Monday, August 26, 2024

Cosmic Evolution: Early Galaxies—"Not So Massive After All" | Webb Telescope

Cosmic Evolution: Early Galaxies—'Not So Massive After All' | Webb Telescope

This image shows a small portion of the field observed by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) for the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) survey. It is filled with galaxies. The light from some of them has traveled for over 13 billion years to reach the telescope. Hundreds of small galaxies against the black background of space. Several white spiral galaxies are near image center. Most of the galaxies are various shades of orange and red, and many are too tiny to discern a shape. A handful of foreground stars show Webb's six diffraction spikes.

There were galaxies that appeared to have grown so massive, so quickly, that simulations could not account for them. However, a new study finds that a great percentage of those early galaxies are in fact much less massive than they first appeared. Black holes in those galaxies make them appear much brighter and bigger than they really were.

It was called a crisis in cosmology. However, now astronomers can explain a number of surprising recent discoveries. Not long after the James Webb Space Telescope began science operations in July 2022, headlines proclaimed that observations of distant galaxies were “breaking theories of cosmic evolution.” Astronomers had found galaxies that appeared much brighter than expected. If all of that light came from stars, then those galaxies would have formed so many stars, so quickly, that the leading theory for the universe’s formation and evolution could not explain them.

New research finds that several of those early galaxies are in fact much less massive than they first appeared. Much of their light came, not from stars, but from a hot accretion disk surrounding a supermassive black hole.

When astronomers gained their first glimpses of galaxies in the early universe from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, they were expecting to find galactic pipsqueaks, but instead they found what appeared to be a bevy of Olympic 'bodybuilders'. Galaxies appeared to have grown so massive, so quickly, that simulations could not account for them. Researchers suggested this meant that something might be wrong with the theory that explains what the universe is made of and how it has evolved since the Big Bang, known as the standard model of cosmology.

According to a new study in the Astronomical Journal led by University of Texas at Austin graduate student Katherine Chworowsky, a significant portion of those early galaxies are in fact much less massive than they first appeared. Black holes in these galaxies make them appear much brighter and larger than they really were.

"Evidence for a Shallow Evolution in the Volume Densities of Massive Galaxies at z = 4–8 from CEERS"

“We are still seeing more galaxies than predicted, although none of them are so massive that they ‘break’ the universe,” Chworowsky said.

The evidence was provided by Webb’s Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) Survey, led by Steven Finkelstein, a professor of astronomy at UT Austin and study co-author.

Black Holes Add to Brightness

According to this latest study, the galaxies that appeared overly massive likely host black holes rapidly consuming gas. Friction in the fast-moving gas emits heat and light, making these galaxies much brighter than they would be if that light emanated just from stars. This extra light can make it appear that the galaxies contain many more stars, and hence are more massive, than we would otherwise estimate. When scientists remove these galaxies, dubbed “little red dots” (based on their red color and small size), from the analysis, the remaining early galaxies are not too massive to fit within predictions of the standard model.

“So, the bottom line is there is no crisis in terms of the standard model of cosmology,” Finkelstein said. “Any time you have a theory that has stood the test of time for so long, you have to have overwhelming evidence to really throw it out. And that’s simply not the case.”

Efficient Star Factories

Although they have settled the main dilemma, a less thorny problem remains. There are still roughly twice as many massive galaxies in Webb’s data of the early universe than expected from the standard model. One possible reason might be that stars formed more quickly in the early universe than they do today. 

“Maybe in the early universe, galaxies were better at turning gas into stars,” Chworowsky said.

Star formation happens when hot gas cools enough to succumb to gravity and condense into one or more stars. But as the gas contracts, it heats up, generating outward pressure. In our region of the universe, the balance of these opposing forces tends to make the star formation process very slow. But perhaps, according to some theories, because the early universe was denser than today, it was harder to blow gas out during star formation, allowing the process to go faster.

More Evidence of Black Holes

Concurrently, astronomers have been analyzing the spectra of "little red dots" discovered with Webb, with researchers in both the CEERS team and others finding evidence of fast-moving hydrogen gas, a signature of black hole accretion disks. This supports the idea that at least part of the light coming from these compact, red objects comes from gas swirling around black holes, rather than stars—reinforcing Chworowsky and their team’s conclusion that they are probably not as massive as astronomers initially thought. However, further observations of these intriguing objects are incoming, and should help solve the puzzle about how much light comes from stars versus gas around black holes.

