Connect with us

Published

2 months ago

on

NASA, in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency, has successfully demonstrated the ability to acquire and track Earth-based navigation signals on the Moon. The breakthrough was achieved through the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE), which was delivered to the lunar surface by Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander on March 2. The achievement confirms that Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals can be detected at the Moon’s distance, offering a potential advancement for future space missions, including NASA’s Artemis programme. The ability to track these signals on the Moon could enhance autonomous navigation for spacecraft, reducing reliance on Earth-based tracking systems. The LuGRE payload, one of ten NASA payloads sent aboard the lander, is expected to continue gathering data for the duration of its 14-day mission.

LuGRE Confirms GNSS Signal Tracking on the Moon

According to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the LuGRE experiment successfully acquired and tracked signals from both GPS and Galileo constellations at 2 a.m. EST on March 3. This marked the first time that GNSS signals had been used for navigation at a distance of approximately 225,000 miles from Earth. The data collected will contribute to the development of navigation technology that could support future lunar and deep-space exploration.

Kevin Coggins, Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) programme, told NASA’s official news source that the experiment demonstrated the feasibility of using GNSS signals for navigation beyond Earth. He highlighted that the same technology used in aviation and mobile devices on Earth could now be leveraged for lunar missions.

Record-Breaking GNSS Acquisition in Space

The LuGRE payload had already set records during its journey to the Moon. On January 21, it achieved the highest altitude GNSS signal acquisition at 209,900 miles from Earth, surpassing the previous record set by NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission. By February 20, as LuGRE entered lunar orbit, the altitude record had been extended to 243,000 miles. These milestones suggest that spacecraft operating in cislunar space could use GNSS signals for navigation, providing greater autonomy for missions beyond Earth’s orbit.

Developed through a partnership between NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the Italian Space Agency, Qascom, and Politecnico di Torino, the LuGRE payload represents a significant step toward advanced space navigation systems. Data collected from the ongoing mission will inform future efforts to expand GNSS coverage for lunar and Martian exploration.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Science

A Pyramid in the Amazon? The Mystery of Cerro El Cono in Peru’s Sierra del Divisor

Published

9 hours ago

on

May 6, 2025

By

A Pyramid in the Amazon? The Mystery of Cerro El Cono in Peru's Sierra del Divisor

The mysterious peak of Cerro El Cono, standing isolated in the Sierra del Divisor, a mountainous border between Peru and Brazil, has drawn attention of researchers for its mysterious pyramidal shape, emerging from the plain and protruding from the virgin lowland forest. In the Andes mountain range, the structure is visible from a distance of up to 250 miles (400 kilometers) on clear days. Because of its remote location, Cerro El Cono’s origins have remained a mystery. Some reports suggest that “The cone hill” may just be a peculiar rock structure, while others speculate that it may be an extinct volcano. 

Origin Theories

According to research featured in La República, the 1310-foot-tall Corro El Cono is a spiritual entity for the local tribes. It is respected as an Andean Apu, a secret mountain believed to hold protective powers for the people living in its vicinity.

Some researchers speculate it as an extinct volcano due to its distinct shape, but this hypothesis remains unconfirmed due to limited research and accessibility issues in this area.
Another explanation — one for which there is no evidence — is that Cerro El Cono sits on the ruins of a pyramid built by ancient Indigenous tribes.

Conservation challenges

The surrounding jungle of Cerro El Cono is a home to several vulnerable species, including giant armadillos (Priodontes maximus), jaguars (Panthera onca) and various types of monkeys, according to The Guardian. This makes it environmentally significant and it is considered a Biodiversity hotspot.

To combat threats of environmental degradation due to illegal logging, gold mining, and poaching, Sierra del Divisor National Park was created in 2015. But recent surveys show, this protected park has failed to deliver the promised threat removal.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.


