Connect with us

Published

on

NASA’s huge next-generation rocketship was on course Wednesday for a crewless voyage around the moon and back hours after blasting off from Florida on its debut flight, half a century after the final lunar mission of the Apollo era.

The much-delayed launch kicked off Apollo’s successor program, Artemis, aimed at returning astronauts to the lunar surface this decade and establishing a sustainable base there as a stepping stone to future human exploration of Mars.

The 32-story-tall Space Launch System (SLS) rocket lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at 1:47am EST (12:17pm IST), piercing the blackness over Cape Canaveral with a reddish-orange tail of fire.

About 90 minutes after launch, the rocket’s upper stage successfully thrust the Orion capsule out of Earth orbit and on its trajectory to the moon, NASA announced.

Launchpad Drama

Liftoff came on the third attempt at launching the multibillion-dollar rocket, after 10 weeks beset by technical mishaps, back-to-back hurricanes and two excursions trundling the spacecraft out of its hangar to the launch pad.

About four hours before Wednesday’s blastoff, crews had to deal with a flurry of simultaneous issues, including a leaky fuel valve.

Quick work on the launch pad by a special team of technicians, who tightened down a loose connection well inside the “blast zone” demarcated around a nearly fully fueled rocket, was credited with saving the launch.

The three-week Artemis I mission marks the first flight of the combined SLS rocket and the Orion capsule together, built by Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp, respectively, under contract with NASA.

After decades with NASA focused on low-Earth orbit with space shuttles and the International Space Station (see graphic), it also signals a major change in direction for the agency’s post-Apollo human spaceflight program.

Named for the ancient Greek goddess of the hunt — and Apollo’s twin sister — Artemis aims to return astronauts to the moon’s surface as early as 2025.

More science-driven than Apollo — born of the Cold War-era U.S.-Soviet space race that put 12 NASA astronauts on the moon during six missions from 1969 to 1972 — the Artemis program has enlisted commercial partners such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX and the space agencies of Europe, Canada, and Japan.

The Artemis I mission entails a 25-day Orion flight bringing the capsule to within 97km of the lunar surface before flying 64,400km beyond the moon and looping back to Earth. The capsule is expected to splash down at sea on December 11.

You could feel it

The thunder of 8.8 million pounds of thrust produced at launch by the rocket’s four main R-25 engines and its twin solid-rocket boosters sent shock waves across the Kennedy complex, where crowds of spectators cheered and screamed.

“It was just incredible to see. It was so bright, so loud, you could feel it,” said NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, among those who could be selected for a future Artemis crew.

The Orion capsule will have some company around the moon from a tiny satellite, CAPSTONE, that reached its intended lunar orbit on Sunday to test a complex gravitational parking position called a “near-rectilinear HALO orbit.”

That position would be home to a future lunar space station called Gateway, slated for deployment later this decade as part of the Artemis venture.

The first Artemis voyage is intended to put the SLS-Orion vehicle through its paces in a rigorous demonstration flight, pushing its design limits to prove the spacecraft is safe and reliable enough to fly astronauts.

If the mission succeeds, a crewed Artemis II flight around the moon and back could come as early as 2024, followed within a few years by the program’s first lunar landing of astronauts, one of them a woman, with Artemis III.

Sending astronauts to Mars, an order of magnitude more challenging than lunar landings, is expected to take at least another decade and a half to achieve.

Billed as the most powerful, complex rocket in the world, the SLS represents the biggest new vertical launch system NASA has built since the Saturn V of the Apollo era.

Although no people were aboard, Orion carried a simulated crew of three – one male and two female mannequins — fitted with sensors to measure radiation levels and other stresses that astronauts would experience.

A top objective is to test the durability of Orion’s heat shield during re-entry as it hits Earth’s atmosphere at 39,400km per hour — much faster than re-entries from the space station.

The spacecraft also is set to release 10 miniaturized science satellites, called CubeSats, including one designed to map the abundance of ice deposits on the moon’s south pole, where Artemis seeks to eventually land astronauts.

More than a decade in development with years of delays and budget overruns, the SLS-Orion spacecraft has cost NASA at least $37 billion (roughly Rs. 3 lakh crore). Its Office of Inspector General has projected total Artemis costs at $93 billion (roughly Rs. 7.55 lakh crore) by 2025.

NASA says the program also has generated tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in commerce.

© Thomson Reuters 2022


Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.

Continue Reading

Science

A Nearby Supernova May End Dark Matter Search, Claims New Study

Published

on

By

A Nearby Supernova May End Dark Matter Search, Claims New Study

The pursuit of understanding dark matter, which comprises 85 percent of the universe’s mass, could take a significant leap forward with a nearby supernova. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, led by Associate Professor of Physics Benjamin Safdi, have theorised that the elusive particle known as the axion might be detected within moments of gamma rays being emitted from such an event. Axions, predicted to emerge during the collapse of a massive star’s core into a neutron star, could transform into gamma rays in the presence of intense magnetic fields, offering a potential breakthrough in physics.

