2023-11-02 05:38:00
(Xinhua file photo: Atlas V401 rocket with Lucy spacecraft Take off from Launch Site No. 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. US state of Florida, Oct. 16, 2021) LOS ANGELES, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) — NASA reports that the Lucy spacecraft is scheduled to The flyby of asteroid Dinkinesh on Wednesday (Nov. 1) marks the first close approach of the asteroid. The flyby will allow the Lucy mission to test its instruments. As for preparations for a visit to the Trojan asteroid group, which orbits the Sun in the same orbit as Jupiter, during the next decade, NASA has determined that the Dinkinesh asteroid is less than one kilometer wide. It orbits the Sun in an asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. The Lucy spacecraft has been following the asteroid Dinkinesh since September 3. Asteroid Dinkinesh will be the first of 10 asteroids that the Lucy spacecraft will visit during its 12-year spaceflight, the main goal of the Lucy mission. which was released on Oct. 16, 2021, is a survey of Jupiter’s Trojan asteroid family. This is a group of small objects orbiting the Sun that have never been observed before.
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#NASAs #Lucy #spacecraft #flies #asteroid #time
Tag:
Space
At the origin of the Moon, relics of a planet buried underground?
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
2023-11-01 20:11:35
Scientists proposed a new theory on Wednesday that might solve two mysteries at once: one regarding the origin of the Moon, the other regarding the bowels of the Earth.
Published on: 01/11/2023 – 21:11
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Two mysteries soon to be solved? Scientists put forward a new theory on Wednesday, November 1, answering two questions: how did the Moon appear? And why are two large “blobs” hiding in the center of the Earth?
For the first enigma, the origin of the Moon, the most commonly accepted theory is its appearance following the impact of a forming planet with the future Earth 4.5 billion years ago. The collision with Theia, a protoplanet the size of Mars, would have propelled enough material into space for its agglomeration to form the Moon.
It remained to find remains of Theia. By looking not in the air, but underground, according to the study published in Nature by a team of scientists from mainly American institutions.
Because 2,900 km below the surface, two large “blobs” have intrigued scientists since their discovery using seismic waves in the 1980s. Laid at the bottom of the Earth’s mantle – the layer separating the Earth’s core from its crust – these continent-sized masses lie beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean.
They are warmer and denser than the environment surrounding them. And the researchers’ computer simulations suggest that these masses are “buried relics” of Theia, which entered Earth at the time of the collision.
This collision was “the most violent event suffered by the Earth” in its history, Qian Yuan, a geodynamics researcher at the California Institute of Technology (CalTech) and first author of the study, told AFP. .
Which makes it “very, very strange” that there is no visible trace left, according to him. And what motivated his thinking: “Where is the impactor? My answer: underground”.
Between space and geology
The research led experts from two very distinct specialties, space and geology, to collaborate.
Theia hit the Earth, then in formation, at more than 36,000 km/h, a speed sufficient for part of the impactor to penetrate “very deep into the lower mantle of the Earth”.
These pieces of essentially molten rock, several tens of kilometers wide, cooled and, solidifying, descended to the limit of the mantle and the earth’s core. Helped in this by a greater proportion of iron oxide than that of the terrestrial environment, which made them heavier.
They accumulated into two distinct masses, each of which is larger than the Moon, according to Qian Yuan, who also insists that these conclusions remain the fruit of necessarily imperfect models and simulations.
An expert in Earth science and planetary exploration at Scotland’s University of Stirling told AFP that the theory put forward by Qian Yuan “agrees with several existing clues.” “This is a significant finding,” according to Christian Schroeder, who did not participate in the study.
Even if, according to him, it does not resolve the question of the origin of the Moon, this theory provides “a credible explanation for the anomalies observed at the boundary between the mantle and the core”.
As for the remains of Theia, they may well “be responsible for important ongoing processes on Earth.”
The masses are known to carry plumes from the mantle, rising magma, to the surface of the Earth’s crust. A phenomenon linked to volcanic eruptions but also the evolution of supercontinents.
For Qian Yuan, Theia’s impact “played a role in the evolution of the Earth over 4.5 billion years.” And this is what, according to him, would make it “unique (…) different from other rocky planets”.
