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Amit Kshatriya, a decorated Indian-American software and robotics engineer was appointed as the first head of NASA’s newly-established Moon to Mars Programme that will help the agency ensure a long-term lunar presence needed to prepare for humanity’s next giant leap to the Red Planet.

Kshatriya will serve as NASA’s first head of the office, with immediate effect, the agency announced on Thursday.

The new office aims to carry out the agency’s human exploration activities on the Moon and Mars for the benefit of humanity, a NASA press release said.

“The golden age of exploration is happening right now, and this new office will help ensure that NASA successfully establishes a long-term lunar presence needed to prepare for humanity’s next giant leap to the Red Planet,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

“The Moon to Mars Programme Office will help prepare NASA to carry out our bold missions to the Moon and land the first humans on Mars,” Nelson explained.

The new office resides within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, reporting to its Associate Administrator Jim Free, it said.

As directed by the 2022 NASA Authorisation Act, the Moon to Mars Programme Office focuses on hardware development, mission integration and risk management functions for programmes critical to the agency’s exploration approach that uses Artemis missions at the Moon to open a new era of scientific discovery and prepare for human missions to Mars, according to the press release.

This includes the Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, supporting ground systems, human landing systems, spacesuits, Gateway, and more related to deep space exploration.

The new office will also lead planning and analysis for long-lead developments to support human Mars missions, it said.

In his new role, Kshatriya will be responsible for programme planning and implementation for human missions to the Moon and Mars.

Kshatriya directed and provided leadership and integration for the Space Launch System, Orion, and Exploration Ground Systems programmes, as well as associated Artemis Campaign Development Division initiatives linking the agency’s Moon to Mars objectives, it said.

Previously, Kshatriya served as the acting deputy associate administrator for the Common Exploration Systems Development Division.

Kshatriya began his career in the space programme in 2003, working as a software engineer, robotics engineer, and spacecraft operator primarily focused on the robotic assembly of the International Space Station.

From 2014 to 2017, he served as a space station flight director, where he led global teams in the operations and execution of the space station during all phases of flight.

In 2021, he was assigned to NASA Headquarters in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate as an assistant deputy associate administrator, where he was an integral part of the team that returned a spacecraft designed to carry humans to the Moon during the Artemis I mission.

Son of first-generation Indian immigrants to the US, Kshatriya holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, and a Master of Arts in Mathematics from The University of Texas at Austin.

Kshatriya was born in Brookfield, Wisconsin, but considers Katy, Texas, to be his hometown.

He was decorated with the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal for actions as the lead flight director for the 50th expedition to the space station, as well as the Silver Snoopy — an award that astronauts bestow for outstanding performance contributing to flight safety — for his actions as lead robotics officer for the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Dragon demonstration mission to the orbiting laboratory, the release added.


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James Webb Space Telescope Reveals a Stunning Einstein Ring in Hydrus

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James Webb Space Telescope Reveals a Stunning Einstein Ring in Hydrus

James Webb Space Telescope has recently captured a detailed image of an unusual cosmic occurrence. The latest images released by European Space Agency shows a glowing ring in the depths of space. It also reveals an effect that is caused by a massive galaxy bending light from another galaxy hidden behind it. The phenomenon has been recorded in the constellation Hydrus. It has been observed that light from the background galaxy forms a ring due to gravitational bending.

Formation of the Einstein Ring

According to the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency the sight captured is known as an Einstein ring. It was reported that the effect is caused when a massive object bends light from another galaxy located behind it. The report further highlights that the foreground galaxy shown in the images belongs to a cluster known as SMACSJ0028.2-7537. The light from a distant spiral galaxy is being curved by the gravitational pull of the elliptical galaxy in front.

As per the official statement from ESA, the effect is a classic case of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity. The agency highlighted that the large objects in space can warp space-time, which in turn, forces light to travel around them in curved paths. The report further mentioned that when the observer, the light source and the massive object align perfectly, the light appears as a full ring.

Significance of Gravitational Lensing

The image was shared as part of the March picture of the month initiative by the space agencies. The images were capture using the Near Infrared Camera instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope with the help of Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3 and Advanced Camera for Surveys.

