Category Archives: Space Exploration

Today, a new generation of Americans looks to space and wonders where America will go next. Over the past eight years, NASA has laid the foundation for renewed American space exploration leadership under Charles Bolden, who stepped down as the agencys administrator on January 20. Although the space shuttle fleet has been retired, NASA has begun to field new capabilities that will take Americans back to Earth orbit, the moon, and beyond.

Bolden leaves his successor at NASA a full range of capabilities and policy options. Americas space agency has also reached out to private-sector entrepreneurs to develop commercial space capabilities to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station. And along with investing in the future of human space exploration, the United States has maintained a robust robotic space exploration program as well.

Indeed, America is better positioned today to embark on a big and bold program of human and robotic exploration than at any time since the end of the Apollo program. Despite tight budgets, NASA has invested in key building blockssuch as the Space Launch System, or SLS, and the Orion crew vehiclethat will come online during the current presidential administration. But these investments will only pay off if America sticks to the plan that NASA, Congress, and the Obama administration had collectively put together.

This hard-forged consensus will unravel, however, if the Trump administration changes course by initiating another high-level review of space exploration policy. Instead of commissioning another blue-ribbon panel, the current administrations NASA team should build on the progress made under Bolden. There is no need for the new NASA team to throw away eight years of hard work and investment just as America develops the capabilities necessary to send astronauts where they have never gone before.

NASA is ready for an ambitious, next generation program of space exploration. Even as the United States prepares to once again launch astronauts into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, American astronautstwo as of January 2017still remain on the International Space Station. Astronaut Scott Kellys year on board the station, which ended when he returned to Earth in March 2016, will help NASA better understand the physiological and psychological stresses of long-term spaceflight. Moreover, the Hubble Space Telescope continues to beam down breathtaking images of the cosmos after a quarter-centuryand four repair missionsin orbit. Finally, 10 robotic explorers plumb the depths of the solar system, from Mars to Pluto and beyond.

These accomplishments are impressive, but NASA has not rested on its laurels over the past eight years. Despite a difficult transition period and tight budgets below those of previous decades when adjusted for inflation, NASA has made significant progress toward human exploration missions beyond the moon. Building on the solid bedrock of President Barack Obamas 2010 National Space Policy directive, Congress NASA Authorization Act of 2010, and NASAs own 2015 Journey to Mars report, the space agency has made investments in new capabilities such as the Space Launch System, the Orion crew vehicle, and the Commercial Crew Program. With support and encouragement from NASA, new space entrepreneurs such as SpaceX, Bigelow Aerospace, and Blue Origin will soon bring their own capabilities and systems to the aerospace market. These investments will bear fruit in the coming yearsbut only if the Trump administration sticks to existing plans.

In recent years, and with the solid support of Congress, NASA has made slow but steady progress on the two main components of any human exploration beyond the moon: the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion crew vehicle. Already, Orion has had a successful uncrewed test flightExploration Flight Test-1in December 2014. Work is well underway on the next Orion vehicle, slated to be on the first SLS launch in late 2018. In another uncrewed flight dubbed Exploration Mission-1, or EM-1, Orion will spend six days in lunar orbit to test capabilities critical to future missions with astronauts.

Development of the SLS rocket that will send Orion on EM-1 has also proceeded apace. Testing is well under way on key SLS components such as the solid rocket boosters and the RS-25 engines that will power the rocket. Moreover, NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama has finished construction of the test stand for the largest SLS fuel tank. If all goes well, an SLS rocket will launch for the first time in fall 2018with an uncrewed Orion on top.

According to the current plan, astronauts will fly on Orion and SLS for the first time during Exploration Mission-2, or EM-2, as early as August 2021. Indeed, NASA has already outlined the mission profile for EM-2: Four astronauts will travel in an elliptical orbit before heading for a slingshot around the moon and returning to Earth. When they swing around the moon, the EM-2 astronauts will travel farther into space than anyone since the final Apollo mission in 1972.

