Science

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) revealed intentions to conduct an ambitious expedition to an asteroid belt by 2028 today (Oct. 5). It will be the UAE’s second interplanetary mission; the first, the Emirates Mars Mission, sent an orbiter named “Hope” to Mars in July 2020. Hope is still actively functional, and the upcoming asteroid expedition will build on its accomplishments, according to UAE authorities.

“Our aim is clear: to stimulate the growth of creativity and knowledge-based companies in the Emirates,” said the chair of the UAE Space Agency, Sarah Al Amiri, in an email today. “This cannot be accomplished by remaining stagnant; it takes leaps in vision, belief, and the pursuing of missions,” Al Amiri stated. “We began on the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM), a 6-year endeavor that was 5 times more sophisticated and difficult than the Earth-observation satellites we were constructing.”

If all goes as planned, the asteroid expedition, the name of which has yet to be disclosed, would launch at a later date. It will travel past Earth and Venus in 2029 and 2028, respectively, before reaching the asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars in 2030. Throughout the course of its journey, the probe will investigate seven distinct asteroids up close, culminating in a landing on an asteroid in 2033. The UAE will collaborate on the asteroid expedition with Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, which is also a major collaborator on the Hope Mars mission. According to UAE authorities, the research aims of the asteroid expedition, as well as the equipment it will carry, will be disclosed in mid-2022.

The asteroid mission is a component of the UAE’s deliberate venture into space, which includes the anticipated delivery of the Rashid moon rover to the surface of the moon in 2022. The country believes that such initiatives would assist to develop a technological interest among its citizens as well as improve and diversify its economy, which has traditionally been largely reliant on oil exports. “Today, we are engaged in future generations,” stated Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president & prime minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, one of the nation’s 7 emirates, in the same announcement. “With each new step forward in space, we generate chances for young individuals on Earth.”

Boeing Starliner will not lift off from the ground in 2021. NASA has announced to postpone the launch of the astronaut taxi. It said that the Orbital Flight-Test 2 will be launched next year. The reason behind the delay is an unresolved issue. The spacecraft has some issues in its valve that are yet to be fixed. The agency said that the team behind Orbital Flight-Test 2 is working to fix the issue and prepare for the launch. The team is looking for launch opportunities. The spacecraft will probably be launched in the first half of the next year. The spacecraft was originally slated for a launch in August this year. But the issue in its valve delayed the launch.

Starliner program executive John Vollmer said that the safety of the spacecraft, crew, and employees is paramount for the team working to resolve the issue. John said that the team is taking appropriate time and following the procedure to resolve the issue in the system. The uncrewed test flight was touted to be a crucial mission by NASA and Boeing to the International Space Station. Engineers during preflight checks spotted 13 stuck valves in the service module of the spacecraft. This forced to nix the liftoff plan. The test flight is a part of Boeing’s contract with the space agency’s Commercial Crew Program. The aerospace company will fly operational missions for NASA to and from the ISS.

The contract has suffered a series of setbacks since the signing of the contract in 2014. This prevented Starliner’s test flight to ISS. A test flight is necessary before putting astronauts on board. The test flights allow engineers to iron out possible difficulties astronauts may face. Boeing’s first orbital flight was launched in 2019. It was an uncrewed flight. The mission did not go as planned. Boeing was then required to make a fresh attempt. However, the second test flight has could not be launched because of software checks and other issues.

Volcanoes were common on Moon. Much of its history saw volcanically active. It is believed that the first such activity occurred more than 4 billion years ago. Scientists are of the view that magma still is available under its surface. However, Moon has today no active volcanoes. According to the sample brought back by Chang’e-5, scientists have managed to get an insight into such eruptions on the Earth’s lone natural satellite. The Chang’e-5 probe brought back the first sample in more than 40 years. It was the fifth mission by China under its Lunar Exploration Program. It was China’s first mission to return a sample from Moon. The spacecraft brought samples back in December last year. The samples weighed 1,731 grams.

The samples included lava that was emitted during volcanic activity on Moon. The lava is said to be around two billion years old. A study conducted by scientists revealed that volcanism is younger than what NASA or the Soviet Union found in the 1960s and 70s. NASA and the Soviet Union (now dissolved) in the past launched several missions to Moon. The mission brought back lunar samples. The Apollo program by NASA saw the first manned lunar mission in the late 1960s. Scientists now said that the samples brought back by the Chang’e-5 probe are from the youngest lava from the Moon. They are hopeful that a detailed study of the samples will fill a gap in the Moon’s geology. Also, it will help in understanding the history and evolution of other bodies in the solar system.

