Tag: NASA

(NASA) Skywatching in JULY ..WHAT TO WATCH #AceNewsDesk report

Post author By @ace101
Post date 12/07/2021

#AceNewsReport – July.12: Venus is joined by Mars in the July twilight. Watch them come closer each evening, culminating with a super-close pairing on July 12. And ’tis the season for enjoying the Milky Way core!

What’s Up: Skywatching Tips from NASA

Skywatching Tips for July

https://youtu.be/XBcIQLT2vI8

July 12: Venus and Mars will appear only a finger’s width apart.
July 23: The next full Moon is called the Buck Moon.

Venus and Mars appear closer each night leading up to July 12, when they’re at their closest. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Sunsets in July come with an added bonus: a brilliant gem low in the western sky, calling to us to come and explore its many mysteries. This is the planet Venus. It’s our cosmic next-door neighbor – that is, the planet with the closest orbit to the orbit of Earth.

It’s also often thought of as Earth’s sister planet, given that it’s also a rocky world of the same size, though Venus developed into a hellishly hot world, where Earth became the cool, blue planet we know and love.

Venus is sometimes referred to as “the Morning Star,” or “the Evening Star,” depending on whether it’s visible around sunrise or sunset. This month, it’s the latter, and you’ll find Venus low in the west together with a faint planet Mars beginning about half an hour after sunset. In fact, you can watch each evening as Venus and Mars get closer, culminating with a close conjunction on July 12th, when they’ll be only a finger’s width apart. Look for them together with a slim, crescent Moon that’s only 10% illuminated.

On July 12, Venus and Mars are a mere half-degree apart, or about the width of an index finger at arm’s length. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/whats-up-skywatching-tips-from-nasa/

In June, NASA announced that two new space missions would be heading to Venus beginning later in the decade. VERITAS and DAVINCI+ will investigate the planet’s surface and atmosphere, returning incredible images, maps, and other data, likely rewriting our understanding of how Earth’s sister planet became so inhospitable, along with how it might still be active today. They’ll be joined by the European spacecraft EnVision, for what’s sure to be an exciting new chapter in solar system exploration.

July is one of the best times of year to enjoy the magical sight that is the Milky Way. This is our view of our spiral galaxy, seen edge on, from within. Now, some part of the Milky Way is visible in the night sky any time of year, but the galaxy’s bright, complex core is only observable during certain months. Earlier in the season, you have to wait until the wee hours of the morning for the core to rise in the sky. But in June and July, the core has already risen by the time it’s fully dark, and can be seen fairly well until around 2 a.m. when it starts to set.

In June and July, the bright, complex Milky Way core has already risen in the sky by the time it’s truly dark out. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Now, the Milky Way is faint, and to see it, you’ll need to find your way out to fairly dark skies, but as long as you’re below about 55 degrees north latitude, you should be able to observe the Milky Way core under dark skies. (Southern Hemisphere observers have it even better, as the core appears much higher overhead there.)

Calendar showing the best and worst times of July 2021 to observe the Milky Way. Bottom line: Milky Way chasers need to avoid the full moon and the brightness it brings. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

One super important tip is to avoid the full moon and the days close to it since a bright Moon overwhelms the faint glow of the Milky Way. The three or four nights around the new moon are best, but the week before and after is also okay – you just have to note when the Moon will be rising or setting. There are a variety of great apps and websites to help you find dark skies and figure out when and where to look. So here’s hoping you get out there and experience one of the most fantastic sights the sky has to offer.

Phases of the Moon

Current Moon PhaseUse this tool to see the current Moon phase and to plan ahead for other Moon views. Credit: NASA

Daily Guide

July 10-11

Saturday and Sunday morning, July 10 and 11, 2021, will be the two mornings when the planet Mercury will appear at its highest above the east-northeastern horizon (2 degrees) at the time morning twilight begins.

Beginning the evening of Saturday, July 10, 2021, the planet Saturn will begin appearing above the horizon in the east-southeast as evening twilight ends.

On the evening of Sunday, July 11, 2021, low on the west-northwestern horizon, the waxing crescent Moon will appear to the right of the bright planet Venus with the planet Mars appearing about a degree to the left of Venus. They will only be about 4 degrees above the horizon as evening twilight ends and the Moon will set first about 25 minutes later.

July 12

The next evening, Monday, July 12, 2021, the waxing crescent Moon will have shifted to appear to the upper left of the planet Venus with the planet Mars about a half degree to the lower left of Venus and the bright star Regulus appearing about 6 degrees to the left of the Moon.

