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Years after the collapse of the Arecibo Observatory, its extensive datasets remain instrumental in advancing astronomical research. In a study led by Sofia Sheikh from the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, data from the observatory was utilised to uncover new details about pulsar signals. These dense neutron stars emit beams of radiation likened to “cosmic lighthouses,” and their signals undergo distortions as they traverse the interstellar medium. Findings from this research were published in The Astrophysical Journal on November 26.

Pulsar Signals and Interstellar Scintillation

The study explored how pulsar signals are affected by interstellar gas and dust. Researchers investigated 23 pulsars, including six previously unstudied, revealing insights into distortive phenomena called diffractive interstellar scintillation (DISS). This phenomenon, which resembles the rippling patterns caused by light passing through water, is attributed to interactions between pulsar signals and charged particles in space.

The Role of Arecibo’s Archival Data

The now-defunct Arecibo radio telescope, once spanning 305 metres, collapsed in December 2020 due to cable failures. Despite its destruction, the data collected over decades continues to contribute significantly to astrophysical discoveries. It was revealed by researchers that pulsar signals exhibit broader bandwidths than predicted by current interstellar models. This discrepancy indicates a need to refine existing frameworks, particularly by incorporating the structural complexity of the Milky Way.

Implications for Gravitational Wave Studies

Reportedly, a better understanding of pulsar signal distortions could enhance projects like the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav), which employs pulsar timing arrays to detect space-time distortions caused by gravitational waves. The recent identification of the gravitational wave background, potentially originating from supermassive black hole mergers, underscores the relevance of such advancements.

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Algae-Grown Bioplastic Passes Mars Pressure Test, Boosting Hopes for Red Planet Habitats

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Algae-Grown Bioplastic Passes Mars Pressure Test, Boosting Hopes for Red Planet Habitats

In a major step forward for sustainable space travel, researchers have been able to successfully grow algae inside biodegradable bioplastic, which mimics the conditions of the extreme Martian environment. The experiment was intended to see how well materials made of polylactic acid could keep conditions habitable on Mars, where the surface pressure is less than 1 percent that of the Earth’s. It’s an important step toward the development of self-sustaining habitats for the human portion of the expeditionary force that require regenerative biological systems instead of expensive resupply missions from Earth.

Algae Thrive in Bioplastic Chambers Under Mars-Like Conditions, Paving Way for Space Habitats

As per a study published in Science Advances, a research team led by Robin Wordsworth of Harvard University demonstrated that the green algae Dunaliella tertiolecta could not only survive but perform photosynthesis inside 3D-printed chambers engineered to replicate Mars’s thin, carbon dioxide–rich atmosphere. The bioplastic chamber also protected the algae from ultraviolet radiation while allowing enough light for biological activity. Liquid water was stabilised using a pressure gradient within the chamber.

The researchers highlighted that bioplastics offer distinct advantages over traditional industrial

materials, which are difficult to recycle or transport in space. Since polylactic acid is derived from natural sources, it could potentially be manufactured or regenerated on-site using algae—establishing a self-sustaining loop. “If you have a habitat that is composed of bioplastic and it grows algae within it, that algae could produce more bioplastic,” Wordsworth noted in a statement.

This latest experiment builds on the team’s earlier work involving silica aerogels that replicated Earth’s greenhouse conditions. By combining algae-based bioplastic systems for material regeneration with aerogels for thermal and atmospheric control, the team sees a viable path forward to long-term extraterrestrial habitation. The chambers’ success under Mars-like conditions reinforces the possibility of using biologically sourced materials to support life beyond Earth.

In future experiments, those systems are to be tested in harsher vacuum conditions, eventually for the benefit of human spaceflight and with spinoff applications on Earth, said Wordsworth, who contends such technology can have spinoff benefits.