The success of Chang’e-5 probe helped China to become the third country in the world to return samples from Moon. Before this, the United States and the Soviet Union held this record. Chang’e-5 was also the first sample-return mission since 1976. The Luna mission by the Soviet Union had last brought lunar samples back to Earth. Chang’e-5 landed on the Moon at the Oceanus Procellarum region on December 1. It examined its surroundings for two days and gathered samples with the help of instruments like spectrometer, scoop, drill, and more. It survived extreme temperatures of over 100 degrees Celsius. This was the first mission to land at Oceanus Procellarum.

A new study has said that massive floods on Mars played a crucial role in shaping the landscape. Past studies have said that water was in the liquid state on Mars before the planet dried up. The planet hosted lakes similar to Earth’s. The University of Texas researchers said that water overflowed crater lakes on Mars. This overflowing of water designed the landscape the way it appears today. Water carved deep chasms on the surface. This landscape-changing activity happened persistently on the Red Planet for a long time. Overflowing of water even eroded sediment in Lake Superior and Lake Ontario.

Researchers said that such flooding was more common on Red Planet than previously assumed. It has even more craters than Earth. It means that the Red Planet was very wet and crater lakes were very common. Researchers said that the Martian lakes breached the crater walls due to the overflowing of water. This caused floods on the surface. The surrounding landscapes were flooded. The study included more than 260 craters lakes that breached their wall. Researchers then linked the data of valleys connected to a crater breach. They found that valleys were formed away from craters while craters took shape when lakes were flooded. Researchers said that the findings give hope to human efforts to find a source of water on Mars.

Water is an essential element for life to habitat. The findings are also an indication that the Red Planet hosted life. Scientists are already searching for possible signs of microbial life on the planet. Mars today has no water in the liquid form on its surface. Studies of Martian meteorites almost four decades ago established that Earth’s neighbor was once water-rich. But the planet was dried up due to continuous climate change. The Martian atmosphere is very thin today and most composed of CO2. NASA’s missions have sent several photos of Martian landscapes. These images have been marked by river valleys and flood channels.

NASA has achieved a major milestone in its journey towards launching a lunar mission. The agency has completed the rocket engine test series. It said that the rocket engine test series was successful. NASA will be launching a crewed mission to the Moon and then to Mars. According to a statement by the US space agency, the RS-25 single-engine Retrofit-2 test series was conducted on September 30. This takes the agency one ahead to develop engines for the Artemis program. NASA expects that the testing of engine parts is crucial in meeting the accuracy. It will help in advancing manufacturing techniques. This will lead to a reduction in the cost of the engine by around 30 percent. Besides, this will provide greater reliability and enhance the overall performance.

NASA said that operators fired the engine during the test for more than eight minutes. This is the same time that is required during the launch. It said that the test series provides valuable data related to the rocket. The information is used to make changes in engines needed for attaining greater results. The agency said that operators collected hot fire data and verified the capabilities of the engine. They also evaluated components to gauge the operational risk. The rocket engine test series was delayed by the agency due to Hurricane Ida in the last week of August.

The US space agency is planning to return humans to the Moon after five decades. It is building SLS which is touted to be the most powerful rocket in the world. It has four RS-25 engines. Besides, it carries boosters. The boosters provide thrust to the SLS at launch. When the four engines are fired together, they generate 1.6 million pounds of thrust at the launch. The agency wants to land the first woman and the next man on Moon by 2024. They will spend around 7 seven days on Moon, performing scientific experiments to prepare for future human missions to Mars.

The European Space Agency has announced that its spacecraft has made a flyby of Mercury. Mercury is the first planet from Sun in the ascending order. It is also the smallest one in the entire solar system. The ESA said that BepiColombo’s flyby was successful. BepiColombo is slated to have six encounters with the planet. This was the first flyby. BepiColombo is a joint mission by the ESA and Japan. It is designed to study Mercury’s magnetosphere, magnetic field, and surface structure. The mission was launched in 2018. BepiColombo performed the flyby from an altitude of 200 km above the planet’s surface. It will enter into Mercury’s orbit and start circling the planet in December 2025.

