AmosScience – newsinsightplus

newsinsightplus.com
1120km
1500mph
March 22, 2024
0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityScience & EnvironmentSolar eclipse 2024: Millions in North America will view what promises to be a blockbusterPublished16 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty Images/St Louis Post-DispatchImage caption, The good people of Carbondale get to do it all over again, and for longerBy Jonathan AmosScience correspondent@BBCAmosHow lucky can the residents of Carbondale, Illinois, be? Celestial mechanics says any one spot on the Earth’s surface should experience a total solar eclipse only once every 375 years, on average. The 30,000 residents of the Midwestern city will probably chuckle at that statistic because they are about to witness the Moon block out the Sun’s disc for the second time in just seven years.And what’s more, the upcoming 8 April eclipse will be even better than the one they got to see in 2017. The sky will go pitch black for 4 minutes and 9 seconds, nearly double what happened last time.Image source, Getty ImagesAs many as 200,000 people are expected to flood prime viewing locations in southern Illinois for The Great American Eclipse, Part II. But this will be true, also, all along the eclipse path, from Mexico’s Pacific coast to Canada’s Atlantic seaboard. The upcoming event is set to be a blockbuster.US space agency mission lines up to ‘touch the Sun’The radio ‘weirdness’ associated with eclipsesHow solar eclipses have shaped historyIn 2017, the path of deepest shadow – “totality” – ran from Oregon in the US north-west to South Carolina in the south-east. That actually covered some sparsely populated regions, including many national parks. The 2024 event, in contrast, will cover some major US urban areas, such Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Buffalo. “This is going to be the most populated eclipse in the US, with 31.5 million people able to just walk outside of their homes to experience it,” Dr Kelly Korreck, the US space agency’s eclipse programme manager, told BBC News.Image source, SWRI/NASAImage caption, Artwork: Jets equipped with Nasa instruments will chase the shadowAs you’d expect, Nasa will be doing understated experiments on the day, such as launching rockets into the shadow cast by the Moon to see how it affects the top of the Earth’s atmosphere, or its ionosphere. Instrumented jet planes will also chase the shadow.”The reason that we’re flying aeroplanes, besides the fact that it’s really cool, is because getting up high into the atmosphere means you can actually access wavelengths of light you can’t do from the ground,” said Dr Amir Caspi from the Southwest Research Institute.The 2024 total solar eclipse will begin way out in the Pacific Ocean, with the inhabitants of Penrhyn Atoll, part of the Cook Islands, greeted by a darkened Sun at dawn, at 06:40 CKT (16:40 GMT). The Moon’s deep shadow, or umbra, will then race across the Earth’s surface at more than 2,500km/h (1,500mph), crossing the Mexican coast at 11:07 MST (18:07 GMT) and the Rio Grande border between Mexico and the US at 13:27 CDT (18:27 GMT). Image source, Getty ImagesThe journey continues up through 13 US states, skimming the Canadian border – with Hamilton (15:18 EDT; 19:18 GMT) and Montreal (15:26 EDT; 19:26 GMT) just inside the totality path – before sweeping out over the provinces of New Brunswick (16:32 ADT; 19:32 GMT) and Newfoundland (17:09 NDT; 19:39 GMT). The Moon’s umbra will lift off the Earth’s surface in the Atlantic Ocean at 21:55 CEST (19:55 GMT), about 1,120km (700 miles) west of Normandy, France. Sorry, Europe; a partial eclipse low on the horizon at sunset is the best you will get.Image caption, A promotional poster from astronomer/artist Tyler Nordgren (Credit: tylernordgren.com)Keen sky-watchers largely have their plans already in place. They’ll have studied transport and accommodation options and paid close attention to historic weather patterns. The chances of avoiding confounding clouds are best in Mexico and Texas. But in truth, on any one day, in any one place, the weather could be your friend or a killjoy – and that applies to Carbondale, too. Image source, S R Habbal and M DruckmüllerImage caption, A total solar eclipse affords a rare opportunity to study the Sun’s coronaYou might think that with all the space telescopes trained on the Sun these days that there’s very little an eclipse can add to the sum of solar knowledge. But total eclipses are special because they afford favourable conditions to study the tenuous outer atmosphere of the Sun – its corona.It is in this magnetised, superheated “gas” of charged particles that the solar wind originates, and from which billions of tonnes of matter can occasionally burst towards the Earth to disrupt satellites, communications and even electricity grids.The corona is outshone by the Sun’s surface, its photosphere. Satellites will block out the glare using devices called coronagraphs, but