Universe Today
• Bruce Dorminey
Most meteorites originate from asteroids, but lunar meteorites offer researchers material beyond the Apollo sample collection. Decades after Apollo, scientists continue analyzing these scarce fragments to investigate the Moon’s history and its unusually large size, addressing gaps in what returned samples alone can reveal.
Space Exploration & Science Missions
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The article frames a shift in Donald Trump’s attitude toward space science, describing him as having come to appreciate its value. The provided summary offers no further detail on what changed or what policy, funding or program decisions may follow.
Most meteorites originate from asteroids, but lunar meteorites offer researchers material beyond the Apollo sample collection. Decades after Apollo, scientists continue analyzing these scarce fragments to investigate the Moon’s history and its unusually large size, addressing gaps in what returned samples alone can reveal.
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NASA has ended science operations for the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which has descended to less than 171 miles (275 kilometers) above Earth. Atmospheric drag at that altitude prevents its telescopes from steadily observing targets, following a failed commercial-spacecraft attempt to raise the observatory’s orbit.
A new model suggests that a cloud stretching roughly 1,000 miles across Mars could expose ice-forming processes not directly observed before. The finding points to a potential new way to study how clouds develop in the planet’s atmosphere, though the proposed physics remains a model-based interpretation.
The privately developed Lazuli Space Telescope is expected to launch in the coming years, with exoplanet observation among its missions. New research identifies 27 potential targets, including well-known worlds that could benefit from deeper observations.
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NASA’s October Artemis update outlines two architectures for delivering astronauts to the lunar surface in 2028, while detailing near-term SLS work, a lighter sortie spacesuit and plans for an Artemis III lander test flight in Earth orbit next year. The agency has not announced a firm launch date for that test.
Saudi Arabia is joining SETI in efforts to search for signals from alien civilizations, bringing the kingdom into a scientific effort focused on detecting possible technological activity beyond Earth. The report provides no details on funding, instruments or a timeline for the collaboration.
The robotic Griffin lunar lander has completed a series of critical tests ahead of its first mission to the Moon, scheduled to launch later this year. The milestone advances the spacecraft toward flight, though the available reports do not specify the tests or their results.
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