Latest news with #Earth-Moon
Leaders
29-05-2025
- Science
- Leaders
Jeddah Stargazers Monitor Asteroid 2025 KX3's Close Earth Flyby
Scientists and space enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the imminent passage of asteroid 2025 KX3 near Earth. This celestial event, though posing no threat, has captured the attention of global monitoring centers. Eng. Majed Abu Zahra, the esteemed head of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, sheds light on this fascinating phenomenon. Asteroid 2025 KX3, first observed in May, belongs to the category of near-Earth objects, as confirmed by Eng. Abu Zahra. With a diameter of merely 10 meters, it pales in comparison to its larger counterparts. Consequently, this diminutive asteroid does not raise concerns among astronomers. Asteroid 2025 KX3's Rendezvous with Earth According to NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, asteroid 2025 KX3 will zoom past Earth at a distance of 340,000 kilometers. This distance, equivalent to 90% of the Earth-Moon separation, qualifies as a relatively close encounter. Traveling at a staggering speed of 45,000 kilometers per hour, the asteroid's velocity falls within the typical range for near-Earth objects. Eng. Abu Zahra emphasizes the significance of monitoring such events, as they provide invaluable insights into asteroid behavior. The asteroid's closest approach to Earth is expected to occur at 12:15 p.m. Makkah time. Each close encounter presents a unique opportunity to study asteroids' movements, orbital characteristics, and physical composition. The Jeddah Astronomical Society: Illuminating the Cosmos for All The Jeddah Astronomical Society, a specialized astronomy and space association, caters to diverse segments of society. Its primary objective is to foster astronomical awareness and knowledge among the public. The society actively monitors various astronomical phenomena and disseminates information through newsletters and simplified scientific translations. In conclusion, the passage of asteroid 2025 KX3 near Earth offers an exciting opportunity for scientific exploration and public engagement. As we eagerly await this celestial spectacle, let us appreciate the wonders of our universe and the tireless efforts of those who strive to unravel its mysteries. Short link : Post Views: 5
Sustainability Times
05-05-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
China Hits the Moon With a Laser: First Daylight Lunar Reflection in History Stuns Scientists and Ignites Global Space Race
IN A NUTSHELL 🌕 China's Space Milestone: Successfully fired a precision laser across over 80,000 miles to bounce off a satellite orbiting the Moon during daylight. Successfully fired a precision laser across over 80,000 miles to bounce off a satellite orbiting the Moon during daylight. 🔭 Satellite Laser Ranging: Achieved remarkable precision akin to hitting a single hair from 6.2 miles away, expanding the limits of existing technology. Achieved remarkable precision akin to hitting a single hair from 6.2 miles away, expanding the limits of existing technology. 🚀 Lunar Ambitions: Part of China's plan to establish a permanent lunar presence by 2035, with a crewed landing targeted by 2030. Part of China's plan to establish a permanent lunar presence by 2035, with a crewed landing targeted by 2030. 🌌 Future Challenges and Opportunities: Raises questions about international cooperation, competition, and the management of increasing space traffic. China's recent achievement in space exploration marks a groundbreaking milestone in laser technology. The nation successfully fired a precision laser across over 80,000 miles of space to bounce it off a satellite orbiting the Moon during daylight. This feat showcases China's relentless pursuit of technological advancement and strengthens its position in the global space race. The experiment, conducted by the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (DSEL), plays a crucial role in China's ambitious plans to establish a permanent lunar presence by 2035. This article delves into the intricate details of this remarkable achievement and its implications for future space missions. Precision and Mastery: The Art of Satellite Laser Ranging Satellite laser ranging is considered the gold standard for determining satellite orbits with pinpoint accuracy. The process involves firing nanosecond pulses from ground stations, which bounce off retroreflectors on spacecraft and return to reveal the distance down to centimeters. While this technique is routine for low-Earth satellites, the challenge multiplies when dealing with the Earth-Moon distance, especially under daylight conditions. China's recent success in overcoming solar background noise to achieve accurate measurements during daylight expands the limits of this technology significantly. This remarkable precision is likened to 'aiming at a sub-millimeter