those are usually so wide that they also obstruct the view of light immediately above the edge of the star. It’s in this zone where the corona’s key processes are occurring. Only during an eclipse, when the Moon’s disc just matches that of the Sun, do all aspects of the corona become accessible. Image source, Aberystwyth UniversityImage caption, UK and US scientists have been working on eclipse observationsBritish scientists have teamed up with Nasa to deploy instruments in Dallas. They’ll have a polarimeter to examine the directional quality of the corona’s light and a spectrometer to look for the behaviour of excited iron atoms. “During an eclipse, nature gives us a unique opportunity to measure this region with relative ease, and to see the connections between the Sun and solar wind,” explained Dr Huw Morgan from Aberystwyth University.Image source, AFPImage caption, However you watch the eclipse, doing it safely is paramount.But you don’t need to be a professional scientist to participate in eclipse science. There are numerous citizen research projects. For example:The Sunsketcher initiative needs help measuring the precise shape of the Sun. Yes, it’s round, but ever so slightly squished at the poles.Eclipse Soundscapes will record how the natural world, particularly animals, react when plunged into darkness. Bees quit flying, apparently.The Globe Observer project needs help recording temperature changes and the behaviour of clouds. And Eclipse Megamovie will once again employ an army of DSLR cameras to capture an extended view of the event. “Having people all along the path is going to be a force multiplier for these observations and enable us to take longer observations and more correlate what’s happening and changing,” said Nasa’s Dr Liz MacDonald, who’s been coordinating a lot of citizen science activity.Get out there and enjoy it, but do it safely. Don’t look at the exposed Sun with the naked eye. Montana and North Dakota will see the tail end of a total solar eclipse in 2044, but the next such event to cross a broad swathe of the US won’t occur until the following year.”It’s special,” said Dr Korreck, “that’s why you should try to experience it”.Related TopicsEclipsesTop StoriesPrincess of Wales: I am having cancer treatmentPublished1 hour agoLive. At least 40 dead in Moscow concert hall attack, Russian intelligence service saysPeople take cover as gunmen enter Moscow concert hall. VideoPeople take cover as gunmen enter Moscow concert hallPublished3 hours agoFeaturesGrumpy gran aged 75 is global Fortnite sensationTrump poised for billions as stock market deal passesInside the ice cream van feeding familiesFleeing Ukraine’s embattled border villagesSolar eclipse spectacle set to grip North America againUFC star squares his Muslim faith with a career in the octagonWeekly quiz: How long did this woman take to climb nearly 300 mountains?The Princess of Wales Reveals Cancer Diagnosis. AudioThe Princess of Wales Reveals Cancer DiagnosisAttributionSoundsApple becomes the latest tech giant under siegeElsewhere on the BBCThe ultimate bromanceWatch the masters of satire Peter Cook and Dudley Moore with a look back through the archivesAttributioniPlayerHow did Emma of Normandy shape early medieval England?Greg Jenner and his guests step back in time to find out…AttributionSoundsAmbition, money and deceptionThe scandalous true story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos, starring Amanda SeyfriedAttributioniPlayerThe last eruptionMount Vesuvius is famous for destroying Pompeii in 79AD but it last erupted in 1944AttributionSoundsMost Read1Princess of Wales undergoing cancer treatment2Harry and Meghan wish ‘health and healing’ for Kate3What we know about Kate’s cancer diagnosis4Chancellor says £100,000 not a huge salary in Surrey5Mordaunt rubbishes talk of challenging Sunak6Trump poised for billions as stock market deal passes7Lost elderly couple drive around city for 10 hours8Stranger Things actor to officiate co-star’s wedding9Gunmen open fire at Moscow concert hall killing dozens10Three Lions most important on England shirt – SouthgateAttributionSport

[ad_1] As many as 200,000 people are expected to flood prime viewing locations in southern Illinois for The Great American Eclipse, Part II. But this will be true, also, all…

newsinsightplus.com
1500km
abusive
March 11, 2024
