NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured high-quality photographs of Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io during a close flyby. The spacecraft, which has been examining Jupiter and its surrounds since 2016, flew within 930 miles of Io’s surface, the closest since NASA’s Galileo in 2001. Stunning JunoCam Images Reveal Jupiter’s Moon Io: A Volcanic Wonder in Red and Gray…
NASA’s unique Mars simulation involved two men and two women living in isolation at the halfway point of their 378-day experiment. Originally designed to imitate Mars conditions, the crew lives in a 3D-printed habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston with Mars Dune Alpha. While experimenting, Dr. Nathan Jones joked about accidentally harming a…
A milestone was reached on December 25, 2023, when JAXA launched the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) into lunar orbit at 16:51 JST. JAXA’s SLIM Successfully Enters Lunar Orbit: Moon Surface Photos Captured After Precision Orbital Adjustment SLIM launched on September 6 alongside JAXA’s X-ray imaging and spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) to orbit the Moon…
NASA’s Juno spacecraft is approaching Jupiter’s moon Io for its 57th flyby since entering Jupiter’s orbit in 2016. Saturday’s orbiter will approach Io’s surface within 930 miles, offering unprecedented observations of the solar system’s most volcanic moon. Juno’s Intensive Study of Io’s Volcanoes: Unveiling Mysteries Beyond Jupiter’s Surface Juno is studying Io’s strong volcanoes, visible…
After rebuilding in 2023, the aerospace industry is ready for a dramatic 2024. Boeing, Blue Origin, and SpaceX are likely to lead crucial developments, offering exciting breakthroughs. 2023 recap Events in 2023 were notable despite aircraft delays. Amazon’s Project Kuiper launched two prototype satellites, advancing global broadband internet. SpaceX resumed testing its Starship/Super Heavy launch…
In 1959, human activities began altering the Moon, kicking off the “Lunar Anthropocene,” according to University of Kansas scientists. Humans have influenced the Moon’s ecosystem with over 100 spacecraft visits in 64 years. The researchers claim that human activity, including spacecraft contacts, shapes the Moon’s topography. Scientists Declare the Beginning of the Lunar Anthropocene In…
Three government officials told Congress that “unidentified anomalous phenomena” (UAPs), or UFOs, are real and a national security concern at a recent public session. It’s a good opportunity to review one of 2023’s most intriguing stories while the What Next team spends time with their family. Congress Escalates Concerns with Revelations At the hearing, officials…
SpaceX lost Falcon 9 booster 1058 after it fell over and broke apart on December 27, 2023, returning to Port Canaveral. Falcon 9 Booster 1058: Historic 19th Mission Ends in Sea Mishap, SpaceX Aims to Enhance Safety The launcher returned from a record 19th trip with 23 Starlink satellites. The rocket crashed after landing on…
Earth’s stability and habitability depend on the Moon, a unique cosmic companion. Unlike other inner solar system planets, Earth has a large moon, which has shaped human development. The Moon’s Crucial Role: Shaping Earth’s Past and Present In the early days of our solar system, a planetesimal around the size of Mars collided with Earth…
Recently discovered 3,000-year-old Babylonian tablets are helping scientists solve cosmic puzzles, particularly geomagnetic field abnormalities. These abnormalities are linked to spacecraft failures, telescope observations, and communication issues. The tablets from Nebuchadnezzar II’s era are helping explain geomagnetic field variations. Babylonian Tablets Illuminate Earth’s Magnetic Mysteries through Archaeomagnetism University College London researchers use archaeomagnetism to evaluate…