Often in science, when you answer one question, this leads to new questions. While Chworowsky and their colleagues have shown that the standard model of cosmology likely is not broken, their work points to the need for new ideas in star formation.

“And so there is still that sense of intrigue,” Chworowsky said. “Not everything is fully understood. That’s what makes doing this kind of science fun, because it’d be a terribly boring field if one paper figured everything out, or there were no more questions to answer.”

The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).


Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Steve Finkelstein (UT Austin)

Release Date: Aug. 26, 2024


#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Stars #Galaxies #BlackHoles #AccretionDiscs #CEERSSurvey #DeepField #Boötes #Constellation #BigBangModel #Cosmology #Astrophysics #Cosmos #Universe #JWST #Infrared #SpaceTelescope #ESA #CSA #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Listen to The Universe's Past | NASA Chandra X-ray Sonifications

Listen to The Universe's Past | NASA Chandra X-ray Sonifications

A quarter of a century ago, the “First Light” images from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory were released to the public. This introduction to the world of Chandra’s high resolution X-ray imaging capabilities included an unprecedented view of Cassiopeia A, the remains of an exploded star located about 11,000 light-years from Earth. Over the years, Chandra’s views of Cassiopeia A are among the telescope’s best-known images.

To mark the anniversary of this milestone and celebrate what discoveries are to come, new sonifications of three images—including Cassiopeia A (Cas A)—are being released. Sonification is a process that translates astronomical data into sound, similar to how these digital data are more routinely turned into images. This translation process preserves the science of the data from its original digital state but provides an alternative pathway to experiencing the data.

This sonification of Cas A features data from Chandra as well as NASA’s James Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes. The scan starts at the neutron star at the center of the remnant, marked by a triangle sound, and moves outward. X-ray data from Chandra are mapped to modified piano sounds, while infrared data from JWST, which detects warmed dust embedded in the hot gas, have been assigned to various string and brass instruments. Stars that Hubble detects are played with small cymbals.

30 Doradus is one of the largest and brightest regions of star formation close to the Milky Way. This sonification again combines X-rays from Chandra with infrared data from JWST. X-rays from Chandra, which reveal gas that has been superheated by shock waves generated by the winds from massive stars, are heard as airy synthesizer sounds. Meanwhile, JWST’s infrared data show cooler gas that provides the raw ingredients for future stars.

The final member of this new sonification triumvirate is the large spiral galaxy called NGC 6872 that has two elongated arms stretching to the upper right and lower left. Just to the upper left of NGC 6872 appears another smaller spiral galaxy. These two galaxies, each of which likely has a supermassive black hole at the center, are being drawn toward one another. Chandra’s X-rays, represented in sound by a wind-like sound, show multimillion-degree gas that permeates the galaxies. Meanwhile Hubble data reveal the galaxy’s spiral arms and background stars as low drone sounds and soft plucks and cymbals.


Video Credit: NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory

Duration: 3 minutes, 25 seconds

Release Date: Aug. 26, 2024


#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #CasA #30Doradus #NGC6872 #Cosmos #Universe #NASAChandra #Xray #SpaceTelescopes #HST #Hubble #JWST #NASAWebb #CSA #JPL #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Canada #Europe #STEM #Education #Sonifications #Audio #HD #Video

China-France SVOM Astronomy Satellite Speeds Gamma-ray Burst Detections

China-France SVOM Astronomy Satellite Speeds Gamma-ray Burst Detections

How can we quickly capture and study gamma-ray bursts? Wei Jianyan, Chinese principal investigator of Space Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM), said the satellite jointly developed by China and France has a response time of about five minutes, breaking the previous record of about 20 minutes. The 930kg (2,050-pound) satellite took hundreds of scientists and engineers nearly two decades to develop. It orbits Earth at 625km (450 miles) above the ground to accurately measure the location and energy of distant, violent explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. The SVOM satellite was successfully launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province on June 22, 2024.