BepiColombo captured images and science data of Mercury during the flyby. Although it is difficult to click high-resolution pictures during flybys, scientists expect that it will give the first taste of the main mission. The ESA said that BepiColombo sent an image that shows the planet’s northern hemisphere. The region is flooded by lavas. It said that the Lermontov crater could also be seen in the picture. It appears bright. The crater contains volatile elements that are escaping to outer space. Scientists have also spotted a vent. They said that volcanic explosions occurred at the vent. The agency said that BepiColombo will begin a science mission and study the planet’s features after it enters orbit.

Many of the images sent by BepiColombo are overexposed. It is believed that Mercury’s surface is heavily cratered. The surface appears quite similar to the Moon of Earth. Scientists believe that mapping Mercury’s surface and studying its composition allows them to decode the planet’s formation and understand its evolution. BepiColombo has two orbiters. The first one is Mercury Planetary Orbiter and the second is Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter. The spacecraft in total will make nine planetary flybys including the six of Venus before orbital insertion. It will make one flyby of Earth and two of Venus. This will help the spacecraft to steer into the orbit of Mercury.

Space agencies are planning to send a crewed mission to Mars. The objective is to set up a permanent base on the Red Planet. However, a breakthrough is still awaited. According to NASA, it has plans to send humans to Mars by 2030 for exploration. This mission will advance its plans to build a house. However, building a concrete base is not an easy task. Scientists at the University of Manchester have now claimed to create a concrete-like material that could be helpful in building a house on Mars. The material is made of extraterrestrial dust. Notably, transporting bricks to Mars could be very expensive. According to an estimate, even transporting a brick can cost USD 2 million.

Scientists have demonstrated that human serum albumin can act as a binder for Mars or Moondust. This could produce material like concrete. Human serum albumin is a common protein from human blood. They have named the material as AstroCrete. Scientists said that they found incorporating urea can bolster the strength by more than 300 percent. This will result in stronger than ordinary concrete. The new discovery is seen as an advantage over other construction techniques that have been proposed for setting up a permanent base on Mars and Moon. Notably, scientists have been developing technologies that can produce concrete-like materials on Mars for building a house.

Scientists said that six astronauts can produce 500 kg of high-strength AstroCrete on Mars surface during a two-year mission. This would be crucial in building a house on the Red Planet. They said that each astronaut can produce enough AstroCrete if they use a mortar for sandbags. Notably, animal blood was used in past as a binder for mortar. Scientists said that the discovery is exciting and could address the challenges humans face in developing a permanent base on Earth’s neighbor. This could be a potential solution to form an extended structure. Mars has been the favorite destination for scientists to look for signs of life. NASA has launched several robotic missions. But no agency has managed to land humans on the planet so far.

The atmosphere at Jupiter is mostly made up of hydrogen and helium. This makes that gas giant like the Sun. The planet is as exotic as the Sun’s surface. It is covered in dense red, yellow, white, and brown clouds. This gives an illusion that Jupiter has stripes. In total, nine spacecraft have visited the planet. No mission has so far passed through the planet. According to NASA, it has plunged three spacecraft into gas planets. Two of them are Galileo and Cassini. Their plunge marked the end of their respective missions. Galileo’s mission ended in September 2003. The mission ended as the spacecraft plummeted into the gas giant’s atmosphere. The mission was launched in 1989. The mission studied Jupiter and its moons.

The Cassini spacecraft plunged into Saturn in 2017. Saturn is another gas giant and lies next to Jupiter. Galileo’s mission was, however, different. It arrived at Jupiter with a special passenger. The spacecraft carried a probe. The probe was designed to drop into Jupiter’s atmosphere. Notably, NASA’s contact with Galileo was lost just an hour after it reached around 93 miles into the atmosphere. The agency is not sure how deep the probe was able to travel before Jupiter’s high temperatures and pressures destroyed it. Scientists are also unaware of a spacecraft can survive through the atmosphere of Jupiter and Saturn to land or crash on a solid surface which the two gas giants may not have.

It is highly unlikely that a spacecraft remain intact during its passage through a Jupiter-like planet. The problem is that such a planet’s density, pressure, and temperature are very high and increase at different levels during the plunge. According to scientists, Jupiter’s center is filled with hydrogen which becomes a liquid metal. This makes the planet exotic just like the Sun. The third mission to Jupiter, Juno, is still active. Juno was launched in 2011. It entered the planet’s orbit in 2016. NASA has managed to figure out through Juno that the planet doesn’t have a solid core. Jupiter can be seen from Earth. It is the second brightest planet that s visible from Earth after Venus in the night.

