Science
The preparations made by NASA to collect an asteroid sample that landed in the desert
Published
2 years agoon
By
Komal
After nearly 2 years in space, a NASA spacecraft carrying an asteroid sample is about to reach Earth.
NASA is collecting and returning an asteroid sample from space for the very first time.
The rocks and soil, along with a sample of the asteroid Ryugu from Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission, may provide clues about how our solar system started.
The OSIRIS-REx mission will drop the sample of rocks and soil and continue its journey to study another asteroid rather than landing.
Teams have been practicing how to retrieve the sample on September 24, when it will drop into the Utah desert, which was originally obtained from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu.
It is assessed that OSIRIS-REx gathered up to 8.8 ounces, or around 1 cup, of material from Bennu.
In a statement, Nicola Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, said, “This successful drop test ensures we’re ready.” “We are now just weeks away from receiving a piece of solar system history on Earth.” Perfect material from space rock Bennu will assist with revealing insight into the arrangement of our planetary group 4.5 quite a while back, and maybe even on how life on Earth started.”
It doesn’t happen very often that a spacecraft launches a capsule above the planet with the intention of safely transporting a unique sample of an asteroid to a specific landing site.
Long periods of difficult work by great many individuals have prompted the second when the Bennu test shows up on The planet.
Teams practiced recovering the sample capsule and ran through all possible outcomes, both positive and negative, prior to reentry day in the spring and summer.
The initial objective of the mission was to obtain a flawless asteroid sample. Be that as it may, on the off chance that the container crash-terrains and opens up, the example could become defiled.
“I’m massively pleased with the endeavors our group has filled this undertaking,” said Dante Lauretta, head specialist for OSIRIS-REx at the College of Arizona in Tucson, in a proclamation. ” We have honed our skills for sample recovery in the same way that our meticulous planning and practice helped us get ready to collect a sample from Bennu.
The first return mission for an asteroid sample is OSIRIS-REx, which stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, and Regolith Explorer. The journey of the spacecraft has lasted seven years. After launching in 2016, OSIRIS-REx entered Bennu’s orbit in 2018, collected the sample in 2020, and embarked on its extended return journey to Earth in May 2021.
Since leaving Bennu, the space apparatus has orbited the sun two times so it tends to be on the right direction to meet with Earth.
The mission team sent a series of maneuvers to the spacecraft in July to help it find a place outside of Salt Lake City where the capsule could land at the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range.
NASA will provide a live stream of the sample’s arrival on Earth on September 24. The live stream will start at 10 a.m. ET, and the container containing the example will enter Earth’s environment at 10:42 a.m. ET, going around 27,650 miles each hour (44,498 kilometers each hour).
Four hours before the container’s air passage, the mission group will choose whether to send an order to the rocket to deliver the case, said Rich Consumes, OSIRIS-REx project director at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The decision is based on the trajectory of the spacecraft, which determines the capsule’s ability to survive the angle, the temperature of reentry, the accuracy of the landing, and the safety of humans within the landing zone. Burns stated that the point at which OSIRIS-REx will be 63,000 miles (102,000 kilometers) from Earth and heading for an area that spans 250 square miles (647.5 kilometers) is when the capsule will be released. According to Burns, this will be “the equivalent of throwing a dart across the length of a basketball court and hitting the bull’s-eye.”
Burns stated that OSIRIS-REx will conduct a divert maneuver once the capsule is released, putting it on a course around the sun and aiming for Apophis, another asteroid, in 2029 for a rendezvous.
The capsule will be enveloped by a superhot ball of fire when it enters Earth’s atmosphere, but the sample inside will be protected by the container’s heat shield.
Sandra Freund, OSIRIS-REx program manager at Lockheed Martin Space, which partnered with NASA to build the spacecraft, provide flight operations, and help recover the capsule, stated that parachutes will deploy to slow the capsule down for a gentle touchdown at 11 miles per hour (17.7 kilometers per hour). Recovery teams will be standing by to retrieve the capsule once it is safe to do so.
13 minutes after the capsule enters the atmosphere of Earth, landing is anticipated.
The sample will be transported to a temporary cleanroom at the range in June by helicopter in a cargo net. The sample container will be prepared there by a team before being flown on a C-17 aircraft on September 25 to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. On October 11, a NASA broadcast hosted by Johnson will provide the public with information regarding the sample.
Training in the desert, according to Freund, NASA and Lockheed Martin Space teams have practiced every possible step in preparation for delivery day.
A sample capsule was recently dropped, collected, and prepared for transport by the team using an airplane.
