ESA and JAXA have formalized a joint mission to study… · Frontiers 🛰️
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🎧 If you only have 10 minutes this week Episode 66 · ESA and JAXA have formalized a joint mission to study asteroid Apophis ahead of its close 2029 flyby. 2026-05-09 ▶ Listen now |
| 🚀 **Fascinating Frontiers** - Space & Astronomy News
> **ESA and JAXA have formalized a joint mission to study asteroid Apophis ahead of its close 2029 flyby.**
> **---**
### Top 15 Space & Astronomy Stories
1. **ESA and JAXA Formalize Ramses Mission to Apophis — European Space Agency**
The agencies signed an agreement this week to collaborate on the Ramses mission, which will rendezvous with asteroid Apophis before its rare Earth approach. The effort strengthens coordinated planetary defense capabilities and data sharing between the two space agencies. Source: [esa.int](https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Planetary_Defence/ESA_and_JAXA_team_up_on_planetary_defence_Ramses_mission_to_asteroid_Apophis)
2. **Pluto-Like World Shows Unexpected Thin Atmosphere — Universe Today**
Astronomers have detected a thin gaseous envelope around an icy body less than a quarter Pluto’s size at the solar system’s edge. The finding challenges assumptions about how small objects can retain atmospheres against solar wind and thermal escape. Source: [universetoday.com](https://www.universetoday.com/articles/pluto-like-worlds-thin-atmosphere-poses-a-mystery-for-astronomers)
3. **Rescue Spacecraft for NASA Telescope Passes Key Test — Spaceflight Now**
Katalyst Space Technologies completed critical testing of its Link servicing vehicle, which will launch in June aboard a Pegasus XL rocket. NASA awarded the $30 million contract last year to potentially extend the life of a half-billion-dollar observatory. Source: [spaceflightnow.com](https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/05/08/rescue-mission-for-nasas-500-million-space-telescope-passes-key-testing-milestone/)
4. **Rocket Lab Acquires Motiv Space for Robotics and Solar Tech — Aviation Week**
The $40 million purchase adds spacecraft robotics and solar-electric drive systems to Rocket Lab’s capabilities. The move expands the company’s offerings for future satellite servicing and deep-space missions. Source: [Google News](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirAFBVV95cUxNZEkxMmVYRi1QQVBSd0RvenRLd3NSclhVOHdPZi1NUlpMZEtXeDZoVm1zZDdRS3NUNklYTDgwOG1RU3M4dE53Q3k3aDVKaGNKeEUzMmN2YlFVM0ZpbzdNNWcyU1VMV2ZUYkhaQUZ1YU9qZDVtZEx6eHNkcW42ZVVnc1lQU3VkMmpoSHNURDM3eFl5SE9hS2ZqRkZfRmdRd19TcWhPTkEyaEpKbUxO)
5. **Katalyst Prepares LINK Spacecraft for Telescope Rescue — Aviation Week**
The company is advancing final preparations for its LINK vehicle to reach orbit and potentially service a major NASA observatory. The mission represents an early step toward routine on-orbit satellite maintenance. Source: [Google News](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqwFBVV95cUxOUzQxUGFQeFk3YlphZXhCU3lXcW0zbmZyXzBZX3A3dHVCZHVVRTAzdGlTTUFkVHZzMXNWZVViN2o3dmRldjllS01VRENJQzZTeTY1bFl5YjdjclVWakFueFRDdnRfSG9UY1NNUzh3QnN6NUViTnk3OFZJdkg5VUNnVmk5UWxsRl9TQ21wSmNlOExlaC11VVhjb25TMkN6dHlDM3ktM1ZfVHJ0TFk)
6. **Pentagon Releases New Batch of Declassified UFO Videos — Space.com**
Nearly thirty videos showing objects of various shapes, including football-like forms and irregular white lights, were made public. The release continues the Department of Defense’s ongoing effort to document and analyze unidentified aerial phenomena. Source: [space.com](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/search-for-life/pentagon-unveils-trove-of-declassfied-ufo-videos-how-to-see-them-all-from-a-football-shaped-body-to-a-misshapen-and-uneven-ball-of-white-light)
7. **Paraguay Joins Artemis Accords for Space Cooperation — Mexico Business News**
