Latest news with #NASAJPL
3 days ago
- Science
NISAR satellite could help scientists predict natural disasters before they happen
What if we could have more warning time before a natural disaster? People could seek shelter faster. First responders could surge resources to the impacted area. And new construction projects could be relocated to safer locations. To better understand how small changes in the Earth's land and ice surfaces can lead to catastrophic events and natural disasters, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is collaborating with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on a space mission to launch a first-of-its-kind satellite into orbit that's capable of monitoring the planet in an unprecedented way. The NISAR mission, which stands for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, is scheduled to lift off at 8:10 a.m. ET on July 30 aboard an ISRO GSLV-F16 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India's southeastern coast. Built by NASA JPL and the ISRO, the satellite features a unique radar system that utilizes two different frequencies -- L-band and S-band --making it capable of measuring small changes (less than half an inch) on the Earth's surface. Using that data, it will then produce highly detailed 3D images that should help researchers better understand and predict natural disasters, such as wildfires, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides. "NISAR truly is a first-of-its-kind dual radar satellite that will change the way we study our home planet and better predict a natural disaster before it strikes. NISAR will scan and take imagery of nearly all the Earth's land and ice surface twice every 12 days in unprecedented detail, literally down to a centimeter," said Nicky Fox, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA, during a pre-launch press conference. The $1.3 billion mission will not only help scientists better understand the causes of natural disasters but also enable climate researchers to monitor melting glaciers and ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica and track the health of the world's rainforests with more precision. It can also identify human-produced changes to the land, including those from farming and ranching, water projects, housing and commercial development and infrastructure projects. "We'll put NISAR science and observations to work, making it available to inform decisions where and when they're needed, helping to ensure that as a nation, we can abundantly feed ourselves, build resilient housing and transportation systems, and better prepare and respond to natural hazards," explained Karen St. Germain, director of the Earth Science Division at NASA. While other satellites can monitor the Earth's surface and provide images and measurements, NASA JPL said NISAR has a unique radar system. The system works by sending microwave signals to Earth and then using its large 39-foot radar antenna to receive those signals when they bounce back. Researchers can then compare the signals to study how the planet's surface is changing. Since it revisits each location every 12 days, it can track those changes over time. NISAR can also penetrate clouds and light rain, and operates continuously, unlike the optical sensors on other satellites. "The L-band radar, which is provided by JPL, operates at a longer wavelength and that can see through the trees and see the bare surface of the bare Earth and even some substructure. The S-band radar, which is provided by ISRO, operates at a shorter wavelength and that sees the vegetation, foliage, surface features better," said Wendy Edelstein, the deputy project manager for NISAR at NASA JPL. "These two radars work together, complementary to achieve science that neither could see on their own." NISAR's mission is scheduled to last three years, and it marks the first time NASA and ISRO have collaborated on a project of this kind. NASA said the satellite will collect enough data to fill about 150 512-gigabyte hard drives each day, and that information will be made available free of charge to scientists and anyone else interested in studying it.
Mint
04-07-2025
- Science
- Mint
Interstellar Intruder: NASA discovers rare comet from outside our solar system
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has discovered a rare interstellar comet. It has been officially named 3I/ATLAS. Comet 3I/ATLAS was discovered on July 1 and spotted by a Chile-based survey telescope named ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System). According to Reuters, astronomers are tracking a newly spotted comet hailing from parts "unknown". "It came from outside our solar system and right now, it's inside the orbit of Jupiter, and it is headed for its closes pass to the sun at the end of October," said Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer with NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). NASA said that the comet originated from interstellar space (space between the stars) and is arriving from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius. The comet is currently located about 420 million miles (670 million kilometers) away. It is journeying at a speed of around 37 miles (60 km) per second from the direction of the center of the Milky Way galaxy. "It was first detected as a speck of light moving relative to background stars," Davide Farnocchia said. "It's gonna pass, visit us, and then on its way out and leave the solar system in the future," he added. Watch this video to understand more: Astronomers said its unusual trajectory indicated it had ventured from beyond our solar system. "This rare visitor from beyond our solar system was spotted this week, and the global astronomy community is racing to collect more data," NASA JPL wrote in an Instagram post. The spotting of Comet 3I/ATLAS is the third time such an interstellar object has been observed visiting our solar system. 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. NASA said the comet poses no threat to Earth and will remain at a distance of at least 1.6 astronomical units (about 150 million miles or 240 million km). The comet, 3I/ATLAS, will, however, reach its closest approach to the Sun around October 30, at a distance of 1.4 au (about 130 million miles or 210 million km) — just inside the orbit of Mars. While NASA JPL refused to comment on the comet, University of Hawaii astronomer Larry Denneau said on Thursday, "The comet has some similarities to 2I/Borisov in that it appears to be an icy comet." Denneau, co-principal investigator for ATLAS, noted that the comet 'is much larger, possibly 10 km (6.2 miles) in diameter.' Larry Denneau said comet 3I/ATLAS currently has a faint coma, 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," he was quoted by Reuters as saying. This is a golden opportunity for astronomers to study a pristine object from another star system. NASA's Davide Farnocchia said, "We're really excited about these objects," while mentioning that so far, "we've discovered three interstellar objects. "So it's a rare opportunity, and as a scientific community, we want to collect as much data as possible to characterise these objects and learn as much as we can," he said. Meanwhile, Denneau said, "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."