Sometime late Monday night into Tuesday morning, July 12 to 13, 2021 (2021-Jul-13 07:34 UTC with 4 hours, 6 minutes uncertainty), Near-Earth Object (2019 AT6), between 26 to 59 feet (8 and 18 meters) across, will pass the Earth at between 3.7 and 4.9 lunar distances (nominally 4.2), traveling at 11,500 miles per hour (5.15 kilometers per second).

July 13

Tuesday evening, July 13, 2021, will be when the planets Venus and Mars will appear nearest to each other, with Mars appearing a half degree below Venus. The pair will only be about 4 degrees above the west-northwestern horizon as evening twilight ends at 9:44 p.m. EDT, and Mars will set first about 23 minutes later at 10:07 p.m. After this evening Venus will continue to shift to the left each evening, away from Mars and toward the bright star Regulus.

July 16

On the evening of Friday, July 16, 2021, the bright star Spica will appear about 7 degrees to the lower left of the waxing half Moon. They will appear in the southwest as evening twilight ends at 9:41 p.m. EDT, and Spica will set first 2 hours, 39 minutes later (early Saturday at 12:20 a.m.).

July 17

On Saturday morning, July 17, 2021, the Moon will appear half-full as it reaches its first quarter at 6:11 a.m. EDT.

Sometime in mid-to-late July 2021 (2021-Jul-17 19:03 UTC with 4 days, 20 hours, 30 minutes uncertainty), Near-Earth Object (2019 NB7), between 29 to 65 feet (9 and 20 meters) across, will pass the Earth at between 1.7 and 39.3 lunar distances (nominally 15.2), traveling at 30,800 miles per hour (13.76 kilometers per second).

July 18

Sunday morning, July 18, 2021, will be the last morning for this apparition when the planet Mercury will appear above the horizon in the east-northeast at the time morning twilight begins.

July 19-20

On Monday evening into Tuesday morning, July 19 to 20, 2021, the bright star Antares will appear about 8 degrees to the lower left of the waxing gibbous Moon. They will appear in the south as evening twilight ends at 9:39 p.m. EDT, and will set in the west-southwest at about the same time on Tuesday morning around 2:15 a.m.

By Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, July 20 to 21, 2021, the Moon will have shifted such that Antares will appear about 8 degrees to the right of the Moon, with Antares setting first Wednesday morning at 2:10 a.m.

July 21

During the week of July 21, 2021 (2021-Jul-21 09:48 UTC with 3 days, 1 hour, 6 minutes uncertainty), Near-Earth Object (2014 BP43), between 44 to 98 feet (13 and 30 meters) across, will pass the Earth at between 4.3 and 35.3 lunar distances (nominally 16.9), traveling at 18,900 miles per hour (8.46 kilometers per second).

Wednesday morning, July 21, 2021, at 6:25 a.m. EDT, the Moon will be at perigee, its closest to the Earth for this orbit.

Wednesday evening, July 21, 2021, will be when the bright planet Venus and the bright star Regulus will appear nearest each other, with Regulus 1 degree to the lower left of Venus. As evening twilight ends at 9:37 p.m. EDT Venus will appear about 5 degrees above the west-northwestern horizon. The planet Mars will appear farther to the lower right at only 2 degrees above the horizon. Mars will set first at 9:49 p.m., Regulus next at 10 p.m., and Venus last at 10:04 p.m. After this Venus will appear to continue toward the left and away from Regulus and Mars.

July 23

The next full Moon will be Friday night, July 23, 2021, at 10:37 p.m. EDT. It’s known by many names, including the Buck Moon because early summer is normally when the new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. The Moon will appear full for about 3 days around this time, from Thursday night through Sunday morning.

Additional Resources

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: July.12: 2021:

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Tags NASA, Space

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(NASA) On Sunday, July 11, Virgin Galactic will attempt its first fully crewed spaceflight and the crew will have NASA-supported technology with the #AceNewsDesk report

Post author By @ace101
Post date 12/07/2021

#AceNewsReport – July.12: Sirisha Bandla, vice president of government affairs and research operations at Virgin Galactic, will operate the experiment on the “Unity 22” flight on behalf of co-investigators Dr. Robert Ferl and Dr. Anna-Lisa Paul from the University of Florida in Gainesville. Bandla will activate three plant-filled tubes to release a preservative at critical data-collection stages during the flight: at 1 g before the rocket boost, just before entering microgravity, and after the conclusion of microgravity.

