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A cargo-return technology developed by Germany-based Atmos Space Cargo is set to undergo its first in-space test with an upcoming SpaceX mission. The company’s Phoenix capsule will be launched aboard the Bandwagon 3 rideshare mission, scheduled for no earlier than April. The capsule has been designed to facilitate the safe return of high-value materials from orbit, particularly benefiting the biomedical sector. The test mission aims to gather crucial data on the capsule’s subsystems, onboard payloads, and reentry performance.

Mission Objectives and Scientific Payloads

According to reports, the Phoenix capsule will carry four payloads, including a radiation detector from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and a bioreactor from UK-based Frontier Space. The mission’s primary goals include testing Phoenix’s performance in orbit, evaluating data from customer experiments, and deploying its proprietary inflatable atmospheric decelerator (IAD) for reentry stabilisation. This technology, acting as both a heat shield and parachute, is intended to enable a controlled descent back to Earth.

Challenges in Returning Space Cargo

Industry experts highlight that while the cost and complexity of launching experiments into space have been reduced, bringing them back to Earth remains a challenge due to high costs, long turnaround times, and technical difficulties. Atmos Space Cargo has positioned Phoenix as a cost-effective and reliable solution for returning biomedical samples, microgravity-manufactured materials, and other sensitive payloads.

Future Prospects and Industry Impact

Despite expectations that Phoenix will not survive its debut mission, the collected data will contribute to future improvements. Larger iterations of the capsule are planned to carry heavier payloads, including potential returns of rocket stages. Advisory board member and former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver has stated that advancements in reusable and affordable cargo return technology are critical for the future of orbital space operations. The initiative aligns with broader efforts to enhance accessibility to in-space manufacturing and research.

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NASA’s PUNCH Mission Set to Track the Sun’s Corona and Solar Wind in 3D

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February 8, 2025

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NASA’s PUNCH Mission Set to Track the Sun’s Corona and Solar Wind in 3D

A new space mission designed to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere and track space weather in three dimensions is set to launch this month. NASA’s Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission, consisting of four small satellites, is scheduled to be sent into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 27. This mission aims to investigate the transformation of the Sun’s corona into the solar wind, the stream of charged particles that extends throughout the solar system. The data collected could improve understanding of solar wind dynamics and space weather forecasting, which has implications for Earth’s power grids and satellites.

Mission Objectives and Scientific Goals

According to reports, PUNCH is the first initiative specifically designed to bridge the gap between solar physics and solar wind physics. The mission will study how the Sun’s outer atmosphere transitions into the heliosphere—a vast region shaped by the solar wind that encases the solar system. Joe Westlake, Director of NASA’s Heliophysics Division, stated that this mission will provide a continuous observation of the Sun’s corona and its influence on space weather.

How PUNCH Works

PUNCH will consist of four satellites working together to create 3D observations of the heliosphere. Craig DeForest, the mission’s principal investigator at the Southwest Research Institute, explained that three of these satellites will be equipped with wide-field imagers to capture detailed views of solar wind structures. A fourth satellite, developed by the Naval Research Laboratory, will use a narrow-field imager to create an artificial total solar eclipse, allowing continuous monitoring of the Sun’s corona in high definition.

Advancements in Space Weather Forecasting

This mission is expected to enhance space weather forecasting by enabling real-time tracking of solar storms. According to Nicholeen Viall, a mission scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, PUNCH’s ability to capture polarized light will allow scientists to determine the 3D location of solar wind structures. This could improve predictions of geomagnetic storms, which have the potential to impact satellites and power infrastructure on Earth.

Collaboration with Other Solar Missions

NASA has confirmed that PUNCH will complement the Parker Solar Probe, which is currently making direct observations of the Sun’s corona. Together, these missions will provide a comprehensive dataset spanning vast scales, offering unprecedented insights into how solar wind originates and interacts with the heliosphere. DeForest added that an additional outcome of PUNCH will be the creation of the most extensive polarimetric star map, covering over three-quarters of the visible sky.

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Greek Authorities Respond to Intensifying Earthquake Swarm Near Santorini

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February 7, 2025

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Greek Authorities Respond to Intensifying Earthquake Swarm Near Santorini

Greek authorities have responded to an intensifying earthquake swarm near Santorini by closing schools and deploying emergency teams. The tremors, which began last week, have been growing in frequency and magnitude, raising concerns over potential stronger quakes in the region. While experts have ruled out immediate volcanic activity, the situation remains unpredictable due to the swarm’s unusual characteristics. The most powerful tremor recorded so far was a magnitude 5 earthquake, striking approximately 34 kilometres northeast of Santorini. The event occurred at 2:27 p.m. local time, as per the University of Athens’ earthquake monitoring system.

Seismic Activity Driven by Faults, Not Volcanic Unrest

According to reports, the ongoing tremors are attributed to fault movement rather than volcanic activity. Santorini, positioned on the Aegean Sea’s tectonic boundary, sits on the exposed section of a submerged volcano known as the Santorini caldera. David Pyle, Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Oxford, told Live Science that the quakes are likely caused by fault lines shifting rather than magma activity. He described the swarm as unusual, highlighting the challenge of predicting future developments due to its underwater location.

Historical Earthquake Swarms and Regional Tectonics

The Aegean region experiences significant seismic activity due to the African plate moving beneath the Eurasian plate. Similar earthquake swarms have been recorded in the past, including a 2011-2012 event linked to magma movement beneath Santorini. However, the current swarm appears more extensive and is concentrated outside the Santorini caldera. Most tremors have been recorded between the underwater Kolumbo volcano and Anydros Island.

Kolumbo, last erupting in 1650, previously triggered a tsunami that affected nearby islands. While researchers remain uncertain about a direct link between current tectonic activity and potential volcanic unrest, ongoing monitoring continues to assess the evolving situation.

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Moon’s Deepest Canyons Formed in Minutes by High-Speed Impact Debris

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February 7, 2025

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Moon’s Deepest Canyons Formed in Minutes by High-Speed Impact Debris

Two colossal canyons on the moon, both deeper than the Grand Canyon, were formed in under ten minutes by surges of high-speed rock debris, as per reports. These valleys, named Vallis Schrödinger and Vallis Planck, extend for 270 kilometres and 280 kilometres, respectively, with depths of up to 3.5 kilometres. Comparatively, the Grand Canyon reaches a maximum depth of approximately 1.9 kilometres. The canyons are located near the Schrödinger impact basin in the lunar south polar region, an area marked by towering mountains and deep craters.

Impact that shaped the lunar landscape

According to the study published in Nature Communications, these canyons are part of several valleys that formed from the debris ejected during the impact that created Schrödinger basin, a 320-kilometre-wide crater formed around 3.81 billion years ago. The basin is positioned on the outer edge of the South Pole–Aitken basin, the moon’s largest and oldest remaining impact structure, which dates back more than 4.2 billion years.

Unprecedented energy levels behind the canyons

As per findings, rocky debris from the impact travelled at speeds ranging between 3,420 and 4,600 kilometres per hour. In comparison, a bullet from a 9mm handgun reaches speeds of about 2,200 kilometres per hour. The force required to carve these canyons is estimated to have been over 130 times greater than the total energy stored in the current global nuclear arsenal.

Key insights for future lunar exploration

Speaking to Space.com, David Kring, a geologist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute, highlighted that unlike the Grand Canyon, which was shaped by water over millions of years, these lunar canyons were formed in a matter of minutes by rock flows. The distribution of impact debris also suggests that astronauts landing near the South Pole–Aitken basin may find better access to some of the moon’s oldest geological samples. These insights contribute to ongoing research on potential landing sites for future lunar missions.

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