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#NASA found that protective βchar layerβ material from the heat shield wore away unexpectedly during reentry in more than 100 locations. The material cracked and broke off the #spacecraft in pieces, creating a trail of debris, instead of melting away as it was supposed to. The spacecraft heats π₯ up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit during reentryβabout half as hot as the surface of the sun βοΈ. Some bolts on Orion also unexpectedly melted and eroded. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-orion-capsule-heat-shield-wore-away-in-more-than-100-places-during-2022-test-flight-posing-significant-risks-180984296/
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May 1, 2024 #Orion Heat Shield Char Loss After #Artemis I Mission https://oig.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ig-24-011.pdf
The #SLS and #Orion spacecraft projects are of such a scale that they spend money in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, creating #parochial interest in nearly every congressional district. It sounds like a straightforward argument: cancel the slow and outdated SLS and direct its $2.6 billion π° per year into novel public-private partnerships like #SpaceXβs #Starshiphttps://www.planetary.org/articles/why-we-have-the-sls
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#NASA found that protective βchar layerβ material from the heat shield wore away unexpectedly during reentry in more than 100 locations. The material cracked and broke off the #spacecraft in pieces, creating a trail of debris, instead of melting away as it was supposed to. The spacecraft heats π₯ up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit during reentryβabout half as hot as the surface of the sun βοΈ. Some bolts on Orion also unexpectedly melted and eroded. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-orion-capsule-heat-shield-wore-away-in-more-than-100-places-during-2022-test-flight-posing-significant-risks-180984296/
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#NASAβs Office of Inspector General issued a devastating π audit π of the program, which found that delays to the #SLS booster and engine contracts have resulted in an approximately $6 billion π°π°π°π°π°π° cost-overrun. The report further criticizes the use of #CostPlus contracts, a fee structure by which essentially all of the risk is taken on by the government. https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/13/congress-prepares-to-continue-throwing-money-at-nasas-space-launch-system/
#SLS is a boondoggle. The conception and execution of the project has been a near-perfect example of #PorkBarrel politics. Pork barrels are lousy ways to advance technology. Just a fraction of the $23bn π° spent on the #SLS could make an enormous difference. https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/08/28/nasas-newest-rocket-is-a-colossal-waste-of-money
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#Presidents support #NASA and do what NASA says. We could have orbiters around every planet πͺ in the #SolarSystem for a fraction π of the cost of #Artemis. But nobody gave us that option. The cost π° and time β³ spent on #SLS and #Orion have set the #SpaceProgram back γ½οΈ https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/14/opinion/nasa-moon-artemis.html
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"Chance of 'city-killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 smashing into Earth rises yet again to 3.1%, #NASA reports" by @LiveScience - As astronomers' observations have narrowed the estimate of #asteroid#2024YR4's orbit, Earth's size is now a larger fraction of the reduced cross-section of possible paths. So probability goes up until impact is ruled out. 96.9% chance the eventually-narrowed path will eliminate impact with Earth. Computation continues. https://www.livescience.com/space/asteroids/chance-of-city-killer-asteroid-2024-yr4-smashing-into-earth-rises-yet-again-to-3-1-percent-nasa-reports #astronomy#LowFlyingRocks
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I don't see new news articles yet. But I checked the #NASA JPL data on #asteroid#2024YR4. It has been dropped on the Torino Scale of impact hazards from 1 to 0, previously at 3 when it was in the news. Now 1 in 26000 chance of impact in the 2032 pass. π Still expected to go to zero. Dark skies under a waning moon allowed enough observations to narrow down its orbit before it's too far away from Earth to see for 3 years. #astronomy#PlanetaryDefense#PlanetaryDefence#LowFlyingRocks #space
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Trivia: since the space shuttle program ended, #NASA contracts launches to US industry. Before splitting up crew and cargo, the program was called Commercial Crew & Cargo Program Office, abbreviated C3PO. Yes, really. #SciFi spaceflight provided inspiration for reality. #CommercialCrew
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"Expedition 72 Welcomes #Crew9 Duo Aboard Station" by @NASA @Commercial_Crew - #CrewDragon Freedom (one of fleet of 5) docked at #ISS. Now the Starliner astronauts have their ride home, but first part of its 6-month crew rotation. https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2024/09/29/expedition-72-welcomes-crew-9-duo-aboard-station/#NASA#CommercialCrew
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"NASA Adjusts Crew-10 Launch Date" by NASA (mirror bot @nasa ) - 1 month delay in #Crew10 launch due to commissioning work on a new #SpaceX#CrewDragon spacecraft from the Hawthorne factory. So #Crew9 return (including 2 #Starliner test pilots who launched in June) is delayed from February to March so outgoing Crew-9 can update incoming Crew-10. https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2024/12/17/nasa-adjusts-crew-10-launch-date/#NASA#CommercialCrew
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"NASA & SpaceX Update Crew-10 Launch, Crew-9 Return Dates" by NASA Commercial Crew - #NASA changed plans for #Crew10 launch to ISS to use #SpaceX#CrewDragon Endurance rather than a brand new still-unnamed spacecraft which requires more time for commissioning. Now targeting launch March 10, weeks earlier than previous plan. #Crew9 including the two Boeing #Starliner test pilots will return within a week after 10's arrival at ISS. https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2025/02/11/nasa-spacex-update-crew-10-launch-crew-9-return-dates/ #space
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#NASA experts still arenβt certain why the thrusters suddenly stopped working. After recording some $1.6 billion in cost overruns, #Boeing seems unlikely to ever make money on #Starliner. #CFO Brian West told investors that the company had a decision to make about future investment in the program after it fulfills its obligations to NASA for a half-dozen flights to the #ISS. https://fortune.com/2024/08/25/boeings-ceo-kelly-ortberg-starliner-writedown-nasa-spacex-cash-reserves/
#Boeingβs space and defense chief exits. Boeing's #shares have lost about 41% π so far this year https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boeing-defense-head-ted-colbert-leave-2024-09-20/
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#Boeing is exploring a sale of #Starliner, but excludes the unit building #NASA's #SLS. The company's new #CEO said he wants Boeing "doing less and doing it better" https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boeing-explores-sale-its-space-business-wsj-reports-2024-10-25/
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#NASAβs inspector general pegged #CrewDragonβs cost per seat at $55M π΅ and #Starlinerβs cost per seat at $90M π΅ π΅ https://payloadspace.com/starliner-by-the-numbers-payload-research
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Tomorrow could be a great day for space robots.
Intuitive Machines' Athena lander is set to touch down on the Moon carrying the "Grace" Hopper robot, Yaoki 360Β° rover, and MAPP prospecting rover.
Plus a micro-rover, AstroAnt, that will ride around on top of the MAPP rover!
https://www.intuitivemachines.com/im-2 #space #science #nasa #tech
The AstroAnt robot will be operating on the top surface of the Lunar Outpost MAPP-1 rover, equipped with a thermopile on its bottom surface for contact-less temperature measurements of the MAPP-1 rover radiator. With mobility in the Lunar gravity environment, the robot can measure temperature from different positions on the radiator and help with monitoring the performance of the thermal system, which is one of the most crucial systems of the rover. Leveraging magnetic wheels, the robot can attach to and move along the top rover surface. The AstroAnt will be the first-ever miniature robotic mission on the Lunar surface.
The AstroAnt robot will be operating on the top surface of the Lunar Outpost MAPP-1 rover, equipped with a thermopile on its bottom surface for contact-less temperature measurements of the MAPP-1 rover radiator. With mobility in the Lunar gravity environment, the robot can measure temperature from different positions on the radiator and help with monitoring the performance of the thermal system, which is one of the most crucial systems of the rover. Leveraging magnetic wheels, the robot can attach to and move along the top rover surface. The AstroAnt will be the first-ever miniature robotic mission on the Lunar surface.
NASA
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2 months ago
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Touchdown! Carrying NASA Science, Fireflyβs Blue Ghost Lands on Moon https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/touchdown-carrying-nasa-science-fireflys-blue-ghost-lands-on-moon/#NASA#CommercialLunarPayloadServicesCLPS#Artemis#BlueGhostLander#EarthSMoon#GoddardSpaceFlightCenter#ScienceResearch#ScienceMissionDirectorate
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"The bad news is #NASA estimates that it tracks only about 40 percent π of the #asteroids βοΈ #large enough that they could cause calamity if they were to hit π₯ #Earth" https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/10/24/nasa-asteroid-telescope
#ESA : #Asteroid danger explained https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2018/06/Asteroid_danger_explained
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The 20-inch diameter #telescope π will carry out a five-year baseline survey to find at least two-thirds of the unknown #NEOs βοΈ larger than 140 meters π. It will launch around π September 2027 to detect and observe #asteroids and comets that could potentially pose an impact π₯ threat to Earth https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/spacex-nasa-rocket-asteroid
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Lucy is a crazy ambitious mission that will visit a total of 11 asteroids (and maybe more).
Close-up views of Donaldjohanson are coming April 20.
https://lucy.swri.edu/mission/Targets.html #space #science #nasa
NASA
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2 months ago
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Fourth Launch of NASA Instruments Planned for Near Moonβs South Pole https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/clps/fourth-launch-of-nasa-instruments-planned-for-near-moons-south-pole/#NASA#CommercialLunarPayloadServicesCLPS#General#JohnsonSpaceCenter#SpaceTechnologyMissionDirectorate#Technology