NASA-Supported Plant Experiment Flies to Suborbital Space with Virgin Galactic

Fixation tubes. — On Sunday, July 11, Virgin Galactic will attempt its first fully crewed spaceflight and the crew will have NASA-supported technology with them.

While the university researchers have flown similar experimentssupported by NASA’s Flight Opportunities program on suborbital flights, data collected during the Unity 22 flight will provide a first look at human-tended payloads on SpaceShipTwo.

Last Updated: Jul 9, 2021

Editor: Laura Newton

#AceNewsDesk report ……….Published: July.12: 2021:

Tags NASA, Space, Virgin Galatic

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(NASA) JUST IN: The center of #HurricaneElsa has formed to the east of the Windward and southern Leeward islands and is expected to bring heavy rainfall to those areas over the weekend #AceNewsDesk report

Post author By @ace101
Post date 04/07/2021

#AceNewsReport – July.04: The storm is moving toward the west-northwest at almost 30 miles an hour, and its forecast track could bring it to the Florida Keys early next week.

#AceDailyNews reports that US Coast Guard & NOAA are preparing for arrival of hurricane as NASA Scientists Available for Interviews on Hurricanes, Tropical Storm according to an update Friday from the National Hurricane Center.

Side-by-side image of Hurricane Laura as it approaches the United States Aug. 26, 2020. The left shows a bright swirl on a black background and the right shows a white swirl on a light background.

June 1 marked the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season, which officially ends Nov. 30: After 2020 brought a record number of named storms in the Atlantic basin, NASA is once again prepared to help understand and monitor these storms from the unique vantage of space with experts available to provide insights on hurricanes and other extreme weather events.

Using data from its 20-plus Earth-observing satellites, NASA plays a foundational role in the science of hurricanes: For operational forecasting, the agency’s main role is through its crucial partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NASA designs, builds, and launches NOAA’s suite of satellites that provide the data that specifically feed numerical weather prediction models. Scientists from NASA and NOAA also collaborate to continuously improve these models.

Climate change is increasing the heat in the ocean basins and making it more likely that storms will intensify faster and become stronger, a phenomenon NASA scientists continue to study.

“ As climate change intensifies and makes natural hazards like hurricanes more damaging, NASA is more committed than ever to innovative Earth science research,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Our next-generation Earth System Observatory will build on NASA’s existing capabilities to provide an unprecedented understanding of the Earth from bedrock to atmosphere, so we are better prepared to protect our communities from hurricanes and other extreme weather events.”

NASA’s goal for disaster preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery is bridging the gap between data and the people who need it. Before, during, and after a hurricane or tropical storm makes landfall, NASA satellites are in prime position to identify impacts.

NASA works with local officials and first responders, federal agencies such as FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and infrastructure experts to determine what information they need and to supply it in usable formats in real time. Examples include information on infrastructure failures and disruptions, contaminated water supplies, and other hotspots for urgent response needs.

NASA welcomes media inquiries about its role in studying and understanding hurricanes. NASA scientists and experts, who represent a cross-section of expertise in hurricane science, such as atmospheric science, oceanography and modeling, as well as NASA’s disaster response, are available for media interviews, as schedules allow.

To inquire about interview availability with these scientists, please contact Jacob Richmond at: jacob.a.richmond@nasa.gov.

For general NASA hurricane science reference material, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/nasa-and-hurricanes-five-fast-facts and https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hurricanes/news/index.html

The following are some of NASA’s most popular public-domain, open-source imagery products:

The record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, visualized with overlaid tracks: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4884

NASA Disasters Mapping Portal, provides near-real time data on current events: https://maps.disasters.nasa.gov

Satellite data showing 3D view of Hurricane Zeta’s intense rainfall: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4870

Latest precipitation analysis and animation of the past seven days (auto-updates): https://gpm.nasa.gov/data/imerg

NASA “night lights” data shows Puerto Rico’s power outages after Hurricane Maria: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZkwASBe2zo

The 2017 hurricane season, visualized by the movement of dust, smoke and sea salt: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12772

All NASA-created content is in the public domain and free for media usage:

For other Earth science videos, visit: https://www.youtube.com/NASAGoddard

For all NASA scientific data visualizations and animations, visit: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/

Last Updated: Jul 2, 2021: Editor: Tabatha Thompson

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: July.04: 2021:

Tags NASA, NOAA, Tropical Storm

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(NASA) Early in the #pandemic, it was expected that satellite imagery around the world would show cleaner air as a result of #COVID19 lockdowns and as this map shows the impact on air-pollution #AceNewsDesk report

Post author By @ace101
Post date 27/06/2021

#AceNewsReport – June.27: But not all pollutants were taken out of circulation. For tiny airborne-particle pollution, known as PM 2.5, researchers using NASA data found that variability from meteorology obscured the lockdown signals when observed from space,

#AceDailyNews reports that NASA Helps Map Impact of #COVID19 Lockdowns on Harmful Air Pollution from the ‘Eye IN Space’

“Intuitively you would think if there is a major lockdown situation, that we would see dramatic changes, but we didn’t,” said Melanie Hammer, a visiting research associate at Washington University in St. Louis who led the study. “It was kind of a surprise that the effects on PM 2.5 were modest.”

