Donald Trump meets Mohammed bin Salman: Nasa to fly Saudi CubeSat to Moon
Nasa and the Saudi Space Agency have signed a new agreement to send a Saudi CubeSat on Nasa's Artemis II test flight, marking a new chapter in international space cooperation.The announcement was made in Riyadh by President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the president's visit to Saudi Arabia.The Saudi CubeSat, a small satellite about the size of a shoebox, will be deployed in high Earth orbit from the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket once Nasa's Orion spacecraft is safely on its way to the Moon with its crew of four astronauts.advertisement
This compact satellite will carry instruments to measure key aspects of space weather, including space radiation, solar X-rays, solar energetic particles, and magnetic fields at various distances from Earth.The Artemis II mission is Nasa's first crewed flight under the Artemis program, aiming to send humans around the Moon and back on a 10-day journey.While the Orion crew explores beyond Earth, the CubeSats-including those from Saudi Arabia, Germany, and South Korea-will detach from the SLS rocket to conduct scientific investigations in high Earth orbit.These CubeSats are designed to test new technologies and collect data that will improve our understanding of the space environment, which is vital for future deep space missions.The Saudi CubeSat's mission will help scientists study how space weather affects satellites and astronauts, supporting safer and more efficient future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.Must Watch
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
Did you know?
Astronomers have discovered a massive planet orbiting an unusually small star, defying current theories of planetary formation. The star, TOI-6894 , is located about 240 light-years away in the constellation Leo and has just 21% the mass of the Sun. Yet, it hosts a gas giant roughly the size of Saturn much larger than expected for such a small star. This challenges existing models, which suggest that small stars form only small, rocky planets like Earth. Forming giant planets typically requires large amounts of material in a protoplanetary disk, which small stars aren't thought to possess. 'It's hard to build a giant planet in such conditions,' said study co-author Vincent Van Eylen. The planet completes an orbit in just three days, lying 40 times closer to its star than Earth is to the Sun. Despite its close orbit, it's cooler than typical 'hot Jupiters.' Its mass is 56% hat of Saturn and 17% of Jupiter. Data from NASA's TESS and the ESO's VLT were used for the discovery, with further observations planned using the James Webb Space Telescope.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
As per plan, Shubhanshu Shukla to dock with space station on June 11
ORLANDO (FLORIDA): India's Group Captain and other crew members of the Axiom-4 mission (Ax-4) set for launch from Launch Complex 39A at Nasa's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) here on June 10, will dock with the International Space Station (ISS), several hours later on June 11. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'The crew will dock to the space station on June 11 at approximately 12.30pm Eastern Time,' as per Axiom Space. The launch, which was earlier scheduled on June 8, was pushed to June 10. '...This shift allows Nasa, SpaceX and Axiom teams to account for predicted inclement weather during the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft transport in addition to completing final processing of the spacecraft ahead of launch,' Nasa said about the June 10 launch. Peggy Whitson, former Nasa astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the mission, while Isro astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Going by the timelines both Nasa and Axiom have publicly committed to, the ongoing spat between SpaceX founder Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump — a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Ax-4 crew aboard a SpaceX Dragon — is unlikely to have any impact on this particular mission. The Ax-4 mission will mark SpaceX's 53rd Dragon mission, 15th human spaceflight mission to the ISS, and 48th trip to the station including both crew and cargo missions. Shukla, who is among the four astronaut-designates part of India's , became part of Ax-4 as part of a joint Isro-Nasa endeavour which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his official visit to the US in 2023. India has so far spent at least Rs 548 crore on the mission. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Other than launch, the expenditure also includes training of both Shukla and his back-up Group Captain Prashanth Nair, another Gaganyaan astronaut-designate. Once he is onboard the ISS, Shukla will conduct seven experiments developed by Indian academic institutions, and five additional experiments with Nasa, as has been confirmed by Dana Weigel, manager, ISS Programme, Nasa. Reacting to this, Sudeesh Balan, project director, Isro, had said earlier: 'The seven experiments we had announced earlier are mostly biological and are those proposed by Indian scientists. These will be conducted by Shukla. Aside from these, there will be five experiments in partnership with Nasa on human research programmes. Shukla will be participating in them.' The SpaceX Dragon to be used for Ax-4 will be a 'brand-new spacecraft, SpaceX's director of Dragon mission management, Sarah Walker has confirmed, adding that it will receive a nickname from the crew. Ax-4 commander Whitson said last week that the new name will be announced soon
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
June offers skywatchers worldwide rare views of the Milky Way's illuminated heart; Here is how to spot it with naked eyes
In June 2025, skywatchers can witness the Milky Way's central bulge. NASA highlights this event, best viewed from dark locations. The core appears as a hazy band from sunset to dawn. Planetary alignments also occur, with Mars near Regulus on June 16 and 17. The June solstice marks the longest day. June 2025 presents a unique chance for skywatchers to see the Milky Way's bright central bulge, best viewed throughout the month. This celestial display offers a hazy band in the sky from sunset to dawn, ideal for long-exposure photography. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads June Solstice: A Celestial Milestone Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Global Visibility: Who Can See the Milky Way Core? Northern Hemisphere: You can see the Milky Way's core low on the southern horizon, especially after midnight in mid to late June. You can see the Milky Way's core low on the southern horizon, especially after midnight in mid to late June. Southern Hemisphere: Best Time to View Around midnight to early morning (between 11 PM and 4 AM). Around the new moon (June 25, 2025), when skies are darker. Tips for Best Viewing Get away from city lights (light pollution blocks it). Look toward the south and southeast sky. Use a star map or app to track the galactic center. June 2025 offers a remarkable opportunity for skywatchers to observe the Milky Way's luminous central bulge, visible throughout the month. This celestial event, highlighted by NASA 's June Skywatching Tips, is best experienced from dark, remote locations away from city lights. The Milky Way's core becomes visible from sunset to dawn, appearing as a faint, hazy band stretching across the central region, rich in stars, gas, and dust, creates a distinct cloud-like structure observable to the naked eye. Long-exposure photography can reveal intricate details, showcasing the galaxy's star clusters and dark dust position relative to the Milky Way during June allows for a direct view toward the galaxy's dense center. This alignment provides an exceptional chance to witness the Milky Way's core, a phenomenon visible all night sky also features notable planetary alignments. Venus shines brightly before sunrise, while Saturn rises higher each day. On June 16 and 17, Mars will appear close to Regulus, the brightest star in the Leo constellation, separated by only about half a degree, the width of the full moon. This rare conjunction is ideal for observation with binoculars or small June solstice occurs on June 20 (June 21 UTC), marking the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. This event results from Earth's axial tilt, positioning the North Pole closest to the Sun . Ancient cultures have historically aligned monuments with the solstice, underscoring its optimal viewing of the Milky Way's core and other celestial events, observers should seek locations with minimal light pollution and clear skies. The new moon on June 25 will provide darker skies, enhancing visibility of faint celestial 2025 presents an unparalleled opportunity to connect with the cosmos. It offers a series of celestial events that promise to captivate both amateur and seasoned June, the Milky Way's core is visible from most places around the world, but how well you see it depends on your location, the time of night, and light is the best place to see it. The core rises higher in the sky, making it brighter and more detailed to the naked eye or through long-exposure photography.