It also dealt with difficult scenarios from the command center, such as what to do in the event of a reboot, how to get the spacecraft out of safe mode, and how to move communications between centers in the event of network outages.
The group has likewise arranged for various landing situations, for example, a hard landing where the container containing the example opens startlingly. After that, the team would determine if any of the sample could be saved.
According to Burns, there is also the possibility that the spacecraft will not be able to release the sample on September 24 if landing within range is impractical. In that situation, the example would stay ready, and the space apparatus’ circle would bring the case back by Earth to endeavor one more delivery over Utah in 2025.
The Johnson Space Center has a long history of storing, handling, and analyzing extraterrestrial materials, such as Apollo lunar samples. NASA has dealt with making an exceptional office at Johnson for the Bennu test for a really long time, said Kevin Righter, OSIRIS-REx representative curation lead.
As scientists examine the rocks and soil over the next two years, the dedicated cleanroom will keep any potential cross-contamination with other collections out of the equation. Christopher Snead, OSIRIS-REx deputy curator at Johnson and lead for small-particle handling, says that some of the material will be smaller than a grain of sand.
“We have been developing custom tools to carefully handle these precious particles within our new gloveboxes,” Snead said in a statement, referring to the boxes for managing hazardous or extraterrestrial material.
The example will uncover data about the arrangement and history of our planetary group as well as the job of space rocks in creating livable planets like Earth. Bennu and other asteroids are thought to have delivered elements like water to Earth early in their formation.
The sample will be divided up and sent to laboratories all over the world, including the Canadian Space Agency and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, which are OSIRIS-REx mission partners. Around 70% of the example will stay flawless away so people in the future with better innovation can learn considerably more than whatever’s presently conceivable.
“The asteroids that we have in our solar system today are left over from the earliest stage of solar system history,” Lauretta said. “We’re literally looking at geologic materials that formed before the Earth even existed. I call these the grandfather rocks, the ones that really represent our origins and where we came from. This is a gift to the world.”
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Science
China’s Tianwen-2 Set for Launch to Asteroid and Comet
Published
3 months agoon
February 21, 2025
China has taken a major step forward in its deep-space exploration efforts as the Tianwen-2 spacecraft arrived at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province for final launch preparations. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) confirmed the development on February 20, 2025, signaling that the mission is on track for its scheduled launch in the first half of the year.
A Dual-Purpose Mission
The Tianwen-2 mission is a combined near-Earth asteroid sample return and comet rendezvous mission, marking another ambitious endeavor for China’s space program. The mission is set to launch aboard a Long March 3B rocket, with a tentative liftoff expected around May 2025.
The primary target of Tianwen-2 is the near-Earth asteroid Kamoʻoalewa (2016 HO3), a small celestial body with a diameter estimated between 40 to 100 meters. The asteroid is considered a quasi-satellite of Earth, meaning it follows a co-orbital path with our planet. Scientists believe Kamoʻoalewa might be a fragment of the Moon, ejected into space after an ancient impact event.
After collecting samples from Kamoʻoalewa, the main spacecraft will continue its journey to comet 311P/PANSTARRS, a celestial body that exhibits both asteroid-like and comet-like characteristics. By studying these two objects, scientists aim to gain valuable insights into the composition, evolution, and history of the solar system, including the distribution of water and organic molecules.
Launch Preparations Underway
CNSA stated that the launch site facilities are fully prepared, and pre-launch tests are proceeding as planned. Engineers and scientists are meticulously working to ensure the spacecraft is ready for its complex mission, which will involve multiple orbital maneuvers, sample collection, and deep-space travel over nearly a decade.
Sampling Kamoʻoalewa: Two Innovative Techniques
To collect material from Kamoʻoalewa, Tianwen-2 will employ two advanced sampling methods:
- Touch-and-Go (TAG) Method – This technique, used by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx and JAXA’s Hayabusa2 missions, involves briefly touching the asteroid’s surface to gather samples.
- Anchor-and-Attach System – This approach uses drills attached to the spacecraft’s landing legs, allowing for a more stable and secure extraction of subsurface material.
Early mission concepts, when Tianwen-2 was initially known as Zheng He, indicated that China aimed to collect between 200 and 1,000 grams of asteroid samples. These samples will help scientists analyze Kamoʻoalewa’s mineral composition, origin, and potential similarities with lunar material.