PM 2.5 describes the mass of nose-level particles, often produced anthropogenically, that are smaller than 2.5 micrometers, or roughly 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair. PM 2.5 is small enough to linger in the atmosphere, and, when inhaled, is associated with increased risk of heart attack, cancer and a host of other implications for human health.

Map of China showing increases in particulate air pollution over northern China, and decreases over Beijing and the East Coast.

By combining NASA spacecraft data with ground-based monitoring and an innovative computer modeling system, the scientists mapped PM 2.5 levels across China, Europe and North America during the early months of the pandemic. The researchers found seasonal differences in PM 2.5 between recent years were driven primarily by the natural variability of the meteorology, not by pandemic lockdowns.

Published June 23 in the journal Science Advances, the new research integrates data from NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites, as well as meteorological modeling input from the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office.

The meteorological effects analyzed in the study include changes in the sources of mineral dust, the way pollutants react to sunlight in the atmosphere, mixing and heat transfer, as well as the removal of pollutants from the atmosphere by precipitation.

PM 2.5 is among the most complicated pollutants to study because its particle size, composition and toxicity vary greatly depending on its source and environmental conditions.

A gas pollutant known as nitrogen dioxide, or NO2, did see dramatic declines during the lockdowns. A major byproduct of fuel burning by trucks, cars and other vehicles, the decline of nitrogen dioxide was visible from space and from the ground. Images of clear, blue skies where heavy smog had been the norm flooded popular news and social media, suggesting COVID-19 has drastically decreased all pollution in general.

When nitrogen dioxide is emitted, it can also interact with other chemicals in the atmosphere and form PM 2.5. However, the two pollutants do not have a linear relationship. Half as much nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere does not necessarily lead to half as much PM 2.5 produced by nitrogen dioxide.

Because PM 2.5 often comes from the same sources as NO2, the researchers also began to question whether the lockdowns resulted in a decline of PM 2.5.

Early pandemic studies of PM 2.5 changes analyzed data from ground monitoring sites, which test the surrounding air. But because those ground sites are few and far between, their data alone are unable to piece together the bigger picture of PM 2.5 concentrations in the air, Hammer said.

“We were most interested in looking at changes in PM 2.5 because PM 2.5 is the leading environmental risk factor for premature mortality globally,” Hammer said. “We decided to look again, using a more complete picture from satellite images.”

The study was co-led by Randall Martin at Washington University in St. Louis, who pioneered research integrating modeling and remote sensing to study atmospheric pollutants such as PM 2.5.

“Many countries in the world have no operational PM 2.5 monitoring at all,” Martin said. “These tools enable insight into ground level PM 2.5 at the global or regional scale.”

To ensure a comprehensive analysis, the team focused on regions with extensive ground monitoring systems in place and compared monthly estimates of PM 2.5 from January to April in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

When the researchers compared PM 2.5 levels over the three years during the months that coincided with each region’s lockdown phases, there weren’t many clear signals over North America or Europe. The most significant lockdown-related differences were detected in China.

“We found the most clearly detectable signal was a significant reduction over the North China Plain, where the strictest lockdowns were concentrated,” Hammer said.

To figure out whether the lockdown was responsible for that signal, and several smaller ones dotted around the areas surveyed, the team ran different “sensitivity simulations” using GEOS-Chem, a chemical transport model to which Martin’s team helps lead.

Side by side images of China showing a comparison between observations and a simulation non-lockdown emissions showing very similar patterns of increases in Northern China and decreases in Eastern China.

They simulated a scenario where anthropogenic emissions of nitrogen dioxide were held constant and meteorological variability was solely responsible for year over year differences in PM 2.5 during the key lockdown months. They also ran simulations in which they reduced transportation-related emissions and other anthropogenic sources of nitrogen dioxide, mirroring lockdown, when fewer people were driving and fewer industrial sites were operational.