At the same time, work on the Commercial Crew Program intended to return the launch of astronauts to American soil has proceeded apace. NASA has already awarded contracts to Boeing and SpaceX to fly astronauts to and from the International Space Station. But human spaceflight remains a difficult and challenging endeavor, and spacecraft development delays mean the United States is likely to launch astronauts from the Kennedy Space Center by May 2018 at the earliest. Despite these delays, real progress has been made toward returning astronaut launches to the United States early on in the new administration.

However, these delays also mean the United States will have to rely on Russia to send astronauts to and from the International Space Station for at least another year. The United States and its international partners will continue to operate the station until at least 2024 thanks to the Obama administrations 2014 decision to extend its lifespan. By the end of 2016, Americas International Space Station partnersRussia, Canada, Japan, and the European Space Agencyhad all agreed to extend the stations time in orbit. Maintaining the International Space Station well after its designed 15-year service life will be a challenge, but it will keep Americans in orbit as Orion and the SLS come online. It will also give NASA the opportunity to test new technologies and conduct further research on the psychological and physiological effects of long-duration spaceflight.

Despite this progress toward new human spaceflight capabilities, NASA faces lingering questions about critical components of Americas space exploration program. Amid heavy skepticism from Congress, NASA has started work on a two-phase Asteroid Redirect Mission, or ARM. By 2021, NASA plans to launch a robotic mission to retrieve a boulder from a nearby asteroid and redirect it into orbit around the moon. Sometime around 2026, astronauts aboard an Orion spacecraft will rendezvous with and explore this boulder. NASA argues that ARM is necessary to develop and test new technologies such as solar-electric propulsion that are necessary to send astronauts beyond the moon. But critics argue that these technologies can be developed without adding the cost and complexity of asteroid retrieval. The debate over ARM remains open, and its fate will be one of the first major decisions facing the new administrations NASA team.

Moreover, NASAs robotic exploration program has suffered from limited funding in recent years. Given the long lead times required to pull together robotic exploration missionsthe Juno mission to Jupiter, for instance, was selected in 2005, launched in 2011, and arrived at its destination in 2016lower budgets ensure that NASA starts work on fewer of these missions. The decline in robotic exploration missions also jeopardizes NASAs ability to adequately prepare for human expeditions to Mars and other destinations beyond the moon. Without adequate robotic infrastructure to relay communications back to Earth and survey the Martian environment, NASA will be forced to either delay current plans for a 2030s Mars mission or take greater than necessary risks with astronaut safety.

Finally, tight and uncertain budgets have limited NASAs ability to plan effectively for the future. Thanks to sequestration and other fiscal fights, NASAs budget declined from just more than $18.7 billion in 2010 to less than $16.9 billion in 2013a cut of more than $3.1 billion when adjusted for inflation. Budgetary pressure contributed to the Obama administrations decision to back out of cooperation with the European Space Agencys ExoMars robotic exploration program. The Europeans, in turn, went to Russia to help build and launch their spacecraft. Despite general public and congressional support for NASA and its mission, the stability and sustainability of its budgets remains an open question as the new administrations NASA team takes charge.

In spite of these lingering questions, the next NASA team will inherit a solid foundation for space exploration from former administrator Bolden. Orion and the Space Launch System will give NASA the ability to send astronauts farther than any human has ever gone before, while the Commercial Crew Program will return astronaut launches to American soil. America and its partners will maintain the International Space Station in orbit until at least 2024, and NASAs robotic exploration budget has recovered from deep cuts in recent years. In short, Americas space program no longer stands at an uncertain crossroads and is poised to reassert American leadership in space.

But this foundation will crumble if the new administration hits the reset button on Americas space exploration program. Instead of commissioning yet another time consuming, high-level study of Americas human spaceflight program that forces NASA to change direction, the Trump administration should build on the bipartisan consensus achieved by Congress and the Obama administration in 2010. This consensus set Mars as Americas long-run human space exploration goal and provides a solid space policy framework for the United States.

This framework leaves plenty of room for the new administration to put its mark on Americas human space exploration programwithout ripping it up at the roots. NASAs report, titled Journey to Mars, for instance, provides a flexible, three-phase concept for progress. The first phase, which includes Scott Kellys recent year-long mission on the International Space Station, tests the capabilities necessary for deep space exploration in low-Earth orbit. Next comes what NASA calls the Proving Ground phase, in which astronauts will learn how to live and work in the deep space around the moon. Finally, the Earth Independent phase will culminate in a human voyage to Mars.