China's primary responsibilities for the mission were launch, satellite and operations. It shared responsibility with France for the design and construction of the instruments and ground segment.

The French contribution was developed in partnership with research laboratories at the IRFU research institute at CEA, the French atomic energy and alternative energies commission, and at INSU, the national institute of universe science, and IN2P3, the national institute of nuclear and particle physics, both attached to the national scientific research centre CNRS.

It represents a milestone in international space collaboration. Developed jointly by Chinese and French scientists over nearly two decades, SVOM carries two French and two Chinese scientific payloads designed to detect distant space phenomena known as gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Researchers from both countries believe the SVOM monitoring satellite will help advance their investigations in many fields of astrophysics, including the origins of the universe and of elements on Earth.

"The gamma-ray burst is a tool to observe the early universe. We can observe maybe the first stars. And this is very interesting because this is the only way to do that, said Bertrand Cordier, French lead researcher of the SVOM project.

Wei Jianyan, the Chinese principal investigator of SVOM, said the satellite can help researchers expand their collection of observed astronomical phenomena and better understand the Earth.

"We can discover some special types of gamma-ray bursts, as well as the relatively rare ones. We have already known some common types, as it has been studied for two or three decades. But there are still rare ones, high redshift gamma ray bursts, for example. And very interestingly, it helps us understand where some of the elements on earth come from, including gold and silver that we often wear," he said.

Researchers said the two countries' cooperation will lead to great progress in their research.

"We use China's BeiDou satellite system. If we on the ground see a very interesting target in space, we can tell our satellite to point at it in a matter of minutes. As far as I know, this process used to take 20 minutes in international practice. With the BeiDou system, we can respond in a few minutes, and that's a big step forward. This can be effective in detecting swift events," said Wei.

The BeiDou satellite navigation system is a space-based radio navigation service owned and operated by the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

"China, as you said, has developed several missions that are looking to gamma-ray burst, but we are working together. I'm also involved in the Einstein commission, and the idea is to have a very powerful system with many satellites; the idea is to have a way to work together in order to enhance the scientific study," said Cordier.

Both sides approved the SVOM mission in 2006. It is hoped it will run longer than the satellite's designed lifespan of 5 years into the next decade.

Learn more about the SVOM Mission: 

https://svom.cnes.fr/en/SVOM/index.htm


Video Credit: China Global Television Network (CGTN)

Duration: 1 minute, 51 seconds

Release Date: Aug. 26, 2024


#NASA #CNSA #Space #Astronomy #Science #China #中国 #SVOM #GammaRays #GammaRayBursts #GRB #Astrophysics #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #InternationalCooperation #France #CNES #STEM #Education #History #HD #Video

Polaris Dawn Mission: Launch Day | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Polaris Dawn Mission: Launch Day | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist
From left to right: Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander
SpaceX Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) in Merritt Island, Florida




Early morning at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) in Merritt Island, Florida

SpaceX is targeting no earlier than Tuesday, August 27 at 3:38 a.m. ET for launch of the Polaris Dawn Mission on a Falcon 9 rocket and specially-modified Crew Dragon spacecraft at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) in Merritt Island, Florida.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.
The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."
The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An elevated metabolic period for the crew to simulate the expected workload during the spacewalk, as well as a reduced-activity period to understand the trend of body temperatures throughout the operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be the first time that four astronauts will be concurrently exposed to the vacuum of space. During the approximately two-hour-long operation, Mission Commander Jared Isaacman and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis will separately exit the Dragon spacecraft through its forward hatch. Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet and Mission Specialist & Medical Officer Anna Menon will remain seated, managing spacesuit umbilicals and monitoring telemetry on Dragon’s interior displays.

Polaris Dawn Crew
Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander
Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot
Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist
Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX
Image Dates: Aug. 25-26, 2024


#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Pan of Spiral Galaxy UGC 3478 in Camelopardalis | Hubble

Pan of Spiral Galaxy UGC 3478 in Camelopardalis | Hubble


Looking past its long spiral arms filled with stars and the dark threads of dust crossing it, your eye might be caught by the shining point at the center of UGC 3478, the spiral galaxy starring in this Hubble picture. This point is the galaxy’s nucleus—it is a growing giant black hole that astronomers call an active galactic nucleus, or AGN.

