Universe Today
• Matthew Williams
A researcher at Freie Universität Berlin has developed a theoretical framework to search high-precision measurements of lunar tides for possible effects linked to gravitational waves. The work outlines a way to look for relativistic signals in tidal data; the article does not report a detection.
Space Exploration & Science Missions
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A researcher at Freie Universität Berlin has developed a theoretical framework to search high-precision measurements of lunar tides for possible effects linked to gravitational waves. The work outlines a way to look for relativistic signals in tidal data; the article does not report a detection.
NASA’s Mariner 9 entered orbit around Mars on Nov. 13, 1971, becoming the first spacecraft to orbit another planet. Its close-up views of the Martian surface marked a milestone in planetary exploration and offered a new perspective on Mars.
The Leonids produced one of the most spectacular meteor storms in recorded history 60 years ago, with rates reaching 144,000 meteors per hour. As the shower’s 2026 peak approaches, attention is turning to what skywatchers can expect—and whether an event on that scale could recur.
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Researchers are exploring soft, shape-changing robots that crawl rather than roll or fly, potentially addressing the limits of wheeled and rotor-based systems on jagged boulders and in tight crevices. The article frames the concept as a possible future tool for robotic space exploration; it provides no mission plans or development timeline.
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Canadensys, MDA Space and Mission Control are nearing completion of a Phase 0 study for a Canadian lunar utility rover supporting NASA’s Artemis program. The work is intended to inform the rover’s next development phase, while the teams are also targeting an earlier launch than previously planned.
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China’s Tianwen-4 mission is planned to orbit Jupiter, orbit its moon Callisto and attempt a landing there to advance studies of the Jupiter system. The space agency has invited payload development proposals, with designs and participating organizations to be selected through competition, seeking contributions from domestic and international teams.
A privately funded Mars orbiter planned for launch in 2028 is expected to provide instruments with advanced computing and communications resources. The mission’s emphasis on onboard capabilities could give its payloads more capacity to process and transmit data during operations at Mars.
Frank Drake and Carl Sagan helped shape the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and efforts to communicate with it. Their work included the Pioneer plaques and Voyager Golden Records, artifacts that placed messages about humanity aboard spacecraft sent beyond Earth.
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