Challenges in Sample Return
Although China has successfully executed two lunar sample return missions—Chang’e-5 (2020) and Chang’e-6 (2024)—returning asteroid samples presents unique challenges. Unlike the Moon, Kamoʻoalewa has negligible gravity, requiring specialized landing and sampling techniques. Additionally, the reentry module carrying the samples will experience higher velocities, demanding advanced thermal protection and parachute deployment systems.
To address these challenges, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) conducted high-altitude parachute tests in 2023, ensuring the safe return of asteroid samples to Earth around 2027.
Comet Rendezvous: Studying 311P/PANSTARRS
Returning samples from Kamoʻoalewa will not mark the end of Tianwen-2’s mission. The spacecraft will execute a gravitational slingshot maneuver around Earth, propelling it toward comet 311P/PANSTARRS in the main asteroid belt. The rendezvous is expected around 2034.
311P/PANSTARRS is considered a transitional object between asteroids and comets, making it an ideal candidate for studying the origins of cometary activity within the asteroid belt. Scientists hope to analyze its orbit, rotation, surface composition, volatile elements, and dust emissions, shedding light on the evolution of comets in the inner solar system.
Scientific Instruments on Board
The Tianwen-2 spacecraft is equipped with a suite of cutting-edge instruments to study its targets, including:
- Multispectral and infrared spectrometers – To analyze surface composition.
- High-resolution cameras – To map geological features in detail.
- Radar sounder – To probe subsurface structures.
- Magnetometer – To search for residual magnetic fields.
- Dust and gas analyzers – To examine cometary activity.
- Charged particle detectors – To study interactions with the solar wind (developed in collaboration with the Russian Academy of Sciences).
China’s Expanding Deep-Space Ambitions
Tianwen-2 follows the highly successful Tianwen-1 Mars mission, which saw China land the Zhurong rover on Mars in 2021. The Tianwen series is a key part of China’s growing presence in deep-space exploration:
- Tianwen-3 – A Mars sample return mission, scheduled for 2028–2030.
- Tianwen-4 – A Jupiter system exploration mission, launching around 2030, featuring a solar-powered orbiter for Callisto and a radioisotope-powered spacecraft for a Uranus flyby.
Chinese researchers have emphasized the importance of asteroid sample return missions, citing their potential for groundbreaking scientific discoveries and the development of new space technologies.
With Tianwen-2, China is taking a bold step into the future of deep-space exploration. By returning samples from an asteroid and studying a comet, the mission will provide crucial insights into the origins of the solar system and planetary evolution. As launch preparations continue, the world eagerly anticipates another milestone in China’s space program.
Science
SpaceX to Launch 21 Starlink Satellites from Florida on February 4
Published
3 months agoon
February 3, 2025
SpaceX plans to launch another batch of Starlink satellites into orbit from Florida’s Space Coast on February 4, 2025. The mission will deploy 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 equipped with direct-to-cell communications capabilities, marking another major step in SpaceX’s ambitious plan to provide global high-speed internet coverage.
The Falcon 9 rocket flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled to take place during a roughly three-hour launch window that opens at 3:37 a.m. (0837 GMT). SpaceX will livestream the event on its X account (formerly Twitter), with coverage beginning about five minutes before liftoff.
The mission will use the experienced Falcon 9 first-stage rocket, which will be making its 21st launch and landing. According to SpaceX, this rocket has already flown on 20 missions, 16 of which were dedicated Starlink launches. If all goes as planned, the rocket will return to Earth about eight minutes after liftoff, landing on the unmanned “Just Read the Instructions” craft in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Falcon 9 upper stage will continue its journey to deploy 21 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) about 65 minutes after liftoff. This will be SpaceX’s 15th Falcon 9 mission in 2025, with nine flights dedicated to expanding the Starlink constellation.
Direct-to-cell capabilities
A notable feature of this mission is the inclusion of 13 Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capability. These advanced satellites are designed to enable seamless connectivity for standard mobile phones, eliminating the need for specialized hardware. This technology has the potential to revolutionize communications in remote and underserved areas, providing reliable internet and cellular services directly to users’ devices.
The growing Starlink constellation
SpaceX is rapidly expanding its Starlink network, which is already the largest satellite constellation ever assembled. In 2024 alone, the company launched more than 130 Falcon 9 missions, about two-thirds of which were dedicated to Starlink deployments. According to astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell, SpaceX currently operates nearly 7,000 Starlink satellites in LEO.
The Starlink network aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access to users around the world, especially in regions lacking traditional infrastructure. With this latest launch, SpaceX is expanding the network’s capacity and coverage, bringing its dream of global connectivity closer to reality.