Distance: 128 million light years

UGC 3478, located in the constellation Camelopardalis, is known as a Seyfert galaxy. This is a type of galaxy with an AGN at its core. Like all such “active galaxies”, the brightness that you see hides a supermassive black hole at the center. A disc of gas spirals into this black hole, and as the material crashes together and heats up, it emits very strong radiation. The spectrum of this radiation includes hard X-ray emission. This clearly marks it out from the stars within the galaxy. Despite the strong brightness of the compact central region, we can still clearly see the disc of the galaxy around it, making UGC 3478 a Seyfert galaxy.

Many active galaxies are known to astronomers at vast distances from Earth, thanks to the great brightness of their nuclei highlighting them next to other, dimmer galaxies. At 128 million light-years from Earth, UGC 3478 is positively neighborly to us. The data used to make this image comes from a Hubble survey of nearby powerful AGNs found in relatively high-energy X-rays, like this one. Astronomers hope to understand how the galaxies interact with the supermassive black holes at their cores.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy, with two glowing spiral arms. They are filled with thin lines of dark dust, and surrounded by a faint cloud. One arm stretches further from the galaxy than the other. The point at the center of the spiral is particularly bright. It is on a black background, mostly empty, except for distant galaxies and a few bright stars in the foreground.


Video Credit: European Space Agency/Hubble & NASA, M. Koss, A. Barth, N. Bartmann (ESA/Hubble)

Duration: 30 seconds

Release Date: Aug. 26, 2024


#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #Galaxies #Galaxy #UGC3478 #BlackHole #AGN #SeyfertGalaxy #Camelopardalis #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Spiral Galaxy UGC 3478: A Supermassive Black Hole in its Bright Core | Hubble

Spiral Galaxy UGC 3478: A Supermassive Black Hole in its Bright Core | Hubble


Looking past its long spiral arms filled with stars and the dark threads of dust crossing it, your eye might be caught by the shining point at the center of UGC 3478, the spiral galaxy starring in this Hubble picture. This point is the galaxy’s nucleus—it is a growing giant black hole that astronomers call an active galactic nucleus, or AGN.

Distance: 128 million light years

UGC 3478, located in the constellation Camelopardalis, is known as a Seyfert galaxy. This is a type of galaxy with an AGN at its core. Like all such “active galaxies”, the brightness that you see hides a supermassive black hole at the center. A disc of gas spirals into this black hole, and as the material crashes together and heats up, it emits very strong radiation. The spectrum of this radiation includes hard X-ray emission. This clearly marks it out from the stars within the galaxy. Despite the strong brightness of the compact central region, we can still clearly see the disc of the galaxy around it, making UGC 3478 a Seyfert galaxy.

Many active galaxies are known to astronomers at vast distances from Earth, thanks to the great brightness of their nuclei highlighting them next to other, dimmer galaxies. At 128 million light-years from Earth, UGC 3478 is positively neighborly to us. The data used to make this image comes from a Hubble survey of nearby powerful AGNs found in relatively high-energy X-rays, like this one. Astronomers hope to understand how the galaxies interact with the supermassive black holes at their cores.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy, with two glowing spiral arms. They are filled with thin lines of dark dust, and surrounded by a faint cloud. One arm stretches further from the galaxy than the other. The point at the center of the spiral is particularly bright. It is on a black background, mostly empty, except for distant galaxies and a few bright stars in the foreground.