target—essentially a single hair—from over 6.2 miles away.' By achieving such accuracy, China can now gather orbital data whenever the Tiandu-1 satellite passes within view, enhancing the frequency and reliability of measurements. This development is crucial for the planned Queqiao constellation, which aims to provide continuous communications and navigation support for various lunar missions. '8,000 Miles of Hacker-Proof Security': China's quantum satellite forges this unprecedented secure link to South Africa, redefining global communications A Step Closer to China's Lunar Ambitions China's space endeavors are part of a more extensive plan to establish a permanent foothold on the Moon. The Tiandu-1 satellite, along with Tiandu-2 and the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, form the backbone of China's lunar exploration infrastructure. These satellites have already delivered detailed images of the lunar surface and demonstrated successful cross-link communications, paving the way for more ambitious missions. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has set an ambitious timeline, targeting a crewed lunar landing by 2030. The construction of the International Lunar Research Station, a collaborative effort with Russia, is expected to begin by 2035. Laser ranging technology will play a pivotal role in various aspects of lunar exploration, including approach-and-landing guidance and the coordination of rover fleets exploring the Moon's surface. The US on High Alert: China's Largest Nuclear Reactor Passes Final Test as Global Power Tensions Explode Expanding the Horizons of Earth-Moon Links With the success of the daylight laser ranging experiment, DSEL plans to extend daytime trials to longer ranges and higher repetition rates. This advancement will integrate more seamlessly into routine deep-space operations, enhancing the reliability of Earth-Moon links. The experiment follows the successful 2024 launch of Chang'e-6, which returned soil samples from the Moon's far side, underscoring the importance of robust communication and navigation systems in space exploration. Beyond laser technology, China is exploring other innovative solutions to support its lunar ambitions. The CNSA anticipates the need for a comprehensive space-traffic management system to handle the estimated 100,000 satellites in low Earth orbit by the decade's end. In collaboration with Russia, China is also evaluating nuclear reactors and alternative power sources for the International Lunar Research Station under the Chang'e-8 mission. 'China's Secret Spaceplane Exposed': Austrian Amateur Snaps Stunning Image as Mysterious Craft Soars Over Europe Future Prospects: Challenges and Opportunities China's achievements in laser technology and lunar exploration present both challenges and opportunities. The nation's advancements in space technology could spur increased competition among space-faring nations, potentially leading to new collaborations and innovations. However, the growing number of satellites in orbit also raises concerns about space traffic management and the potential for collisions. As China continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, the implications for international cooperation and competition remain to be seen. How will other nations respond to China's rapid advancements in space technology? Will these achievements lead to new opportunities for collaboration, or will they intensify the global space race? The future of space exploration is undoubtedly intriguing, with many questions yet to be answered. Did you like it? 4.5/5 (29)
Daily News Egypt
05-05-2025
- Science
- Daily News Egypt
China Conducts 1st Laser Measurement of Satellite at Lunar Distance
China has completed its first satellite laser ranging experiment at a distance comparable to that between the Earth and the Moon, according to CGTN, a partner of TV BRICShttps:// The experiment targeted a satellite in a distant retrograde orbit, a stable orbital path sometimes referred to as a 'natural space harbour'. Using a ground-based laser system with a 1.2-metre aperture, researchers precisely measured the distance to the satellite orbiting approximately 350,000 kilometres away, similar to the average Earth-Moon separation. The satellite involved in the measurement was launched earlier this year but initially failed to reach its intended orbit. Engineers successfully guided it into the correct position following a recovery effort that lasted several months. This achievement also contributed to the development of a new navigation system designed to allow satellites to operate autonomously in the region between the Earth and the Moon, an area much larger than traditional near-Earth satellite orbits. The success demonstrates significant progress in space technology and supports ambitions for future missions to the Moon and beyond, the CGTN report stated.