Fortunately, Congress appears to understand the importance of continuity in space exploration policy. Before the 2016 election, for instance, Sens. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced legislation that reaffirmed the bipartisan consensus on Mars as the next goal for Americas human space exploration program. This bill shows that members of Congress can work across party and ideological lines to ensure that the United States sticks to its own space exploration plan.

Cooperation across party and ideological lines will also be necessary to ensure that NASA receives sufficient and stable support moving forward. In particular, NASA should receive additional funding for the Orion and SLS programs, which are critical parts of any deep space exploration mission. This financial cushion can reduce the risk of budget-driven delays to both programs and help make sure that Exploration Mission-1 and Exploration Mission-2 launch according to NASAs current plans. In addition, robotic explorationfunded through NASAs Planetary Science Divisionshould be increased modestly to levels necessary to maintain the robotic infrastructure on and around Mars while meeting the congressionally mandated goal of launching a mission to Europa by 2023. Without the infrastructure and information these robotic explorers provide, future human expeditions beyond the moon will be more hazardous than necessary.

At the same time, the new NASA team should identify and reach out to potential international partners for missions in the Proving Ground around the moon. This outreach should include traditional NASA partners such as Japan, Canada, and Europe while expanding to new players, including South Korea and India. By working with international partners, NASA maintains and strengthens the global network of international scientific and engineering relationships it painstakingly forged over decades. Since the United States remains the only nation with the financial capacity and technical capability to carry out a robust program of space exploration, this network also ensures that the United States remains the global leader in space.

While NASA invites new and traditional partners to join Proving Ground missions, it should maintain the dialogue with China that has been established in recent years. Right now, the prospect of full-blown cooperation with Beijing on space exploration remains remote. But the recent cooperation agreement on air traffic control between NASA and the Chinese Aeronautical Establishment shows how incremental progress toward a more cooperative relationship in space could be made.

However, numerous political obstacles prevent cooperation with China in space. Here in the United States, Congress restricts NASAs ability to cooperate with China for a variety of valid reasons. Even without legislative restrictions, the absence of a clear division between Chinas military and civil space programs would likely inhibit cooperation with NASA. Nonetheless, the United States has a significant national security interest in gaining insight into Chinas aerospace industryinsight that could be gained through incremental cooperation on space exploration.

The primary goal of any cooperation between NASA and Chinas space agencies should be to encourage China to clearly separate its civil space activities from its military space programas the United States did with great success when President Dwight Eisenhower established NASA in 1958. There are two potential avenues for cooperation the United States could offer to induce these changes in Chinese behavior. First, the United States could invite Chinese scientists to contribute a scientific instrument to an upcoming robotic exploration mission. This sort of limited collaboration would allow the United States and China to work together on scientific and engineering processes.

Second, the United States should hold open the prospect of a Chinese spacecraft visiting the International Space Station. Such a visit has already been suggested by the European Space Agency and would require American and Chinese engineers to work together on the development of a common docking system. This sort of limited cooperation would allow the United States and China to build confidence and trust in one another and work with other International Space Station partners. While the national security risks of a Chinese visit to the International Space Station are minimal, the gainsa look into Chinas aerospace industry and the separation of Chinas civil and military space programscould prove substantial.

After eight years in office, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden leaves his successor the foundation for a rejuvenatedand realisticspace exploration program. Investments in new capabilities such as Orion and the Space Launch System will bear fruit in the coming years, allowing NASA to send astronauts farther than has been possible since the end of Apollo. Equally important, a new consensus on Americas next human spaceflight goalMarshas emerged and solidified.

But American astronauts are not likely to reach Mars unless the new administration and its NASA team resist the temptation to hit the reset button on Americas space exploration program. Instead of commissioning yet another time consuming, high-level study of Americas space exploration program that forces NASA to change direction, the Trump administration should build on the bipartisan foundation thats been laid since 2010. Another disruptive shift in NASAs goals would jeopardize both this foundation and Americas leadership in space exploration.

