All posts tagged: NASAs

NASA’s Mars Rover Comes Across Formation That Looks Like the Scales of a Massive Cosmic Reptile

NASA’s Mars Rover Comes Across Formation That Looks Like the Scales of a Massive Cosmic Reptile

Published by José Betancourt

Sign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech Far away on the surface of Mars, NASA’s Curiosity Rover took a side quest this weekend and captured images of a mysterious roadside attraction: a rocky surface that resembles the scales of a cosmically large reptile that has scientists stumped on its origin. Kevin M. Gill, engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, posted the images showing this distinctive polygonal rock surface from the vantage point of the trusty rover that’s been exploring the Red Planet since 2012; the rover was on its way to investigate a small crater when it happened upon the intriguing landscape feature. “We’ve seen polygon-patterned rocks like these before, but they didn’t seem quite this dramatically abundant, stretching across the ground for meters and meters in our Mastcam mosaics,” read a statement from the space agency. “This week we continued to collect lots of images and chemical data that will help us distinguish between different hypotheses for how the honeycomb textures formed.” One intriguing …

The Download: NASA’s nuclear spacecraft and unveiling our AI 10

The Download: NASA’s nuclear spacecraft and unveiling our AI 10

Published by skeptic

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. NASA is building the first nuclear reactor-powered interplanetary spacecraft. How will it work?  Just before Artemis II began its historic slingshot around the moon, NASA revealed an even grander space travel plan. By the end of 2028, the agency aims to fly a nuclear reactor-powered interplanetary spacecraft to Mars.  A successful mission would herald a new era in spaceflight—and might just give the US the edge in the race against China. But the project remains shrouded in mystery.  MIT Technology Review picked the brains of nuclear power and propulsion experts to find out how the nuclear-powered spacecraft might work. Here’s what we discovered.  —Robin George Andrews  This story is part of MIT Technology Review Explains, our series untangling the complex, messy world of technology to help you understand what’s coming next. You can read more from the series here.  Coming soon: our 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now  Each year, we compile our 10 Breakthrough Technologies list, featuring …

Apple Highlights Photos Shot on iPhone During NASA’s Mission to Moon

Apple Highlights Photos Shot on iPhone During NASA’s Mission to Moon

Published by skeptic

As we previously reported, astronauts aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft used the iPhone 17 Pro Max to take selfies of themselves with the Earth in the background during the Artemis II mission around the far side of the Moon last week. Now that the crew members have safely returned to Earth, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook and marketing chief Greg Joswiak have both turned to social media to congratulate them on their successful mission and highlight the iPhone’s involvement. “You captured the wonders of space and our planet beautifully, taking iPhone photography to new heights, and we’re grateful you shared it with the world,” wrote Cook. “Your work continues to inspire us all to think different. Welcome home!” Congratulations to Artemis II on a successful mission! You captured the wonders of space and our planet beautifully, taking iPhone photography to new heights, and we’re grateful you shared it with the world. Your work continues to inspire us all to think different. Welcome home! — Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 11, 2026 “Honored that NASA astronauts brought iPhone to …

The best photos from NASA’s first moon mission in more than 50 years

The best photos from NASA’s first moon mission in more than 50 years

Published by Sam Flores

The astronauts even captured dramatic images of the moon’s crater-filled south polar region, where NASA is interested in landing astronauts on future Artemis missions. The moon’s south pole is pockmarked with craters that are thought to be filled with water ice. But the area is significantly more challenging to navigate than those near the moon’s equator, where the Apollo astronauts touched down. NASA has said observations during the Artemis II mission could be used to pinpoint possible landing sites for missions to come. Toward the end of their lunar flyby, the astronauts became the first to witness a solar eclipse from space. They made detailed observations over the course of about an hour, as the sun slipped behind the moon and re-emerged again on the other side. During the early stages of the eclipse, the astronauts had to don special glasses (much like the ones worn by people on Earth to view solar eclipses) to protect their eyes until the sun’s light was fully blocked by the moon. Source link

NASA’s record-breaking Artemis II mission ends with Orion’s ‘perfect splashdown’ in Pacific Ocean | Science, Climate & Tech News

NASA’s record-breaking Artemis II mission ends with Orion’s ‘perfect splashdown’ in Pacific Ocean | Science, Climate & Tech News

