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NASA has chosen two mission proposals to further investigate X-ray and far-infrared wavelengths, marking the start of a new class of astrophysics missions. These missions fall within NASA’s Explorers Programme and have been allocated $5 million each for a 12-month concept study. A final decision will be made in 2026, with the selected mission launching in 2032.

Both mission concepts aim to explore uncharted regions of the universe. Nicola Fox, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate Associate Administrator, emphasised the potential for these missions to advance NASA’s scientific objectives, saying they will enable groundbreaking discoveries in line with top priorities set by the Decadal Survey.

Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite

The Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite, led by Principal Investigator Christopher Reynolds from the University of Maryland, College Park, is designed to explore supermassive black holes and study stellar feedback, a process critical to galaxy evolution. The mission will build upon previous X-ray observatories, offering advanced imaging techniques with a broader field of view.

Probe Far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics

The second proposal is the Probe Far-Infrared Mission, led by Jason Glenn from NASA Goddard. This mission seeks to bridge the gap between current infrared observatories and radio telescopes. The 1.8-metre telescope will study far-infrared light to address questions about planetary formation, supermassive black holes, and cosmic dust.

Both proposals were selected for their scientific potential and their alignment with NASA’s larger goals for future space exploration. The winning mission will be the first of NASA’s new Probe Explorers missions, which are intended to fill the gap between flagship and smaller missions.

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SpaceX Reschedules Planned Starship Test Flight Launch Due to Equipment Glitch

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SpaceX has postponed the highly anticipated 10th test flight of its Starship megarocket after engineers discovered a glitch in the launch pad’s ground systems. The launch was originally set for Sunday, Aug. 24, from the company’s Starbase facility in South Texas but was halted just 17 minutes before liftoff. The countdown was paused to allow troubleshooting, and t…

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Rare Giant Solar Tornado and Plasma Eruption Captured Together on the Sun

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A Romanian researcher captured a rare sight on the Sun — a giant solar tornado alongside a massive plasma eruption. Both events, driven by magnetic field changes, highlight the Sun’s extreme activity during solar maximum. Luckily, the eruption’s CME is not headed toward Earth.

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Russia Launches Bion-M No.2 with Mice, Flies, and Seeds to Study Space Biology

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Russia’s latest resupply mission to low-Earth orbit has delivered a unique scientific cargo: 75 mice, 1,000 fruit flies, microbes, cell cultures, and plant seeds aboard the Bion-M No.2 biosatellite. Over the next month, these organisms will orbit Earth, helping scientists study how microgravity and cosmic radiation affect life. Some mice are genetically engineered t…

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