For its part, Congress should reaffirm this consensus and provide NASA the resources necessary to build on the progress of the past eight years. Thanks to Bolden and his teams leadership and bipartisan cooperation in Congress, the new administration and its NASA team will inherit a solid space exploration foundation on which it can build.

Rudy deLeon is a Senior Fellow with the National Security and International Policy team at American Progress. Peter Juul is a Policy Analyst at American Progress. Stefanie Merchant is a Special Assistant at American Progress.

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Outgoing NASA Team Leaves Its Successors With Robust Options for Space Exploration - Center For American Progress

An AtlasV rocket lifts off from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, September 8, 2016. AP/Alex Sanz

Washington, D.C. (ENEWSPF)February 9, 2017. A new issue briefreleased by the Center for American Progress finds that there is a solid foundation for a rejuvenated and realistic space exploration program as NASA transitions to new leadership under the Trump administration. Under the leadership of former administrator Charles Bolden, NASA has made real strides over the past eight years toward historic missions into the solar system. The incoming leadership should resist the temptation to hit the reset button and undo the gains made by their predecessors.

NASAs big plans for space exploration in the coming decades rest securely on the foundation laid by Administrator Bolden over the past eight years, said Rudy deLeon, CAP Senior Fellow and co-author of the brief. At this exciting time, it would be very counterproductive to reassess the trajectory currently in place. If we as a nation are going to fulfill the goal of putting a human on Mars in the coming decades, it will be done squarely on the back of the gains of the past eight years. It would be a shame to squander this opportunity to achieve this truly historic accomplishment.

The brieffinds that NASA is poised to undertake a truly ambitious program of space exploration. Human missions to Mars and robotic exploration programs will only succeed under an overall approach that sticks to the plan set forth over the past decade rather than attempts to change the direction of NASAs priorities.

Click here to read the brief.

Source: http://americanprogress.org

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New NASA Leadership Inherits Rejuvenated Space Exploration Program - eNews Park Forest

Politics ByAlec Siegel|February 9, 2017

While President Donald Trump seeks to build walls around the United States, his administration is pursuinga robust planwhen it comes to further frontierslike space. According to internal White House documents obtained by POLITICO, the Trump team is looking to encourage competition between Old Space (traditional contractors like Lockheed Martin and Boeing) and New Space (private firms like SpaceX and Blue Origin) to develop new technologies and pushthe boundaries of U.S. space exploration.

Trump has yet to name a NASA directora top contender is Republican Rep. Jim Bridenstine of Oklahomabut his administration is shooting for the stars: theyd like to see a return to the moon by 2020; space stations built and operated by private companies; and a return to the large-scale economic development of space, according to the internal documents.

During an October rally in Sanford, Florida, Trump gave the most recent public statement regarding his vision for space exploration: A cornerstone of my policy is we will substantially expand public private partnerships to maximize the amount of investment and funding that is available for space exploration and development, he said. This means launching and operating major space assets, right here, that employ thousands and spur innovation and fuel economic growth.

A major competition could be brewing between traditional space players and new, ambitious projects from private tech titans like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. NASA, which currently has an annual budget of $19 billion, could be in for budget cuts. And more government investment could be poured into private efforts like Musks SpaceX and Bezos Blue Origin.

According toa briefing the administration provided NASA during the transition period,Trump plans to see private American astronauts, on private space ships, circling the Moon by 2020; and private lunar landers staking out de facto property rights for American on the Moon, by 2020 as well. It wenton to instruct NASA on how it should direct its activities moving forward.NASAs new strategy will prioritize economic growth and the organic creation of new industries and private sector jobs, over exploration and other esoteric activities, it said.

However Trumps space strategy plays out, its clear that NASA will not necessarily be the nucleus of Americas forays beyond Earth. Former Rep. Robert Walker (R-PA) who helped draft Trumps space policy plans, and is currently involved in discussions on the plans, seesNASA as somewhat of the stalwart of a bygone era.There are billions of dollars at stake. It has come to a head now when it has become clear to the space community that the real innovative work is being done outside of NASA, he told POLITICO.

