Latest news with #ThePlanetarySociety
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NASA's SLS rocket, Orion and science on chopping block under White House budget proposal
The days of NASA's Space Launch System moon rocket and Orion space capsule may be limited, as a White House budget proposal for the space agency aims to phase out the overbudget SLS after just two more missions. And it's not just Artemis. NASA's budget as a whole would see agency-wide cuts that go beyond human exploration with the total budget dropping $6 billion from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion — or nearly 25 percent. NASA's science budget takes a particularly significant hit. "The White House has proposed the largest single-year cut to NASA in American history," The Planetary Society said in a statement, noting that the proposal comes as President Trump's proposed pick to lead NASA, businessman space traveler Jared Isaacman, still is not in the job. "It would recklessly slash NASA's science budget by 47%, forcing widespread terminations of functional missions worth billions of dollars." On Friday, May 2, the 46-page Discretionary Budget Request for fiscal year 2026 was made public. Among the proposed cuts drawing attention: NASA's SLS rocket and the Gateway space station — which was planned to orbit the moon starting during Artemis IV through an international partnership. "The Budget funds a program to replace SLS and Orion flights to the Moon with more cost effective commercial systems that would support more ambitious subsequent lunar missions," the document reads. SLS is stated to cost $4 billion per launch and run about 140% over budget. The giant rocket's cost overruns and delays have been the subject of continued concern, but it was seen as a centerpiece in the effort to return Americans to the moon ahead of the Chinese. The budget didn't outline what would replace SLS but many have pointed to SpaceX's Starship, although that vehicle still has not been able to successfully complete an orbital mission. The budget says the cuts come so effort can be refocused on beating China and "putting the first human on Mars." To do that, the budget allocates more than $7 billion for lunar exploration and another $1 billion for Mars-focused programs. The budget also includes an increase of $647 million for Human Space Exploration. By eventually eliminating the SLS rocket and Orion, officials suggest an annual savings of $879 million. To date, NASA's SLS has launched once on an uncrewed mission back in late 2022. During the flight, the Orion spacecraft was found to have heat shield issues upon reentry forcing some adjustments to its planned trajectory. The SLS rocket for the Artemis II mission, which is set to fly around the moon no earlier than spring 2026, is currently being stacked inside Kennedy Space Center's massive Vehicle Assembly Building. Artemis III is planned to launch four astronauts in the Orion spacecraft atop NASA's SLS no earlier than mid-2027. The crew will than meet with a SpaceX Starship in lunar orbit, and two astronauts will transfer over and land on the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years. Messages seeking comment with U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos' office were not immediately returned Friday. Landing Americans on Mars has been a large talking point of President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO turned Department of Government Efficiency leader, Elon Musk. In a press release, NASA officials said the proposed budget 'accelerates human space exploration of the Moon and Mars with a fiscally responsible portfolio of missions.' 'This proposal includes investments to simultaneously pursue exploration of the Moon and Mars while still prioritizing critical science and technology research,' Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro said in the release. Also in the proposal is a scale-back of International Space Station operations as the aging station is planned to cease operations by 2030, and NASA moves onto private space stations such as Axiom's planned space station. Proposed cuts go beyond human exploration. Space Science will see a cut of $2.2 billion while Earth Science is set to see a $1.1 billion cut. Areas mentioned in particular were things deemed climate-related. "To achieve these objectives, the Budget would streamline the NASA workforce, information technology services, NASA Center operations, facility maintenance, and construction and environmental compliance activities. The Budget also terminates multiple unaffordable missions and reduces lower priority research, resulting in a leaner Science program that reflects a commitment to fiscal responsibility," a statement on the NASA website reads. Space Science cuts would "terminate: the delayed and overbudget Mars sample return project, the budget said. Instead, human missions to Mars could achieve that sample return by the previously estimated date in the 2030s, the budget projects. On April 30, a coalition of 10 space advocacy groups ranging from the American Astronomical Society to The Mars Society sent a joint letter to Congress expressing 'profound alarm' at the potential of deep cuts in NASA science. 'The impact extends far beyond mission hardware. These cuts would eviscerate space science research and analysis programs, crippling university departments, research institutions, and NASA centers,' the letter said. 