Asteroid bits, fast spaceships, JuMBOs, a space battle, space cat video
December 21, 2023 8:14 AM Subscribe
December 2023 solstice from space. Let's check in on humanity's solar system exploration before 2024 kicks in.
The Sun
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s Aditya-L1 probe imaged the sun as it approached its destination in Earth's L1 Lagrange point. NASA's Parker Solar Probe set a new record for the fastest speed set by a human artifact.
From Earth’s surface to orbit
China launched a spaceplane which deployed six objects, while an American X-37B takeoff was delayed. Djibouti successfully orbited the Djibouti-1A climate satellite. The Psyche asteroid mission launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy. SpaceX also launched more Starlink satellites. The European Space Agency (ESA) chose SpaceX to launch four Galileo satellites. United Launch Alliance orbited two Kuiper broadband satellites (video). Ireland's first satellite, the Educational Irish Research Satellite-1 (Eirsat-1), successfully reached orbit.
North Korea claimed to have launched a spy satellite. Israeli forces shot down a Houthi missile just above the Kármán line, perhaps, which might count as the first space combat in human history.
In orbit
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully transferred Chandrayaan-3's propulsion module from lunar to Earth orbit. Hubble has been experiencing glitches, but did snap a fine picture of a nebula. Two women astronauts, Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara, spacewalked from the International Space Station (ISS). Also on the ISS the crew lost and found a tomato, while an experiment grew mouse embryos and the Roscosmos leader thinks Russian equipment on the station are past warranty. Tiangong space station taikonauts are growing vegetables and getting haircuts. The Federal Communications Commission fined the Dish Network for making orbital debris.
Looking ahead, China plans to add more modules to Tiangong. NASA admitted they might lack low Earth orbit presence after the ISS ends in 2030 and commercial stations begin operation.
Down to Earth
China's iSpace successfully launched a rocket stage, then landed it on its feet. AST Space Mobile stated its Blue Walker 3 satellite made the first 5G call to Earth. ISS crew watched a Russian cargo ship burn up in Earth's atmosphere. About 10% of metal bits in the stratosphere are from spacecraft debris. Scientists studied ancient space rocks in the Sahara.
Earth's Moon
A University of Aalen-led research team has come up with a way to use lasers to turn lunar dust into roads and landing pads. A University of Arizona group spotted a double crater on the moon, most likely caused by Chinese space debris. China’s National Space Administration (CNSA) announced plans for the 2028 Chang’e-8 (嫦娥五号) lunar polar mission, inviting other nations to collaborate. A company proposed lunar lighthouses.
In the Earth’s L2 point
The ESA Euclid space observatory, freshly arrived in its new L2 home, offered its first images. Nearby, the James Webb space telescope found 42 Jupiter-mass binary objects (JuMBOs), gathered evidence for ice pebble drift, studied an exoplanet's atmosphere, and imaged the Crab Nebula.
Asteroids
Psyche successfully transmitted a message to Earth by laser from 10 million miles away, then beamed a cat video in HD from 18.6 million miles. NASA's Lucy probe flew by the asteroid Dinkinesh.
Samples from the Bennu asteroid returned by the OSIRIS-REx mission contained water. Some of the Bennu material is now on display at the Smithsonian Museum, while other bits are under investigation at the University of Arizona.
Mars
Perseverance marked 1,000 Martian days, or sols, at work. The Mars Odyssey orbiter imaged the red planet's horizon.
Looking ahead: CSNA announced plans for a Mars sample return mission. Lockheed Martin proposed a Mars Base Camp.
Jupiter
Hubble imaged the largest planet in the solar system in ultraviolet. Juno spotted mineral salts and organic compounds on Ganymede, then sped past Io, closing in to just over 7,000 miles away (previously).
Uranus
The James Webb telescope generated a very detailed image of Uranus with its rings.
Beyond Neptune
Halley's comet reached aphelion, its farthest point from the sun.