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When hes not working at Law Street hes either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

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What Will Space Exploration Look Like Under Trump? - Law Street Media (blog)

MINSK, 8 February (BelTA) Belarus would like to develop cooperation with Iran in pharmaceutical industry, science and technology. A Belarusian parliamentary delegation led by Chairman of the Council of the Republic Mikhail Myasnikovich discussed opportunities for the implementation of joint projects during its visit to Iran, BelTA learned from the press service of the Council of the Republic.

The Belarusian MPs paid a visit to the Tofigh Daru Research & Engineering Company on 7 February. The company was established in 2000 to design new active pharmaceutical components and implement projects to set up pharmaceutical enterprises. The company accounts for 28.5% of Iran's total export of pharmaceuticals. During the meeting, Tofigh Daru representatives expressed the company's readiness to develop business ties with Belarusian companies. The parties discussed opportunities for localization of production through establishment of a joint venture in Belarus and development of cooperation between Iranian and Belarusian pharmaceutical companies, the press service said.

The Belarusian delegation led by Mikhail Myasnikovich also visited the Iran National Science Foundation on 7 February. The parties discussed matters related to research conducted by Belarusian and Iranian research centers. Mikhail Myasnikovich noted that Belarus is eager to implement joint projects with Iranian research centers in space exploration, nano- and biotechnology, pharmaceutical industry and other areas. The parties considered opportunities for preparing a plan for cooperation between the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and the Iran National Science Foundation.

The Belarusian MPs also paid a visit to the Azhitechs, a company that became an official dealer for Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ trademark) in Iran in 2009, on 8 February. The company commissioned a plant to assemble MAZ vehicles in 2011. More than 500 vehicles have been delivered to Iran over the years of cooperation. Mikhail Myasnikovich met with Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, Iranian Minister of Industries, Mines and Trade, on 7 February. The minister said that Iran would like to continue purchasing MAZ vehicles. The Belarusian delegation attended a ceremony to open a bus assembly unit and were given a tour of the enterprise.

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Belarus invites Iran to cooperate in pharmaceutical industry, space exploration - Belarus News (BelTA)

The Union Cabinet today was briefed on the Framework Agreement between India and Vietnam on cooperation in exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes. The agreement was signed on September 3, 2016.

It will enable pursuing potential areas of cooperation between the two nations in domains like space science, satellite communication and satellite-based navigation, planetary exploration, use of spacecraft and space systems, and application of space technology.

The Framework would initiate new research and application activities in the field of remote sensing of the earth, satellite communication and navigation, and exploration of the outer space.

This collaboration with Vietnam would lead to a launch of joint activity in the field of application of space technologies for the benefit of humanity.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

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Cabinet briefed on India-Vietnam Framework Agreement on outer space exploration - Daily News & Analysis

Wall Street Journal

NASA Official Highlights Risk of Manned-Spacecraft Efforts Wall Street Journal WASHINGTONWith the U.S. developing a handful of new rockets and spacecraft intended to transport astronauts into space, NASA's top human exploration official issued a somber warning Tuesday about potentially fatal risks associated with the programs. and more »

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NASA Official Highlights Risk of Manned-Spacecraft Efforts - Wall Street Journal

Los Angeles, Feb 7 (IANS) From collaborating with engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for designing a next-generation space exploration device to cut the distance barrier between cities, the global 3D design company Dassault Systemes is busy working on ideas to herald a new era for millennials.

According to Gian Paolo Bassi, CEO, Dassault Systemes, new space exploration devices will further expand our knowledge about the universe.

"We are working closely with JPL engineers to build a space exploration device that will be faster than any other machine of its kind of previous generation and will be able to carry heavier payloads," Bassi addressed the jam-packed Los Angeles Convention Centre as he kicked-off the four-day SOLIDWORKS World 2017 conference here on Monday.

"In order to safeguard our Earth from an asteroid impact in the future, we are also working with NASA to develop a planetary space defence system that can alert us in such threat in advance," Bassi told the gathering in the city of entertainment which was inundated with rain since morning.

Dassault Systemes is also working with the California-based aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company SpaceX on an ambitious hyperloop transportation project.