The South American nation became the latest signatory, aligning its space ambitions with the U.S.-led framework for lunar and planetary exploration. The move supports Paraguay’s goals for technology development and international partnerships. Source: [Google News](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimwFBVV95cUxOQlR6czlWTVp2ZnpfNHI5WUxRQ3VVemZGRzRIa3ZfZXl1SlJmTkpSemVxWFJwUllqUTk1NnV4VVV5NWNEZjJlMDZneHpyaktXNEdXc0Y0Ym5lX2xxT0oxZ0JTdElrM2RablhFZzRQNUZJZzZnQXJPNHlMem5Sak5EYkdwVjdfRVIyeG9BQjlXMjRsdy14akZRQVZRSQ)
8. **Close-Up Data on Exoplanet Surface Now Available — indonesiakini**
New observations have produced detailed views of an exoplanet’s surface features through combined wavelength analysis. The data offer fresh constraints on surface composition and atmospheric interactions for worlds beyond our solar system. Source: [Google News](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihwFBVV95cUxQbnBUWW5OY2lOdkk3Zl9MRFpUeU9wUWRZMzdRalppMmFtb1lnUU84MGt0TGhYZ3VmNC02MVprTjhqbFdIN1hpdUtoZkFEZDNtaXEyalROWFJEQlFUTzBWZFI4SEczNzdTaTdGZUZpSEE1ajJSZXM1LVFRM0dTZm5rVGdaUEw2R2s)
9. **Next-Generation Rockets Highlighted for Future Missions — Tech Times**
Several advanced launch vehicles are advancing designs that promise greater payload capacity and reusability. These systems are positioned to support ambitious deep-space and crewed exploration plans in the coming decade. Source: [Google News](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixAFBVV95cUxPeXQzMHc2UTNvZ1U0QnRqQWpkbHIyTnR1OGEtQ2UwdEtTaE9XZVRYWG96Sy1pT1hXWWxSZ0RaVFFZYjNDVEJlVmdLRzZIeUx4dnJMYzduQXBSRk5LalJDTGdJTC1fVm15NUZBMEttdzJqV1ZWY0JUQU9IQmRuQWF4Wkw1QlZkRjdGOUtjRjBack5ycnJwdFZvcVd4VFdseDdwNkVEY1hmcVNuQktjXzJ3aUNocWhzZXQzQU0ybUdLc1BhQVcy)
10. **Study Warns of Forward Contamination Risks on Mars — International Policy Digest**
Researchers outline how human missions could inadvertently introduce Earth microbes to the Martian surface. The analysis emphasizes the need for updated planetary protection protocols before crewed landings occur. Source: [Google News](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiZ0FVX3lxTE53VHBLbmliWWhFc05QNXRhdUhCZ3tBNHhmTEc2N3RmTnl2SzlFM0txN2c5TXFrTmtvajlWX3I0WGdjMXpfTWtJcHJmZEphY3hBS2RobTJYZjdZZDJ3OU0ya2I5bEsyNXc)
### Cosmic Spotlight A small icy body far beyond Neptune is holding onto a thin atmosphere despite its modest size. Observations show the gas layer persists where models predict rapid loss to space. Scientists detected it through subtle changes in the object’s brightness and spectral signatures as it moves through sunlight. The discovery raises questions about what combination of surface ices and internal processes could replenish the gases over time. How do such diminutive worlds maintain atmospheres long enough for us to observe them? ### Cosmic Deep Dive: How Tiny Distant Worlds Hold Onto Atmospheres If Pluto were scaled to the size of a grapefruit, this newly observed body would be no larger than a lemon, yet it still supports a detectable gaseous envelope. Gravity on such a small object is weak, so any gas molecules should quickly reach escape velocity and drift away into the vacuum. Instead, the atmosphere appears replenished by slow sublimation from surface ices that have remained cold enough over billions of years to trap volatiles. Temperatures hover near 40 kelvin, where even trace amounts of nitrogen or methane can linger in equilibrium between solid and gas phases. The exact balance between escape and replenishment remains unclear, leaving astronomers wondering which internal heat source or seasonal cycle keeps the layer intact when similar objects show none at all. New missions and fresh data keep expanding what we can measure beyond Earth. |
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| Issue #66 · Fascinating Frontiers · May 9, 2026 |
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