'It would decimate the nation's STEM talent pipeline, eliminating vital training opportunities for the next generation of scientists and engineers and likely lead to widespread layoffs within this highly skilled workforce, both in the government and industry. If enacted, this budget will have real downstream impacts on America's ability to field next generation technology, impacting U.S. national security and economic development,' the letter said. Among the areas they cited for concern: planetary defense, which is finding and tracking asteroids that could pose a threat to Earth, and heliophysics which helps protect satellites and communications from solar storms and other space weather. On May 2, The Planetary Society warned: Slashing NASA's budget by this much, this quickly, without the input of a confirmed NASA Administrator or in response to a considered policy goal, won't make the agency more efficient — it will cause chaos, waste the taxpayers' investment, and undermine American leadership in space." NASA has already seen some cuts. In early March, NASA announced it was closing its Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy; the Office of the Chief Scientist; and a DEI-themed branch, impacting 23 jobs. Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@ or on X: @brookeofstars. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Proposed NASA budget sees early end to SLS moon rocket, big science cuts
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump budget proposal: NASA's SLS rocket, Orion and science on chopping block
The days of NASA's Space Launch System moon rocket and Orion space capsule may be limited, as a White House budget proposal for the space agency aims to phase out the overbudget SLS after just two more missions. And it's not just Artemis. NASA's budget as a whole would see agency-wide cuts that go beyond human exploration with the total budget dropping $6 billion from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion — or nearly 25 percent. NASA's science budget takes a particularly significant hit. "The White House has proposed the largest single-year cut to NASA in American history," The Planetary Society said in a statement, noting that the proposal comes as President Trump's proposed pick to lead NASA, businessman space traveler Jared Isaacman, still is not in the job. "It would recklessly slash NASA's science budget by 47%, forcing widespread terminations of functional missions worth billions of dollars." On Friday, May 2, the 46-page Discretionary Budget Request for fiscal year 2026 was made public. Among the proposed cuts drawing attention: NASA's SLS rocket and the Gateway space station — which was planned to orbit the moon starting during Artemis IV through an international partnership. "The Budget funds a program to replace SLS and Orion flights to the Moon with more cost effective commercial systems that would support more ambitious subsequent lunar missions," the document reads. SLS is stated to cost $4 billion per launch and run about 140% over budget. The giant rocket's cost overruns and delays have been the subject of continued concern, but it was seen as a centerpiece in the effort to return Americans to the moon ahead of the Chinese. The budget didn't outline what would replace SLS but many have pointed to SpaceX's Starship, although that vehicle still has not been able to successfully complete an orbital mission. The budget says the cuts come so effort can be refocused on beating China and "putting the first human on Mars." To do that, the budget allocates more than $7 billion for lunar exploration and another $1 billion for Mars-focused programs. The budget also includes an increase of $647 million for Human Space Exploration. By eventually eliminating the SLS rocket and Orion, officials suggest an annual savings of $879 million. To date, NASA's SLS has launched once on an uncrewed mission back in late 2022. During the flight, the Orion spacecraft was found to have heat shield issues upon reentry forcing some adjustments to its planned trajectory. The SLS rocket for the Artemis II mission, which is set to fly around the moon no earlier than spring 2026, is currently being stacked inside Kennedy Space Center's massive Vehicle Assembly Building. Artemis III is planned to launch four astronauts in the Orion spacecraft atop NASA's SLS no earlier than mid-2027. The crew will than meet with a SpaceX Starship in lunar orbit, and two astronauts will transfer over and land on the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years. Messages seeking comment with U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos' office were not immediately returned Friday. Haridopolos represents Florida's Space Coast. Landing Americans on Mars has been a large talking point of President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO turned Department of Government Efficiency leader, Elon Musk. In a press release, NASA officials said the proposed budget 'accelerates human space exploration of the Moon and Mars with a fiscally responsible portfolio of missions.' 