Finding valuable resources beyond Earth is crucial for planning a permanent base for humans. The Moon could be such a possible destination. NASA is preparing to send astronauts to the Moon by 2024. But before that, the agency will send a rover to find water on the lunar surface. The rover will be launched in 2023. Water is among other valuable resources that are required for survival. NASA said that the mission will be very crucial in taking the first step in making its idea of exoplanetary colonization a reality. NASA’s plan is to send a rover to the South Pole. It will search for water. It is a fact that the Moon hosts water in good quantities in the north and south poles. But the problem is that water is not in liquid form.

The US space agency said that the mission’s objective is to find water in different states on the Moon. Besides, it will also look for hydrogen molecules. Scientists want to understand the form of water and its distribution on the surface. They also want to know exactly where to look for water when humans travel to the Moon. It will be a VIPER Mission. It will use NSS technology to look for water molecules. It will conduct searches beneath nearly a meter. It will be NASA’s first autonomous VIPER Mission to the moon. Moon doesn’t have its own atmosphere. Therefore, the weather conditions are extreme on its surface. NASA said that the rover will be designed to survive hot and cold temperatures.

NASA said that VIPER will follow a road map as it will travel on the lunar surface. The agency is working to develop a lunar road map. This will guide the rover to remain on a path and avoid challenges it will face. VIPER will be powered with solar energy. It will carry a rocker-bogie suspension system. The rover will have the capability to move in any direction. Its four wheels can be steered independently. NASA will study the lunar surface to find water and more as it prepares for returning humans to the Moon after five decades. NASA aims to land two astronauts including the first woman Moon under its Artemis program.

A Russian module on the International Space Station has developed cracks. The cracks were reported on Zarya. The cracks are said to be small. But it may widen. Zarya was the first ISS component launched to the space station. It was launched in 1998. The module provided services like electrical power, storage, and more to the rotating laboratory during the early stage of assembly. Interestingly, Zarya is funded by the United States. However, Russia built and launched the module. Russia has confirmed that superficial fissures have been observed in some places on Zarya. It remains unclear if the cracks pose any threat to the ISS.

Russia didn’t confirm if the cracks were causing any air to leak from the ISS. This is not the first time cracks have been developed on the space station. The laboratory had earlier reported similar cracks in 2019. At that time as well cracks were found on a Russian module. The module in the question was Zvezda. Cracks on Zvezda then resulted in a small air leak. The cracks were fixed by cosmonauts in 2020. In March this year, cosmonauts undertook an exercise to fix the cracks as air leaks persisted. The module was launched in 2000. Russia last month again reported a pressure drop in the module.

ISS is used for conducting space research by astronauts. The first component was launched in 1998. It has been hosting astronauts from around the world since 2000 in low Earth orbit. The space station is the largest structure to be ever launched by humans. The ISS is so huge that it can be seen from naked eyes. In July this year, Russia launched its long-delayed Nauka module. But the module’s thrusters unexpectedly fired after docking. This caused the ISS to shift from its track. It was even shoved 45 degrees. It was, however, repositioned to normal. The ISS is a collaborative project of the US, Canada, Russia, Japan, and Europe. Meanwhile, Russia is planning to set up its own space station.

Astronomers and scientists are racing to find signs of life beyond Earth. Although signs have been found that life could exist beyond Earth and even outside the Solar System, the lack of concrete evidence makes the task murkier. Astronomers have claimed to identify a new class of habitable planets outside the Solar System. They said that the discovery will give acceleration to the efforts for finding life beyond the Solar System. The end of the road to this finding could be the identification of biosignatures in the atmospheres of these exoplanets. This is because biosignatures are considered the signs of life on a planet that is habitable just like Earth. In scientific terms, exoplanets are just other planets that orbit other stars outside the Solar System.

Astronomers in past have discovered several exoplanets that are similar to Earth in size. These planets are the primary target for astronomers looking for signs of life. The just identified exoplanets have been dubbed as Hycean. This opens a new avenue in the search for life. Astronomers from the University of Cambridge said that these exoplanets could be habitable. They said that atmospheres at these exoplanets are likely to be hydrogen-rich. These exoplanets are more numerous. Besides, they are observable than planets that are similar to Earth. They added that these exoplanets can support life. Astronomers said that the probability of finding biosignatures on the new class of exoplanets is high and can be accomplished in two to three years.