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Open University scientist given Moon samples from China mission
An academic from the Open University (OU) has been selected as the first UK scientist to carry out research on Moon samples from China's lunar exploration Mahesh Anand, who is based at the OU's Milton Keynes laboratories, is to receive materials from the Chinese lunar mission, Chang'e-5, which returned Moon samples to Earth in December applied to conduct research on Chang'e-5 samples in Dec 2023 and is one of seven experts globally chosen to receive the Anand has been conducting lunar research for more than 20 years, working with colleagues at the OU to uncover the secrets of the Moon, including the presence of water on its surface. China's robotic Chang'e-5 mission was sent to a site on the lunar nearside called Oceanus Procellarum in November 2020. It was carefully chosen to add to the sum of knowledge gained from previous sample returns - the last of which was conducted by a Soviet probe in OU team at Milton Keynes plan to use the lunar materials to determine the amount and isotopic composition of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and noble gases in Chang'e-5 results will be used to evaluate the giant-impact origin of the Moon and develop new insights into the history of volatiles such as carbon and nitrogen in the Earth-Moon system, the OU is the first time lunar samples returned by a Chinese space mission will have been allocated to international principal investigators, said the OU. Prof Anand said being chosen was "a great honour and privilege for my team"."This is a recognition of our world-leading lunar sample research, underpinned by long-term funding from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC/UKRI) and the OU's commitment towards maintaining world-class analytical laboratories," he said.A spokesperson for the Chinese National Space Agency (CNSA), said sharing the samples was "win-win cooperation"."The international sharing of lunar samples and joint research efforts enable scientists from around the world to study the Moon's formation and evolution, fostering collaborative exploration of the universe's mysteries," they James Carpenter, head of the lunar science office at the European Space Agency, said: "The Chang'e-5 lunar samples provide a unique window into the history of the Solar System, and the Open University is one of the best places in the world to unravel the scientific story that's these samples have to tell." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
World's first three-satellite constellation in Earth-moon region established by China
The world's first three-satellite constellation on the distant retrograde orbit (DRO) of the Earth-Moon system has been successfully established by Chinese scientists. The development lays a foundation for the exploration and utilization of space, and for future crewed deep-space exploration. The DRO is a unique type of orbit, while the Earth-moon space refers to the region extending outward from near-Earth and near-lunar orbits, reaching a distance of up to 2 million kilometers from by scientists of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), DRO-A and DRO-B satellites have established inter-satellite measurement and communication links with DRO-L, a previously launched near-Earth orbit satellite. The achievement was disclosed at a symposium on Earth-moon space DRO exploration in Beijing on have revealed that in Earth-moon space, DRO is characterized by a prograde motion around Earth and a retrograde motion around the which provides a highly stable orbit where spacecraft require little fuel to enter and stay, also serves as a natural space hub connecting Earth, the moon, and deep offers support for space science exploration, the deployment of space infrastructure, and crewed deep-space missions. Currently, the DRO-A satellite stays in DRO, while the DRO-B satellite operates in Earth-moon space maneuver orbits, according to the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization (CSU). Zhang Jun, a senior engineer at the CAS' Innovation Academy for Microsatellites, revealed that the satellites ultimately succeeded in entering their designated orbit, demonstrating China's breakthroughs in deep-space fault recovery and autonomous navigation technologies. Zhang stated that this achievement highlights the satellite team's flexibility and adaptability in complex missions and paved the way for low-cost deep-space also revealed that the project achieved the world's first spacecraft entry into DRO with low energy consumption. Through innovative design, the team completed a lunar transfer and DRO entry by using just one-fifth of the fuel usually required. Scientists revealed that the program would support China's future lunar exploration mission, including providing space-based inter-satellite measurement for rapid orbit determination and autonomous navigation services for lunar exploration mission orbiters, and supply high-precision time signals for lunar surface facilities, reported Global Times. Zhang highlighted that by using three hours of in-orbit inter-satellite measurement data, the team achieved an orbit determination precision level that would typically require two days of ground-based tracking. This advancement has significantly reduced operational costs and improved the efficiency of spacecraft in the Earth-moon space. Later, Chinese scientists will continue investigating the complex and diverse orbits in the Earth-moon space, and study the laws of the lunar space environment. With the long-term stability of DRO, scientists will carry out fundamental scientific research in such fields as quantum mechanics and atomic physics.
