Space Probe

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  NASA’s IMAP Spacecraft Prepares to Map the Solar System’s Edge

  NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) has been delivered to the Astrotech facility near Kennedy Space Center for final preparations ahead of a tentatively planned launch in fall 2025. IMAP will map the heliosphere — the solar wind-driven bubble that shields our solar system from cosmic radiation. It is to orbit near Lagrange...

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  Soviet Venus Lander Kosmos 482 Crashes to Earth After 53 Years in Orbit

  Off-page Excerpt: Kosmos 482, a failed Soviet Venus lander launched in 1972, finally fell to Earth on May 10 after 53 years in orbit. Reentry estimates vary, but experts believe the probe likely splashed into the Indian Ocean. Designed to withstand Venus’s atmosphere, it may have reached Earth’s surface intact, renewing global concerns over un...

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  Soviet Venus Probe Cosmos 482 Expected to Reenter Earth After 52 Years in Orbit

  Cosmos 482, a Soviet Venus lander stranded in Earth’s orbit since a failed launch in 1972, is expected to reenter the atmosphere between May 8 and May 14, 2025. Experts believe it may partially survive reentry due to its durable Venus-resistant design, sparking interest among scientists and space watchers globally.

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  Juno Mission Sheds Light on Jupiter’s Storms and Volcanic Activity on Io

  NASA’s Juno probe has uncovered colliding cyclones circling Jupiter’s north pole and flowing magma beneath the crust of its volcanic moon Io. Using thermal and microwave instruments, scientists have tracked atmospheric chaos and subsurface lava flows, offering new insights into the Jovian system’s extreme weather and volcanic activity. These ...

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  Lone Soviet Satellite Plunging Towards Earth May Crash Like A Meteorite

  There is a small chance the space probe might survive the reentry when most space objects disintegrate upon entering the Earth's atmosphere.

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  NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Completes Second Close Flyby of the Sun at Record Speed

  NASA’s Parker Solar Probe completed a close flyby of the Sun on March 22, travelling at 692,000 kilometres per hour and approaching within 6.1 million kilometres of the solar surface. The mission, designed to study solar winds and space weather, received a healthy signal back on March 25. The team, including NASA and Johns Hopkins APL experts, ha...

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  SpaceX Falcon 9 Successfully Deploys NASA’s SPHEREx Telescope and PUNCH Probes

  NASA’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions have successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. SPHEREx will map the entire celestial sky in 102 infrared colours, while PUNCH will study the transition of the sun’s corona into the solar wind. The two-year missions aim to deepen our understanding of th...

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  NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer Moon Probe Struggles with Power and Signal Loss

  NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer, launched on 26 February, has lost communication and is running low on power. The spacecraft, meant to detect water ice on the moon, has been unable to perform key trajectory corrections. Ground controllers are using the Deep Space Network and observatories to assess its position, but recovery remains uncertain. The missi...

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  Private Venus Mission Plans to Retrieve Cloud Samples for Life Research

  A privately-led space mission is being developed to retrieve and analyse cloud samples from Venus. Scientists believe the planet’s sulfuric acid clouds might sustain organic molecules necessary for life. The mission, named Morning Star, involves deploying probes to collect mist from Venus' atmosphere. The collected samples would be returned to Ea...

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  Unprecedented Cosmic Explosion Discovered: Could This Be The Greatest Space Mystery Ever?

  A newly detected cosmic explosion, EP240408a, could be the result of a white dwarf's death, creating a high-speed jet. It offers new insights into astrophysics.

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  NASA’s PUNCH Mission Set to Track the Sun’s Corona and Solar Wind in 3D

  NASA’s PUNCH mission, set for launch on Feb 27, will deploy four satellites to study the transition between the sun’s corona and the solar wind. The mission aims to improve understanding of space weather by capturing 3D images, helping predict solar storms with greater accuracy. The data will also complement NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, offerin...

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  Groundbreaking Propulsion Method Using Relativistic Electron Beams Could Enable Interstellar Travel

  A new propulsion method, using relativistic electron beams, could make interstellar travel feasible within a human lifetime. Researchers Jeff Greason and Gerrit Bruhaug have proposed accelerating electrons to near light speed to deliver kinetic energy to spacecraft. This method could enable probes to reach 10% of the speed of light, drastically red...

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  Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Successfully Reaches Orbit on First Test Flight

  Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket successfully completed its first test flight, reaching orbit within 12.5 minutes of launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The rocket aimed for reusability, with its first stage attempting a landing on a recovery ship. While the landing didn’t succeed, the mission was considered a major step for Blue Orig...

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  NASA Confirms Successful Flyby of Parker Solar Probe, Completes Closest Sun Approach

  NASA's Parker Solar Probe has set an unprecedented milestone, coming 3.8 million miles from the Sun at a speed of 430,000 mph. Launched in 2018, the spacecraft has utilised Venus flybys to perfect its orbit, enabling this historic feat. With advanced technology, it endures extreme temperatures, gathering critical data about solar wind and particle ...

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  Parker Solar Probe's Closest Sun Flyby Sets Records, Signal Expected Soon

  The Parker Solar Probe achieved the closest-ever sun flyby on Christmas Eve, reaching within 3.8 million miles of the solar surface and travelling at 430,000 miles per hour. Scientists are now waiting for a signal expected on December 27 to confirm the spacecraft’s health. Detailed telemetry and collected data are anticipated by January 1, with o...