Astronomers said that Hycean planets are likely 2.6 times larger than the size of Earth. Their atmospheric temperature is nearly 200 degrees Celsius. However, the conditions of oceans might be favorable for microbial life. This is because the tidally might be on the sides having permanent night. The chances of receiving radiation from their stars are also very low. They said that Hycean-like worlds are common. They could be the most promising destinations for searching for signs of life. They added that understanding other factors like temperature, mass, and properties of atmospheres is also important before confirming that they are habitable just like Earth. Astronomers said that they are looking for molecular signatures similar to Earth. They exuded hope that Hycean could offer opportunities of finding several biosignatures.

Greece is experiencing an environmental calamity of historic magnitude, with 586 forest fires raging throughout the nation. This European country is experiencing one of its deadliest heatwaves in several decades, with firemen battling wildfires all over the country. Just in the last several days, there have been 63 coordinated evacuations. Over the last week, the fire has burned hundreds of houses and caused the evacuation of tens of towns. The previous few days were perhaps some of the most challenging for the nation. With high heat as well as months of famine among factors complicating firefighting operations.

Environmental officials have cautioned that the consequences of global warming on the region will be most devastating in southern Europe, where droughts are getting increasingly regular and drastic. On Monday, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a climate report which found that it is unambiguous that human activities are to blame for the climate catastrophe and verified that irreversible widespread rapid alterations had already begun. As per the study, researchers are more convinced than ever before about the links connecting the climate problem and weather events: worldwide, disasters that might have occurred perhaps once every decade or so, are now occurring 70% more frequently. As a result of the devastating droughts, heat waves, and wildfires have lengthened, leading to more catastrophic incidents.

On the 9th of August, firefighters and volunteer groups were using a water hose to contain a smoldering flame to try and suppress the fire in the settlement of Glatsona on Evia island. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greece’s Prime Minister, stated that any shortcomings in Greece’s emergency operation would be recognized, those guilty will be held accountable, and individuals whose property was damaged will be reimbursed. On Tuesday, the prime minister will preside over a cabinet meeting at which concrete steps to minimize the damage caused by the fires will be announced.

With floods and fires, the summertime of 2021 has become one of the most devastating periods throughout the world, indicating that the effects of global warming are already pervasive and intensifying. These disasters, and their link to human-caused global warming, is only one of the major topics discussed in a landmark climate report issued on Monday by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It is a component of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, which was developed by over 230 prominent scientists from across the globe. This is the most important climate study made by the scientific community in decades. According to the report, the following are the major challenges faced by humanity as a result of climate change.

C02 levels

Carbon dioxide emissions in the environment are greater today than they have been in the last 2 million years. Today, the atmosphere contains a minimum of 800,000 years’ worth of methane. Moreover, the rate of greenhouse gas emissions outpaces all climate cycles over the exact same time span.

Rising temperatures

Heat readings have surged quicker in the previous half-century than during any other timeframe in the last 2 millenniums. The mean global surface temperature was 1.1° Celsius warmer in 2011–2020 when compared to that from 1850–1900, with land heating faster than the ocean. This decade is expected to be warmer than any time since the previous interglacial period that occurred 125,000 years ago.

Ice melt

Rising air temperatures are melting icebergs at a previously unrecorded pace for the 21st century. The Arctic sea ice cover has gone lower than it has ever been in the past ten centuries. Glacier retreat has been unparalleled in the previous two millennia, with nearly all the glaciers in the world simultaneously receding since the 50s.

Heatwaves

Heatwaves are the most evident link between rising global temperatures and climate change. According to the research, they have gotten more regular and intense over most geographical regions since the 1950s. The latest anomalies would have been highly unlikely if the global climate had not been influenced by humans. It also mentions that oceanic heatwaves, which are abnormally high temperatures occurring in ocean waters, have roughly quadrupled since the 80s.

Precipitation

As atmospheric temperature increases, the air can store more water, resulting in greater precipitation. As a result, the intensity and frequency of heavy rainfall occurrences have escalated since 1950.

Tropical cyclones

Tropical storms and cyclones patterns are changing as sea temperatures rise and additional atmospheric moisture is present. During the previous 40 years, the global frequency of big storms has increased substantially.

