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| China's Tianwen-2 probe is executing a string of fine burns to reach its target asteroid next month. |
Top 15 Space & Astronomy Stories
- Tianwen-2 Executes Series of Approach Burns — SpaceNews
China’s Tianwen-2 spacecraft performed multiple small propulsive maneuvers after its main burn on June 7. Radio tracking confirms the adjustments are positioning the probe for an asteroid rendezvous in July. The sequence follows standard practice for fine-tuning arrival trajectories at small solar-system bodies. Engineers will monitor the remaining corrections through the final approach phase. Next data releases are expected once the spacecraft nears its target distance. Source: spacenews.com - JWST Maps Extreme Weather on Ruby-Raining Exoplanet — Space.com
The James Webb Space Telescope captured detailed atmospheric data showing silicate clouds that condense into ruby and sapphire rain. Observations reveal temperature contrasts and wind patterns driving the unusual precipitation cycle. The planet’s atmosphere contains high-altitude clouds composed of minerals that would be gems on Earth. “With its unprecedented observational quality, JWST gives us the most detailed glimpses into distant planets to date.” Follow-up spectra are planned to track cloud evolution over multiple orbits. Source: space.com - SpaceX Raises Record $85.7 Billion in Funding Round — phys.org
SpaceX completed a funding round that brought total capital raised to $85.7 billion. The round included a 20 percent increase in share value and exercise of the greenshoe option. Proceeds will support ongoing vehicle development and constellation expansion. The valuation now places the company’s market capitalization above $2.5 trillion. Investors are watching how the capital deploys across Starship and Starlink programs. Source: phys.org - Asymmetric Weather Reveals True Exoplanet Atmosphere — Physics World
Researchers used phase-curve observations to separate dayside and nightside atmospheric signals on a hot Jupiter. The asymmetric pattern showed that standard models had overestimated cloud coverage on one hemisphere. Correcting for the asymmetry produced a revised temperature-pressure profile consistent with the planet’s measured radius. The method relies on continuous monitoring across a full orbit. Future observations will test whether the same correction applies to other inflated giants. Source: Google News - Valentina Tereshkova’s Historic Flight Remembered — The Times of India
Sixty-three years ago today, Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to reach space aboard Vostok 6. Her single-orbit mission lasted just under three days and included manual orientation tests. The flight demonstrated that a non-pilot could operate a spacecraft under weightlessness. Tereshkova’s call sign “Seagull” remains part of Russian space lore. Archival footage and mission logs are being re-examined for training insights. Source: Google News - Moon Forms Triangle with Mercury and Jupiter — Astronomy Magazine
This evening the Moon passes 3° north of Mercury, creating a visible triangle with Jupiter low in the western sky. Observers can watch the alignment for roughly an hour after sunset. Mercury reached greatest eastern elongation yesterday, its farthest point from the Sun in the evening sky. The geometry offers a brief window to spot the innermost planet without optical aid. No further alignments of this trio are expected until next month. Source: astronomy.com - NASA Study Quantifies Titan’s Hydrocarbon and Water Reserves — The Times of India
A new analysis describes Saturn’s moon Titan as holding vast stores of natural gas and liquid water beneath its surface. The reserves are likened to a “Persian Gulf of space” in scale. Data come from Cassini radar and infrared measurements combined with recent climate models. The findings refine estimates of how much methane and ethane cycle through Titan’s lakes and atmosphere. Future missions could sample these reservoirs directly. Source: Google News - Dragon Cargo Capsule Begins Return from ISS — Space.com
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft supporting CRS-34 will undock from the International Space Station today after 30 days. Live coverage will track the departure and subsequent deorbit burn. The capsule carries experiment samples and station hardware for return to Earth. Splashdown is scheduled in the Pacific within 24 hours of undocking. Recovery teams are already positioned for post-landing retrieval. Source: space.com - NASA Releases Image of Nebraska Sandhills — NASA
