): Now cold, dry and barren, Mars may have been quite different in the distant past, according to clues gathered by generations of NASA spacecraft in orbit or on the surface of the red planet. Some of those point to a thicker atmosphere and flowing water billions of years ago.
See Jupiter’s Galilean moons in motion from Juno’s camera
Spaceflightnow.com (7/6): As it neared Jupiter to maneuver into orbit on Monday, NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured imagery of the Galilean moons Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto as they circled their home planet.
The Space Station is becoming a spy satellite for wildlife
The Atlantic (7/6): The ICARUS initiative plans to improve its understanding of the migration habits of some of the animal kingdom’s smallest members with a tracking device placed aboard the International Space Station and new generations of very small radio transmitters.
Mars rover Curiosity in ‘safe mode’ after glitch
Space.com (7/6): Now fine, NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars entered a precautionary “safe mode” on July 2, according to NASA. Curiosity is nearing its fourth anniversary in Mars’ 96-mile-wide Gale Crater. A software mismatch aboard the rover may be the cause, though engineers were still sifting through events.
Juno took 3D-printed parts further into space than ever
Popular Mechanics (7/6): NASA’s Juno mission spacecraft, which maneuvered into orbit around giant Jupiter on Monday, carries titanium brackets fashioned on Earth by Lockheed Martin with 3D, additive manufacturing technologies. It’s the farthest 3D components have traveled so far.
Low Earth Orbit
New crew launches on two-day journey to Space Station
Space.com (7/6): Russia’s upgraded Soyuz crew transport lifted off for the first time Wednesday at 9:36 p.m., EDT, headed for the International Space Station with a three-person U.S., Russian and Japanese crew that includes NASA astronaut Kate Rubins. They are expected at the Space Station for an automated docking early Saturday. Rubins, Soyuz commander Anatoly Ivanishin, of Russia, and Japan’s Takyua Onishi will watch over 250 experiments and technology demonstrations during their four months in orbit. They will be greeted by ISS commander Jeff Williams, of NASA, and cosmonauts Oleg Skripochka and Alexey Ovchinin.
New Soyuz MS series manned spaceship goes into orbit
TASS, of Russia (7/7): The first in the new MS series of Russian Soyuz spacecraft launched to the International Space Station late Wednesday with a two-man, one-woman, U.S., Japanese and Russian crew. The Soyuz upgrades include updates to navigation, control and communications systems as well as external shielding to protect against orbital debris impacts.
Station-bound NASA astronaut is the 60th woman to fly into space
Collectspace.com (7/6): With her launch aboard Russia’s Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft late Wednesday, NASA’s Kate Rubins became the 60th woman to reach space. Rubins, 38, is headed to the International Space Station with Russian and Japanese colleagues Anatoly Ivanishin and Takuya Onishi.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
$3-million loan pursuit next for Space Florida
Orlando Sentinel (7/6): Space Florida, the aerospace economic development agency, will help OneWeb with a loan to hasten efforts by the startup company to develop a satellite manufacturing facility in Central Florida.
What will rockets look like in the future?
Seeker.com (7/5): New versions of rockets may feature reusable components. Developers are also looking at rocket engines that could burn oxygen gathered from the Earth’s atmosphere as well as liquid oxygen stored in on-board fuel tanks to reach orbit with their satellites and other payloads. Other changes are likely to unfold rather gradually, according to the report.