Tag: Asteroids
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Pluto probe’s extended mission approved, but new Dawn destination denied
Artist’s concept of the New Horizons spacecraft’s encounter with a Kuiper Belt object. Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI/Alex Parker NASA managers formally approved the New Horizons mission another speedy encounter with an object at the frontier of the solar system, but denied a request from scientists to redirect the Dawn spacecraft to visit a third destination in the…
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NASA must decide soon on Dawn mission’s next act
Artist’s concept of the Dawn spacecraft, with its ion propulsion system active, in orbit around the dwarf planet Ceres. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA NASA managers face a July 12 deadline to decide whether to send the Dawn spacecraft on an unplanned visit to a third object in the asteroid belt or keep the probe at dwarf planet…
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Planetary Resources’ asteroid miners go international, starting with Luxembourg
An artist’s view shows one of Planetary Resources’ telescopes in orbit. (Credit: Planetary Resources) Planetary Resources says it will start ramping up an international asteroid-mining subsidiary in Luxembourg by the end of the year – and will think about expanding operations to other locales as well. The Luxembourg deal was announced last week, but many of the details are still…
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White House works out a process to clear commercial missions to moon and Mars
An artist’s conception shows Moon Express’ MX-1 lander extending its robotic arm to take a “selfie” of the spacecraft on the lunar surface with Earth in the background. (Credit: Moon Express) After months of discussion, federal agencies are closing in on a process to approve commercial missions to other celestial bodies – including the moon, Mars…
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Planetary Resources’ asteroid miners focus on Earth observation with $21 million in new funding
Planetary Resources’ Chris Lewicki and GeekWire’s Alan Boyle mug for the camera behind two Arkyd 6 satellites being tested for flight in Planetary Resources’ clean room. (GeekWire photo by Kevin Lisota) REDMOND, Wash. – Planetary Resources was founded as an asteroid mining company, but a fresh infusion of $21.1 million in investment puts the emphasis on…
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NASA fires back at Nathan Myhrvold in spat over asteroid mission’s data
An artist’s conception shows NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, making observations. WISE observations of near-Earth objects were analyzed for the NEOWISE mission. (Credit: NASA) BELLEVUE, Wash. – NASA issued a statement today disputing Seattle tech icon Nathan Myhrvold’s critique of asteroid data analysis from the space agency’s NEOWISE mission. The statement follows up on reports…
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Dwarf planet Ceres’ mystery bright spots get their close-up from Dawn probe
The bright central spots near the center of Occator Crater are shown in enhanced color in this view from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft. Such views can be used to highlight subtle color differences on Ceres’ surface. The view combines high-resolution images of Occator from February with lower-resolution color data acquired in September 2015. (Credit: NASA /…
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Killed by a meteorite? Indian bus driver V. Kamaraj’s death may be a first
An artist’s conception shows an asteroid entering Earth’s atmosphere. (Credit: NASA) Death by meteorite is a common theme in science-fiction movies, but in real life, the chances of being done in by a falling space rock are virtually nil. That’s what makes the reports about the death of Indian bus driver V. Kamaraj in an apparent meteorite strike…
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Nudge ’em or nuke ’em: Asteroid defense plans take shape in U.S. and Russia
An artist’s conception shows an asteroid entering Earth’s atmosphere. (Credit: NASA) What should the world do about the potential threat of a catastrophic asteroid collision? This month NASA established the Planetary Defense Coordination Office to manage the issue. Meanwhile, the Russians and the Europeans are talking about diverting nasty space rocks with nuclear weapons. All this…
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Planetary Resources shows off hardware that’s 3-D printed from real asteroid metal
This spacecraft prototype was created on a 3-D printer using metal from a meteorite found in Argentina. The object is sitting on the part of the meteorite that was left over. (Credit: Planetary Resources) A palm-sized prototype spacecraft is the first geometric object to be 3-D printed from asteroid metal, Redmond-based Planetary Resources says. The…