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| Europe will begin independent cargo deliveries to the lunar surface from 2030 with its new Argonaut lander. |
Top 12 Space & Astronomy Stories
- Europe Funds Argonaut for Lunar Cargo Missions — European Space Agency
The European Space Agency is developing Argonaut to deliver cargo and technology to the Moon starting in 2030. The mission combines expertise from across Europe to give the continent independent access to the lunar surface. Argonaut will support future exploration by landing payloads that cannot rely on other nations' systems. The first flight is scheduled within the current decade as part of a scalable European exploration plan. Member states endorsed the proposal at the 350th ESA Council meeting as a realistic and financially sustainable approach that builds on existing strengths. Early preparatory activities will begin within current financial envelopes ahead of the December Intermediate Ministerial Meeting in Rome. Source: esa.int - Hera Completes Second Braking Burn Near Didymos — European Space Agency
Hera fired its thrusters for 31 minutes yesterday, cutting its speed by 70 m/s at a distance of 2300 km from the Didymos-Dimorphos system. Ninety percent of the burn occurred in the early morning hours. The manoeuvre marks another successful step on the spacecraft's approach to the binary asteroid pair. The velocity reduction brings the spacecraft closer to its target for detailed study of the Didymos and Dimorphos asteroids. Source: esa.int - Jodrell Bank Telescope Faces Uncertain Future — r/space
The historic Jodrell Bank Observatory, which tracked Sputnik and holds UNESCO World Heritage status, is reported at risk. The facility has operated continuously since the 1950s as a major radio astronomy site. Its preservation status is now under discussion. The telescope remains a living scientific marvel that continues to contribute to ongoing research. Source: reddit.com - Berkeley Team Shapes Roman Space Telescope Science — r/space
UC Berkeley and Berkeley Lab originated the concept now realized as NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. A Berkeley astronomer leads a large science team preparing to use the observatory's wide-field infrared data. The mission builds directly on decades of work at the institution. The telescope will enable new studies of exoplanets and the early universe through its advanced imaging capabilities. Source: reddit.com - Griffin Lander Passes Final Ground Tests — Space.com
The private Griffin lunar lander completed a series of critical pre-flight tests ahead of its scheduled launch later this year. The robotic spacecraft is designed to deliver payloads to the Moon's surface. Successful completion of these checks clears the vehicle for its first mission. The lander has passed a host of critical tests that confirm its readiness for the journey. Source: space.com - Rocket Lab Sends Three Hawk Satellites to Orbit — Space.com
Rocket Lab launched three signals-intelligence satellites for a private customer on October 21. The mission marked the company's 19th flight of the year. All three Hawk spacecraft reached their intended orbits. The satellites will gather signals intelligence once operational in space. Source: space.com - JWST Finds First Lopsided Exoplanet — Universe Today
Researchers at Cornell and the University of Bristol used JWST data to map an exoplanet whose shape deviates noticeably from a perfect sphere. The planet shows strong evening-side winds reaching blistering temperatures. This marks the first detailed study of an exoplanet with clear asymmetry in its atmosphere. The observations reveal that the world is not uniform, with distinct temperature and wind patterns across its surface. Source: universetoday.com - Space Rider Prototype Crashes in Parachute Test — Space.com
Europe's full-scale Space Rider orbiter prototype failed to deploy its parachute during a drop test earlier this month. The vehicle impacted the ground after the failure. ESA officials stated the setback is not expected to delay the reusable spacecraft's overall development timeline. The test was part of preparations for the first flight of the reusable vehicle. Source: space.com - Rubin Commissioning Camera Images Seagull Nebula — Universe Today
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory's engineering camera captured a detailed view of the Seagull nebula during its seven-week test run in 2024. The image demonstrates the quality achievable even from a commissioning instrument. Data from the camera are now being released publicly. The commissioning camera operated before the observatory released its well-known first look images. Source: universetoday.com - Panel Recommends Four Lunar Sites for Human Exploration — r/space
A National Academies committee identified four high-value locations away from the lunar poles for short-duration crewed missions. The sites were chosen for their potential to address questions in geology, space weather, and radiation. The report also calls for an orbital observation tool to support future landings and communications. The committee prioritized locations where human exploration would be more effective than robotic rovers. Source: reddit.com - Venus Transitions from Evening to Morning Sky — Universe Today
Venus is currently lost from view as it passes on the far side of the Sun. The planet will reappear in the dawn sky this weekend after its conjunction. Observers in the northern hemisphere can watch for its return as a bright morning object. The transition marks the end of Venus as an evening sky feature for the current cycle. Source: universetoday.com
Also Today
Hanwha Aerospace to send S.Korea's lunar communications satellite via Orbital Transfer Vehicle in 2029 — r/space: South Korea's lunar communications satellite will ride an orbital transfer vehicle developed by Hanwha Aerospace, with launch planned for 2029. Source: reddit.com
Magnesium oxide crystals may turn metallic inside super-Earths — Phys.org Space: Higher pressures in the mantles of larger rocky planets could convert magnesium oxide into a metallic liquid capable of generating magnetic fields. Source: phys.org
Cosmic Spotlight
JWST data have revealed an exoplanet whose atmosphere is noticeably lopsided, with one side showing dramatically higher temperatures and stronger winds than the other. Researchers at Cornell and the University of Bristol mapped the asymmetry using infrared observations that resolve distinct regions rather than averaging the entire disk. The finding demonstrates that some hot Jupiters do not behave as uniform spheres, opening a new window into three-dimensional atmospheric dynamics. The work relied on phase-curve measurements that tracked how light from the planet changed as it orbited its star. Follow-up observations with the same instrument could determine whether similar asymmetry appears on other worlds or whether this case is unusual.
Cosmic Deep Dive: How Pressure Reshapes Planetary Interiors
In the deepest region of Earth's mantle, just above the core, much of the material consists of crystals of magnesium oxide sitting under pressures equivalent to the weight of the entire atmosphere pressing down on every square centimetre of surface. On larger rocky exoplanets called super-Earths, those same crystals would experience pressures several times higher, enough to force the material into an entirely different atomic arrangement or even turn it into a liquid metal. The change is not gradual; once pressure crosses a threshold, the crystal lattice collapses and the atoms rearrange into a structure that conducts electricity. Laboratory experiments that squeeze tiny samples between diamond anvils have already shown the transition point lies within the pressure range expected inside planets only a few times more massive than Earth. That metallic liquid could generate magnetic fields through dynamo action, something ordinary magnesium oxide cannot do. The same process may operate in the cores of gas giants where magnesium oxide could exist in metallic form at even greater depths. What remains unknown is exactly how much of a planet's interior must convert before a global magnetic field appears, and whether the transition creates stable layers that block or enhance convection. Solving that question would tell us which distant worlds are likely to have protective magnetospheres and which are not. The higher pressures in the lower mantle of super-Earths may drive magnesium oxide to transform into a new high-pressure crystal structure or a metallic, electrically conductive liquid that generates a magnetic field. In gas giants, magnesium oxide could exist in the cores themselves under even more extreme conditions. The transformation happens because the atoms respond to the crushing force by shifting into arrangements that allow electrons to move freely, turning an insulator into a conductor. This shift could explain why some planets maintain strong magnetic fields while others do not, even when their sizes and compositions appear similar on the surface. The exact pressure threshold where magnesium oxide becomes metallic remains a key variable that models must pin down more precisely. Until researchers can measure that threshold under conditions matching real planetary interiors, predictions about which exoplanets host global magnetic shields will stay uncertain.
Space keeps revealing new layers of complexity with every fresh observation. |
