Latest news with #ATLAS
Broadcast Pro
a day ago
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
York Space Systems to acquire ATLAS Space Operations
Acquisition will strengthen York's position as a fully integrated space solutions provider for national security and commercial missions. York Space Systems, a US-based defence technology company known for redefining how space-based capabilities are built and operated, has announced its agreement to acquire ATLAS Space Operations. A Ground Software as a Service (GSaaS) provider, ATLAS is expected to significantly enhance Yorks software-driven approach to satellite communications and ground systems. With this acquisition, York gains access to a software-led ground architecture designed to streamline satellite operations, eliminate integration barriers, and improve space-to-ground resiliency. The deal is set to accelerate Yorks mission of delivering secure, high-performance space systems with greater speed and efficiency. ATLAS will play a critical role in supporting Yorks Golden Dome architecture, an advanced defense platform integrating spacecraft, software, and ground operations to offer comprehensive capabilities in contested space environments. ATLAS, which was founded in 2015, will continue to operate independently under its established brand. Its Freedom software platform, which provides cloud-native satellite connectivity through a single API and a global network of more than 50 antennas in over 20 countries, is the only GSaaS solution developed and based in the US. The platform shifts the burden of satellite communications from hardware to software, allowing for real-time tasking, automated scheduling, and cloud delivery of mission data, resulting in a cost-effective, scalable, and flexible solution for both government and commercial clients. Dirk Wallinger, CEO of York, said: 'ATLAS has built one of the most sophisticated and secure ground communications platforms in the industry. This acquisition will enhance York's ability to deliver mission-ready systems on the timelines our customers demand while continuing to support the broader space ecosystem with best-in-class ground solutions.' The Freedom platform enables operatorswhether managing a single satellite or a vast constellationto onboard quickly, stream data to the cloud, and access a global infrastructure without the need for additional physical buildout. Corey Geer, CEO of ATLAS, added: 'York shares our vision for a future where space systems are faster, smarter, and seamlessly integrated. Together, we are building the infrastructure to meet that future head-on, reducing risk, increasing resilience, and enabling critical data delivery on demand.' Pending regulatory approvals including from the FCC, the acquisition is expected to significantly strengthen Yorks ability to deliver integrated, mission-ready space systems by combining its high-performance spacecraft and software-defined operations with ATLASs trusted ground communications capabilities. The result will be faster deployment, improved data throughput, and more autonomous, resilient operations supporting both commercial ventures and national security missions.
India Today
a day ago
- Science
- India Today
Hubble clicks first pictures of interstellar comet invading our Solar System
Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has captured the first detailed images of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it passes through our solar system, offering scientists a rare glimpse at a visitor from another star photos, taken just five hours ago, reveal a bright and well-developed coma, the cloud of gas and dust surrounding the comet's nucleus, with striking worldwide have been eagerly awaiting these images. Designated '3I' to signify the third known interstellar object detected in our solar system, Comet ATLAS is now being watched closely as it completes its journey across the Sun's neighbourhood. The new Hubble images show the comet with a distinct puffiness around its nucleus, indicating significant outgassing activity as it responds to the Sun's heat. Astronomers worldwide have been eagerly awaiting these images. (Photo: Nasa) advertisement Despite a few streaks caused by cosmic rays, high-energy particles that frequently strike Hubble's instruments, the overall quality of the images is high. Scientists say these minor interferences do not obscure the details of the comet's spectacular earlier this year by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), 3I/ATLAS is believed to have originated from a distant planetary system beyond our own. Its hyperbolic trajectory confirms it is not gravitationally bound to the Sun, making its current passage a fleeting but crucial opportunity for hope that ongoing observations will shed light on the composition, structure, and behavior of interstellar objects — and perhaps reveal clues about planetary systems beyond our Space Telescope images of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS are out! These were taken 5 hours ago. Plenty of cosmic rays peppering the images, but the comet's coma looks very nice and puffy. Best of luck to the researchers trying to write up papers for this... or embed]— astrafoxen (@ July 22, 2025 at 2:58 AMScientists operating the high-altitude observatories of Hanle, Ladakh, had recently successfully photographed the interstellar comet C/2025 N1 (ATLAS), also known as 3I/ATLAS, as it races through the Solar note that the comet's hyperbolic orbit, with an eccentricity of approximately 6.2, and its initial high speed are clear signatures of its interstellar parameters confirm that it entered the Solar System with much more energy than could be accounted for by the Sun's gravity alone.- Ends