0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityScience & EnvironmentSouth Georgia: Bird flu infects penguins at famous wildlife havenPublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Penguins gather on South Georgia in prodigious numbersBy Jonathan AmosScience correspondent@BBCAmosBird flu has been confirmed in 10 penguins on South Georgia, one of the world’s great wildlife havens.Avian influenza had already infected other seabirds and mammals on the British Overseas Territory, but scientists report gentoo and king penguins have now fallen victim, too.The breeding season is closing on the sub-Antarctic island so the immediate impacts are likely to be limited.But there’ll be concern for next season when wildlife gathers again en masse.The beaches on South Georgia are famous for their spectacular aggregations – a million-plus individuals all jostling together to court, mate and bring up their young.”I liken South Georgia to the Alps with Serengeti-style wildlife around it. The wildlife concentrations around the coast are just phenomenal – multiple species of penguins, albatrosses, and seals,” explained Dr Norman Ratcliffe, a bird ecologist from the British Antarctic Survey. “If bird flu were to take a hold and cause very high mortality across the island, it would be of conservation concern globally. But at the moment, it does seem to be somewhat limited in the way it’s spreading,” he told BBC News.Four new emperor penguin groups found by satelliteWhat is avian influenza and how is it spread?Image caption, Scientists are on alert for signs of bird flu on islands around the Scotia SeaHigh Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been in existence for decades but the world is currently in the grip of a major flare up, with the H5N1 strain of the virus causing the deaths of countless wild and domesticated birds.Antarctica and its outlying islands have escaped the worst due to their remoteness. But this situation is on the turn. Bird flu was first identified on South Georgia in October 2023, in the large scavenging seabird known as the brown skua, with detections in kelp gulls shortly after.Then, in January this year, cases were confirmed in elephant and fur seals. It’s also spread to Antarctic terns and wandering albatrosses.Penguins are the latest animal group to be infected, with five gentoos and five kings testing positive.The cases were confirmed in samples sent back to the UK to the International Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza at the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) laboratories in Weybridge.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Other animal groups, such as the wandering albatross, have had confirmed cases on South GeorgiaIt’s not a great surprise. The virus has already got to gentoos on the Falklands some 1,500km to the west, so it was probably only a matter of time before South Georgia’s also became infected.”Skuas winter around South America as do giant petrels and we think these birds are the vector that bought the disease into South Georgia,” said Dr Ratcliffe.”Skuas are constantly in amongst the penguin colonies scavenging and preying on eggs and chicks. If there’s a surprise, it’s that it’s taken this long for the virus to be manifested in the penguins.”Scientists are watching closely now to see how bird flu interacts with the different penguin species, which on South Georgia include kings, gentoos, macaronis and chinstraps. Macaronis, for example, will spend much of the coming southern winter at sea, which will help them avoid infection. Kings and gentoos, however, will continue to roost on shore, leaving them open to further exposure.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Gentoo penguins have already been affected in the FalklandsAs for the Antarctic proper, two dead skuas infected with HPAI were recently picked up by Argentine scientists near their Primavera base on the continent’s peninsula, so the virus is unquestionably moving south.But how far it would progress and what its impacts might be was highly uncertain, said Dr Ashley Banyard, who leads the avian virology workgroup at the APHA.”Penguins live in very close proximity to each other, so that lends itself to the idea that they might spread the virus rapidly between each other. But we don’t know how easily the virus can get into different penguin species, what sort of clinical disease it might cause and how rapidly it might spread between birds themselves,” he told BBC News.Surveillance is key, and this is being assisted by the many cruise ships that now sail in Antarctic waters. Members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) have long had protocols to prevent the accidental spread of disease by tourists in pristine environments, but these have now been stepped up because of bird flu.”Nobody lands on a beach until there’s been an assessment done to show if there’s any strange behaviour or high mortality,” said Amanda Lynnes, the director of environment and science coordination at IAATO.”Antarctica is a huge continent but we’re actually quite a small community in a way, so the information flow goes rapidly to all stakeholders who need to know and can advise.”Related TopicsAntarcticPenguinsBritish Antarctic SurveyTop StoriesKate seen after saying she edited Mother’s Day photoPublished54 minutes agoWhat alterations might have been made to Kate’s photo?Published3 hours agoEx-Tory MP Lee Anderson defects to Reform UKPublished5 hours agoFeaturesOn Russia’s Arctic border, Nato’s new members prep for warIs pressure on Kate after photo chaos unfair?Seven of the