Recyclability and sustainability
The Falcon 9 rocket’s first-stage booster exemplifies SpaceX’s commitment to reusability, a key factor in reducing the cost of spaceflight. By successfully landing and reusing the rocket, SpaceX has revolutionized the aerospace industry and set a new standard for sustainable space operations.
However, the rapid expansion of the Starlink constellation has raised concerns among astronomers and environmentalists. The growing number of satellites in LEO has created problems such as light pollution, which can interfere with astronomical observations, and space debris, which poses a threat to other spacecraft. SpaceX is actively working to mitigate these issues by implementing measures such as blacking out satellite surfaces and responsibly deorbiting inactive satellites.
The February 4 launch is part of SpaceX’s broader strategy to achieve global internet coverage and support its growing customer base. With the addition of direct-to-cell-connect satellites, the company is poised to offer even more versatile and simple connectivity solutions.
As SpaceX pushes the boundaries of space technology, the world will be watching to see how the Starlink network evolves and addresses the challenges associated with large-scale satellite constellations. For now, the focus is on the upcoming launch, which will mark another milestone in SpaceX’s journey to connect the world.
Science
Scientists Trap Molecules for Quantum Tasks, Paving the Way for Ultra-Fast Tech Advancements
Published
4 months agoon
January 22, 2025
In a groundbreaking milestone for quantum computing, researchers from Harvard University have successfully trapped molecules to perform quantum operations. This achievement marks a pivotal advancement in the field, potentially revolutionizing technology and enabling ultra-fast computations in medicine, science, and finance.
Molecules as Qubits: A New Frontier
Traditionally, quantum computing has focused on using smaller, less complex particles like ions and atoms as qubits—the fundamental units of quantum information. Molecules, despite their potential, were long considered unsuitable due to their intricate and delicate structures, which made them challenging to manipulate reliably.
However, the latest findings, published in the journal Nature, change this narrative. By utilizing ultra-cold polar molecules as qubits, the researchers have opened up new possibilities for performing quantum tasks with unprecedented precision.
A 20-Year Journey to Success
“This is a breakthrough we’ve been working toward for two decades,” said Kang-Kuen Ni, Theodore William Richards Professor of Chemistry and Physics at Harvard and senior co-author of the study.
Quantum computing leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to perform calculations exponentially faster than classical computers. It has the potential to solve problems that were once deemed unsolvable.
“Our work represents the last critical piece needed to construct a molecular quantum computer,” added co-author and postdoctoral fellow Annie Park, highlighting the significance of this achievement.
How Molecular Quantum Gates Work
Quantum gates, the building blocks of quantum operations, manipulate qubits by taking advantage of quantum phenomena like superposition and entanglement. Unlike classical logic gates that process binary bits (0s and 1s), quantum gates can process multiple states simultaneously, exponentially increasing computational power.
In this experiment, the researchers used the ISWAP gate, a crucial component that swaps the states of two qubits while applying a phase shift. This process is essential for creating entangled states—a cornerstone of quantum computing that allows qubits to remain correlated regardless of distance.
Overcoming Long-Standing Challenges
Earlier attempts to use molecules for quantum computing faced significant challenges. Molecules were often unstable, moving unpredictably and disrupting the coherence required for precise operations.
The Harvard team overcame these obstacles by trapping molecules in ultra-cold environments. By drastically reducing molecular motion, they achieved greater control over quantum states, paving the way for reliable quantum operations.
The breakthrough was a collaborative effort between Harvard researchers and physicists from the University of Colorado’s Center for Theory of Quantum Matter. The team meticulously measured two-qubit Bell states and minimized errors caused by residual motion, laying the groundwork for even more accurate future experiments.
Transforming the Quantum Landscape
“There’s immense potential in leveraging molecular platforms for quantum computing,” Ni noted. The team’s success is expected to inspire further innovations and ideas for utilizing the unique properties of molecules in quantum systems.
This advancement could significantly alter the quantum computing landscape, bringing researchers closer to developing a molecular quantum computer. Such a system would harness the unique capabilities of molecules, opening doors to unprecedented computational possibilities.
The Road Ahead
The implications of this achievement extend far beyond academia. By unlocking the potential of molecules as qubits, the researchers have taken a vital step toward creating powerful quantum computers capable of transforming industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to financial modeling.
As researchers continue to refine this technology, the dream of a molecular quantum computer—one that capitalizes on the complexities of molecular structures—moves closer to reality. This breakthrough represents not just a leap forward for quantum computing but a glimpse into the future of technology itself.