With AFP
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#origin #Moon #relics #planet #buried #underground
Exploring Space Rocks: Asteroids, Comets, Meteors, and More
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
2023-10-27 08:23:22
Space rocks in the solar system can be classified into many types, such as asteroids, comets, meteors, and meteorites, etc. What are these space objects? And why do astronomers call these rocks different names? In the solar system, various space objects orbiting the sun In addition to the planets that we already know It is also full of space rocks that are like rough dirt roads. It also moves in circles around the sun. Astronomers are trying to learn more regarding these space rocks. in hopes of finding some answers That might lead to a hint of the emergence of life on the planet we call Earth, or perhaps it’s just a hypothesis that never actually happened. Asteroids are groups of rocks or rocks that do not have an atmosphere. Birth is due to the formation of the solar system. They range from the size of a car to the size of a large city. Asteroids contain a variety of elements, such as the metal carbon that gives them black coal lumps. Some stars are a collection of rubble. that are stretched together freely by their own gravity Or it might be a single large boulder. The location of asteroids in the solar system is in a region called asteroid belt that orbits between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter which has hundreds of thousands of stars Or maybe millions of stars Classification of Space Rocks / Illustration NASA Different asteroids (and comets) have different orbits. It was found that some space rocks have orbits close to the Earth, called near-Earth objects or NEOs. Scientists on Earth have been trying to find a system to track these space objects before they hit the Earth. Currently, these systems are supported by the unit. Space work from many countries To determine whether there may be danger to the world or not, most recently in August 2023, the asteroid warning system hit the earth in Chile. sponsored by NASA and developed by the University of Hawaii A space rock has been detected. which has a length of approximately 183 meters and has an orbit directed towards Earth. But from current information, there is still no chance of it colliding with Earth. Because when calculating the orbital direction, the position closest to the Earth The space rock’s orbit is still approximately 230,000 kilometers from Earth. Asteroids are like a reservoir of information from the early solar system. Astronomers have also proposed the hypothesis that Could the asteroid belt be a source of organic matter that is important for the origin of life on Earth? Comet ISON / NASA photo The next type of space rock we know is comets. Comets are like lumps of ice that orbit the sun. Each comet has a center called a nucleus. compressed with gas along with rubble and dust When the comet’s orbit approaches the sun The comet heats up and spews dust and gas. Forming into a giant glowing ball With a tail that extends in the opposite direction from the sun, astronomers currently do not know the exact number of comets in the solar system. But it is estimated that there should be approximately 3,535 stars. All comets have similar formation characteristics to asteroids. They are left over from the formation of the solar system. Therefore, scientists believe that comets contain information that might help solve the mystery of the universe’s origins. One of the most frequently mentioned types of space rocks in the media is meteorites. Made from rock fragments released from asteroids, comets, and planets in the solar system, meteorites are the smallest type of space rocks. This usually does not have a serious impact on our planet. But we will be able to see them when meteors pass through the Earth’s atmosphere in the form of meteors and meteor showers. On October 21, 2023, news agencies in many countries have presented content inviting the public to come out and watch. The “Orionid Meteor Shower” is a trace of Comet Halley’s orbit that passed the Sun in 1986 and left behind large amounts of dust and small space rocks in its orbit. in the history of mankind Some space rocks have fallen to Earth in abundance. Some are so large that they are causing changes to the world’s ecosystems. Some of them were only small stones. That didn’t make an impact at all, however, astronomers from around the world continue to study the space rock further. To understand regarding the solar system And sometimes they can get some hints from these space rock samples. that can explain the origins of our world Search and compile Naphatthanai reference information
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#space #rocks #types
Putin wants to see the first segment of the Russian space station in orbit in 2027
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
2023-10-26 20:10:37
Since the announcement of Russia’s withdrawal from the International Space Station (ISS) in July 2022, the Russian president has aimed to see his own station floating in space, a goal he has set to achieve in 2027.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday, October 26, that the first segment of the new space station that Moscow aims to build to replace the ISS should be put into orbit in 2027, promising to continue the conquest of space despite recent failures .
Russia announced in July 2022 its intention to withdraw from the International Space Station (ISS), where its cosmonauts are permanently located and in which it plays a key role. The creation of a new Russian orbital station was therefore announced as the main priority by the Roscosmos space agency.
«The objective is that there is no discontinuity, that the work takes place at the rate of the exhaustion of the ISS resources», declared Vladimir Putin on Thursday during a televised meeting with sector specialists. “In 2027, the first segment should be put into orbit», announced Vladimir Putin, who asked that “everything is done on time».
Continue financing missions to the Moon
The Russian space sector, which has historically been the pride of the country, has suffered for years from funding problems, corruption scandals and setbacks. Russia thus failed to land its Luna-25 probe on the Moon in August, marking the failure of its first mission to the Earth’s natural satellite since 1976.
«Mistakes happen. This is such a complex area of business. It’s a shame (…) This is a negative experience but one that will be used in the future to avoid any errors», Qualified Vladimir Putin on Thursday, who promised to continue financing missions to the Moon.
The president also asked industry officials to address the problem of low salaries in the Russian space industry and to work to attract foreign specialists and increase the involvement of private companies.
A model of international cooperation mainly bringing together the United States and Russia, the ISS began to be assembled in 1998. Its retirement was scheduled for 2024, but NASA estimated that it might operate until 2030.
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#Putin #segment #Russian #space #station #orbit