On Dec. 6 local time (Dec. 5 in the United States), Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa2 dropped a capsule to the ground of the Australian Outback from about 120 miles (or 200 kilometers) above Earth’s surface. Inside that capsule is some of the most precious cargo in the solar system: dust that the spacecraft collected earlier this year from the surface of asteroid…
Tag: cargo
New marine protection zone will help endangered penguins and more
Plans are in place to create the world’s 4th-largest fully protected marine reserve at the Tristan da Cunha archipelago. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/new-marine-protection-zone-tristan-da-cunha-penguin…
Spacecraft with precious asteroid cargo is almost home after 3 billion-mile trek
On Dec. 6, 2020, after six years in space, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft will finally return to Earth. Source: https://www.livescience.com/hayabusa2-return-to-earth-piece-of-asteroid.html
Hearts, airlocks, and asteroids: New research flies on 21st SpaceX cargo mission
The 21st SpaceX cargo resupply mission that launches from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida carries a variety of critical research and technology demonstrations to the International Space Station. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-11-hearts-airlocks-asteroids-flies-21st.html…
US Navy’s huge uncrewed robot ship has journeyed through Panama Canal
An uncrewed vessel that can carry 540 tonnes of cargo and cruise at 65 kilometres per hour has just become the first robotic vessel to pass through the Panama Canal Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2260008-us-navys-huge-uncrewed-robot-ship-has-journeyed-through-panama-canal/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
SpaceX Starship as a trash collector in Earth orbit?
SpaceX Starship’s many tasks may include launching humans into space, carrying satellites into orbit and — perhaps — removing troublesome pieces of space debris. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/spacex-starship-clean-up-space-junk…
Top 10 things to know about asteroid Bennu
Take a video tour of asteroid Bennu’s remarkable terrain and read a list of 10 cool things scientists know about this pristine remnant from the early days of our solar system. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/top-10-things-to-know-about-asteroid-bennu-video-tour…
SpaceX’s First Military Contracts: One-Hour Cargo Deliveries By Rocket and Missile-Tracking Satellites
“The Pentagon is contracting Elon Musk’s SpaceX to develop rockets that can deliver packages anywhere on the planet in under an hour,” reports Vice: One of the things that makes the U.S. military a dominant global fighting force is its ability to move troops, weapons, and supplies quickly to where they’re needed. C-17 transport planes soar across the globe delivering troops…
Radish seeds, meats and cheeses launched to space station
A space station cargo ship rocketed into orbit Friday carrying a 360-degree camera for spacewalking, radish seeds for growing and a smorgasbord of fancy meats and cheeses for feasting. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-10-radish-seeds-meats-cheeses-space.html…
Estee Lauder Pays NASA $128,000 for Photo Shoot on the ISS
PetaPixel reports: The cosmetics giant Estee Lauder is paying NASA $128,000 for a product photography shoot onboard the International Space Station. Bloomberg reports that the company will be paying the space agency to fly 10 bottles of its Advanced Night Repair skin serum to the orbiting space station on a cargo run that will launch from Virginia on Tuesday and dock…