Tag: Astrophysics
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Study teams comb through NASA’s wish list for new telescope
This artist’s rendition shows a possible design of a potential successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. This conceptual mission, called the Advanced Technology Large-Aperture Space Telescope (ATLAST), is similar in approach to one of several observatories currently under study by astronomers. Credit: NASA Scientists outlining four concepts for a powerful new space telescope that could…
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Pioneering probe for gravitational wave observatory ends mission
Artist’s illustration of the LISA Pathfinder spacecraft. Credit: ESA The European Space Agency’s LISA Pathfinder spacecraft, now sailing around the sun on a trajectory away from Earth, was deactivated Tuesday after a nearly 18-month mission testing previously-untried lasers, vacuum enclosures, exotic gold-platinum cubes and micro-thrusters needed for a trio of gravitational wave observatories set for…
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JAXA, NASA approve replacement for failed Hitomi astronomy satellite
Artist’s concept of the failed Hitomi satellite. Credit: JAXA The Japanese space agency is moving ahead with a smaller-scale X-ray astronomy satellite to replace the failed Hitomi observatory, which spun out of control about a month-and-a-half after its launch last year. The X-ray Astronomy Recovery Mission, or XARM, could launch as soon as March 2021,…
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Experiment devoted to neutron star research installed on space station
Artist’s concept of a pulsar (blue-white disk in center) pulling in matter from a nearby star (red disk at upper right). The stellar material forms a disk around the pulsar (multicolored ring) before falling on to the surface at the magnetic poles. The pulsar’s intense magnetic field is represented by faint blue outlines surrounding the…
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Chinese astronomy satellite placed into orbit by Long March rocket
China’s Long March 4B rocket lifts off Thursday with the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope. Credit: Xinhua China’s first X-ray astronomy satellite launched Thursday on a mission to survey the Milky Way galaxy for black holes and pulsars, the remnants left behind after a star burns up its nuclear fuel. The Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope will…
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Photos: Falcon 9 rocket takes flight with station-bound cargo craft
Here’s another batch of photos from Saturday’s Falcon 9 launch from Florida’s Space Coast with nearly 6,000 pounds of supplies heading for the International Space Station. The Falcon 9 rocket, powered by nine Merlin 1D main engines, climbed into a mostly cloudy sky at 5:07 p.m. EDT (2107 GMT) Saturday atop 1.7 million pounds of…
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Dragon supply ship delivers to space station for second time
Credit: NASA TV/Spaceflight Now A commercial Dragon cargo craft wrapped up a two-day trip to the International Space Station on Monday with a glacial laser-guided final approach before astronauts grasped the supply ship with a robotic arm, completing the refurbished capsule’s second journey to the orbiting research complex. The resupply freighter was captured by the…
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Photos: Falcon 9 rocket takes flight in 100th launch from pad 39A
Catching a break from nearby thunderstorms, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soared through mostly cloudy skies into space Saturday on the 100th launch from historic pad 39A in Florida, sending a fresh batch of supplies and experiments to the International Space Station. The 213-foot-tall (65-meter) launcher took off at 5:07:38 p.m. EDT (2107:38 GMT) from…
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Reused Dragon cargo capsule launched on journey to space station
Credit: SpaceX A refurbished robotic Dragon spaceship rocketed into orbit from Florida on Saturday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 launcher, hauling nearly 6,000 pounds of crew provisions and biological, astrophysics and space technology experiments on a two-day trip to the International Space Station. The unpiloted capsule soared into a late afternoon sky from launch pad…
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Watch a replay of the Falcon 9 launch with Dragon
The launch of a commercial Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon cargo ship on a supply run to the International Space Station. Liftoff from launch complex 39A occurred at 5:07pm EDT (2107 GMT) on June 3, 2017. This is a replay of the NASA Television live coverage.