Proposed by SpaceX founder Elon Musk in 2013, the Hyperloop system envisages mass transportation at a speed of up to 760 miles (nearly 1300 km) per hour via low-pressure tubes.

"It means that once in use, the hyperloop pod ride will take you to San Francisco from Los Angeles in flat 35 minutes. We are working with engineers to design the low-flying vehicle," Bassi noted.

Last week, the Hyperloop competition pitted 27 research teams against each other for the chance to test-drive their model pods in a test tube built by SpaceX in California.

Following the competition, SpaceX released a video which takes viewers on a trip through the 1.25km tube, showing what a ride in a Hyperloop pod might be like.

Students from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Munich Technical University and Delft University of Technology finally received the chance to send their pods for a test drive to see whose model was most impressive.

"Innovation is about experiences that we are creating for our customers and space research is one of those," Bassi said.

Not just space research, the 3D design solutions are also helping baby toy manufacturers build innovative toys, guitar makers develop new-age electric guitars and magicians create mind-blowing illusions to leave their audience speechless.

Being attended by over 5,000 engineers and designers from around the globe, the four-day event is organised by Dassault SystAmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company and a world leader in 3D design software.

Over 120 exhibitors are displaying new technologies and products amid 200 interactive training sessions at the annual SOLIDWORKS World 2017.

(Nishant Arora is in Los Angeles at the invitation of Dassault Systmes. He can be contacted at nishant.a@ians.in)

--IANS

na/ksk

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Dassault Systemes sets eyes on space exploration, faster transport - Economic Times

Ratan Naval Tata, chairman emeritus of TATA Group, flagged off TeamIndus and Agastya International Foundation's Moonshot Wheels at Jakkur, Bengaluru, Karnataka, February 7, 2017.Rohit KVN/ IBTimes India

Indigenous aerospace company TeamIndus in collaboration with Agastya International Foundation, kicked off an inspirational campaign #HarIndianKaMoonshot to educate rural students of its Moon landing program and also inspire space exploration in Bengaluru on February 7.

The company, using the bus aptly titled Moonshot Wheels comes equipped with advanced tools and will traverse 11 Indian states covering 12500 kms in 12 months. It plans to interact with more than 36000 students in government schools. The bus is said to carry out 16 curate science experiments including live satellite tracking, Moon rover, Spacecraft scaled model and also showcase an experience zone, which will simulate space activities in small enclosure and inspire kids.

Also read:ISRO set to launch Saarc satellite in March 2017

"Moonshot Wheels is an important manifestation of our commitment to making this Mission, #HarIndianKaMoonshot," Rahul Narayan, Fleet Commander of TeamIndus, said in a statement. "Our foundation will continue initiatives like this and Lab2Moon to ignite passion for STEM in the next generation," Narayan added.

Further, select school students, who show aptitude and keenness in the space programs and related topics, will stand a chance to write a message, wherein it will be engraved on the very space equipments, which will be placed on the Moon. TeamIndus, as part of Google Lunar X Prize, is working on a project to build spacecraft consisting Lunar lander HHK-1 and a rover titled-- ECA (hindi phraseEk Choti si Asha, meaning ' a small dream') to deploy on the Moon, which will carry out a curated list of experiments on the lunar surface.

Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan, former ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) Chairman with TeamIndus and Agastya International Foundation team at Moonshot Wheels launch at Jakkur, Bengaluru, Karnatka, February 7, 2017Rohit KVN/ IBTimes India

"Agastya International Foundation is delighted to partner with TeamIndus Foundation on this exciting and unique space education program! What makes this program special is that it targets children and school teachers from under-served communities, closely aligning with Agastya's vision", Ramji Raghavan, Founder and Chairman of Agastya International Foundation, said in a statement.

If all things go as planned, TeamIndus with the help ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation)'s PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle), intends to launch it space probe in the last week of December 2017 and make a soft landing on January 26, 2018. If they succeed to operate and perform predefined tests for 14 days, they will be claim Google Lunar X Prize worth $30 million.

In doing so, TeamIndus will set a new precedent in India's space exploration history. before TeamIndus, govt-run ISRO was the sole player in the country's space exploration. TeamIndus' success will definitely encourage other private companies to jump to this field and also pullyoung adults towards the pure science.