'This proposal includes investments to simultaneously pursue exploration of the Moon and Mars while still prioritizing critical science and technology research,' Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro said in the release. Also in the proposal is a scale-back of International Space Station operations as the aging station is planned to cease operations by 2030, and NASA moves onto private space stations such as Axiom's planned space station. Proposed cuts go beyond human exploration. Space Science will see a cut of $2.2 billion while Earth Science is set to see a $1.1 billion cut. Areas mentioned in particular were things deemed climate-related. "To achieve these objectives, the Budget would streamline the NASA workforce, information technology services, NASA Center operations, facility maintenance, and construction and environmental compliance activities. The Budget also terminates multiple unaffordable missions and reduces lower priority research, resulting in a leaner Science program that reflects a commitment to fiscal responsibility," a statement on the NASA website reads. Space Science cuts would terminate: the delayed and over-budget Mars sample return project, the budget said. Instead, human missions to Mars could achieve that sample return by the previously estimated date in the 2030s, the budget projects. On April 30, a coalition of 10 space advocacy groups ranging from the American Astronomical Society to The Mars Society sent a joint letter to Congress expressing 'profound alarm' at the potential of deep cuts in NASA science. 'The impact extends far beyond mission hardware. These cuts would eviscerate space science research and analysis programs, crippling university departments, research institutions, and NASA centers,' the letter said. 'It would decimate the nation's STEM talent pipeline, eliminating vital training opportunities for the next generation of scientists and engineers and likely lead to widespread layoffs within this highly skilled workforce, both in the government and industry. If enacted, this budget will have real downstream impacts on America's ability to field next generation technology, impacting U.S. national security and economic development,' the letter said. Among the areas they cited for concern: planetary defense, which is finding and tracking asteroids that could pose a threat to Earth, and heliophysics which helps protect satellites and communications from solar storms and other space weather. On May 2, The Planetary Society warned: Slashing NASA's budget by this much, this quickly, without the input of a confirmed NASA Administrator or in response to a considered policy goal, won't make the agency more efficient — it will cause chaos, waste the taxpayers' investment, and undermine American leadership in space." NASA has already seen some cuts. In early March, NASA announced it was closing its Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy; the Office of the Chief Scientist; and a DEI-themed branch, impacting 23 jobs. Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today, part of the USA TODAY Network. Contact her at bedwards@ or on X: @brookeofstars. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Proposed Trump budget would cut NASA SLS moon rocket, big science
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A Newly Discovered Comet is Dazzling Skygazers—Here's How to See It While You Can
A newly discovered comet is currently visible in the morning sky using a small telescope or binoculars. The comet, which was designated as C/2025 F2 (SWAN), was detected by SWAN, an instrument on the SOHO spacecraft. C/2025 F2 (SWAN) will be visible from the Northern Hemisphere throughout April and is expected to reach perihelion on May are in for an exciting surprise throughout April—a new glowing green comet was recently discovered and is currently visible with a small telescope or binoculars. The comet was detected by SWAN, an instrument on the European Space Agency's SOHO spacecraft, which was designed to study the sun. On April 8, the comet was designated as C/2025 F2 (SWAN) by the Minor Planet Center. It's also referred to by the nickname SWAN25F. C/2025 F2 (SWAN) was discovered by Vladimir Bezugly from Ukraine and Michael Mattiazzo from Australia. Per EarthSky, both amateur astronomers detected the comet on March 29 by examining images taken by the SOHO spacecraft. Mattiazzo posted a photo of the glowing green comet to X. The comet is currently visible with binoculars or a small telescope. To see it, look toward the northeastern horizon just before sunrise. In late April, the comet may be visible during evening hours as it approaches perihelion—its nearest point to the sun—which it is expected to reach on May 1. According to The Planetary Society, there will be a new moon on April 27, which may make seeing the comet easier. SWAN25F has gotten notably brighter since it was initially discovered. If it continues to brighten, it may be visible to the naked eye. However, The Planetary Society notes that it is difficult to predict what comets will look like in advance. By early May, the comet will no longer be visible from most of the Northern Hemisphere, so be sure to catch a glimpse of this rare phenomenon while you can. That said, those in the Southern Hemisphere will be able to see the comet in May just after sunset above the horizon. Read the original article on Martha Stewart
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Oklahomans can watch the night sky this April for meteors, 'micromoon': Here's when to look
