Posted by doctornemo
https://www.metafilter.com/210968/Orbital-Doom-Venusian-lava-tubes-shutdowns-a-mysterious-visitor
"Humanity's last active mission at Venus is no more." What's the latest in humanity's exploration of space? Let's start with our sun and work outwards from there.
The Sun
Our star is offering some
disturbed weather this week. The European Space Agency (ESA) held an
exercise simulating
a Carrington event. The Parker Space Probe
captured images of the sun from the closest point ever while astronomers produced
the most highly detailed image of a solar flare.
Venus
The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
determined that its Venus orbiter Akatsuki was officially dead, ending for the moment all human direct observation of that planet. (
previously) From Earth several researchers found evidence of
lava tubes.
On Earth's surface
The African Space Agency (AfSA)
was born. An electric company
cut off power to Russia's Vostochny spaceport for nonpayment of bills. NASA and the White House are
planning to move space shuttle Discovery from the Washington, DC area to Texas, possibly in pieces, and
elicited protests. The American FAA temporarily
blocked all daytime commercial rocket launches due to the government shutdown.
From Earth's surface to orbit
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully "
launched its heaviest communication satellite to date, CMS-03." ISRO and NASA
launched a NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite. SpaceX
launched a Starship for the tenth time. A cargo freighter
resupplied the International Space Station (ISS) after overcoming some issues.
Blue Origin will launch a Mars probe
very soon. NASA announced
ten new astronauts. The American Space Force stated it was preparing two ground-based weapons, named
Meadowlands and the Remote Modular Terminal, designed to jam enemy satellites. Google
announced Project Suncatcher, a plan to place generative AI in Earth orbit.
In Earth orbit
Astronauts on China's Tiangong space station
celebrated a mid-autumn festival in orbit. NASA and SpaceX
adjusted the ISS' orbit without Russian assistance. This month is the
10th year anniversary of the
International Space Station Archaeological Project.
A programmer
got Doom running on an ESA satellite. Two Chinese satellites
connected with each other 20,000 miles above Earth's surface, a human first.
Back down to Earth
Three astronauts in the Tiangong station
delayed their return to Earth due to potential issues with their return craft, possibly damaged by space debris; the China National Space Administration (CNSA)
reached out to NASA for collaboration. Australian company High Earth Orbit Robotics
imaged the Chinese Xinjishu Yanzheng-7 satellite for the first time in public as it descended through the Earth's atmosphere. A European company
lost track of a test vehicle as it returned to Earth. An old Soviet spacecraft
burned up after more than 50 years in an accidental orbit.
NASA
announced it would deorbit the ISS in 2030. The American space agency also released
its 2025 spinoff report, describing the many ways space exploration benefits humanity.
Earth's Moon
A Japanese astronomer captured two meteors
impacting the lunar surface. NASA named its next Artemis moon mission
Integrity. The Chinese government
plans to launch a lunar-capable craft next year on a Long March rocket. Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian
determined that the Apollo moon landings were faked.
Inside the orbit of Mars
3I/ATLAS has been hurtling through the solar system, reaching its closest approach to the sun in late October. ESA probes ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Mars Express
took photos of ATLAS, which later started
showing an anti-tail. From Martian orbit China's Tianwen-1 probe
imaged the object. NASA's ability to work on 3I is
compromised by the government shutdown.
The object is
on its way out of the solar system now.
Mars
Earlier this year Curiosity took
great photos of Martian skies and Europa Clipper
zoomed past the red planet.
To the asteroids
Tiawen-2, which
launched in May, was actually designed to sample a near-Earth asteroid. An American astronomer
spotted a new asteroid previously hidden by the sun's light. NASA successfully tested
laser communications with the Psyche probe, more than 210 million miles away.
Jupiter
NASA ordered the Juno probe to
shut down, but the government also shut down and prevented confirmation. Before that happened, Juno found some impressive vulcanism on Io.
Beyond Neptune
Astronomers found a
new trans-Neptunian object, 2020 VN40.
Beyond the solar system
Humanity has now discovered
6,000 exoplanets, according to NASA's Exoplanet Science Institute (NExScI). An International Centre of Radio Astronomy Research team produced
a gorgeous new image of our galaxy.
https://www.metafilter.com/210968/Orbital-Doom-Venusian-lava-tubes-shutdowns-a-mysterious-visitor
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