Credit: European Space Agency/Hubble & NASA, M. Koss, A. Barth

Release Date: Aug. 26, 2024


#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #Galaxies #Galaxy #UGC3478 #BlackHole #AGN #SeyfertGalaxy #Camelopardalis #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Sunday, August 25, 2024

Polaris Dawn Mission News Conference | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Polaris Dawn Mission News Conference | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

On August 21, 2024, before launching atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Commander Jared Isaacman, Pilot Scott "Kidd" Poteet, Mission Specialist Anna Menon and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis joined William Gerstenmaier, SpaceX's vice president of Build and Flight Reliability to discuss the historic flight at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An elevated metabolic period for the crew to simulate the expected workload during the spacewalk, as well as a reduced-activity period to understand the trend of body temperatures throughout the operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be the first time that four astronauts will be concurrently exposed to the vacuum of space. During the approximately two-hour-long operation, Mission Commander Jared Isaacman and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis will separately exit the Dragon spacecraft through its forward hatch. Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet and Mission Specialist & Medical Officer Anna Menon will remain seated, managing spacesuit umbilicals and monitoring telemetry on Dragon’s interior displays.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com


Video Credits: Polaris Program / SpaceX / Spaceflight Now

Duration: 1 hour, 18 minutes

Capture Date: Aug. 21, 2024


#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Interacting Galaxies ESO 69-6 in Triangulum Australe | Hubble

Interacting Galaxies ESO 69-6 in Triangulum Australe | Hubble

The galaxies of this beautiful interacting pair bear a resemblance to musical notes on a stave. Long tidal tails sweep out from the two galaxies. Gas and stars were stripped out and torn away from the outer regions of the galaxies. The presence of these tails is the unique signature of an interaction. ESO 69-6 is located in the constellation of Triangulum Australe, the Southern Triangle, about 650 million light-years away from Earth.

This image is part of a large collection of 59 images of merging galaxies taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and released on the occasion of its 18th anniversary on April 24, 2008.


Image Credit: NASA, European Space Agency, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration and A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)

Release Date: April 24, 2008


#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #Galaxies #Galaxy #ESO696 #InteractingGalaxies #TriangulumAustrale #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Mission: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Static Test Fire: Pre-launch

Polaris Dawn Mission: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Static Test Fire: Pre-launch



On Aug. 25, 2024, SpaceX conducted a static test fire of the Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon spacecraft for the Polaris Dawn Mission at the NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) located in Merritt Island, Florida. The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew Crew-1 to and from the International Space Station, and Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit. This will be the fourth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-8 and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Launch is expected no earlier than Aug. 27, 2024.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Program is a planned human spaceflight program organized by businessman and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman. Isaacman, who commanded the first all-civilian spaceflight— Inspiration4—in September 2021, purchased flights from SpaceX in order to create the Polaris Program.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An elevated metabolic period for the crew to simulate the expected workload during the spacewalk, as well as a reduced-activity period to understand the trend of body temperatures throughout the operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be the first time that four astronauts will be concurrently exposed to the vacuum of space. During the approximately two-hour-long operation, Mission Commander Jared Isaacman and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis will separately exit the Dragon spacecraft through its forward hatch. Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet and Mission Specialist & Medical Officer Anna Menon will remain seated, managing spacesuit umbilicals and monitoring telemetry on Dragon’s interior displays.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com


Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX

Image Date: Aug. 24, 2024


#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Falcon9Rocket #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Mission: Launch Practice | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Polaris Dawn Mission: Launch Practice | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist
Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer
Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer
Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander
Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot
Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer
Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander (foreground) and Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot (background)

On Aug. 25, 2024, the Polaris Dawn Mission crew performed a dress rehearsal at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. Their SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and specially-modified Crew Dragon spacecraft are being prepared for launch 
no earlier than Aug. 27, 2024.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.
The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."
The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An elevated metabolic period for the crew to simulate the expected workload during the spacewalk, as well as a reduced-activity period to understand the trend of body temperatures throughout the operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be the first time that four astronauts will be concurrently exposed to the vacuum of space. During the approximately two-hour-long operation, Mission Commander Jared Isaacman and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis will separately exit the Dragon spacecraft through its forward hatch. Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet and Mission Specialist & Medical Officer Anna Menon will remain seated, managing spacesuit umbilicals and monitoring telemetry on Dragon’s interior displays.