They found the simulation where both meteorology and transportation effects were included most closely mirrored the real-world situation.

“Tackling PM 2.5 is a very complex issue, and you have to take into account its multiple sources, not just the fact that fewer people are on the road,” Hammer said. “Just decreasing transportation emissions would not be enough to account for the complexity of the problem.”

Most satellites sample the atmosphere through vertical columns spanning the ground to the edge of space. Identifying the concentrations of airborne particles near the surface, where they affect air quality, cannot be determined from these satellites alone.

The satellite data used in this study, referred to as aerosol optical depth, were related to surface PM 2.5 concentrations using GEOS-Chem, which simulates the composition of the atmosphere, the reactions and relationships among its different components, and the way they move horizontally as well as vertically through the air.

The model is a sophisticated tool that helps paint a more complete picture of air quality, said Ralph A. Kahn, senior research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland and adjunct professor at University of Maryland in College Park.

“The bigger story is actually the global characterization of air quality, especially in places where there aren’t surface monitors,” said Kahn, who was part of the study. “The satellites provide an important piece of it, the models provide an important piece of it, and the ground-based measurements make an important contribution as well.”

Hammer suspects the change in PM 2.5 levels over the North China Plain was more apparent because of the region’s higher pollution levels during “normal” times.

The new insights also highlight a relevant point that may not at first be intuitive: Average PM 2.5 levels have been dropping steadily in North America and Europe. Pollution concentrations that are already low are more difficult to change, Hammer said.

By Brandie Jefferson
Washington University in St. Louis

Media Contact: Roberto Molar Candanosa, NASA’s Earth Science News Team

Last Updated: Jun 24, 2021

Editor: Ellen Gray

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: Jun.27: 2021:

Tags NASA, Pandemic

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(NASA) Hubble Telescope Report: Operations underway to restore payload computer to identify issue avoiding distortions of the atomosphere allowing unobstructed view of planets, stars and galaxies some 13.4-billion light years away #AceNewsDesk report

Post author By @ace101
Post date 25/06/2021

#AceNewsReport – June.25: The Hubble Space Telescope is deployed on April 25, 1990 from the space shuttle Discovery: NASA continues to work to resolve a problem with the Hubble Space Telescope payload computer that halted on June 13:

#AceDailyNews says …….NASA Operations Underway to Restore Payload Computer on Hubble as on June 22, 2021 – Testing Underway to Identify Issue and Restore Payload Computer on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope

Avoiding distortions of the atmosphere, Hubble has an unobstructed view peering to planets, stars and galaxies, some more than 13.4 billion light years away: For more information about the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling unit view the following PDF Here:

After performing tests on several of the computer’s memory modules, the results indicate that a different piece of computer hardware may have caused the problem, with the memory errors being only a symptom. The operations team is investigating whether the Standard Interface (STINT) hardware, which bridges communications between the computer’s Central Processing Module (CPM) and other components, or the CPM itself is responsible for the issue. The team is currently designing tests that will be run in the next few days to attempt to further isolate the problem and identify a potential solution.

This step is important for determining what hardware is still working properly for future reference. If the problem with the payload computer can’t be fixed, the operations team will be prepared to switch to the STINT and CPM hardware onboard the backup payload computer. The team has conducted ground tests and operations procedure reviews to verify all the commanding required to perform that switch on the spacecraft.

If the backup payload computer’s CPM and STINT hardware is turned on, several days will be required to assess the computer performance and restore normal science operations. The backup computer has not been powered on since its installation in 2009; however, it was thoroughly tested on the ground prior to installation on the spacecraft.

The payload computer is a NASA Standard Spacecraft Computer-1 (NSSC-1) system built in the 1980s that is located on the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling (SI C&DH) unit. After 18 years on orbit, the original SI C&DH experienced a failure in 2008 that delayed the final servicing mission to Hubble while a replacement was prepared for flight. In May 2009, STS-125 was launched and the astronauts installed the existing unit. The replacement contains original hardware from the 1980s with four independent 64K memory modules of Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) memory. Only one memory module is used operationally, with the other three serving as backups. All four modules can be used and accessed from either of the redundant payload computers.

Launched in 1990, with more than 30 years of operations, Hubble has made observations that have captured imaginations worldwide and deepened our knowledge of the cosmos.

June 18, 2021 – Operations Continue to Restore Payload Computer on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope

NASA continues to work on resolving an issue with the payload computer on the Hubble Space Telescope. The operations team will be running tests and collecting more information on the system to further isolate the problem. The science instruments will remain in a safe mode state until the issue is resolved. The telescope itself and science instruments remain in good health.