It is also reported that such lensing phenomena assist astronomers in studying distant galaxies that would otherwise be too faint to observe. The ESA further noted that the magnification effect helps reveal the structure and composition of galaxies that existed shortly after the Big Bang

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NASA Astronaut Zena Cardman Appointed to Lead SpaceX Crew-11 Mission to ISS

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NASA Astronaut Zena Cardman Appointed to Lead SpaceX Crew-11 Mission to ISS

NASA astronaut Zena Cardman has been appointed to lead the upcoming SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission is scheduled for launch in July. Cardman will take command of the four-member crew following her removal from a previous mission last year. She will be accompanied by Pilot Mike Fincke from NASA, Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov from the Russian space agency Roscosmos. Crew-11 will transport the team to the orbiting laboratory for an extended stay.

Crew Composition and Mission Details

According to an announcement by NASA officials, Cardman’s appointment to Crew-11 comes after her removal from SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission in August last year. That decision had been taken to accommodate NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams for their return to Earth following technical issues faced by Boeing’s Starliner capsule. These issues included thruster problems and helium leaks during its test flight to the ISS. The Starliner spacecraft had been returned without crew in September after safety concerns were raised.

Astronaut Experience and Background

As per NASA’s official statement, the Crew-11 mission will mark the first spaceflight experience for both Cardman and Platonov. Cardman had been selected by NASA in 2017. Platonov had been selected by Roscosmos in 2018. Mike Fincke, who will serve as the pilot, has already completed three space missions. He has spent a total of 382 days aboard the ISS during expeditions in 2004, 2008 and 2011. Kimiya Yui had served as a flight engineer during ISS Expeditions 44 and 45. He had remained aboard the station for 142 days from 2014 to 2015.

Changes Following Starliner Mission

According to reports, Cardman and astronaut Stephanie Wilson were removed from the Crew-9 assignment when NASA altered plans to facilitate the safe return of Starliner’s crew. Wilson’s reassignment has not been announced yet. Mike Fincke was earlier assigned to Boeing’s Starliner-1 mission. The launch date for Starliner-1 remains uncertain due to unresolved issues from previous flights. The Crew-11 mission is now expected to provide NASA with continued crew presence on the ISS. It will support ongoing research and operations.

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444-Million-Year-Old Inside-Out Fossil Without Head And Legs Found In South Africa

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444-Million-Year-Old Inside-Out Fossil Without Head And Legs Found In South Africa

Fossils of a 444 million-year-old marine creature, which is preserved in an unusual state, have been unearthed in South Africa. The remains belong to an extinct species of arthropod that lived long before dinosaurs, claims a new study. The fossils, which were discovered nearly 250 miles north of Cape Town in the Cederberg Mountains, shows an inside-out preservation technique. This means that the the soft tissues, such as muscles and guts, survived but the hard outer shell and limbs did not. This rare preservation offers a glimpse into ancient marine life and environments that existed during the Late Ordovician period.

Fossil Findings and Preservation

According to the study published in the journal Papers in Palaeontology, researchers have identified the specimens of the recently discovered fossils to be known as Keurbos susanae. The fossils were found in the Soom Shale, a geological formation recognised for preserving soft-bodied fossils. The researchers stated that the remains had been preserved without their shell and head while internal features like muscles and intestines remained intact. It has been reported that the species possibly lived in oxygen-deficient waters high in dissolved hydrogen sulphide which may have contributed to the unique preservation of soft tissues.

Challenges in Fossil Interpretation

Lead researcher Dr Sarah Gabbott, a Palaeontologist at the University of Leicester, told Live Science that the fossil was described as an “inside-out, legless, headless wonder”. She mentioned that muscles, tendons and even guts had been mineralised in remarkable detail while the outer shell and legs were missing due to decay. According to the report, the fossil dates back to a period when nearly 85 percent of marine life was wiped out by a mass extinction event. The absence of the exoskeleton has made it difficult for scientists to establish evolutionary links with other species from that time.

Limited Prospects of Further Discoveries

It has been reported that the fossil site where Keurbos susanae was discovered has been buried due to quarrying activity. Dr Gabbott mentioned that she had searched for additional specimens over the past two decades, but no new examples had been found. The species was named after her mother, Sue, who had encouraged her to pursue a career that brought her happiness. The research team noted that unless new specimens surface, the evolutionary significance of Keurbos susanae may remain unresolved.

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