In the Kuiper belt
NASA sent software updates to Voyager 1 and 2, 15 and 12 billion miles away. However, Voyager 1 is having a subsystem problem.
The Sun
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s Aditya-L1 probe imaged the sun as it approached its destination in Earth's L1 Lagrange point. NASA's Parker Solar Probe set a new record for the fastest speed set by a human artifact.
From Earth’s surface to orbit
China launched a spaceplane which deployed six objects, while an American X-37B takeoff was delayed. Djibouti successfully orbited the Djibouti-1A climate satellite. The Psyche asteroid mission launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy. SpaceX also launched more Starlink satellites. The European Space Agency (ESA) chose SpaceX to launch four Galileo satellites. United Launch Alliance orbited two Kuiper broadband satellites (video). Ireland's first satellite, the Educational Irish Research Satellite-1 (Eirsat-1), successfully reached orbit.
North Korea claimed to have launched a spy satellite. Israeli forces shot down a Houthi missile just above the Kármán line, perhaps, which might count as the first space combat in human history.
In orbit
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully transferred Chandrayaan-3's propulsion module from lunar to Earth orbit. Hubble has been experiencing glitches, but did snap a fine picture of a nebula. Two women astronauts, Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara, spacewalked from the International Space Station (ISS). Also on the ISS the crew lost and found a tomato, while an experiment grew mouse embryos and the Roscosmos leader thinks Russian equipment on the station are past warranty. Tiangong space station taikonauts are growing vegetables and getting haircuts. The Federal Communications Commission fined the Dish Network for making orbital debris.
Looking ahead, China plans to add more modules to Tiangong. NASA admitted they might lack low Earth orbit presence after the ISS ends in 2030 and commercial stations begin operation.
Down to Earth
China's iSpace successfully launched a rocket stage, then landed it on its feet. AST Space Mobile stated its Blue Walker 3 satellite made the first 5G call to Earth. ISS crew watched a Russian cargo ship burn up in Earth's atmosphere. About 10% of metal bits in the stratosphere are from spacecraft debris. Scientists studied ancient space rocks in the Sahara.
Earth's Moon
A University of Aalen-led research team has come up with a way to use lasers to turn lunar dust into roads and landing pads. A University of Arizona group spotted a double crater on the moon, most likely caused by Chinese space debris. China’s National Space Administration (CNSA) announced plans for the 2028 Chang’e-8 (嫦娥五号) lunar polar mission, inviting other nations to collaborate. A company proposed lunar lighthouses.
In the Earth’s L2 point
The ESA Euclid space observatory, freshly arrived in its new L2 home, offered its first images. Nearby, the James Webb space telescope found 42 Jupiter-mass binary objects (JuMBOs), gathered evidence for ice pebble drift, studied an exoplanet's atmosphere, and imaged the Crab Nebula.
Asteroids
Psyche successfully transmitted a message to Earth by laser from 10 million miles away, then beamed a cat video in HD from 18.6 million miles. NASA's Lucy probe flew by the asteroid Dinkinesh.
Samples from the Bennu asteroid returned by the OSIRIS-REx mission contained water. Some of the Bennu material is now on display at the Smithsonian Museum, while other bits are under investigation at the University of Arizona.
Mars
Perseverance marked 1,000 Martian days, or sols, at work. The Mars Odyssey orbiter imaged the red planet's horizon.
Looking ahead: CSNA announced plans for a Mars sample return mission. Lockheed Martin proposed a Mars Base Camp.
Jupiter
Hubble imaged the largest planet in the solar system in ultraviolet. Juno spotted mineral salts and organic compounds on Ganymede, then sped past Io, closing in to just over 7,000 miles away (previously).
Uranus
The James Webb telescope generated a very detailed image of Uranus with its rings.
Beyond Neptune
Halley's comet reached aphelion, its farthest point from the sun.
In the Kuiper belt
NASA sent software updates to Voyager 1 and 2, 15 and 12 billion miles away. However, Voyager 1 is having a subsystem problem.