The computer halted on Sunday, June 13. An attempt to restart the computer failed on Monday, June 14. Initial indications pointed to a degrading computer memory module as the source of the computer halt. When the operations team attempted to switch to a back-up memory module, however, the command to initiate the backup module failed to complete. Another attempt was conducted on both modules Thursday evening to obtain more diagnostic information while again trying to bring those memory modules online. However, those attempts were not successful.

The payload computer is a NASA Standard Spacecraft Computer-1 (NSSC-1) system built in the 1980s that is located on the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling unit. The computer’s purpose is to control and coordinate the science instruments and monitor them for health and safety purposes. It is fully redundant in that a second computer, along with its associated hardware, exists on orbit that can be switched over to in the event of a problem. Both computers can access and use any of four independent memory modules, which each contain 64K of Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) memory. The payload computer uses only one memory module operationally at a time, with the other three serving as backups.

Launched in 1990, Hubble has contributed greatly to our understanding of the universe over the past 30 years.

For more information about Hubble, visit: www.nasa.gov/hubble

June 16, 2021 – NASA is working to resolve an issue with the payload computer on the Hubble Space Telescope

NASA is working to resolve an issue with the payload computer on the Hubble Space Telescope. The computer halted on Sunday, June 13, shortly after 4 p.m. EDT. After analyzing the data, the Hubble operations team is investigating whether a degrading memory module led to the computer halt. The team is preparing to switch to one of several backup modules on Wednesday, June 16. The computer will then be allowed to run for approximately one day to verify that the problem has been solved. The team would then restart all science instruments and return the telescope to normal science operations.

The purpose of the payload computer is to control and coordinate the science instruments onboard the spacecraft. After the halt occurred on Sunday, the main computer stopped receiving a “keep-alive” signal, which is a standard handshake between the payload and main spacecraft computers to indicate all is well. The main computer then automatically placed all science instruments in a safe mode configuration. Control center personnel at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland restarted the payload computer on Monday, June 14, but it soon experienced the same problem.

The payload computer is a NASA Standard Spacecraft Computer-1 (NSSC-1) system built in the 1980s. It is part of the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling module, which was replaced during the last astronaut servicing mission in 2009. The module has various levels of redundancy which can be switched on to serve as the primary system when necessary.

For more information about Hubble, visit: www.nasa.gov/hubble

For media inquiries, contact:

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
301-286-1940
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

Elizabeth Landau
NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
202-358-0845
elizabeth.r.landau@nasa.gov

Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
443-858-1779
robert.j.gutro@nasa.gov

Last Updated: Jun 23, 2021

Editor: Lynn Jenner

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: Jun.25: 2021:

Tags Hubble, NASA, Planets, Space, Stars

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(NASA) JUST IN: ISS REPORT: Two astronauts will venture out outside the ‘space station’ on Fri.25:June: 2021: to install ‘New Solar Arrays’ and upgrade the power system to enable a lunar post #AceNewsDesk report

Post author By @ace101
Post date 24/06/2021

#AceNewsReport – June.24: Shane Kimbrough of NASA and Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency) will install and deploy the second of six new ISS Roll-Out Solar Arrays (iROSA) on the station’s 4B power channel:

NASA to Air Third Spacewalk to Install New Station Solar Arrays: Two astronauts will venture outside the International Space StationFriday, June 25, for a third spacewalk to continue power system upgrades that are already increasing output and proving the technology that will enable NASA’s future Gateway lunar outpost.

Live coverage will begin at 6:30 a.m. EDT on NASA Television, the agency’s website, and the NASA app, with the crew members scheduled to exit the station’s Quest airlock around 8 a.m. The spacewalk will last approximately 6 hours, 30 minutes.

NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough (left) and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet maneuver the first ISS Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA) into place on the space station’s port 6 truss structure during a spacewalk June 16, 2021.

Pesquet will be extravehicular crew member 1 (EV 1), with red stripes on his spacesuit, while Kimbrough will be extravehicular crew member 2 (EV 2), with an unmarked suit. During the spacewalk, Pesquet will secure himself to the end of the station’s robotic Canadarm2 then grasp the iROSA. Operating from inside the station, NASA astronaut Megan McArthur, with NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei serving as backup, will command the robotic arm to maneuver Pesquet and the array as close as possible to the installation location.

The spacewalk will follow two other recent spacewalks. On June 16, Kimbrough and Pesquet moved the first iROSA to a mounting bracket on the 2B power channel on the port 6 truss, where it was secured in its folded configuration. On June 20, the duo returned to the 2B power channel to complete installation and deployment.