An Earth-observing satellite captured the Nebraska Sandhills, the largest dune system in the Western Hemisphere. The dunes cover roughly one-quarter of the state and remain active under prevailing winds. The image highlights seasonal vegetation patterns across the rolling terrain. Scientists use such views to track changes in dune migration and groundwater recharge. Comparable dune fields on other planets are studied with the same remote-sensing techniques. Source: science.nasa.gov - Artemis III Pilot Recalls Bushfire Views from Orbit — Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Luca Parmitano described seeing Australian bushfires from the International Space Station during a recent interview. The observations occurred while the fires burned across large areas of the continent. Parmitano noted the smoke plumes were visible even at night due to their thermal signature. The account adds to the record of crew Earth-observation contributions during long-duration flights. Similar reports are expected from future Artemis crews. Source: Google News - Astrobotic Readies Griffin-1 Lander for Testing — Spaceflight Now
Astrobotic unveiled its Griffin-1 lander ahead of environmental testing in California. The mission, now called Moon Base 2 under NASA’s CLPS program, carries multiple payloads. Launch remains scheduled for late 2026. The lander will undergo vibration and thermal-vacuum trials before shipment to the launch site. Results from these tests will determine final flight-software uploads. Source: spaceflightnow.com - JPL Open House Set for October 10–11 — NASA
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will open its campus to the public on October 10 and 11 to mark its 90th anniversary. Visitors can tour iconic facilities and explore four thematic areas covering past missions and future plans. The event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. PDT each day. Registration details will be released closer to the date. Similar open houses have drawn tens of thousands of attendees in prior years. Source: nasa.gov - Space Exploration Files for $60 Billion Merger — Stock Titan
Space Exploration (NASDAQ: SPCX) announced an all-stock merger valued at $60 billion with Cursor. The transaction would combine satellite and software operations under a single listed entity. Regulatory filings are expected in the coming weeks. Shareholders will vote on the deal later this year. The merger follows the company’s recent Nasdaq listing. Source: Google News - SPCX Added to NASDAQ Telecom Index — marketscreener.com
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. has been included in the NASDAQ Telecom Index. The addition reflects the company’s growing role in satellite communications infrastructure. Index rebalancing takes effect at the next quarterly review. Fund managers tracking the index will adjust holdings accordingly. The move follows the firm’s recent public listing. Source: Google News - SPCX Shares Rise 20 Percent After Funding News — AASTOCKS.com
Shares of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. climbed 20 percent overnight following confirmation of increased IPO proceeds. Market capitalization now exceeds $2.5 trillion. The surge occurred after the company exercised its greenshoe option. Trading volume remained elevated through the session. Analysts are monitoring whether the valuation holds through the merger process. Source: Google News
Cosmic Spotlight
The JWST observations of a distant exoplanet show silicate clouds condensing into gemstone rain on the nightside while strong winds redistribute heat. The data separate the planet’s thermal emission from reflected starlight across a full orbit, revealing that earlier models had placed the cloud deck too high. Refined temperature profiles now match the measured radius and suggest the atmosphere is more transparent on the dayside than expected. Follow-up programs will track whether similar mineral clouds appear on other highly irradiated worlds. How stable are these cloud layers when the planet’s rotation or stellar flux changes?
Cosmic Deep Dive: How Tiny Thrusts Guide Spacecraft to Asteroids
If the Sun were scaled to the size of a basketball in Vancouver, the asteroid belt would lie roughly as far away as a single grain of sand on a beach in Halifax. Tianwen-2’s recent burns illustrate how spacecraft reach such tiny targets across hundreds of millions of kilometres. A main engine firing first drops the probe onto an intercept trajectory, after which a series of much smaller thruster pulses—each lasting only seconds—correct for tiny errors in position and velocity. These adjustments are measured by radio signals that travel at the speed of light and return with timing precision measured in microseconds. The final approach must occur within a window measured in tens of kilometres, otherwise the relative speed will carry the spacecraft past its target forever. Scientists still cannot predict exactly how much residual propellant will remain after the last correction, leaving open the question of whether future missions can safely attempt a second rendezvous if the first attempt is missed.
New data from multiple missions continue to refine our picture of both nearby and distant worlds. |