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Science
- Newsweek
Harvard Physicist Claims New Interstellar Comet is Alien Probe
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An unexpected visitor to our solar system spotted earlier this month might be a piece of alien technology—that is, according to one professor from Harvard University. 3I/ATLAS—which is only the third known interstellar object ever recorded—was detected on July 1 by NASA's ATLAS telescope in Chile. Despite being officially classified as a comet, theoretical physicist professor Avi Loebof Harvard University, has argued that the object could have been sent by an alien civilization. Loeb explained that the object's trajectory, size and behavior suggest it could be something far more advanced than a natural occurrence—and could instead be some form of alien craft or probe. "The retrograde orbital plane of 3I/ATLAS around the Sun lies within 5 degrees of that of Earth... The likelihood for that coincidence out of all random orientations is 0.2 percent," Loeb told Newsweek. Despite this, other scientists are skeptical of Loeb's claims. Richard Moissl, Head of Planetary Defence at the European Space Agency told Newsweek: "There have been no signs pointing to non-natural origins of 3I/ATLAS in the available observations." A picture of the observation of comet 3I/ATLAS when it was discovered on July 1, 2025. The NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Chile first reported that the comet originated from interstellar space. A picture of the observation of comet 3I/ATLAS when it was discovered on July 1, 2025. The NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Chile first reported that the comet originated from interstellar space. ATLAS/University of Hawaii/NASA These are not the only anomalies that set 3I/ATLAS apart from typical comets. In addition to its retrograde orbit, Loeb said that the brightness of 3I/ATLAS implies an object that is around 20 kilometers in diameter which he explained is "too large for an interstellar asteroid." "It might have targeted the inner Solar System as expected from alien technology," he added. 3I/ATLAS is expected to pass unusually close to Venus, Mars and Jupiter this fall, an alignment Loeb calculates as having a probability of just 0.005 percent if the arrival time were random. The comet is expected to reach its closest point to the Sun on October 29, when it will be hidden from Earth's view, a detail Loeb finds suspicious. "This could be intentional to avoid detailed observations from Earth-based telescopes," he said. The object also lacks typical cometary features. "No spectral features of cometary gas are found in spectroscopic observations of 3I/ATLAS," Loeb said. A diagram showing the trajectory of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it passes through the solar system. A diagram showing the trajectory of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it passes through the solar system. NASA/JPL-Caltech Unlike Loeb, Moissl believes that the most likely explanation for the object is a natural origin, likely originating from an orbit around a star somewhere in our galaxy. "All observations are in agreement with basic assumptions about a space-weathered natural object with, so far, weak cometary activity," he said. This is not the first time that Loeb has shared an extraterrestrial theory for a space object. In 2022 he theorized that mysterious cosmic object known as 'Oumuamua may be technology from an alien civilization. While emphasizing that this remains a hypothesis, Loeb argues the possibility deserves serious attention. "The consequences, should the hypothesis turn out to be correct, could potentially be dire for humanity," he said. "We better be ready for both options and check whether all interstellar objects are rocks." In the meantime, work is being done to collect as much data as possible about space objects like 3I/ATLAS. "Astronomers around the world are collecting as much data as possible on the orbit and physical properties of the object and how these change in the course of it passing through our solar system," Moissl explained. "Collecting this data will provide us with clues as to what the object is made of and, by proxy, provide some exciting insights into how faraway planetary systems might look." Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about 3I/ATLAS? Let us know via science@
Yomiuri Shimbun
4 days ago
- Science
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Newly Spotted Comet Is 3rd Interstellar Object Seen in Solar System