This will be the fifth spacewalk for Kimbrough and Pesquet working together and the ninth spacewalk for Kimbrough and the fifth for Pesquet overall. Kimbrough and Pesquet previously conducted two spacewalks together during Expedition 50 in January and March 2017. It will be the 241st spacewalk in support of station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

The current solar arrays are functioning well, but have begun to show signs of degradation, as expected, as they were designed for a 15-year service life. The first pair of the space station’s original solar arrays were deployed in December 2000 and have been powering the station for more than 20 years. The new solar arrays are being positioned in front of six of the current arrays, increasing the station’s total available power from 160 kilowatts to a maximum of 215 kilowatts. The same solar array design will be used to power elements of the agency’s Gateway lunar-orbiting outpost.

In November 2020, the International Space Station surpassed its 20-year milestone of continuous human presence, providing opportunities for unique research and technological demonstrations that help prepare for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars and also improve life on Earth. In that time, 244 people from 19 countries have visited the orbiting laboratory that has hosted nearly 3,000 research investigations from researchers in 108 countries and areas.

Learn more about the International Space Station, its research, and its crew, at:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

-end-

Last Updated: Jun 22, 2021

Editor: Sean Potter

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: Jun.24: 2021:

Tags ISS, NASA, Space

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(NASA) ISIS REPORT: Five spaceships are parked at the space station including the SpaceX Crew Dragon and Cargo Dragon vehicles, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus-15 resupply ship, all three from the United States, and Russia’s Progress 77 resupply ship and Soyuz MS-18 crew ship #AceNewsDesk report

Post author By @ace101
Post date 09/06/2021

NASA: International Space Station Configuration and while the Space Station was traveling more than 250 miles over the South Pacific ocean, a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft autonomously docked to the space-facing side of the orbiting laboratory’s Harmony module at 5:09 a.m. EDT, Saturday, June.05, astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur were monitoring docking operations for Dragon.

Norah Moran June.05, 2020:

June 5, 2020: International Space Station Configuration. — NASA

This 22nd contracted resupply mission for SpaceX delivers the new ISS Roll-out Solar Arrays (iROSA) to the space station in the trunk of the Dragon spacecraft. The robotic Canadarm2 will extract the arrays and astronauts will install them during spacewalks planned for June 16 and 20.

The Dragon launched on SpaceX’s 22nd contracted commercial resupply mission at 1:29 p.m. EDT Thursday, June 3 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After Dragon spends about one month attached to the space station, the spacecraft will return to Earth with cargo and research.

Among the science experiments Dragon is delivering to the space station are:

Symbiotic squid and microbes

The Understanding of Microgravity on Animal-Microbe Interactions (UMAMI) study uses bobtail squid and bacteria to examine the effects of spaceflight on interactions between beneficial microbes and their animal hosts. This type of relationship is known as symbiosis. Beneficial microbes play a significant role in the normal development of animal tissues and in maintaining human health, but gravity’s role in shaping these interactions is not well understood. This experiment could support the development of measures to preserve astronaut health and identify ways to protect and enhance these relationships for applications on Earth.

Producing tougher cotton

Cotton is used in many products, but its production uses significant amounts of water and agricultural chemicals. The Targeting Improved Cotton Through On-orbit Cultivation

(TICTOC) study focuses on improving cotton’s resilience, water-use, and carbon storage. On Earth, root growth depends upon gravity. TICTOC could help define which environmental factors and genes control root development in microgravity. Scientists could use what they learn to develop cotton varieties that require less water and pesticide use.

Water bears take on space

Tardigrades, also known as water bears for their appearance when viewed under a microscope, are creatures that can tolerate extreme environments. The Cell Science-04 experiment aims to identify the genes involved in water bear adaptation and survival in these high-stress environments. The results could advance scientists’ understanding of the stress factors that affect humans in space.

On-the-spot ultrasound

The handheld, commercial Butterfly IQ Ultrasound device could provide critical medical capabilities to crews on long-term spaceflights where immediate ground support is not an option. This study will demonstrate the use of an ultrasound unit alongside a mobile computing device in microgravity. Its results have potential applications for medical care in remote and isolated settings on Earth.