Scientists from Harvard University have conducted a new study that has shown that exposure to increased levels of fine particle pollution that is present in wildfire smoke might be the cause of thousands of more COVID19 infections. The study has noted that wildfire smoke might as well have led to more deaths among people who have tested positive for COVID19. Experts have said that some counties in California and Washington State have been badly hit by wildfire last year. The authors of the study have found that nearly 20 percent of COVID19 cases have been attributed to higher levels of wildfire smoke. They have said that higher levels of wildfire smoke might have triggered an elevated rate of deaths linked to COVID19 in some counties. Dr. Francesca Diminici, who is a professor of biostatistics at Harvard University, has said that the interplay between smoke and COVID19 infection is a deadly combination as the world continues to face these wildfires each year. Dr. Francesca Diminici is also one of the authors of the new study. Dr. Diminici has said that the pandemic has been one of the disasters that people living in Western America have faced last year. In recent history, California has witnessed five of the six massive wildfires last year. Currently burning Dixie fire has secured number two position in the largest fires list. As per the report, smoke from many other fires has covered Western states of the US in 2020. Experts have said that massive plumes have triggered record-breaking smoke storms that have suffocated states such as Oregon and Washington. The findings of the new study have been reported in the journal called Science.

Many past studies have shown that higher levels of air pollution can deteriorate the severity of symptoms of COVID19 and shoot up the spread of the virus as well. Nevertheless, it is unclear how the SARS-CoV-2 virus and pollution particles intermingle in the air. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggested on its website that wildfire smoke can cause irritation in the lungs and can make people more susceptible to lung infections. The CDC has said that wildfire smoke can also make people more vulnerable to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that leads to COVID19 infection. A study that has been released early this year has shown that the rate of COVID19 positivity has shot up majorly in Washoe County during the time of high levels of wildfire smoke. This study has been done by experts from the Desert Research Institute Nevada. The authors of the new study from Harvard University have created statistical models to examine the link between wildfire smoke and SARS-CoV-2 infection. They have looked at the data of 92 counties in Oregon, Washington, and California where wildfires have taken place from March 2020 to December 2020. During this time, nearly more than 73000 people have lost their lives due to COVID19 in these three states. Experts have continued to collect data on COVID19 cases and deaths in those 92 counties. With the help of satellite sensors, they have found exactly when wildfires have been burning in these states. They have used ground-level sensors to monitor the levels of fine particulate matter that is known as PM2.5. Experts have said that PM2.5 is a key pollutant in wildfire smoke. They have waited for a month to determine the health impacts of high levels of wildfire smoke. The authors of the study have seen strong evidence of a link between a higher risk of COVID19 infection and deaths and elevated levels of particulate matter.

Health experts have said that they have found that the percentage of the total number of COVID19 infections and deaths that are attributed to high levels of particulate matter has been extensive in some counties. The findings of the study have shown that the counties of Whitman, Wash, Butte, and Calif have shown some of the massive impacts of high levels of wildfire smoke on the number of COVID19 cases and deaths linked to the virus. The authors of the study have claimed that 18.2 percent of COVID19 incidents in Whitman County last year can be attributed to poor air quality due to wildfire smoke. Around 17.3 percent of cases in Butte County might have taken place due to the high levels of particulate matter in the air, said the experts. As wildfires have smoldered many huge areas of Western America in past years, health experts have witnessed many health issues that are linked to ingesting heavy amounts of smoke. Health officials have warned that smoke can aggravate respiratory issues such as asthma or chronic pulmonary disease. They have said that some mental health issues such as anxiety and depression as well can turn worse under a blanket of smoke. An air quality policy expert from the Washington State Department of Health, Dr. Kaitlyn Kelly has said that breathing in wildfire smoke with COVID19 infection can exacerbate the signs and symptoms of the patients. Scientists who have been studying air quality have claimed that it is possible that smoke particles in the air might contain the SARS-CoV-2 virus as well. Dr. Irva Hertz-Picciotto has said that when there is a high prevalence of particles in the air, these microbes can easily get inside the lungs. Dr. Picciotto is an environmental epidemiologist at the University of California. She has been studying the effects of wildfire smoke on COVID19 infection. She has claimed that massively increased levels of PM2.5 can promote the spread of the virus. She has not been part of the Harvard study. Dr. Picciotto has been monitoring the overall health of people living in California who have been affected by wildfire since 2017 in a long-term study. The authors of the new study have done a study last year that has found that air pollution exposure is linked to a higher rate of COVID19 deaths. The new study has found that nearly 41 percent of COVID19 deaths are linked to high levels of wildfire smoke in Butte County.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has awarded Europa Clipper mission’s a launch service contract to SpaceX. The mission is scheduled to be launched in the year 2024. This would be the first detailed mission to find more about Jupiter’s moon Europa. The spacecraft will be launched onboard the Falcon Heavy rocket of SpaceX. The rocket will blast off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Centre of the US space agency. The total cost of the contract for the launch of the mission is USD 178 million approx. Europa Clipper’s mission will help scientists at the agency to conduct a detailed survey of Jupiter’s icy moon.