Stargazers in Oklahoma this month will be able to observe a meteor shower, a clustering of planets and a phenomenon known as a "micromoon." The annual Lyrids meteor shower will appear in April after this month's "pink" full moon. Later this month, the crescent moon will be visible near Venus, Saturn and Mercury. The only full moon visible in April will occur on Sunday, April 13. You might also see it referred to as the "Pink moon," a term used by the Old Farmer's Almanac and based on traditional indigenous practices, to describe moon phases during the month of April. Like other nicknames attributed to moon, it has nothing to do with how the moon looks in the night sky. Instead, the Old Farmer's Almanac notes the appearance of creeping phlox, or "moss pink" is more prevalent in certain areas of North America during this time of year. The side of the moon facing Earth will be obscured by shadow later this month on April 27. This phase is called a "new moon" and resets the monthly waxing-waning cycle that's visible from Earth. A new moon gives stargazers and astronomers a better chance to observe the night sky because of the lack of light reflected off the moon's surface. The Lyrids meteor shower will peak on the night of Monday, April 21, according to The Planetary Society. The Lyrids are a medium-strength meteor shower and is best seen from the northern hemisphere during the month of April. While the strongest show will happen on April 21, meteors can also be spotted on the nights before and after that date. The meteors will appear to originate near the Lyra constellation, which rises in the northeast sky after dark. Unfortunately, half the moon's surface will be reflecting sunlight that night, which will affect how well the meteors can be seen after it rises in the early morning hours. The term micromoon refers to the appearance of the full moon when it is the furthest away from Earth. The moon's orbit is not perfect, and its distance from Earth varies by about 30,000 miles. This causes the moon to be observably smaller when it's farther away, but not by much. According to NASA, a micromoon appears about 14% smaller and nearly one-third dimmer than its opposite, the supermoon, which describes the full moon when it's closest to Earth. As the new moon phase approaches on April 24 and 25, a cluster of brightly reflective planets will appear nearby before sunrise. Venus, Saturn and Mercury will gather low in the east at dawn on those days, along with the waning crescent moon. To spot Mercury, which will lag further behind the pack, you'll need to have a clear, unobstructed view of the horizon. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: April full moon, Lyrids meteor shower visible from Oklahoma this month
Forbes
21-03-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Where Did Brilliant Venus Go? The Science Behind Its Vanishing Act
UNSPECIFIED - JANUARY 30: This set of images taken from Northampton in May 2004 show Venus as a ... More slowly shrinking crescent. The images were taken with a 180-cm Maksutov-Newtonian telescope. Photograph by Jamie Cooper. (Photo) Every night for the last five months, a bright "star" has been blazing away in the western sky just after sunset. Now it's gone. What's going on? Venus has been slowly getting closer to the sun and will pass roughly between Earth and our star this weekend — something astronomers call "inferior conjunction." On Saturday, March 22, Venus will be completely lost in the sun's glare and impossible to observe — but it's going out with a bang. For the past month, Venus has been sinking lower to the horizon in the post-sunset western sky, appearing closer to the sun with each passing day and rapidly losing latitude — sunlight, from our point of view. As it has done so, the views of Venus have been spectacular, with some even seeing it as a 'rainbow planet.' Since it's an inner planet as seen from Earth (its orbit around the sun takes just 225 days, compared with Earth's 365 days), we've been seeing the phases of Venus as it approached Earth, and it is now undertaking it on the inside. For the last few months, it has become a crescent and, in recent weeks, has become a thin sliver. Something similar happened with the far dimmer Mercury, which was shining with Venus at the beginning of March. Both have now dropped from the night sky, ending the planet parade that caught the attention of many sky-watchers. From Earth's perspective, Venus — for so long earning its nickname the "Evening Star" — will pass into the sun's glare. In the weeks after, it will emerge into the pre-dawn eastern sky and shine brightly as the "Morning Star." It will quickly rise higher into the twilight. Here are a few highlights for Venus-gazing over the next few months: While Venus transits to the morning sky, only two naked-eye planets remain of the "planet parade" — Jupiter and Mars. These two outer planets, which lie farther from the sun than Earth so can't undertake us like Venus and Mercury, are called superior planets by astronomers. Now high in the southern sky after dark, as seen from the Northern hemisphere, Jupiter is in the constellation Taurus, and Mars is in Gemini. The latter will align perfectly with Gemini's two bright stars, Castor and Pollux, on April 10 The next planetary parade — this time featuring six planets, excluding Mars — will be seen before sunrise on August 29, 2025. The moment the inferior conjunction of Venus can, on rare occasions, mean we see it appear to pass across the disk of the sun. That's a transit of Venus, which last happened on June 5 to 6, 2012, and won't happen again until Dec. 10/11, 2117. According to The Planetary Society, the orbits of Venus and Earth are in an 8:13 resonance, so Venus appears to loop around the sun 13 times every eight years from Earth's point of view. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
