Key takeaways: Frank Borman was the commander of the Apollo 8 mission, the first to leave low Earth orbit and reach the moon. The mission…
Posts tagged as “Earth”
On October 14th, 2023, the United States experienced a rare "ring of fire" annular solar eclipse, visible from Oregon to Texas. The moon passed between the Earth and the sun while at its farthest point, creating a crescent-shaped shadow and a "ring of fire" in the sky. Crowds gathered along the narrow path of the eclipse to cheer, and the eclipse coincided with an international balloon fiesta in Albuquerque. The next annular solar eclipse visible from American skies will be in June 21, 2039, passing only over Alaska.
NASA Unveils Historic Asteroid Sample Return Mission, Showcasing Most Samples Ever Returned to Earth
NASA Unveils Historic Asteroid Sample Return Mission, Showcasing Most Samples Ever Returned to Earth
NASA has unveiled its first-ever asteroid sample return mission, with samples from the carbon-rich asteroid Bennu containing water molecules and clay minerals. Daniel Glavin, co-investigator for the mission, said the findings were far more than expected and the main sample chamber has yet to be opened. The mission marks a major milestone for NASA, with the findings to inform future asteroid exploration and research.
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft Successfully Returns to Earth with Precious Samples from Asteroid Bennu
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft Successfully Returns to Earth with Precious Samples from Asteroid Bennu
NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission has been a success, with a capsule containing half a pound of rocks and soil from the asteroid Bennu returning to Earth. After a seven-year, four-billion-mile voyage, the capsule descended to an on-target touchdown in Utah, marking the first time NASA has brought back samples from an asteroid. Over the next two years, the samples will be studied by scientists around the world to unlock the secrets of the solar system.
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio has set a new U.S. single-flight endurance record of 371 days in space aboard the International Space Station, surpassing the previous record of 355 days. His stay in space is the first flight longer than a full year by an American astronaut, and he is now scheduled to return to Earth aboard a replacement Soyuz ferry ship on September 27. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine congratulated Rubio on his record-breaking flight, praising his dedication to exploration and discovery.
Earth has just experienced its hottest Northern Hemisphere summer on record, with August being the hottest month ever recorded by modern equipment. The average temperature in August was 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than pre-industrial averages, leading to extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, and wildfires. The WMO and C3S have urged governments to take action to reduce emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change, and U.S. President Joe Biden has promised federal aid for Idalia recovery.
This fossil discovered in China's Liaoning Province provides evidence that some mammals may have hunted dinosaurs for dinner. It shows a badger-like creature locked in mortal combat with a much larger beaked dinosaur, with the mammal biting two of the dinosaur's anterior dorsal ribs. This is the first evidence of actual predatory behavior by a mammal on a dinosaur, challenging the long-held belief that dinosaurs were the dominant species on land.
On July 14th, 2023, India's space agency successfully launched the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft aboard a LVM3-M4 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The mission will be the first to land on the dark side of the moon, carrying a lunar lander and a small rover to explore the lunar surface. If successful, the mission will be a major achievement for India's space program and will further cement India's position as a major space power.