Space.com
• Hanneke Weitering, Tariq Malik
NASA launched the first test flight of its Saturn I rocket on Oct. 27, 1961. The successful flight marked an early milestone in the development of the launch vehicles that would ultimately enable the United States’ crewed lunar program, including the Saturn V.
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NASA launched the first test flight of its Saturn I rocket on Oct. 27, 1961. The successful flight marked an early milestone in the development of the launch vehicles that would ultimately enable the United States’ crewed lunar program, including the Saturn V.
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will use gravitational microlensing to study dark matter, but its wide-field survey design cannot perform every observation needed for the work. The Hubble Space Telescope will assist, using its complementary capabilities to help extend Roman’s scientific reach.
A planet’s rocks preserve its volcanic history, but many Martian meteorites have offered a contradictory account of Mars’ past. A garnet from deep in the planet’s mantle may help resolve that puzzle by shedding light on ancient Martian magma.
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NASA said the designs and flight plans for its two commercial crewed Moon landers have changed as the agency works toward a 2028 landing. The agency will decide which provider lands astronauts first, according to a report, making the revised plans relevant to both providers’ development schedules.
Earth’s magnetic field shields the planet from solar radiation and cosmic rays. New mapping of asymmetric space waves examines pressure on that magnetic shield, offering insight into how it responds to space weather and the energetic particles that reach near-Earth space.
New observations from Parker Solar Probe reveal twisted magnetic braids within the solar wind, part of the Sun’s complex magnetic environment. Together with data from Solar Orbiter, the findings are helping researchers map the structure of magnetic fields and charged-particle flows around the Sun.
Earth’s small, temporary natural satellites may offer accessible targets for future missions. The Rubin telescope is expected to help find more of these objects, potentially expanding the set of nearby asteroids available for exploration.
NASA is changing how it selects and develops science missions, aiming to reduce costs, simplify competition and speed missions’ path to space. The overhaul is intended to increase mission cadence, though the available report does not specify the revised process, schedule or programs affected.
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