Europa is around 90 percent the size of the moon of our Earth. The study will help scientists understand whether the icy moon has conditions favorable for life. This will be done with the help of a sophisticated suite of science instruments to dig the surface of the moon in order to explore more about it. The main objective of the mission is to produce high-resolution images of the surface of the moon. These images will help researchers to understand the moon in a better way. Also, the mission will focus on finding out signs of any recent or ongoing geological activity. Determining the depth of salinity, measuring the thickness of icy shells on the moon, and searching for subsurface lakes are some of the other important tasks of the mission.

The launch of the Europa Clipper will be managed by the Launch Service Program of the US space agency. The development of the Europa Clipper mission is being led by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Meanwhile, the Falcon Heavy rocket of SpaceX was first launched in the year 2018. A year later, it started flying satellites in space. Now Falcon Heavy rocket is all set to lift with NASA’s Europa Clipper mission in the year 2024.

Ingenuity has completed its most challenging flight. Ingenuity is a helicopter designed and developed by NASA to fly on Mars. It arrived at the Red Planet in February along with the Perseverance rover. The helicopter has so far conducted nine flights on the planet. According to NASA, the ninth flight was the most challenging for Ingenuity since its arrival. The helicopter broke several of its records. According to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which oversees the mission, the helicopter flew for 166.4 seconds in the Martian atmosphere. It broke the previous record of 139.9 seconds. The helicopter had achieved this feat during its sixth flight in May.

The helicopter weighs 4 pounds. Its height is 19 inches. It covered a distance of 625 meters during the ninth flight. This is more than twice the previous highest distance the helicopter had covered. Ingenuity’s last highest distance during a flight was 266 meters. It made this record during the fourth flight in April. Besides, the helicopter also hit a speed of 5 meters per second. This is 1 mph faster than the previous record achieved during the sixth flight. Ingenuity is the only object that has flown on any planet outside Earth. NASA becomes the only agency to achieve this feat. A controlled flight in a thin Martian atmosphere is full of challenges. Ingenuity has carbon-fiber blades. These blades are arranged into two rotors. The rotors can complete 2,400 revolutions in a minute.

The helicopter has survived all the challenges on the planet. NASA said that it has surpassed expectations. It is a demonstration of the technology by NASA that can redefine the human approach towards Mars’ exploration. More advanced versions of the helicopter can be developed and sent to the planet to explore the Earth’s neighbor. It can help scientists to find safe routes for rovers so that they can move quickly on the surface. It will help scientists to explore areas that are difficult to reach by a rover. NASA said that more test flights will be conducted to push Ingenuity to its limit. This will help the agency to refine the technology and its design as well.

Scientists have claimed that lakes beneath the south pole of Mars may not be real. Researchers had in 2018 claimed to make a surprising discovery on the Red Planet. They detected signals from a radar instrument to reveal a liquid subsurface lake on the planet’s South Pole. The discovery was made during a detailed analysis of data obtained from the Mars Express orbiter. It is a space exploration mission by the European Space Agency. It was launched in 2003. However, NASA scientists and Arizona State University researchers have now said that subsurface lakes may not really be lakes. They too detected similar radar reflections near the South Pole. They said that many fall in regions that are too cold and make it difficult for water to stay in its original form.