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NASA’s Twin TRACERS Satellites Will Monitor Space Weather to Shield Earth from Solar Storms

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NASA Tests Modular Satellite Tech to Cut Launch Costs and Speed Missions

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NASA Tests Modular Satellite Tech to Cut Launch Costs and Speed Missions

NASA is testing new scalable satellite technology to integrate and launch scientific sensors faster and at lower cost. NASA’s Athena EPIC (Economical Payload Integration Cost) mission uses a compact, modular spacecraft platform that “shares resources among the payloads onboard” so each instrument doesn’t need its own control system. By offloading routine functions to the bus, this architecture promises “lower costs to taxpayers and a quicker path to launch”. Langley leads the project, which will fly as a SpaceX rideshare in mid-2025 to test the concept in orbit. It could expedite deployment of climate and weather sensors and accelerate future missions.

Scalable Satellite Platforms and Demonstration Missions

According to official site, NASA and industry partners are developing modular small satellite platforms. The Athena EPIC spacecraft is built from eight interlocking Hyper-Integrated Satlet (HISat) modules that form a “SensorCraft” bus, simplifying integration of multiple instruments. In parallel, NASA’s Pathfinder Technology Demonstrator (PTD) series uses a standard six-unit (6U) CubeSat bus (by Terran Orbital) that can be reconfigured quickly. The PTD-3 mission, launched in 2022, carried MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s TBIRD optical-communications payload and achieved a record 200 gigabits-per-second laser downlink from orbit.

Commercial partners are involved as well: Blue Canyon Technologies built the two CubeSats for NASA’s CubeSat Laser Infrared Crosslink (CLICK) mission, and will supply four for the forthcoming Starling formation-flying demo. These standardized buses and partnerships speed integration and testing of new satellite systems.

Faster Deployments, Lower Costs, and Scientific Gains

These scalable satellite buses promise to cut mission costs and cycle times. Instead of the billion-dollar platforms of old, the new “SensorCraft” design can slash costs to the single-digit millions per mission. Smaller satellites are cheaper to build and easier to replace if failures occur. Moreover, by reusing existing parts, teams can accelerate development – for example, Athena’s optical sensor was assembled from spare components of NASA’s CERES climate-observation satellites. NASA officials note that, “as satellites become smaller, a less traditional, more efficient path to launch is needed” to maximize science return.

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NASA’s Twin TRACERS Satellites Will Monitor Space Weather to Shield Earth from Solar Storms

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NASA’s Twin TRACERS Satellites Will Monitor Space Weather to Shield Earth from Solar Storms

Two NASA satellites are scheduled to be launched into low-Earth orbit in a mission designed to do nothing less than study magnetic storms that imperil the Earth’s atmosphere, communication, and orbital systems. Travelling together in sun-synchronous orbit, the Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites (TRACERS) will keep watch over Earth’s polar cusps — a pair of funnel-shaped regions in Earth’s magnetosphere where solar particles and energy flow in. By observing these regions, TRACERS will continue to learn how magnetic reconnection works throughout space, powering the giant explosions on the sun as well as the solar wind that spreads throughout the solar system, leading to space weather.

NASA’s $170M TRACERS Mission to Track Solar Wind and Shield Earth from Space Weather Threats

As per NASA’s briefing, TRACERS will explore how solar wind triggers disruptions in Earth’s magnetic field, helping researchers better predict when and where such activity might occur. The spacecraft will fly closely behind one another, allowing for nearly real-time comparison of plasma and magnetic conditions—an improvement over previous single-satellite studies. Joe Westlake, NASA’s Heliophysics Division Director, stated the mission will help protect GPS, power grids, and astronauts by enabling earlier forecasts of solar storm activity.

The mission tackles a major challenge in heliophysics, our understanding of dynamic magnetic reconnection phenomena that vary on short timescales. TRACERS dual approach also enables scientists to discern between environmental shifts due to the travelling stars or to inherent magnetic variations. “These findings are crucial for basic studies of how the Earth’s magnetosphere interacts with solar energy,” said principal investigator David Miles.

TRACERS, a spacecraft located 590 kilometers above Earth, will collaborate with other missions to observe the Sun-Earth connection from various vantage points, providing unique low-orbit data to complement broader heliophysics observations.

The $170 million TRACERS mission, set to launch later in July, has been created to bolster readiness for such solar weather and keep space-dependent modern societies resilient and safe in a space-dependent world.

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