best moments from the OscarsBarbie, Oppenheimer & a wardrobe mishap? The Oscars in 60 seconds. VideoBarbie, Oppenheimer & a wardrobe mishap? The Oscars in 60 secondsOscars parties: The best shots of the celebrations’I was tricked into buying a holiday caravan as a full time home’What is Ramadan, how long does it last and why do Muslims fast?Is Europe doing enough to help Ukraine?My abusive ex-boyfriend was given a verbal warningElsewhere on the BBC’A few people laughed, a few cried, most were silent’The extraordinary story of the rise and fall of the inventor of the atomic bomb, J Robert OppenheimerAttributioniPlayerA satirical look at the scheming world of PRCharles Prentiss and Martin McCabe embark on a new career as spin doctorsAttributionSoundsThe ultimate bromanceWatch the masters of satire Peter Cook and Dudley Moore with a look back through the archivesAttributioniPlayerCaffeine: Dangers and benefitsFind out what effects this drug can have on dementia and cardiovascular diseaseAttributionSoundsMost Read1Kate seen after saying she edited Mother’s Day photo2What alterations might have been made to Kate’s photo?3Man took teen out to sea to rape her, court hears4Trump will not fund Ukraine, says Hungary PM5Haiti spirals to collapse as gangs tighten grip6India to enforce migrant law that excludes Muslims7Seven of the best moments from the Oscars8Is pressure on Kate after photo chaos unfair?9Murphy wins best actor as Oppenheimer sweeps Oscars10King misses Commonwealth Day service but calls for unity

[ad_1] The first avian influenza cases in the penguins of South Georgia are reported by scientists.

newsinsightplus.com
11s
accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore
February 28, 2024
0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityScience & EnvironmentIntuitive Machines: Moon lander pictured on its side with snapped legPublished12 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Intuitive MachinesImage caption, Odysseus at the moment of touchdown. A stantion to one leg at left is brokenBy Jonathan AmosScience correspondent@BBCAmosThe first clear images of the Odysseus robot on the surface of the Moon have just been released.They show the American mission lying to one side, having broken a leg on touchdown.The spacecraft continued to work afterwards, however, sending back data about the lunar environment. Odysseus made history last Thursday by becoming the first ever privately built vehicle to complete a soft landing on the Moon.And despite the awkward orientation it eventually adopted, the robot should be celebrated, said US space agency administrator Bill Nelson.Japan Moon lander survives lunar nightPrivate Moon mission is new era for space travelWhy so many nations are aiming for lunar landingsImage source, Intuitive MachinesImage caption, The robot is lying at an angle of about 30 degrees to the surfaceNasa had contracted the operating company, Houston-based Intuitive Machines, to carry six scientific instruments on board the lander. “Odysseus is a success,” the agency chief told reporters. “We are in the sixth day of what was planned as an eight-day mission, and we’re still receiving data from those instruments.”The Intuitive Machines mission is part of Nasa’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) programme, in which the agency is paying various private American companies for cargo services to the Moon.Nasa regards the CLPS approach as a more economical way of getting its science done, while at the same time seeding what it hopes will become a thriving lunar economy.Intuitive Machines has two further missions in prospect for 2024. The next will see a robot drill into the surface. “We’ve kicked open the door for a robust thriving cislunar economy in the future. That’s compelling,” said Steve Altemus, chief executive officer and co-founder of Intuitive Machines”I think this CLPS experiment, this first landing, the success on the Moon for first time (by the US) in 52 years, is really a point in history that we should celebrate.” Image source, Intuitive MachinesImage caption, A view of the landing using the fish-eye cameraImage source, Intuitive MachinesImage caption, Artwork: How Odysseus was imagined to look on the Moon before launchRelated TopicsNasaRoboticsExploration of the MoonThe MoonSpace explorationHoustonTop StoriesFamily’s anger at police failures as Emma Caldwell’s killer is jailedPublished37 minutes agoWatch: How I confronted Emma Caldwell’s killer. VideoWatch: How I confronted Emma Caldwell’s killerPublished3 hours agoRed Bull F1 boss Horner cleared of inappropriate behaviourAttributionSportPublished3 hours agoFeaturesHow police missed the chance to catch Emma’s killerWhy South Korean women aren’t having babiesWhy Google’s ‘woke’ AI problem won’t be an easy fix’I was inundated with incel messages within an hour’Gazans in survival mode with cold nights and food rations’My mother’s body was left by smugglers in the desert’Watch: Inside the famous Sistine Chapel