Latest news with #MegaMoon
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Debris from SpaceX rocket launch reportedly washing ashore on Mexican beaches
MATAMOROS, Mexico - Debris from SpaceX's latest Starship test flight is reportedly being found along beaches in northeastern Mexico and parts of southern Texas, sparking concern among environmental groups and raising questions about the consequences of attempts to reach space. The material, which is believed to be remnants of SpaceX's ninth Starship test flight, includes fragments of aluminum, plastic shards and several large tanks, according to Conibio Global A.C., a nonprofit environmental organization. The test flight from nearby Boca Chica, Texas, launched with no apparent issues on the night of May 27, but, during the mission, the Super Heavy booster failed to complete a controlled landing burn and crashed into the Gulf of America. Environmental crews in Mexico have since documented widespread debris washing ashore beaches, with some of the objects recovered reportedly marked with the name 'SpaceX.' Future Of Nasa's Mega Moon Rocket Appears In Doubt Following Major Boeing Announcement Of particular concern to environmentalists is the timing of the event with the annual sea turtle nesting season. Affected beaches are known nesting grounds for several species of sea turtles, including the endangered Kemp's ridley. Conservation groups worry that hatchlings will encounter hazardous debris, which could be ingested or block their path to the sea. In addition to the threat to marine life, the environmental group says the debris poses risks to the fishing industry, which is vital to the region. The organization has been documenting cleanup efforts and is urging national and international authorities to hold the Elon Musk-run space company responsible. Spacex Launches Megarocket From South Texas, Loses Control During Mid-mission FOX Weather reached out for comment on the story and similar to all other previous inquiries, no response was received. While SpaceX has not publicly responded to the reports, the incident adds to an ongoing debate about the unintentional impacts of rocket launches. The FAA has faced previous legal action over allowing SpaceX to operate following debris being scattered across environmentally sensitive regions of the Lone Star State. While legal responsibilities may be somewhat unclear, a long-standing memo from the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs states: "A launching State shall be absolutely liable to pay compensation for damage caused by its space object on the surface of the Earth or to aircraft in flight."Original article source: Debris from SpaceX rocket launch reportedly washing ashore on Mexican beaches
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Countdown underway for rocket launch of star-studded all-female crew
VAN HORN, Texas – The countdown is underway for the launch of a star-studded, all-female crew aboard a Blue Origin rocket from West Texas. According to Jeff Bezos' aerospace company, if all goes as planned, liftoff of the New Shepard rocket -designated NS-31 - will take place around 8:30 a.m. CDT on Monday. On board will be a high-profile crew of six, ranging from pop superstar Katy Perry to Jeff Bezos' fiancée, Lauren Sánchez. The all-female crew consists of: Aisha Bowe: A former NASA rocket scientist and CEO of STEMBoard Amanda Nguyễn: A bioastronautics research scientist and advocate for sexual violence survivors Gayle King: An award-winning journalist and co-host of CBS Mornings Katy Perry: A global pop superstar and a best-selling female artist Kerianne Flynn: A community filmmaker Lauren Sánchez: A bestselling author and fiancée to Jeff Bezos Future Of Nasa's Mega Moon Rocket Appears In Doubt Following Major Boeing Announcement Unlike trips to the International Space Station, which can last weeks or even months, the NS-31 flight will be brief, with a total duration of around 11 minutes. Blue Origin says less than 3 minutes into launch the booster will separate from the New Shepard capsule, which will continue on its space odyssey. The capsule will reach an altitude of approximately 62 miles above Earth's surface, where the crew will experience several minutes of weightlessness and take in breathtaking views of the planet. The capsule is said to feature windows measuring 2.4 feet wide by 3.6 feet tall, designed to provide unobstructed views while in space. After reaching its peak altitude, the capsule will descend back to Earth, deploying parachutes to slow its return before landing near the launch site in rural West Texas. According to Blue Origin, the crew capsule uses reverse thrusters and parachutes to land at a speed of just 1 mile per hour. Previous notable passengers on Blue Origin flights have included Jeff Bezos, actor William Shatner and former NFL player and broadcaster Michael Strahan. While Blue Origin has not publicly disclosed the ticket prices, they are estimated to range from zero dollars - when gifted to public figures - to as much as $30 million, according to a 2021 auction. Watch live coverage of the trailblazing mission after liftoff on YouTube. Spacex Starship Explosion Causes Scrambled Flights As Debris Rains Down Over AtlanticOriginal article source: Countdown underway for rocket launch of star-studded all-female crew