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Astronomers are tracking a newly spotted comet hailing from parts unknown, only the third time such an interstellar object has been observed visiting our solar system. According to U.S. space agency NASA, the interloper — named 3I/ATLAS — was first spotted on July 1 by an Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS, telescope located in Rio Hurtado, Chile. Astronomers said its unusual trajectory indicated it had ventured from beyond our solar system. Journeying at a speed of around 60 kilometers per second from the direction of the center of the Milky Way galaxy, 3I/ATLAS is presently located about 670 million kilometers from Earth. 'Beyond that we do not know very much, and there are many efforts underway to observe this object with larger telescopes to determine composition,' University of Hawaii astronomer Larry Denneau, coprincipal investigator for ATLAS, said on July 3. The only other such interstellar visitors previously observed by astronomers were objects called 1I/'Oumuamua (pronounced oh-MOO-uh-MOO-uh), detected in 2017, and 2I/Borisov, discovered in 2019. 'The comet has some similarities to 2I/Borisov in that it appears to be an icy comet, but it is much larger, possibly 10 kilometers in diameter,' Denneau said. 'It currently has a faint coma,' Denneau added, referring to the cloud of gas and dust surrounding a comet's nucleus, 'but the coma and tail may increase dramatically as the object comes closer to the sun. Its closest approach to the sun will be later this year, when it will come inside the orbit of Mars. We don't know what will happen, so that's exciting.' Astronomers said the comet poses no threat to Earth and will never come closer than 240 million kilometers away, equivalent to more than 1½ times the distance between Earth and the sun. It is currently located about 670 million kilometers from the sun and will reach its closest approach to the sun around Oct. 30, when it will be about 210 million kilometers away from our star. The ATLAS network is a NASA-funded telescope survey built and operated by the University of Hawaii, with five telescopes around the world that scan the night sky continuously to look for objects that could threaten Earth.
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Science
- Economic Times
Rare interstellar comet spotted zooming through our solar system, only the 3rd ever seen
A mysterious visitor from another star system is currently flying through our cosmic neighborhood, and scientists are keeping a close eye on it. The recently discovered comet is unlike anything we have seen before. The first detection of 3I/ATLAS was made on July 1 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS. According to a statement from the National Science Foundation (NSF) NOIRLab, which runs the International Gemini Observatory, it is only the third known interstellar object, indicating it didn't originate in our solar system, as per a report by Space. While traveling toward the inner solar system, the interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS was spotted by astronomers in a stunning new image. Only three interstellar objects have been found to reach our solar system, after 1I'Oumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019. The newly discovered comet was photographed by the Gemini North telescope in Hawai'i as it passed through our cosmic neighborhood, some 290 million miles (465 million kilometers) away from Earth. The Gemini North telescope captured this massive 12-mile-wide comet, providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study material from beyond our star. ALSO READ: Wicked 2 just made a massive change to this character, and fans might actually love it On October 30, 3I/ATLAS will cross within 130 million miles (210 million km), or barely inside the orbit of Mars, of the sun. No threat to Earth will come from 3I/ATLAS, which will pass within 170 million miles (270 million km) of Earth in December."This interstellar wanderer has been critically characterized early thanks to the International Gemini Observatory's sensitivity and scheduling agility," said Martin Still, NSF program director for the International Gemini Observatory."We look forward to a bounty of new data and insights as this object warms itself on sunlight before continuing its cold, dark journey between the stars."The relics of distant star systems that have been blasted into space are known as interstellar objects, such as 3I/ATLAS. According to the statement, they provide important information about the components that were present when and where other planetary systems in the universe formed, including their chemical composition, as per a report by it is thought that other objects of this kind frequently go through our solar system, they are very challenging to photograph. ALSO READ: 12,000 years of art? Ancient Mongolian elk carvings morph into mysterious wolf symbols However, 3I/ATLAS is a better target for research because it is significantly larger than earlier interstellar objects, with an estimated diameter of 12 miles (20 km). The comet has a compact coma, which is the cloud of gas and dust around its icy core, according to the latest photos taken by the Gemini North observatory. According to other observations, it might be the oldest comet ever found, possibly older than our solar system and it originates from the Milky Way's outer thick will be 3I/ATLAS's only visit to our solar system because of its extremely eccentric orbit, which prevents it from making a full orbit around the sun. Therefore, during the comet's brief visit before it departs for interstellar space, astronomers from all over the world are observing it with a variety of telescopes. Why is 3I/ATLAS such a big deal?It's only the third interstellar object ever discovered, and it's the largest by far. Will it return or hit Earth? No. It will pass by safely and not return; it is a one-time visitor.