Psyche successfully transmitted a message to Earth by laser from 10 million miles away, then beamed a cat video in HD from 18.6 million miles
This is so dope. 250Mbps FROM THE VAST REACHES OF SPACE is crazy. I especially like the detail that once Psyche reaches its target, transmissions will take 20 minutes to reach Earth and require the lasers to compensate for the resulting change in position.
posted by uncleozzy at 9:18 AM on December 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
This is so dope. 250Mbps FROM THE VAST REACHES OF SPACE is crazy. I especially like the detail that once Psyche reaches its target, transmissions will take 20 minutes to reach Earth and require the lasers to compensate for the resulting change in position.
posted by uncleozzy at 9:18 AM on December 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
Thanks for posting this doctornemo it's a great roundup.
posted by unearthed at 10:31 AM on December 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by unearthed at 10:31 AM on December 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
Halley's Comet link is broken -- I think it should be https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/fun-facts-halleys-comet/
posted by Sauce Trough at 10:35 AM on December 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Sauce Trough at 10:35 AM on December 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
but never mind the one borked link, this is a super dope post! thanks for assembling it! flagged.
posted by Sauce Trough at 10:36 AM on December 21, 2023
posted by Sauce Trough at 10:36 AM on December 21, 2023
This lovely pic was taken just two weeks before the December solstice!
posted by gubo at 11:20 AM on December 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by gubo at 11:20 AM on December 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
Dec 21 (Reuters) - Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and private equity firm Cerberus are among companies that have shown interest in buying rocket company United Launch Alliance (ULA), the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
posted by sammyo at 12:23 PM on December 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by sammyo at 12:23 PM on December 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
Sauce Trough, I'm sorry - looks like copy and paste error.
Can mods help, please?
posted by doctornemo at 12:27 PM on December 21, 2023
Can mods help, please?
posted by doctornemo at 12:27 PM on December 21, 2023
I love it, it's like when my favorite magazine or book used to arrive in the mail.
thank doctornemo.
posted by clavdivs at 3:05 PM on December 21, 2023 [5 favorites]
thank doctornemo.
posted by clavdivs at 3:05 PM on December 21, 2023 [5 favorites]
Israeli forces shot down a Houthi missile just above the Kármán line, perhaps, which might count as the first space combat in human history.
As much as I love my space operas, this milestone is more than a bit dismaying.
posted by Halloween Jack at 5:12 PM on December 21, 2023
As much as I love my space operas, this milestone is more than a bit dismaying.
posted by Halloween Jack at 5:12 PM on December 21, 2023
Mod note: Fixed that link!
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane (staff) at 4:01 AM on December 22, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane (staff) at 4:01 AM on December 22, 2023 [2 favorites]
Thank you!
posted by doctornemo at 8:11 AM on December 22, 2023
posted by doctornemo at 8:11 AM on December 22, 2023
This is really great, thanks!
posted by inexorably_forward at 10:05 PM on December 22, 2023
posted by inexorably_forward at 10:05 PM on December 22, 2023
Mod note: [btw, this post has been added to the sidebar and the Best Of blog]
posted by taz (staff) at 2:01 AM on December 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by taz (staff) at 2:01 AM on December 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
« Older We Like Trains | Thoughtful paper about ChatGPT Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
From space.com:
“Winter in the Northern Hemisphere will officially arrive tonight with the rays of the sun shining directly down on the Tropic of Capricorn — latitude 23.43-degrees south — at 10:27 p.m. Eastern Time. At that moment, if you were located in Western Australia at a point near Lake MacKay, the sun will be shining directly overhead and its six-month southward migration will come to an end, marking the beginning of summer for the Southern Hemisphere.”
Also:
Here’s a link to a countdown timer for those inclined to observe the exact moment of its passing:
https://timer-clock.com/countdown/equinox/how-many-days-until-december-solstice
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 8:31 AM on December 21, 2023 [3 favorites]