Motorola Razr 60 Ultra With Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip, Moto AI Suite Confirmed to Launch in India Soon



iQOO Neo 10 Pro+ Moniker Surfaces Online; Launch Timeline, Key Features Tipped

Continue Reading

Science

Hubble Captures Stunning Image of Peculiar Spiral Galaxy Arp 184 in Camelopardalis

Published

9 hours ago

on

May 6, 2025

By

Hubble Captures Stunning Image of Peculiar Spiral Galaxy Arp 184 in Camelopardalis

NASA/ESA Hubble space telescope has captured a beautiful yet skewed-shaped spiral galaxy that resides about 190 million light-years away from Earth. This galaxy, named Arp 184 or NGC 1961, is a part of the Camelopardalis or the Giraffe constellation. Its vivid and dazzling image reveals its asymmetric shape, and a single spiral arm stretched towards the viewer make it an interesting prospect for studies. The occurrence of multiple supernovae has drawn the attention of researchers to be a valuable target for research into galactic interactions and stellar explosions.

Cataloguing the galaxy

According to the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies compiled by astronomer Halton, Arp in 1966, the galaxy is named Arp 184. This catalogues about 338 galaxies that tend to be neither entirely spiral nor entirely elliptical-shaped. Dwarf galaxies without particular structures and the galaxies interacting with one another are also catalogued here. Arp 184 has a bright spot radiating light as the centre. A thick, stormy disc of material surrounds this, with swirling strands of dark dust and bright spots of star formation strewn through the disc.

A large spiral, star-speckled arm extends from the disc towards the viewer, for which it has earned a spot in this Atlas. The far side of Arp 184 does not have this impressive stretched arm, but it sports a few wisps of gas and stars on that side.

Hubble snapshot observing programs

The Hubble image showcases data from three Snapshot observing programs, one of which focused on Arp 184 for its unique appearance. The program surveyed galaxies listed in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies and A Catalogue of Southern Peculiar Galaxies and Associations. The other two programs examined the aftermath of astronomical events like supernovae and tidal disruption events. Arp 184, having hosted four known supernovae in the past three decades, is a prime target for a supernova hunt.

Continue Reading

Science

NASA’s Don Pettit Returns to Earth with Russian Crewmates After ISS Science Mission

Published

9 hours ago

on

May 6, 2025

By

NASA’s Don Pettit Returns to Earth with Russian Crewmates After ISS Science Mission

The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft returned to Earth after a months-long mission on the International Space Station on April 19, 2025. Along with cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, the spacecraft carried NASA astronaut Don Pettit too. Undocked from the ISS, the spacecraft drifted away and began descending three hours later to land in Kazakhstan. Pettit’s time in orbit was marked by numerous scientific investigations focused on future space missions, including experiments on metal 3D printing, advanced water sanitation, plant biology, and fire behaviour in microgravity.

Back to Earth: Soyuz Returns Don Pettit and Crewmates After Scientific Mission in Orbit

As per the NASA mission summary, Pettit logged hundreds of hours on research projects aimed at enhancing long-duration spaceflight technologies. Agency updates state that the 3D printing experiments advanced additive manufacturing in weightless conditions, while the fire dynamics tests offered critical data for onboard safety measures. Research on water purification and sustainable plant growth will help support life support systems on future lunar and Martian habitats.

The Soyuz‘s successful return added another chapter to routine international crew rotation efforts between NASA and Roscosmos. The landing site in Kazakhstan remains a standard recovery zone, where helicopters and ground teams met the crew for medical checks and post-flight evaluations. Despite the early morning landing, visibility was clear, ensuring a smooth retrieval.

Pettit’s mission emphasised how the ISS remains a critical platform for microgravity research. His investigations contribute directly to ongoing goals for sustainable space exploration and planetary habitation, aligning with NASA’s Artemis and Mars-forward objectives.

With the Soyuz MS-26 crew safely home, the ISS programme continues with its next phase of operations, including further earth science, space technology testing, and international crew collaboration.

Continue Reading

Trending