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Asteroid probe thought to be tumbling in space; CEO vows to try again
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – The company behind a mission to examine a nearby asteroid reports that their spacecraft is likely tumbling in space after encountering significant communication issues following liftoff. AstroForge founder and CEO Matt Gialich provided an update on the status of the Odin spacecraft via social media on Saturday. The 265-pound asteroid surveyor was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Nasa's Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, with its destination set for the asteroid known as 2022 OB5, but communication issues arose less than 24 hours after liftoff. "I want to remind everybody this was a test mission. It was built in ten months at an accelerated pace. The point of this mission was to learn, and I think we've learned a lot," Gialich said during the briefing. The Odin spacecraft was designated for a flyby mission, with future spacecraft planned to actually land on the asteroid and mine for materials. Future Of Nasa's Mega Moon Rocket Appears In Doubt Following Major Boeing Announcement It was not stated whether the issues encountered by Odin would affect a planned landing in as early as 2026, but the CEO didn't entirely rule out the possibility of reestablishing communications with the spacecraft. "We're going to keep our heads up. We're going to keep trying over the weekend, and we'll see how far we get," Gialich stated. The spacecraft is believed to be nearly 200,000 miles away from Earth and is generating power from its solar panels. "I want to tell you guys everything - the errors we made, the issues we had, all the problems we encountered, and everything that went wrong. Because I think, as a team and as a company, and as humans, that's how we get better at these missions," Gialich stated. See The Objects Humans Left Behind On The Moon AstroForge's mission has largely flown under the radar of news headlines as several lunar landers are en route to the Moon's surface, which have garnered the attention of space Aerospace is scheduled to attempt its first-ever moon landing on Sunday with its Blue Ghost lander, while Intuitive Machines will attempt its landing with IM-2 on March Machines' spacecraft was launched on the same Falcon 9 rocket as AstroForge's Odin, but, unlike the asteroid surveyor, the lunar lander has not reported any significant technical problems that would prevent a landing article source: Asteroid probe thought to be tumbling in space; CEO vows to try again
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Astronomers discover largest superstructure in cosmos
A team of international astronomers has identified what is believed to be the largest known superstructure in the cosmos, a discovery that could reshape our understanding of outer space. According to the scientists on the team, the discovery was made by ROAST, a German-operated satellite telescope, and the superstructure has been named "Quipu." Quipu is estimated to span an astonishing 1.4 billion light-years in width and contains approximately 68 galaxy clusters. "If you look at the distribution of the galaxy clusters in the sky within a spherical shell, ranging from 416 to 826 million light-years, you immediately notice a massive structure that stretches from high northern latitudes to nearly the southern end of the sky," Hans Böhringer, the project leader, explained in a statement. This discovery surpasses the size of the Sloan Great Wall, a galaxy cluster that measured around 1.1 billion light-years in length and was discovered in 2003. Future Of Nasa's Mega Moon Rocket Appears In Doubt Following Major Boeing Announcement Scientists noted that the newly discovered structure resembles an ancient script, with long fiber strands woven throughout. This visual similarity led to its name "Quipu," which is derived from the Incan word for knot. The scientists also chose the name due to the European Southern Observatory in Chile playing a role in the discovery, which is near the former home of the Inca Empire. By detecting radiation emitted by the galaxy clusters, scientists were able to confirm the presence of at least four other superstructures nearby. These structures are thought to account for 45% of galaxy clusters, 30% of galaxies and 25% of the matter in the universe. "For a precise determination of cosmological parameters, we need to understand the effects of the local large-scale structure of the universe on the measurements," researchers stated. Space Debris Lights Up Night Sky Across Midwest The superstructures are believed to be vast enough to distort the light from distant objects, but scientists warn they won't last indefinitely and will eventually break apart as part of their natural evolution. The discovery is seen as a significant step forward in mapping out the multiverse but likely won't be the last time that a superstructure is article source: Astronomers discover largest superstructure in cosmos