USA Today
09-06-2025
- Science
- USA Today
NASA tracks stadium-size asteroid passing near Earth: Here's how to watch it live
NASA tracks stadium-size asteroid passing near Earth: Here's how to watch it live The asteroid, dubbed 2002 JX8, makes close approaches to both Earth and Venus relatively often. An asteroid about the length of three football fields is due to pass closely – but safely – by Earth in a matter of hours. Talk of asteroids coming too close for comfort to Earth may remind people of asteroid 2024 YR4, which became infamous earlier in 2025 when astronomers calculated a slight chance of it impacting with Earth. But while YR4 was eventually ruled out as a threat during its flyby in 2032, the asteroid passing Earth on Friday, May 9, never posed any danger to begin with. The gigantic space rock, which NASA compares to the size of a stadium, has a diameter of about 950 feet It may not be on a menacing trajectory, but it will still come close enough to Earth to warrant astronomers keeping a close eye on it as it whizzes by within about 2.6 million miles of our world. Here's everything to know about the asteroid, how the public can track it going by and why NASA keeps a close eye on inbound space rocks. NASA JPL in California tracks asteroid The asteroid, dubbed 2002 JX8, makes close approaches to both Earth and Venus relatively often, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, managed by Caltech in California. It's last trip near Earth came about two years ago, May 27, 2023, and after the 2025 flyby, it'll be about another two years until we see 2002 JX8 again on April 15, 2027. How to watch asteroid fly by Earth The asteroid is much too small and far away to see without a telescope. But those who want to catch a glimpse of the asteroid, even if it's virtual, still have a chance. The Virtual Telescope Project plans to stream the event live on YouTube. The video won't show the asteroid itself, but it will allow viewers to distinguish 2002 JX8 as a tiny dot moving past stars that appear as even tinier dots in the background. The organization will go live at 4:30 p.m. ET. Here's where to watch it: What are 'potentially hazardous' asteroids? The asteroid 2002 JX8 is large enough for NASA to deem it as "potentially hazardous" space object. The JPL lab tracks any asteroids or comets with orbits that will bring them within 4.6 million miles of Earth, or 19.5 times the distance to the moon. Its Asteroid Watch dashboard displays the date of the next five closest approaches, as well as each object's approximate diameter and its distance from Earth. After asteroid 2002 JX8, the next four asteroids slated to pass by Earth are relatively small – no bigger than a house. Any object larger than about 150 meters (about 492 feet) that can approach the Earth to within this distance becomes potentially hazardous, according to the lab. Most asteroids orbit within the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. But some follow paths that circulate into the inner solar system, including so-called near-Earth asteroids, according to NASA. How might NASA, other agencies mount a planetary defense? YR4 and its much larger cousin, the equally infamous Apophis were the most alarming space rocks astronomers have discovered and studied for decades. Now that they have been ruled out as threats to Earth, astronomers still studying such imposing space rocks could help the world's space agencies prepare to mount a planetary defense if the need ever arose. NASA and the European Space Agency both plan to send uncrewed spacecraft to observe Apophis in the years ahead to map and study its surface to gain further insights into near-Earth asteroids. Protecting Earth from incoming space rocks could look a little like the test NASA pulled off in 2022 when it demonstrated that it was possible to nudge an incoming asteroid out of harm's way by slamming a spacecraft into one as part of its Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART. As of October, a craft from the European Space Agency is on the way to get an up-close look at the asteroid's remnants. NASA is additionally working on an asteroid-hunting telescope known as the NEO Surveyor to find near-Earth objects capable of causing significant damage. Now set to launch no earlier than 2027, the telescope is designed to discover 90% of asteroids and comets that are 460 feet in size or larger and come within 30 million miles of Earth's orbit. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@
NDTV
08-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
NASA Captures Mars Volcano Twice The Height Of Earth's Tallest Peaks
NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter has captured a stunning picture of a 20-kilometer-high volcano, peeping through the clouds on the Red Planet. The image captured from the upper atmosphere at dawn, shows a green haze with Arsia Mons standing roughly twice as tall as Earth's largest volcano, Mauna Loa, located in Hawaii, which rises nine kilometers above the seafloor. At 120 kilometres wide, the Arsia Mons summit caldera is also larger than many volcanoes on Earth. The panorama image taken on May 2, using the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), shows the planet's massive volcano for the first time. Arsia Mons is the southernmost of the Tharsis volcanoes and cloudiest of the three. 'We picked Arsia Mons hoping we would see the summit poke above the early morning clouds. And it didn't disappoint,' said Jonathon Hill of Arizona State University in Tempe, operations lead for THEMIS. Researchers said the clouds are especially thick over Arsia Mons when the Red Planet is farthest from the sun, a period called aphelion. "Understanding Mars' clouds is particularly important for understanding Martian weather and how phenomena like dust storms occur," NASA stated. Something big is peeking through Martian clouds. 🌋 The Odyssey orbiter captured a stunning view of Arsia Mons, a volcano that dwarfs the tallest ones here on Earth. This perspective helps scientists study how dust and ice clouds change over the seasons. — NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) June 6, 2025 Also Read | US Researcher Proposes Detonating Massive Nuclear Bomb Under Ocean To Save Earth The Odyssey orbiter was launched in 2001 and is regarded as the longest-running mission orbiting another planet. To click the picture, the orbiter rotates 90 degrees while in orbit so that its camera, built to study the Martian surface, can capture it cleanly. The angle of the camera allows scientists to see dust and water ice cloud layers, enabling them to observe changes over the course of seasons. 'We're seeing some really significant seasonal differences in these horizon images,' said planetary scientist Michael D. Smith of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. 'It's giving us new clues to how Mars' atmosphere evolves over time.'
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Jupiter was once double in size and 50 times the magnetic power; key details inside: Study
Source: canva New research uncovers a dramatic fact about our solar system's biggest planet, Jupiter, with a diameter of 142,984 kilometres, which is about eleven times larger than Earth's diameter. It was previously almost twice its present size and possessed a magnetic field 50 times greater than it does now. The findings were made in a study by astronomers Konstantin Batygin (Caltech) and Fred C. Adams (University of Michigan), which appeared in Nature Astronomy and is otherwise described in outlets such as Caltech News and arXiv. Their study of Jupiter's small inner moons, especially the slightly inclined orbits of Amalthea and Thebe, enabled them to make a rough estimate of the early size of the planet and its strong magnetism. This condition probably prevailed some 3.8 million years after the solar system's first solid particles condensed. A magnetic force that could fry a spacecraft? What? credit: canva Jupiter's early magnetic field strength is estimated at around 21 millitesla—roughly 50 times stronger than its current field. Such intense magnetism would have generated severe radiation belts that could easily disable or destroy an unprotected spacecraft. Even today, NASA missions like Juno contend with Jupiter's radiation by using heavily shielded electronics housed in specially designed vaults (NASA JPL). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kickstart your new journey with the Honda Shine 125 Honda Learn More Undo The magnetic history of Jupiter's field highlights that planetary magnetism must be taken into account not only in mission planning but also in comprehending the way planets engage with their surroundings and shape the solar system's architecture. Shaping the solar system credit: canva Jupiter's gravitational and magnetic influence during its giant early stage would almost certainly have had a long-term effect on the structure of the solar system. Its size and power would have affected the orbits of objects close to it, aborted planet formation in some areas, and influenced protoplanetary material trajectories. This comes in line with the "core accretion" gas giant formation model, backing up theories that Jupiter was at the centre of being a solar system architect. The findings add richness to how the early solar system developed, and highlight Jupiter's spot at the centre. What conclusions do these findings suggest? These findings not only rewrite our understanding of the solar system, let alone our knowledge about Jupiter's formative years. This study opens new arenas in the exoplanetary systems. By analysing how gas giants like Jupiter evolved so dramatically, scientists can refine models across the galaxy. As our space agencies begin to prosper and gear up for future missions to the moon and planets such as Jupiter, this insight will be important in navigating the planet's complex environment and will further unlock secrets of planetary systems that go beyond our knowledge
