Science
NASA’s Latest Mission to Explore Asteroids Near Jupiter’s Orbit – VOA Learning English
The latest mission of the American space agency, NASA, will explore a group of ancient objects orbiting the sun at the distance of Jupiter.
Set to launch October 16, the Lucy spacecraft is designed to study Jupiter’s “Trojan” asteroids.
These asteroids are small bodies left over from the formation of our solar system’s large planets. They share an orbit with Jupiter as the planet goes around the sun.
The mission’s aim is to gather new information about the solar system’s formation 4.5 billion years ago.
Lucy will observe eight asteroids over 12 years. One orbits in what is known as the Asteroid Belt, an area between Mars and Jupiter. Most known asteroids orbit within this area.
The spacecraft will also observe seven Trojan asteroids. The Trojans circle the sun in two groups. One group leads Jupiter in its orbital path, while the other follows behind it. Lucy will be the first spacecraft to visit these asteroids. There are believed to be more than 7,000 Trojan asteroids.
Scientists consider the Trojan asteroids to be the ancient remains of the formation of the solar system. They have stayed captured in Jupiter’s orbit for billions of years. Scientists hope that the NASA mission can provide new details about what conditions were like when the planets formed. They also hope the mission will lead to a better understanding of our own planet’s history.
The spacecraft was named Lucy after the ancient fossil discovered in Ethiopia in 1974. Lucy was one of the most famous scientific finds of the 20th century. The collection of skeletal bones gave scientists a better understanding of the evolution of humans.
Cathy Olkin is a planetary scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado. She is the deputy lead investigator for the Lucy mission. In a video explaining the mission, Olkin compared the NASA spacecraft to the Lucy fossil.
“Just like the Lucy fossil transformed our understanding of (human) evolution, the Lucy mission will transform our understanding of solar system evolution,” she said.
The spacecraft, built by NASA contractor Lockheed Martin, is expected to fly within 400 kilometers of its targets.
The spacecraft is equipped with several imaging instruments designed to capture information about the composition of materials on the surface of asteroids. Other equipment will be used to record asteroid surface temperatures and measure the size of the objects the spacecraft observes.
Lucy will depend on solar power to operate. NASA says the mission expects to set a record because Lucy will be deployed farther from the sun than any past solar powered spacecraft.
Hal Levison is the mission’s chief scientist. He recently told reporters that although the Trojan asteroids are in a very small area of space, they are physically different from each another.
“For example, they have very different colors, some are grey, some are red,” Levison said. He added that these differences suggest how far away from the Sun they might have formed before getting to their current positions.
Lori Glaze is the director of NASA’s planetary science division. She said: “Whatever Lucy finds will give us vital clues about the formation of our solar system.”
I’m Bryan Lynn.
Bryan Lynn wrote this story based on reports from NASA, Agence France-Presse and Lockheed Martin. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.
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Words in This Story
mission – n. an important project or trip, especially involving space travel
asteroid – n. one of many large rocks that circle the sun
fossil – n. part of an animal or plant from thousands of year ago, preserved as minerals in rock
evolution – n. a gradual process of change and development
transform – v. to change something completely, usually to improve it
composition – n. the parts, substances, etc. that something is made up of
vital – adj. necessary or important
Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press
Published Wednesday, April 24, 2024 7:27PM EDT
Last Updated Wednesday, April 24, 2024 7:27PM EDT
The artwork and publicity materials showcasing a giant salmon that lived five million years ago were ready to go to promote a new exhibit, when the discovery of two fossilized skulls immediately changed what researchers knew about the fish.
Initial fossil discoveries of the 2.7-metre-long salmon in Oregon in the 1970s were incomplete and had led researchers to mistakenly suggest the fish had fang-like teeth.
It was dubbed the “sabre-toothed salmon” and became a kind of mascot for the Museum of Natural and Cultural History at the University of Oregon, says researcher Edward Davis.
But then came discovery of two skulls in 2014.
Davis, a member of the team that found the skulls, says it wasn’t until they got back to the lab that he realized the significance of the discovery that has led to the renaming of the fish in a new, peer-reviewed study.
“There were these two skulls staring at me with sideways teeth,” says Davis, an associate professor in the department of earth sciences at the university.
In that position, the tusk-like teeth could not have been used for biting, he says.
“That was definitely a surprising moment,” says Davis, who serves as director of the Condon Fossil Collection at the university’s Museum of Natural and Cultural History.
“I realized that all of the artwork and all of the publicity materials and bumper stickers and buttons and T-shirts we had just made two months prior, for the new exhibit, were all out of date,” he says with a laugh.
Davis is co-author of the new study in the journal PLOS One, which renames the giant fish the “spike-toothed salmon.”
It says the salmon used the tusk-like spikes for building nests to spawn, and as defence mechanisms against predators and other salmon.
The salmon lived about five million years ago at a time when Earth was transitioning from warmer to relatively cooler conditions, Davis says.
It’s hard to know exactly why the relatives of today’s sockeye went extinct, but Davis says the cooler conditions would have affected the productivity of the Pacific Ocean and the amount of rain feeding rivers that served as their spawning areas.
Another co-author, Brian Sidlauskas, says a fish the size of the spike-toothed salmon must have been targeted by predators such as killer whales or sharks.
“I like to think … it’s almost like a sledgehammer, these salmon swinging their head back and forth in order to fend off things that might want to feast on them,” he says.
Sidlauskas says analysis by the lead author of the paper, Kerin Claeson, found both male and female salmon had the “multi-functional” spike-tooth feature.
“That’s part of our reason for hypothesizing that this tooth is multi-functional … It could easily be for digging out nests,” he says.
“Think about how big the (nest) would have to be for an animal of this size, and then carving it out in what’s probably pretty shallow water; and so having an extra digging tool attached to your head could be really useful.”
Sidlauskas says the giant salmon help researchers understand the boundaries of what’s possible with the evolution of salmon, but they also capture the human imagination and a sense of wonder about what’s possible on Earth.
“I think it helps us value a little more what we do still have, or I hope that it does. That animal is no longer with us, but it is a product of the same biosphere that sustains us.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 24, 2024.
Science
Nasa's Hubble marks 34th anniversary with stunning view of Little Dumbbell Nebula – The Times of India
In celebration of its 34th anniversary, Nasa‘s Hubble Space Telescope has once again wowed astronomers and space enthusiasts alike by capturing an extraordinary image of the Little Dumbbell Nebula. This latest image offers a vivid glimpse into the complexities of a planetary nebula, demonstrating Hubble’s enduring capabilities in its extended mission.
The Little Dumbbell Nebula, also known as Messier 76, is one of the faintest objects in the Messier catalog and has intrigued astronomers for its intricate structure and dual-lobed shape. This planetary nebula, located approximately 2,500 light-years away in the constellation Perseus, represents a brief stage in the life cycle of a moderate-sized star like our sun.
Dr. Jennifer Wiseman, a senior scientist at Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center, expressed her admiration for the new imagery: “This beautiful nebula is what remains after a star like our own sun has exhausted the bulk of its nuclear fuel and shed its outer layers. The vibrant colors and intricate structures visible in the nebula are a telescope’s way of painting the portrait of the final stages of stellar evolution.”
The Little Dumbbell Nebula, despite its faintness, shines brightly in the detailed images provided by Hubble, allowing scientists to study aspects of the nebula that are rarely visible. The images highlight the dense, glowing gas and complex layers of material expelled from the dying star at the center of the nebula.
According to Dr. Wiseman, “Hubble’s high-resolution capabilities allow us to examine the fine details within the nebula, helping us understand how stars expel their material and the dynamics of this expulsion process. This image is more than just a picture; it’s a deep dive into the life of stars.”
Since its launch on April 24, 1990, Hubble has revolutionized our understanding of the universe, from the dynamics of galaxies to the atmospheres of exoplanets and the distribution of dark matter. Its contributions continue to support and complement data gathered by newer space observatories.
As Hubble continues its journey in space, the scientific community remains enthusiastic about the ongoing contributions it will bring to our understanding of the cosmos. Dr. Wiseman remarked, “Every image from Hubble is a new lesson in our cosmic curriculum.”
These observations not only contribute significantly to our knowledge of the life cycle of stars but also continue to highlight the critical role of Hubble in the exploration and understanding of our universe. As Hubble enters another year in orbit, its legacy of discoveries promises to keep inspiring both the scientific community and the public.
SpaceX sent up the 30th launch from the Space Coast for the year on the evening of April 23, a mission that also featured the company’s 300th successful booster recovery.
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 of SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites blasted off at 6:17 p.m. Eastern time from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40.
The first-stage booster set a milestone of the 300th time a Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy booster made a successful recovery landing, and the 270th time SpaceX has reflown a booster.
This particular booster made its ninth trip to space, a resume that includes one human spaceflight, Crew-6. It made its latest recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean.
The company’s first successful booster recovery came in December 2015, and it has not had a failed booster landing since February 2021.
The current record holder for flights flew 11 days ago making its 20th trip off the launch pad.
SpaceX has been responsible for all but two of the launches this year from either Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral with United Launch Alliance having launched the other two.
SpaceX could knock out more launches before the end of the month, putting the Space Coast on pace to hit more than 90 by the end of the year, but the rate of launches by SpaceX is also set to pick up for the remainder of the year with some turnaround times at the Cape’s SLC-40 coming in less than three days.
That could amp up frequency so the Space Coast could surpass 100 launches before the end of the year, with the majority coming from SpaceX. It hosted 72 launches in 2023.
More launches from ULA are on tap as well, though, including the May 6 launch atop an Atlas V rocket of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner with a pair of NASA astronauts to the International Space Station.
ULA is also preparing for the second launch ever of its new Vulcan Centaur rocket, which recently received its second Blue Origin BE-4 engine and is just waiting on the payload, Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spacecraft, to make its way to the Space Coast.
Blue Origin has its own rocket it wants to launch this year as well, with New Glenn making its debut as early as September, according to SLD 45’s range manifest.
2024 Orlando Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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SpaceX launch marks 300th successful booster landing (2024, April 24)
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