after crowds leave. VideoWatch: Inside the famous Sistine Chapel after crowds leaveStormzy book prize winner on ‘writing for lads like me’Kate Bush to become Record Store Day ambassadorElsewhere on the BBCThe powerful emotional impact of Pink Floyd’s musicShine On You Crazy Diamond has helped people through their hardest timesAttributionSoundsExperience Apollo 11’s adventure first-hand!Discover the awe-inspiring journey of Apollo 11 and its crew with newly released cockpit audioAttributioniPlayerWhat holds us back from exercising as we age?James Gallagher explores the mental and physical barriers that may stop usAttributionSoundsHow close are we to nuclear Armageddon?The Doomsday Clock is the closest it’s ever been to midnight – Jane Corbin investigatesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1’Angry families turned up to find me dressed as Willy Wonka’2Family’s anger at police as Emma’s killer jailed3One dead and two missing after Channel rescue4Rapper Ja Rule denied UK entry ahead of tour5’I was inundated with incel messages within an hour’6Post Office sought double pay for chief executive7Harry loses court challenge over UK security8Red Bull’s Horner cleared of inappropriate behaviourAttributionSport9Explosion at house leaves woman seriously injured10How police missed the chance to catch Emma’s killer

[ad_1] The Odysseus robot broke a leg on touchdown but continues to stream data back to Earth

newsinsightplus.com
10km
118M
February 24, 2024
0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityScience & EnvironmentIntuitive Machines: Odysseus Moon lander ‘tipped over on touchdown’Published5 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, NASAImage caption, Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines, describes what he thinks happened during landingBy Jonathan AmosScience correspondent@BBCAmosThe Odysseus Moon lander is likely lying on its side with its head resting against a rock.The US spacecraft, which made history on Thursday by becoming the first ever privately built and operated robot to complete a soft lunar touchdown, is otherwise in good condition.Its owner, Texan firm Intuitive Machines, says Odysseus has plenty of power and is communicating with Earth.Controllers are trying to retrieve pictures from the robot.Steve Altemus, the CEO and co-founder of IM, said it wasn’t totally clear what had happened but the data suggested the robot caught a foot on the surface and then fell because it still had some lateral motion at the moment of landing. Another possibility is that Odysseus broke a leg as it came down. Certainly, inertial measurement sensors indicate the body of the vehicle to be in a horizontal pose.American company makes historic Moon landingFirst private Moon mission marks new era for space travelWhatever the reason for the unexpected landed configuration, radio antennas are still pointing at Earth and solar cells continue to collect energy to charge the battery system. Fortuitously, all the scientific instruments that planned to take observations on the Moon are on the side of Odysseus facing up, which should allow them to do some work. The only payload on the “wrong side” of the lander, pointing down at the lunar surface, is a static art project.”We’re hopeful to get pictures and really do an assessment of the structure and assessment of all the external equipment,” Mr Altemus told reporters.”So far, we have quite a bit of operational capability even though we’re tipped over. And so that’s really exciting for us, and we are continuing the surface operations mission as a result of it.”Image caption, Odysseus took this photo on approach some 10km above the surfaceThe robot had been directed to a cratered terrain near the Moon’s south pole, and the IM team believes it got very close to the targeted site, perhaps within 2km or 3km.A US space agency satellite called the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will search for Odysseus this weekend to confirm its whereabouts.The IM mission is part of Nasa’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) programme, in which the agency is paying various private American companies for cargo services to the Moon – in the case of Odysseus with a fee of $118M (£93m).All the companies are responsible for the financing, build, launch and operation of their spacecraft – and for finding commercial payloads to supplement Nasa’s.Six CLPS missions were planned for this year. The first, by Pittsburgh-based firm Astrobotic, ended in failure. Its Peregrine lander developed technical problems en route to the Moon and gave up the opportunity of a touchdown. The robot was brought back to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.Why so many nations are aiming for lunar landingsThe mission to prevent ‘spaceship sandblasting’Image source, Intuitive MachinesImage caption, Artwork: How Odysseus should look on the Moon – except it’s likely on its sideIntuitive Machines has two further missions in prospect for 2024. The next will see a robot drill into the surface. Another Texan company, Firefly Aerospace, should also shoot for the Moon at some point in the coming months. Nasa regards the CLPS approach as a more economical way of getting its science done, while at the same time seeding what it hopes will become a thriving lunar economy. Joel Kearns, from the agency’s science mission directorate, described the Odysseus landing as a “gigantic accomplishment”, and an affirmation of the CLPS policy. Irrespective of its current functionality, Odysseus is unlikely to work much beyond the beginning of March when darkness will fall on the landing site. “Once the Sun sets on ‘Oddie’, the batteries will attempt to keep the vehicle warm and alive but eventually it’ll fall into a deep cold and then the electronics that we produce just won’t survive the deep cold of lunar night. And so, best case scenario, we’re looking at another nine to 10 days (of operations),” said Tim Crain, IM’s CTO and co-founder.Image source, Intuitive MachinesImage caption, Odysseus arrived in lunar orbit on Wednesday to prepare for the landingRelated TopicsNasaRoboticsExploration of the MoonThe MoonSpace explorationHoustonTop StoriesWW2 bomb detonated at sea after removal through cityPublished5 hours agoUK reaffirms Ukraine support on war anniversaryPublished2 hours agoTrump calls on Alabama to protect IVF treatmentPublished5 hours agoFeatures’King and tonic’ and potential abortion rule changeThe Creator’s Gareth Edwards on shaking up HollywoodIs this the most chaotic by-election ever? On the campaign trail in RochdaleFashion, fire and water: Photos of the weekWhat are the sanctions on Russia and are they working?Listen: No Return for Shamima Begum. AudioListen: No Return for Shamima BegumAttributionSoundsTurning regret into action after friends’ deathsFive things we learned from Married to The GameAttributionSportWhy jet streams mean ‘piggy-backing’ planes can fly across the Atlantic faster. VideoWhy jet streams mean ‘piggy-backing’ planes can fly across the Atlantic fasterAttributionWeatherElsewhere on the BBCExperience Apollo 11’s adventure first-hand!Discover the awe-inspiring journey of Apollo 11 and its crew with newly released cockpit audioAttributioniPlayerWhat is it really like to be a monk?’To be a monk is something very vast, very high and very beautiful’AttributioniPlayer’I smashed all my trophies’Bradley Wiggins opens up about his mental health and imposter syndromeAttributioniPlayerThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerMost Read1WW2 bomb detonated at sea after removal through city2’King and tonic’ and potential abortion rule change3Dowden’s cancer check finds no evidence of disease4Trump calls on Alabama to protect IVF treatment5King Charles enjoys jokes in cards of support6Oprah and Nigella deepfaked in influencer ‘manifestation’ ads7Ukraine says it downs second A-50 Russian spy plane8Is this the most chaotic by-election ever? On the campaign trail in Rochdale9Odysseus Moon lander ‘tipped over on touchdown’10UK reaffirms Ukraine support on war anniversary

[ad_1] The history-making robot likely caught its foot on contact with the lunar surface and fell sideways.

newsinsightplus.com
30m
3are
February 23, 2024
0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityScience & EnvironmentIntuitive Machines: US company makes historic Moon landingPublished5 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Intuitive MachinesImage caption, Artwork: It took a few minutes to establish communications with the landerBy Jonathan AmosScience correspondent@BBCAmosAn American company has made history by becoming the first commercial outfit to put a spacecraft on the Moon.Houston-based Intuitive Machines landed its Odysseus robot near the lunar south pole.It took some minutes for controllers to establish that the craft was down, but eventually a signal was received.”What we can confirm, without a doubt, is our equipment is on the surface of the Moon and we are transmitting,” flight director Tim Crain announced.Staff at the company cheered and clapped at the news.It was an important moment, not just for the commercial exploitation of space but for the US space programme in general. Intuitive Machines has broken the United States’ half-century absence from the Moon’s surface. You have to go back to the last Apollo mission in 1972 for an occasion when American hardware nestled down gently in the lunar soil.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, It was a nervous wait for company staff as the spacecraft heading down to the MoonThe US space agency Nasa had purchased room on Odysseus for six scientific instruments, and its administrator Bill Nelson was quick to add his congratulations to Intuitive Machines for a mission he described as a “triumph”. “The US has returned to the Moon,” he said. “Today, for the first time in the history of humanity, a commercial company – an American company – launched and led the voyage up there. And today is the day that shows the power and promise of Nasa’s commercial partnerships.”‘Toy poodles’ on the Moon: Japan lander gets to workApollo astronauts: The last of the Moon menOdysseus: The mission to prevent ‘spaceship sandblasting’Controllers had to deal with an almost mission-stopping technical problem even before the descent began.Odysseus’ ranging lasers, which were supposed to calculate the craft’s altitude and velocity, weren’t working properly.Fortunately, there were some experimental lasers from Nasa on board, and engineers were able to patch these across to the navigation computers.Odysseus touched down at 23:23 GMT. At first there was no confirmation signal from the robot, and controllers had to wait several minutes before picking one up – and it was faint.This will lead to some concerns about the status of the lander. But within a couple of hours, Odysseus was confirmed to be standing upright and sending back data, including pictures. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Company employees erupted with joy when the confirmation signal came throughThe landing site is a cratered terrain next to a 5km-high mountain complex known as Malapert. It’s the southernmost point on the Moon ever visited by a spacecraft, at 80 degrees South.It’s on the shortlist of locations where Nasa is considering sending astronauts later this decade as part of its Artemis programme.There are some deep craters in this region that never see any sunlight – they’re permanently in shadow – and scientists think frozen water could be inside them.”The ice is really important because if we can actually take advantage of that ice on the surface of the Moon, that’s less materials we have to bring with us,” explained Lori Glaze, Nasa’s director of planetary science.”We could use that ice to convert it to water – drinkable drinking water – and we can extract oxygen and hydrogen for fuel and for breathing for the astronauts. So it really helps us in human exploration.”Nasa’s six payloads on board Odysseus 3are a mix of technology demonstration and science. A key investigation will be one looking at the behaviour of lunar dust, which the Apollo astronauts found to be a serious nuisance, scratching and clogging their equipment. The agency’s scientists want to understand better how the dust is kicked up by landing craft to hang just above the surface before then settling back down. The six commercial payloads on board include a student camera system from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which should have been deployed from Odysseus when it was still 30m above the lunar surface.The system was designed to take selfie images as the robot set itself down.The American artist Jeff Koons has also attached a box to the side of the lander that contains 125 small stainless steel balls to represent the Moon’s different phases through a month. Related TopicsSpaceXNasaThe MoonSpace explorationUnited StatesMore on this storyUS spacecraft blasts off towards Moon’s south polePublished15 FebruaryTop StoriesAmerican company makes historic Moon landingPublished5 minutes agoSpeaker’s decision on Gaza vote concerning – PMPublished5 hours agoAt least four killed in Spain high-rise firePublished2 hours agoFeaturesThe ‘mind-bending’ bionic arm powered by AIWeekly quiz: What word did Emma Stone have trouble saying?Rosenberg: How two years of war have changed Russia‘I miss you’: Ukraine’s children orphaned by Russian missileSpeaker Hoyle on the Brink + Shapps on Ukraine. AudioSpeaker Hoyle on the Brink + Shapps on UkraineAttributionSoundsHow the row over Commons Speaker unfoldedSahil Omar: The real story behind a fake criminalWhat does Alabama ruling mean for fertility patients?Postcode check: How’s the NHS coping in your area?Elsewhere on the BBCThe screening dilemma…Could good intentions to detect illnesses early actually be causing more harm?AttributionSoundsHair-pulling, wrestling and kicking!Watch the moment a violent brawl unfolded in the Maldives ParliamentAttributioniPlayerFrom musical pressure to creative differences…Music critic Pete Paphides tells the story behind Fleetwood Mac’s TuskAttributionSoundsOne of the world’s biggest scientific projects…Pallab Ghosh goes inside the largest particle accelerator in the worldAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Right-wingers need a bigger bazooka, Truss tells US2Concern over missing Sydney TV presenter and partner3Wendy Williams diagnosed with aphasia and dementia4At least four killed in Spain high-rise fire5Scouts referred to police after teen killed on hike6Mortgage lenders rapidly changing interest rates7Constance Marten had £48k paid into her account8Speaker’s decision on Gaza vote concerning – PM9American company makes historic Moon landing10Navalny’s mother says she has been shown his body

[ad_1] “The US has returned to the Moon,” he said. “Today, for the first time in the history of humanity, a commercial company – an American company – launched and…