Potential Role of Gamma-Ray Telescopes

The study was published in Physical Review Letters and revealed that the gamma rays produced from axions could confirm the particle’s mass and properties if detected. The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, currently the only gamma-ray observatory in orbit, would need to be pointed directly at the supernova, with the likelihood of this alignment estimated at only 10 percent. A detection would revolutionise dark matter research, while the absence of gamma rays would constrain the range of axion masses, rendering many existing dark matter experiments redundant.

Challenges in Catching the Event

For detection, the supernova must occur within the Milky Way or its satellite galaxies—an event averaging once every few decades. The last such occurrence, supernova 1987A, lacked sensitive enough gamma-ray equipment. Safdi emphasised the need for preparedness, proposing a constellation of satellites, named GALAXIS, to ensure 24/7 sky coverage.

Axion’s Theoretical Importance

The axion, supported by theories like quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and string theory, bridges gaps in physics, potentially linking gravity with quantum mechanics. Unlike neutrinos, axions could convert into photons in strong magnetic fields, providing unique signals. Laboratory experiments like ABRACADABRA and ALPHA are also probing for axions, but their sensitivity is limited compared to the scenario of a nearby supernova. Safdi expressed urgency, noting that missing such an event could delay axion detection by decades, underscoring the high stakes of this astrophysical endeavour.

Continue Reading

Science

Fastest-Moving Stars in the Galaxy May be Piloted by Aliens, New Study Suggests

Published

on

By

Fastest-Moving Stars in the Galaxy May be Piloted by Aliens, New Study Suggests

Intelligent extraterrestrial civilisations might be utilising stars as massive interstellar vehicles to explore the galaxy, according to a theory proposed by Clement Vidal, a philosopher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium. His research suggests that alien species could potentially accelerate their binary star systems to traverse vast cosmic distances. While such a concept is purely hypothetical and unproven, Vidal’s recent paper, which has not undergone peer review, raises intriguing possibilities about advanced extraterrestrial engineering.

Concept of Moving Star Systems

The study was published in the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society. As per a report by LiveScience, the idea revolves around the notion that alien civilisations, instead of building spacecraft for interstellar travel, might manipulate entire star systems to travel across the galaxy. Vidal highlights binary star systems, particularly those involving neutron stars and smaller companion stars, as ideal candidates. Neutron stars, due to their immense gravitational energy, could serve as anchors for devices designed to propel the system by selectively ejecting stellar material.

Vidal explained in the paper that uneven heating or manipulation of magnetic fields on a star’s surface could cause it to eject material in one direction. This process would create a reactionary thrust, propelling the binary system in the opposite direction. The concept provides a way to travel while preserving planetary ecosystems, making it a theoretically viable method for species reliant on their home systems.

Known Examples with High Velocities

Astronomers have identified hypervelocity stars, such as the pulsars PSR J0610-2100 and PSR J2043+1711, which exhibit high accelerations. While their movements are believed to be natural phenomena, Vidal suggests they could be worth further investigation to rule out potential artificial influences.

This theory adds an unconventional angle to the search for intelligent life, expanding possibilities beyond traditional methods of exploration like searching for signals or probes. The research underscores the importance of considering advanced and unconventional methods aliens might employ to navigate the galaxy.

Continue Reading

Science

Hubble Telescope Finds Unexpectedly Hot Accretion Disk in FU Orionis

Published

on

By

Hubble Telescope Finds Unexpectedly Hot Accretion Disk in FU Orionis

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has provided new insights into the young star FU Orionis, located in the constellation Orion. Observations have uncovered extreme temperatures in the inner region of its accretion disk, challenging current models of stellar accretion. Using Hubble’s Cosmic Origins Spectrograph and Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, astronomers captured far-ultraviolet and near-ultraviolet spectra, revealing the disk’s inner edge to be unexpectedly hot, with temperatures reaching 16,000 kelvins—almost three times the Sun’s surface temperature.

A Star’s Bright Outburst Explained

First observed in 1936, FU Orionis became a hundred times brighter in months and has remained a unique object of study. Unlike typical T Tauri stars, its accretion disk touches the stellar surface due to instabilities. These are caused by the disk’s large mass, interactions with companion stars, or material falling inwards. Lynne Hillenbrand, a co-author from Caltech, in a statement said that the ultraviolet brightness seen exceeded predictions, revealing a highly dynamic interface between the star and its disk.

Implications for Planet Formation

As per a report by NASA, the study holds significant implications for planetary systems forming around such stars. The report further quoted Adolfo Carvalho, lead author of the study, saying that while distant planets in the disk may experience altered chemical compositions due to outbursts, planets forming close to the star could face disruption or destruction. This revised model provides critical insights into the survival of rocky planets in young star systems, he further added.

Future Investigations on FU Orionis

The research team continues to examine spectral emission lines in the collected data, aiming to map gas movement in the star’s inner regions. Hillenbrand noted that FU Orionis offers a unique opportunity to study the mechanisms at play in eruptive young stars. These findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, showcase the ongoing value of Hubble’s ultraviolet capabilities in advancing stellar science.

Continue Reading

Trending