Scientists said that loss of energy is reported in radar waves when they travel through a material. Therefore, the reflections should be less bright when coming from deep than those from a surface. The latest study said that there could be other reasons for bright subsurface reflections. It said that the 2018 studies claimed that a liquid water component resulted in bright reflections. Notably, when water is in its real form, which is liquid, it appears bright to radar. The region where radar detected liquid water is called South Polar Layered Deposits. Scientists said that temperatures in these areas are estimated to be around minus 63 degrees Celsius. They said that water would be frozen at this temperature even if salty minerals are present.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA said that scientists detected signals more widespread than what was reported in the original paper. The study said that these radar reflections could be indicative of something else in the region. Notably, the Mars Express is the second-longest-surviving orbiter. It still provides data related to Mars’ atmosphere, surface, and subsurface. The orbiter uses a radar sounder to study the composition of Mars’ subsurface. NASA’s Mars Odyssey is the longest surviving orbiter. It is still active since its launch in 2001. Several countries have sent orbiter missions to Mars. But the US and China are the only two countries that have landed rovers on the Red Planet. While NASA has sent several robotic missions, China achieved the feat in May 2021.

Virgin Galactic founder and billionaire Richard Branson created history on Sunday by flying to the edge of space aboard the Virgin Galactic spaceplane. This is a big achievement for both Branson as well as Virgin. While this was the British billionaire’s first trip to space, it was also the first time when his company has flown a full crew cabin. The carrier aircraft VMS Eve along with the SpaceShipTwo Unity rocket took off at around 8.40 am. The aircraft was handled by former NASA research pilot Kelly Latimer and former NASA astronaut CJ Sturckow. Branson was joined by three employees of the company – Beth Moses, Colin Bennett, and Sirisha Bandla. The pilots at the control of Unity were Dave Mackay and Michael Masucci.

The Unity rocket reached speeds of Mach 3 within minutes of separating from the aircraft and reached a peak altitude of 86 km. The height reached was enough to see the curvature of the Earth. For those who are unaware, the aircraft has been named VMS Eve after Branson’s mother Eve. His mother died of Covid-19 complications in January this year. Describing it as the ‘experience of a lifetime,’ Branson told journalists that the ‘whole thing was just magical.’ The 70-year-old Virgin Galactic founder said that his mother has been a major source of inspiration behind this journey.

Branson tapped a message using a camera onboard the spaceplane. The message addressed to all the kids said – “I was once a child and had dreams. Now I am an adult in a spaceship. If we can do this, just imagine what all can be done by your generation.” At the height of 50 miles, the vehicle remained weightless for a few minutes. This allowed the passengers to enjoy the views of the space. SpaceShipTwo was then glided back to a runway landing. Branson has now announced that it would offer two seats in the upcoming flight through an Omaze contest. The contest also encourages donations for the nonprofit Space for Humanity.

The Ingenuity helicopter has completed another flight on Mars. This was the eighth flight since its arrival in February. NASA said that the flight was successful. The helicopter flew for 77.4 seconds. It covered a distance of 160 meters to land at a new spot on the Martian surface. The new site is nearly 133 meters from the Perseverance rover. Ingenuity arrived on Mars attached to the belly of Perseverance. The rover landed at the Jezero Crater. NASA’s Ingenuity is the first of its kind instrument to fly on any other planet. NASA is the only space agency to craft powered and controlled flight on another planet. NASA wants to demonstrate the technology through the helicopter as it prepares for a manned mission to the Red Planet. The agency is conducting planned test flights.

Ingenuity was built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It also manages the helicopter’s technology demonstration project. The helicopter had in May developed a navigational glitch. This was the first problem since its arrival. Ingenuity encountered the problem during its sixth flight since April 19. It even went on an excursion of 20 degrees. But it maintained flight and managed to land safely at the designated site. According to NASA, Ingenuity had developed a glitch in the navigation camera. It reported a loss of an image. The issue was reported in all later navigation images. NASA said that Ingenuity’s sensors indicated a spike in power consumption moments before the landing. The helicopter landed safely because of its certain design features.

Ingenuity is designed to fly from one place to another. The helicopter has so far delivered promising results. It could redefine the approach of scientists towards Mars as they plan a crewed mission to explore Earth’s neighbor. The mini helicopter during its fifth flight completed a one-way trip. NASA said that Ingenuity’s flights are a great achievement. It said that Ingenuity brings both strength and skill to create aircraft to fly on another planet in the future. The agency had earlier released a recording of audio and video of Ingenuity. The helicopter weighs 1.8 kg. NASA said that Ingenuity’s controlled flight adds a new chapter to humans’ efforts to search for life beyond Earth.