Developing better robot drivers

An ESA (European Space Agency) investigation, Pilote, test the effectiveness of remotely operating robotic arms and space vehicles using virtual reality and haptic interfaces. Pilote studies existing and new technologies in microgravity by comparing those recently developed for teleoperation to those used to pilot the Canadarm2 and Soyuz spacecraft. The study also compares astronaut performance in using the interfaces on the ground and during spaceflight. Results could help optimize workstations on the space station and future space vehicles for missions to the Moon and Mars.

Bonus power

New solar panels headed to station are made up of compact sections that roll open like a long rug. The ISS Roll-out Solar Arrays (iROSA) are based on a previous demonstration of roll-out panels performed on station. They are expected to provide an increase in energy available for research and station activities. NASA plans a total of six new arrays to augment the station’s power supply with the first pair launching on this flight. The Expedition 65 crew is scheduled to begin preparations for spacewalks to supplement the station’s existing rigid panels this summer. The same solar array technology is planned to power NASA’s Gateway in lunar orbit.

These are just a few of the hundreds of investigations currently being conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory in the areas of biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, and Earth and space science. Advances in these areas will help keep astronauts healthy during long-duration space travel and demonstrate technologies for future human and robotic exploration beyond low-Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars through Artemis.

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: Jun.09: 2021:

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Tags NASA, Space, SpaceX

Ace Daily News

(NASA) Microscopic eight-legged animals called ‘Tardigrades’ may become super-heroes of space as they can survive really harsh conditions #AceNewsDesk report

Post author By @ace101
Post date 08/06/2021

#AceNewsReport – Jun.08: It’s a classic superhero tale: Inconspicuous, underestimated, our hero is revealed to have powers beyond imagination! The hottest and coldest environments on Earth, decades without water, the powerful radiation of space – none of it is any match for…the tardigrade!

NASA: ‘Microscopic Superheroes to Help Protect Astronaut Health in Space’

NASA

This chubby, microscopic, eight-legged animal may be an unlikely hero, but tardigrades, also known as water bears due to their shape under a microscope, possess superpowers when it comes to surviving really harsh conditions.

Understanding how they tolerate extreme environments – including the one astronauts experience in space, with microgravity and elevated radiation levels – can better guide research into protecting humans from the stresses of long-duration space travel. An experiment starting aboard the International Space Station, called Cell Science-04, will help reveal how tardigrades do it.

Credits: NASA/Ames Research Center

“We want to see what ‘tricks’ they use to survive when they arrive in space, and, over time, what tricks their offspring are using,” said Thomas Boothby, assistant professor at the University of Wyoming in Laramie and principal investigator of the experiment. “Are they the same or do they change across generations? We just don’t know what to expect.”

One option in the tardigrade bag of tricks could be producing tons more antioxidants to combat harmful changes in the body caused by increased radiation exposure in space.

“We have seen them do this in response to radiation on Earth,” said Boothby, “and we think the ways tardigrades have evolved to withstand extreme environments on this planet may also be what protects them against the stresses of spaceflight.”

The research team will look at what happens with tardigrade genes in space. Knowing which ones are turned on or off in response to short-term and long-term spaceflight will help researchers identify specific ways tardigrades use to survive in this stressful environment. If one solution they have is to turn up the dial on antioxidant production, for example, genes involved in that process should be affected.

Checking which genes are also activated or deactivated by other stresses will help pinpoint the genes that respond exclusively to spaceflight. Cell Science-04 will then test which are truly required for tardigrade adaptation and survival in this high-stress environment.

Data from the space station experiment will also offer a comparison for Earth-based research. The latter is more common and less costly, and uses simulated spaceflight conditions to study tardigrade responses. The current experiment will tell researchers how similar those conditions are to actual spaceflight.

The tiny heroes of Cell Science-04 won’t be the first spacefaring tardigrades to join an astronaut crew. They have already been shown to survive even the vacuum of space when exposed outside the space station for an experiment. This time, they’ll be on board living and reproducing inside special science hardware developed for the station by NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, which also manages the mission. Called the Bioculture System, the hardware lets scientists carry out long-term studies of cultures of cells, tissues, and microscopic animals in space by allowing real-time, remote monitoring, and finer control over the conditions in which they grow.

In the long run, revealing what makes tardigrades so tolerant could lead to ways of protecting biological material, such as food and medicine from extreme temperatures, drying out, and radiation exposure, which will be invaluable for long-duration, deep-space exploration missions. That’s superhero-size potential for the teeny tardigrade.

Dr. Boothby’s research is supported by NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Division.

Author: Abby Tabor, NASA’s Ames Research Center

Last Updated: Jun 4, 2021

Editor: Abigail Tabor

#AceNewsDesk report ……Published: Jun.07: 2021: