Private space mining company supported by Google founders is ready for an amazing 2015 year

Dear readers and followers,

you might know the company Planetary Resource, formerly known as Arkyd Astronautics, is an American company that was formed in November 2010, and reorganized and renamed in 2012. Their stated goal is to "expand Earth's natural resource base" by developing and deploying the technologies for asteroid mining. Backers includes Google co-founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, but also other well known people such as James Cameron.

Their co-Founders Peter Diamandis and Eric Anderson often refer to this time in history as being “exponential”. This phrase is ringing true with their team this year, as they forge a path towards asteroid prospecting with two launches in 2015 of their technology demonstration spacecraft!

The first of these spacecraft launched successfully into space today. The Arkyd 3 Reflight (A3R) technology demonstration spacecraft is on board the SpaceX Falcon 9 that is on its way to the International Space Station (ISS) as a part of the CRS-6 crew resupply mission.

Once it reaches the ISS, A3R will be brought on board by the astronauts, and be put in a queue for launch from the Kibo air-lock into low-Earth Orbit tentatively in July 2015. A3R will also complete the mission of the first Arkyd 3 that they lost last year in the Antares explosion, by testing the subsystems they’ll need to venture out into the Solar System and prospect for valuable resources on asteroids.

During its 90 day Earth-orbiting mission, it will send back data on the health of its subsystems to their team at their headquarters in Redmond, WA, and complete its mission with a fiery re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere as a result of its natural atmospheric orbital-decay.

They’ve learned so much with A3 and A3R on the way to the launch pad and are extremely excited to continue to learn from its performance in Earth orbit.

Keeping with exponential theme of 2015, the private company is launching a 2nd spacecraft later this year, that will be twice the size and even more capable. In parallel with A3R, Planetary resource has been working on a line of robust Arkyd 6U ScienceCraft that they’ll use not only to test the scientific instruments and deep space technologies at the heart of their asteroid prospecting missions, but to also provide a platform that will allow others to fly their mission with their technology.

Credit image: Planetary Resource

Arkyd 6 (A6), will be the first of these missions to launch, and Planetary resource is contracted with Spaceflight Services, Inc. to launch in a ride share configuration with Formosat-5, currently scheduled in December 2015. Built in compliance with the 6U CubeSat standard and designed to accommodate one of their UV, hyperspectral or MWIR instruments, it is a modular and cost-efficient spacecraft that they are making available for technologists and science investigators to further their own research, whether it be in Earth orbit or deep space. The precision pointing capability, high bandwidth communications, and flexible architecture of their Science-craft provides a robust platform for anyone conducting space research and development, without having to build their own space system.

Planetary resource is composed by a team of scientists and engineers who believe that lowering the barriers to the scientific exploration of space is an important step along the path to expanding humanity’s reach into the Solar System. With their Science-craft program, Planetary Resources is working with their science partners at every step of the discovery process, from proposal to publication, to maximize scientific return.

Source: Planetary Ressouce

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Asteroid size of Statue of Liberty 'on collision course with Earth

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an astronomer has claimed an asteroid the size of the Statue of Liberty is on a collision course with earth. Dr Judit Györgyey-Ries, astronomer at the University of Texas' McDonald Observatory, believes the giant rock could create a huge impact when it reaches earth in around October 2017.

Scientists estimate Asteroid 2012 TC4 is around 40 meters wide and could cause even more chaos than the one which hospitalised more than 1,200 people when it exploded over Russia in February 2013 .

Dr Györgyey-Ries told astronomy website astrowatch.net: "We could see an airburst maybe broken windows, depending on where it hits.

The giant asteroid narrowly missed earth in October 2012 when it passed 94,800 km away. Detlef Koschny, head of the near-earth object segment at the +European Space Agency, ESA , said: "There is a one in a million chance that it could hit us.

"The size was estimated from the brightness, but we don't know the reflectivity. So it could be smaller or larger, assume from 10 to 40 metres.

"A 40m iron object would go through the atmosphere and make a crater; a 10m rocky object would hardly be noticed."

Shock waves from the Russia airburst smashed windows, rattled buildings, and knocked people off their feet, more than 1,200 of whom attended hospital.

Researchers visiting villages in the area found a region of shock-wave damage extending some 50 miles on either side of the meteor's trajectory path.

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Successful launch of H-IIA with Hayabusa2 Onboard for its asteroid mission

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H-IIA F26 (the Japan space launch vehicle) with the Asteroid Explorer Hayabusa2 onboard launched at 1:22:04 p.m. on Dec 3, 2014 (JST) from the Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. The rocket flew smoothly, and, at about approximately one hour, 47 minutes and 21 seconds after liftoff, "Hayabusa2" was separated from the space vehicle H-IIA F26.

Credit image: +JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構 

H-IIA (H2A) is an active expendable launch system operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ( +JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構 ). The several step occurring after the liftoff has been done with success:

1. Liftoff : 0 min. 0 sec.

2. SRB-A burnout *2 : 1 min. 33 sec.

3. SRB-A jettison *3 : 1 min. 47 sec.

4. Payload fairing jettison : 4 min. 11 sec.

5. First stage main engine cutoff (MECO) : 6 min. 36 sec.

6. 1st and 2nd stages separation : 6 min. 44 sec.

7. Second stage engine lock-in (SELI1) : 6 min. 54 sec.

8. Second stage engine cutoff (SECO1) : 11 min. 20 sec.

9. Second stage engine lock-in (SELI2) : 1 hour 39 min. 26 sec.

10. Second stage engine cutoff (SECO2) : 1 hour 43 min. 31 sec.

11. Hayabusa2 separation : 1 hour 47 min. 21 sec.

12. SHINEN2 separation : 1 hour 54 min. 1 sec.

13. ARTSAT2-DESPATCH separation :1 hour 58 min. 11 sec.

14. PROCYON separation : 2 hour 2 min. 21 sec.

While Philae sleeps on the comet 67P, the spacecraft MASCOT (Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout) is planned explore asteroid and land on it. The asteroid lander developed by +DLR, German Aerospace Center, the Japan space agency +JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構 and the French space agency, +CNES. 

In 2018 the Japanese Hayabusa 2 Mission will feature an asteroid landing and will, for the first time, allow for data acquisition at various points of this kind of celestial body, assisted by MASCOT , the hopping landing craft developed by the German Aerospace Center. 

Credit image: +JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構 

The plan is to send the orbiter to its destination in 2014. Upon arrival in 2018, the spacecraft will initially remain in orbit to scout the unknown terrain. A stable, yet extremely light cover will protect the shoe box-sized lander as it falls to the asteroid’s surface. The four instruments designed to conduct in situ measurements on the asteroid are located inside the DLR landing craft: the infrared spectrometer that will analyse the surface composition magnetometer to investigate the magnetic field a wide-angle camera to record the landing site and the fine structure of the soil a radiometer that will measure surface temperatures, among other things.

Once the initial measurements are complete, MASCOT will hop to the next measurement site, providing scientists with data from different positions on asteroid on 1999 JU 3, gathered over two asteroid days and nights. During its mission, the landing craft will be monitored from the DLR Microgravity User Support Center (MUSC).

1999 JU3 is an Apollo asteroid. The asteroid was discovered in 1999 by the LINEAR project. The Apollo asteroids are a group of near-Earth asteroids named after 1862 Apollo, the first asteroid of this group which was discovered by Karl Wilhelm Reinmuth. 

Source: +JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構

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MASCOT the asteroid lander is ready for its launch on November 30th

Dear readers and followers,

While Philae sleeps on the comet 67P, the spacecraft MASCOT (Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout) is ready for its launch on 30 November 2014. MASCOT is an asteroid lander developed by +DLR, German Aerospace Center, the Japan space agency +JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構 and the French space agency, +CNES. 

In 2018 the Japanese Hayabusa 2 Mission will feature an asteroid landing and will, for the first time, allow for data acquisition at various points of this kind of celestial body, assisted by MASCOT , the hopping landing craft developed by the German Aerospace Center.  

Credit image: +DLR, German Aerospace Center

The plan is to send the orbiter to its destination in 2014. Upon arrival in 2018, the spacecraft will initially remain in orbit to scout the unknown terrain. A stable, yet extremely light cover will protect the shoe box-sized lander as it falls to the asteroid’s surface. The four instruments designed to conduct in situ measurements on the asteroid are located inside the DLR landing craft:

• the infrared spectrometer that will analyse the surface composition
• magnetometer to investigate the magnetic field
• a wide-angle camera to record the landing site and the fine structure of the soil
• a radiometer that will measure surface temperatures, among other things.

Once the initial measurements are complete, MASCOT will hop to the next measurement site, providing scientists with data from different positions on asteroid on 1999 JU 3, gathered over two asteroid days and nights. During its mission, the landing craft will be monitored from the DLR Microgravity User Support Center (MUSC).

Credit image: +JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構 

1999 JU3 is an Apollo asteroid. The asteroid was discovered in 1999 by the LINEAR project. The Apollo asteroids are a group of near-Earth asteroids named after 1862 Apollo, the first asteroid of this group which was discovered by Karl Wilhelm Reinmuth. 

Source: +CNES

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Fireball meteor in western Japan sky

Dear readers and followers,

Yesterday evening, on Monday November 3nd, people in western Japan have reported sightings of a sparkling light racing across the sky, as illustrated in the following picture. Experts say it was probably a "fireball" meteor, a piece of an asteroid that ignites upon entering Earth's atmosphere, and any surviving fragments mostly likely ended up in the sea. A remote controlled camera at Fukuoka airport recorded an object emitting a strong green light, while another camera at Hakata port showed a faint orange light.

Credit image: Japan Times

Last year, a fireball meteor has been seen in US. The +American Meteor Society indicated that they received 63 reports of a fireball over the state of Maryland and New Jersey during the night on October 14th 2013 around 8:25 pm

Credit image: +BBC News 

Source: +BBC News

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Blasting report for the NASA's asteroid protection program

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NASA's effort to identify potentially dangerous space rocks has taken a hit. On Monday, the space agency's inspector general released a report blasting NASA's Near Earth Objects program, which is meant to hunt and catalog comets, asteroids and relatively large fragments of these objects that pass within 17.5 million kilometers of Earth. The purpose is to protect the planet against their potential dangers. 

Most near-Earth objects harmlessly disintegrate before reaching Earth's surface. But there are exceptions, like the nearly 20 meters meteor that exploded over Russia in 2013, causing considerable damage. For this reason +NASA decided to propose a reward of 35 k€ for an asteroid hunter software.

Credit image: NASA

In a 44 pages report, Inspector General Paul Martin said the Near Earth Objects program needs to be better organized and managed, with a bigger staff. NASA's science mission chief, former astronaut John Grunsfeld, agreed and promised the problems will be fixed. "NASA places a high priority on finding and characterizing hazardous asteroids to protect our home planet from them" he said in a statement. According to the report, the program has an executive at NASA headquarters and two offices in Massachusetts and California, each with six employees. For nearly a decade, the report noted, NASA has been tracking near-Earth objects bigger than 150 meters across. The goal was to catalog 90 percent by 2020.

The space agency has discovered and plotted the orbits of more than 11,000 near-Earth objects since 1998, an estimated 10 percent. It does not expect to meet the 2020 deadline. The program has insufficient oversight, Martin's office concluded, and no established milestones to track progress. In addition, NASA needs to do a better job of overseeing the various observatories searching for near-Earth objects, and teaming up with other U.S. and international agencies, the report said.

Source: NASA

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NASA observed an asteroid collision creating a huge cloud: rocky planet creation ?

Dear readers and followers,

The NASA's telescope, called Spitzer Space Telescope (SST) has spotted an eruption of dust around a young star, possibly the result of a smashup between large asteroids. This type of collision can eventually lead to the formation of planets.

Credit image: +NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 

Scientists had been regularly tracking the star, called NGC 2547-ID8, when it surged with a huge amount of fresh dust between August 2012 and January 2013. While dusty aftermaths of suspected asteroid collisions have been observed by Spitzer before, this is the first time scientists have collected data before and after a planetary system smashup. The viewing offers a glimpse into the violent process of making rocky planets like ours.

Credit image: +NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory / +The University of Arizona 

Rocky planets begin life as dusty material circling around young stars. The material clumps together to form asteroids that ram into each other. Although the asteroids often are destroyed, some grow over time and transform into proto-planets. After about 100 million years, the objects mature into full-grown, terrestrial planets. Our moon is thought to have formed from a giant impact between proto-Earth and a Mars-size object.

In the new study, Spitzer set its heat-seeking infrared eyes on the dusty star NGC 2547-ID8, which is about 35 million years old and lies 1,200 light-years away in the Vela constellation. Previous observations had already recorded variations in the amount of dust around the star, hinting at possible ongoing asteroid collisions. In hope of witnessing an even larger impact, which is a key step in the birth of a terrestrial planet, the astronomers turned to Spitzer to observe the star regularly. Beginning in May 2012, the telescope began watching the star, sometimes daily. A dramatic change in the star came during a time when Spitzer had to point away from NGC 2547-ID8 because our sun was in the way. When Spitzer started observing the star again five months later, the team was shocked by the data they received: a very thick cloud of dusty debris now orbits the star in the zone where rocky planets form. As the scientists observe the star system, the infrared signal from this cloud varies based on what is visible from Earth. For example, when the elongated cloud is facing us, more of its surface area is exposed and the signal is greater. When the head or the tail of the cloud is in view, less infrared light is observed. By studying the infrared oscillations, the team is gathering first-of-its-kind data on the detailed process and outcome of collisions that create rocky planets like Earth.

The team is continuing to keep an eye on the star with Spitzer. They will see how long the elevated dust levels persist, which will help them calculate how often such events happen around this and other stars, and they might see another smashup while Spitzer looks on.

Source: NASA

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NASA publishes 3D-printable models of asteroids and satellites

Dear readers and followers,

Do you have a favorite NASA satellite? There's a small chance that you can now make a tiny figurine out if it using a 3D printer, as NASA has transformed a number of spacecrafts, asteroids, and features of Mars and the Moon into 3D-printable models. NASA has actually provided free 3D models for years now, but it appears that just recently it updated its modeling site with 22 files designed for 3D printing. The printable models have all been scaled down to a size that can actually fit inside a printer, so each one should measure no more than  10 centimeters long at its widest point.

Gale crate: Credit image: NASA

The available models include the spacecrafts Cassini, Kepler, and Voyager, parts of Mars including the Gale Crater and Valles Marineris canyons, and parts of the Moon including scans of its near and far side. Even if you don't own a 3D printer, the models come from NASA, so you should be able to send a favorite off to a printing service to have it made. 

Cassini spacecraft: Credit image: NASA

That said, NASA doesn't make it sound as though these models are necessarily perfect for printing just yet, and it's looking for comments on whether any of its currently published models need to have adjustments made to them for a successful print.

Contact me if you have any specific questions or to correct some typo error in the articles. 

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Curiosity captured the first ever asteroids observed from the Martian planet

Dear readers and followers,

last week, on April 24th, the NASA's rover, Curiosity, switched its usual activity to observe the sky over the martian land. Using its camera, the rover captured the first ever picture of an asteroid observed from the martian planet.

Credit: NASA 

The both asteroid presented on the picture are the very small planet called Ceres ( 950 km of diameter) and Vesta (563 km of diameter). Ceres is the biggest asteroid of the asteroid belt.

Source

Meteorite passed close to a skydriver during its jump

Dear readers and followers,

This is the first time in history that a meteorite has been filmed in the air after its light goes out.



Enjoy this great video of the jump and the story associated:


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The asteroid 2014 DX110 tracked by astronomers

Dear readers and followers,

yesterday night we reported you that an asteroid of 30 meters of diameter will be close to Earth. This asteroid called 2014 DX110 has been tracked and taken in picture by astronomers. You will find also a video, enjoy

Credit image : L. Elenin

 Credit image: Slooh

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Tonight check out the asteroid 2014 DX110 closer than the Moon

Dear readers and followers,

Tonight, at 10 pm CET (1 p.m. PST) Wednesday March 5th, an asteroid will very close to Earth. Actually closer than the distance from Earth to the Moon. 

This time, the asteroid called 2014 DX110 is estimated to be around 30 meter of diameter and its closest approach to our planet will be around 350,000 km. NASA is used to detect, track and characterizes space comets and hazardous asteroids. A dedicated program called Near-Earth Object Observation, also named Spaceguard has been created by the space agency in order to present dramatic event. This kind of event is quite usual, actually around 20 times a year said +NASA . 

Credit: +NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 

Last month, a hazardous asteroid with a diameter estimated to 3 times the size of a football field and called 2000 EM26 passed close to Earth. This time due to weather conditions, none observation gears could take some great picture of the asteroid.

Credit image: Daily Galaxy

This time we hope that official observation places and amateur astro-photographers could take some impressive picture of the asteroid 2014 DX110.

Live video by +Slooh of the asteroid tracking :

Stay tuned for pictures from all around the world

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Moby Dick asteroid 2000 EM26 is missing - Help astronomers find It

Dear readers,

last Monday, February 18th, the asteroid called 2000 EM26 or Moby Duck with its 270 meters of diameter passed close to Earth. the Slooh's robotic telescope on Mount Teide in the Canaries Island should monitored the asteroid called 2000EM26. However, because of frozen conditions, the telescop didn't work normally as illustrated on the picture below.

Credit: +Slooh 

Yesterday night Slooh published a file about the only picture provided during the night of February 17th by Slooh and the Dubai Astronomy Group: "Somewhere in this image, amongst the trailing star field, there should be a static round point of light – the light reflecting from an asteroid some 394­886ft in diameter (­270m). Based on the orbital data held by +NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this is where Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2000 EM26 should have been. So if it’s not here, where was this chunk of primordial space rock as it made its closest approach to Earth on Feb. 17th 2014?"

Credit image: +Slooh 

Yesterday night Slooh announced officially that they are still looking for the asteroid. If you find it please contact Slooh as soon possible.

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First picture of the asteroid 2000 EM26 from Dubai

Dear readers,

yesterday we told you about an hazardous asteroid of 270 meters of diameter. The asteroid called 2000 EM26 should be followed by the Slooh telescop in the Canary islands. Unfortunately, the Slooh's robotic telescope on Mount Teide which monitored the asteroid didn't work because of frozen conditions. 

Pictures from Dubai had been proposed by the Dubai Astronomy group. Look it is there :

Credit image : Dubai Astronomy group

Stay tuned for incoming pictures

[Update there]

A potentially hazardous asteroid of 270 meters of diameter close to Earth today

Dear readers,

in less then 10 hours now, the asteroid called 2000 EM26 will pass very close to Earth. The potentially hazardous asteroid has been estimated to have a diameter around 270 meters. Its trajectory should be very close to Earth around 8.8 of the distance Earth-Moon, and could be seen from Earth.

Enjoy this live steam of the hazardous asteroid with the video below :

Credit video: +Slooh 

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Update : Yesterday, the Slooh's robotic telescope on Mount Teide should monitored the asteroid 2000EM26 didn't work because of frozen conditions, but a first pictures had been proposed by the Dubai Astronomy group. 

New potential hazardous asteroid discovered by NASA

Dear followers,

for this beginning of 2014, +NASA revealed the discovery of a news potential hazardous asteroid, called 2013 YP139. The asteroid was at a distance of 0.235 astronomical units from Earth by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer from NASA. Its size is estimated around 650 meters.  It orbits the Sun in an elliptical orbit along the invariable plane and is currently 42 million kilometers away and is expected to come within 490,000 kilometers of our dear Earth planet, slightly beyond the orbit of the Moon. However, because of some potential uncertainties and this close proximity, the 2013 YP139 asteroid has classified as a potential threat.

Credit: +NASA / +NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 

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Near-Earth Object 2013 US10 is a long period Comet

Credit: +NASA 

Maps of dangerous asteroids for Earth

Credits: +NASA / +NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Caltech

3753 Cruithne the second Moon of Earth ?

Dear followers,

In March of 2012, astronomers at +Cornell University published the result of a computer study, presenting that asteroids orbiting the sun might temporarily become natural satellites of Earth. They are called quasi-satellite. The most famous quasi-satellite is also called the second moon for Earth is 3753 Cruithne. This object is five kilometers wide ( 3 miles). 

Credits: 3753 Cruithne

A quasi-satellite is an object in a co-orbital configuration with a reference planet (for 3753 it's Earth). Scientists would say there is a 1:1 orbital resonance between Earth and this object. In other words, a quasi-satellite is orbiting the sun, like Earth. Its orbit around the sun takes exactly the revolution time as Earth’s orbit, but the shape is slightly different.

Astronomers discovered 3753 Cruithne in 1986, but it wasn't until 1997 that they figured out its complex orbit. It’s not a second moon for Earth; it doesn't orbit Earth. But 3753 Cruithne is co-orbiting the sun with Earth. Like all quasi-satellites, 3753 Cruithne orbits the sun once for every orbit of Earth.

3 Asteroids found Orbiting Uranus

Dear followers,

Scientists has found that the 70km asteroid, called Crantor and two other smaller asteroids, called respectively 2010 EU65 and 2011 QF99 are orbiting Uranus.

In 2006, Uruguayan astronomer Tabaré Gallardo suggested the asteroids Crantor and 2000 SN331 complete their orbits of the Sun in the same time period as Uranus, i.e., an orbit around 84 Earth years.

Credits: artistic view of Uranus with asteroid Crantor SINC

Today, two astrophysicists from the Complutense University of Madrid have confirmed that Crantor, a large asteroid with a diameter of 70 km has an orbit similar to that of Uranus and takes the same amount of time to orbit the Sun. Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that this and a further two objects of the group of the Centaurs are co-orbital with Uranus.

Credits: Lawrence Sromovky from University of Winsconsin-Madison, Keck Observatory

References:

Carlos de la Fuente Marcos y Raúl de la Fuente Marcos. “Crantor, a short-lived horseshoe companion to Uranus”. Astronomy & Astrophysics 551: A114, March 2013. DOI:10.1051/0004-6361/201220646

Carlos de la Fuente Marcos y Raúl de la Fuente Marcos. “Three new stable L5 Mars Trojans”. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters 432: 31-35, May 2013. DOI:10.1093/mnrasl/slt028