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TeamIndus launches Moonshot Wheels to inspire Indian rural ... - International Business Times, India Edition

NASA has released a new image of Enceladus, the sixth-largest of Saturns moons, taken by the agencys Cassini orbiter.

NASAs Cassini robotic orbiter obtained this image of Saturns moon Enceladus on November 27, 2016. This view looks toward the Saturn-facing hemisphere of the moon. North on Enceladus is up and rotated 6 degrees to the right. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Space Science Institute.

Enceladus has a diameter of only 314 miles (505 km), about a tenth of that of Titan.

Discovered on August 28, 1789 by the English astronomer William Herschel, it orbits at 112,000 miles (180,000 km) from Saturns cloud tops, between the orbits of Mimas and Tethys.

Enceladus displays at least five different types of terrain: parts of the moon show craters no larger than 22 miles (35 km) in diameter; other areas show regions with no craters, indicating resurfacing events in the geologically recent past.

There are fissures, plains, corrugated terrain and other crustal deformations.

Because Enceladus reflects almost 100% of the sunlight that strikes it, the surface temperature is extremely cold, about minus 330 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 201 degrees Celsius).

Over the course of the Cassini mission, observations have shown that Enceladus not only has watery jets sending icy grains into space; it also has a global subsurface ocean, and may have hydrothermal activity as well.

Since planetary researchers believe liquid water is a key ingredient for life, the implications for future missions searching for life elsewhere in the Solar System could be significant.

The image was taken in green light with Cassinis narrow-angle camera on November 27, 2016.

The view was acquired at a distance of roughly 81,000 miles (130,000 km) from Enceladus.

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Cassini Captures Stunning View of Enceladus | Space Exploration ... - Sci-News.com

Space. It wont be an exaggeration to say that almost everything in the vast cosmic void that envelopes Earth will kill us in the blink of an eye. This wont be much of a problem if we were a firmly Earth-bound species, but, as Carl Sagan once presciently remarked:We have a basic responsibility to our species to venture to other worlds.

Previous studies have already shown that long-term exposure to the microgravity environment of space impairs astronauts vision, atrophies their muscles, and even causes changes in gene expression and chromosome length.

Now, a new NASA-funded study published in the latest edition of the journal Nature Microgravity has detailed the impact spaceflight has on the shape of astronauts brains. The researchers, whoexamined structural MRIs in 12 astronauts who spent two weeks as shuttle crew members and 14 who spent six months on the International Space Station, found noticeable changes in gray matter in different parts of the brain.

Blue shows areas of gray matter volume decrease, likely reflecting shifting of cerebrospinal fluid. Orange shows regions of gray matter volume increase, in the regions that control movement of the legs. Photo: University of Michigan

Specifically, MRIs taken before and after spaceflight revealed that the volume of gray matter both increased and decreased, and the extent of the changes depended on the length of time spent in space.

We found large regions of gray matter volume decreases, which could be related to redistribution of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in space, lead author Rachael Seidler from the University of Michigan said in a statement released Tuesday. Gravity is not available to pull fluids down in the body, resulting in so-called puffy face in space. This may result in a shift of brain position or compression.

Gray matter, which consists of neuronal cell bodies and unmyelinated axons, is responsible for controlling a variety of functions, including sensory perception, memory formation, decision-making and emotions.

The researchers found that gray matter volume increased in the areas of the brain that control leg movement, which may reflect changes related to the brain learning how to move in microgravity, while in other areas of the brain, gray matter volume decreased due to redistribution of the CSF.

It is important to note that the changes in gray matter volume do not stem from a loss or gain in brain cells. Moreover, it is still not clear what repercussions these changes have on cognition and physical performance in the long term, and whether, once the astronauts are back on Earth, the brain can still use different pathways to compensate for the structural changes caused by spaceflight.

These intriguing findings are observed in a retrospective data set. More carefully controlled prospective studies may shed further light on these changes and their relation to behavioral performance, the researchers concluded in the study.

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Space Exploration: Astronauts' Brains Are Changed By Spaceflight, MRI-Based Study Reveals - International Business Times