Published by skeptic

Artemis II’s history-making astronauts have successfully arrived back on Earth with a “perfect bullseye splashdown” off the coast of California. After its 10-day lunar voyage, the Orion capsule hit the atmosphere travelling at Mach 33, or 33 times the speed of sound – a blistering pace not seen since the Apollo missions. Tension mounted in mission control as the capsule, named Integrity by its crew, became engulfed in red-hot plasma and entered a planned six-minute communication blackout. Follow live: Crew return to Earth after historic mission Image: Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen on the flight deck of USS John P Murtha. Pic: Reuters All eyes were on Orion’s life-protecting heat shield, which withstood thousands of degrees of heat at the moment of re-entry. The capsule then deployed nearly a dozen parachutes to slow itself down to around 17mph for the moment at 5.07pm local time on Friday (1.07am UK time on Saturday) when it hit the Pacific Ocean – which NASA described as a “perfect bullseye splashdown”. You need javascript enabled to view this content …

NASA’s Artemis II mission was a historic success

NASA’s Artemis II mission was a historic success

Published by skeptic

  The astronauts of the Artemis II mission have made it home. Their journey, which began in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 1 April, took them around the moon and further from Earth than any human has travelled before. On 10 April, they splashed down in their capsule off the coast of California. On landing, mission commander Reid Wiseman reported “four green crew members”, indicating that he, his NASA crewmates Victor Glover and Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen were all feeling good after re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. “What a journey,” he said. This historic flight marked the first time humans have been to the moon since the Apollo 18 mission in 1972. At its most distant, the Orion capsule was 406,771 kilometres from Earth, beating the distance record set by the crew of the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. The main purpose of Artemis II was to act as a test flight for future lunar missions, a test it passed with flying colours, but there were several science goals as well. Several of them were …

NASA’s Artemis II makes triumphant return as crew lands safely

NASA’s Artemis II makes triumphant return as crew lands safely

Published by Daniella Wilson

In a breathtaking finale to one of the most ambitious missions in modern spaceflight, NASA’s Artemis II crew has safely returned to Earth, marking a triumphant end to their historic journey around the Moon. The Orion spacecraft carrying the four astronauts made a dramatic reentry through Earth’s atmosphere on Friday night, reaching staggering speeds of up to 25,000 miles per hour before plunging toward the Pacific Ocean. The capsule ultimately splashed down off the coast of San Diego, California, at precisely 8:07pm ET. © NASA via Getty ImagesNASA’s Orion spacecraft with Artemis II crewmembers is seen as it lands in the Pacific Ocean On board were NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Together, the four-person crew completed a landmark ten-day mission that carried them farther into space than any human has travelled before, looping around the Moon in a bold return to deep space exploration. As Orion reentered the atmosphere, it endured intense heat and pressure, its exterior glowing under the force of the fiery …

How to watch NASA’s Artemis II splash back down to Earth

How to watch NASA’s Artemis II splash back down to Earth

Published by skeptic

NASA’s Artemis II crew of four astronauts from the United States and Canada are set to return to Earth on Friday after their historic trip to the far side of the moon. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen have spent 10 days aboard the Orion spacecraft. They are expected to begin re-entry at 7:33 p.m. ET with a splashdown of 8:07 p.m. NASA has a live feed for when the crew lands in the Pacific Ocean later today. The Orion spacecraft is expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego, California. The Artemis II mission marks the first time humans have ventured to the moon’s orbit in more than 50 years. The crew traveled farther from Earth than any humans have before, reaching an estimated 252,760 miles from our planet. That’s the same distance as traveling between New York City and Los Angeles around 100 times, only the astronauts are inside a capsule with 330 cubic feet of habitable space, which is about the size of two minivans. The objective …

NASA’s Artemis II prepares for splashdown on Earth | News

NASA’s Artemis II prepares for splashdown on Earth | News

Published by Sam Flores

NewsFeed NASA’s Artemis II astronauts are preparing for re-entry after travelling further from Earth than any humans in more than 50 years. Al Jazeera’s Ava Warriner explains what to expect during splashdown and why the mission matters for future lunar exploration. Published On 10 Apr 202610 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Source link

As Nasa’s Artemis II Moon mission ends, a new adventure for humanity beckons

As Nasa’s Artemis II Moon mission ends, a new adventure for humanity beckons

Published by skeptic

The Artemis II mission to the Moon is a voyage unlike any other in more than half a century. As the first crewed lunar flight since 1972, Artemis II marks the beginning of a new chapter in our relationship with the Moon. Nasa’s goal is to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon. As the Artemis II ten-day journey concludes, it will be remembered as a profound moment in the history of human spaceflight. Stunning photos and video downlinked to Earth have provided a human perspective on this historic encounter with our celestial neighbour. The experience has rekindled the optimistic spirit of the Apollo era for a new generation. The mission did not orbit the Moon. Instead, the Orion spacecraft carried the astronauts on a gravity guided loop around Earth’s natural satellite. During their flight, the crew – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen – travelled further into space than any previous human mission. They reached a maximum distance of 252,756 miles from Earth, exceeding a distance record set by Apollo …