ScientistPankaj: NASA picks 3 companies to design lunar rover for Artemis astronauts to drive on the moon

Thursday, April 4, 2024

NASA picks 3 companies to design lunar rover for Artemis astronauts to drive on the moon

NASA picks companies to design new lunar rovers | Space Quiz! What type of galaxy is Messier 82, the Cigar Galaxy? | Western US residents report the most UFO sightings

Created for ceo.studentlike.spuniv@blogger.com | Web Version

April 4, 2024

CONNECT WITH SPACE.COM

Something amazing every day.

The Launchpad

NASA picks companies to design new lunar rovers

(Lunar Outpost)

NASA's next moon car is starting to take shape. The agency has selected three private teams -- led by the companies Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab, respectively - to develop their versions of the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), the rover that Artemis astronauts will drive around the moon's southern polar region beginning in 2030.

Full Story: Space (4/3)

Space Quiz! What type of galaxy is Messier 82, the Cigar Galaxy?

Learn the answer here!

Western US residents report the most UFO sightings

(David Wall/Getty Images)

Those of us in the western U.S. who enjoy vast open spaces may also be more likely to report UFO sightings, a new study suggests. An analysis of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) reports (UAP is a new umbrella term that includes UFOs not just in the sky but also in space and underwater) suggests local environmental factors play a role in the number of UAP sightings reported.

Full Story: Space (4/4)

Total Solar Eclipse 2024

Why I'm staying home for the April 8 solar eclipse

(Josh Dinner)

Local officials have estimated that up to 300,000 visitors may be traveling to Bloomington for the eclipse, and this town doesn't even see those kinds of numbers for Little 500. The city has advised people to fill their gas tanks ahead of time, avoid unnecessary travel and prepare for possible cell phone outages due to the added congestion. You would think a blizzard was coming.

Full Story: Space (4/3)

These breweries will toast to the sun on April 8

(Monisha Ravisetti)

A bunch of breweries along the path of totality are offering limited-edition, solar-eclipse-inspired beers! A lot of this is thanks to the Simons Foundation, which reached out to a variety of beer companies along the path of totality and asked if they'd be interested in creating some totality brews.

Full Story: Space (4/4)

Science & Astronomy

JWST gets to the heart of a smoking starburst galaxy

(NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, A. Bolatto (UMD))

Located around 12 million light-years away in the constellation of Ursa Major, M82 is forming stars 10 times faster than our own relatively quiet galaxy, the Milky Way. The team imaged the core of this starburst galaxy with the JWST's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) to investigate what conditions are driving the formation of infant stars.

Full Story: Space (4/3)

Technology

Largest digital camera ever will investigate dark universe

(SLAC)

With a 3,200-megapixel LSST camera, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will create the "greatest movie of all time and the most informative map of the night sky ever assembled."

Full Story: Space (4/3)

Search for Life

Thousands of strange white rocks found on Mars

(NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS)

Mars' rusty red surface may have given it its famous "Red Planet" status, but it would also appear that thousands of white rocks are strangely littered on the Martian ground. NASA's Perseverance rover, a robotic geologist that has been exploring the Jezero Crater since early 2021, puzzled scientists when it delivered images of over 4,000 light-toned, pebble-sized rocks scattered all over the crater floor.

Full Story: Space (4/3)

Telescopes & Binoculars

Solar eclipse deal: Celestron solar telescope now $30 off

(Celestron)

The Celestron EclipSmart Travel Solar Scope is now $30 off and under $100, just in time for the total solar eclipse on April 8. but buy soon if you want it to arrive in time.

Full Story: Space (4/3)

Entertainment

Netflix's '3 Body Problem' and the famous Wow! SETI signal

(NAAPO)

That mysterious 1977 radio transmission remains unexplained, but not in the fictional universe of "3 Body Problem."

Full Story: Space (3/16)

Star Trek

'Star Trek's' Sonequa Martin-Green says goodbye (exclusive)

(Paramount+)

For this cosmic swan song, Sonequa Martin-Green reprises her role as the valiant Starfleet commander exploring outer space in the 32nd century in one last 10-episode mission for Paramount Plus' flagship "Star Trek" series.

Full Story: Space (4/3)