Polaris Dawn Crew
Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander
Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot
Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist
Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX
Image Dates: Aug. 25, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Mission Crew: Launch Preparations | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Polaris Dawn Mission: Launch Preparations | NASA's Kennedy Space Center


From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist
From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

From left to right: Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Polaris Dawn Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Merritt Island, Florida

On Aug. 25, 2024, the Polaris Dawn Mission crew performed a dress rehearsal at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. Their SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and specially-modified Crew Dragon spacecraft are being prepared for launch 
no earlier than Aug. 27, 2024.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An elevated metabolic period for the crew to simulate the expected workload during the spacewalk, as well as a reduced-activity period to understand the trend of body temperatures throughout the operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be the first time that four astronauts will be concurrently exposed to the vacuum of space. During the approximately two-hour-long operation, Mission Commander Jared Isaacman and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis will separately exit the Dragon spacecraft through its forward hatch. Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet and Mission Specialist & Medical Officer Anna Menon will remain seated, managing spacesuit umbilicals and monitoring telemetry on Dragon’s interior displays.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com


Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX

Image Dates: Aug. 24-25, 2024


#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Shenzhou-18 Crew: Experiments & Maintenance Work | China Space Station

Shenzhou-18 Crew: Experiments & Maintenance Work | China Space Station

 

The Shenzhou-18 astronauts, who have been in orbit for about four months, have conducted a series of space science experiments while performing a variety of tasks, including environmental monitoring and equipment maintenance, on China's Tiangong space station, as shown in recently released footage from the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The three Shenzhou-18 crew members—Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu—who boarded the Tiangong space station in late April 2024, used an experimental information management computer and specialized testing software to conduct assessments of their emergency decision-making abilities and in-orbit emotional states. Ground-based researchers will analyze the collected data to evaluate the astronauts' decision-making capabilities and emotional responses, aiming to understand the underlying patterns.

In the field of aerospace medicine, the crew has conducted eye-hand coordination tests, electrical acupoint stimulation and muscle adaptability experiments.

The astronauts used visual coordination testing devices to complete eye-hand coordination tests, including point-to-point tracking and finger movements in mid-air. Ground researchers are expected to use the results to study changes in the stability, accuracy and coordination of the astronauts' fine motor control skills during spaceflight, providing valuable references for future mission procedures and human-machine interface design.

Guided by traditional Chinese medicine theories, the astronauts used portable acupoint stimulation devices for electrical stimulation and completed evaluation forms afterward. This research aims to understand how acupoint stimulation can regulate cardiovascular function and prevent muscle atrophy in microgravity conditions.

In the muscle adaptability experiments, the crew conducted tests on Achilles tendon stiffness, lower-limb kinematics and foot pressure using specialized equipment to gather data on changes in muscle structure and function. Ground researchers will compare pre-flight and post-flight data to clarify the biomechanical effects of long-term weightlessness and in-orbit exercise on the lower limbs.

Additionally, the astronauts underwent regular medical checks, such as body mass measurements, to monitor their health. They also organized supplies, managed waste, and carried out routine cleaning tasks to maintain the space station's living environment.

Shenzhou-18 Crew:

Ye Guangfu (叶光富, commander)

Li Cong (李聪, mission specialist)

Li Guangsu (李广苏, mission specialist)


Video Credit: China Central Television (CCTV) Video News Agency

Duration: 1 minute, 22 seconds

Release Date: Aug. 25, 2024


#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #China #中国 #Shenzhou18 #神舟十八 #ScientificExperiments #SpacePhysics #LifeSciences #Taikonauts #Astronauts #YeGuangfu #LiCong #LiGuangsu #CSS #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #CMSA #国家航天局 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Saturday, August 24, 2024

Polaris Dawn Mission: First Commercial Spacewalk in New SpaceX Spacesuit

Polaris Dawn Mission: First Commercial Spacewalk in New SpaceX Spacesuit

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications. Launch is expected no earlier than Aug. 27, 2024.


The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An elevated metabolic period for the crew to simulate the expected workload during the spacewalk, as well as a reduced-activity period to understand the trend of body temperatures throughout the operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be the first time that four astronauts will be concurrently exposed to the vacuum of space. During the approximately two-hour-long operation, Mission Commander Jared Isaacman and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis will separately exit the Dragon spacecraft through its forward hatch. Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet and Mission Specialist & Medical Officer Anna Menon will remain seated, managing spacesuit umbilicals and monitoring telemetry on Dragon’s interior displays.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com


Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX

Duration: 50 seconds

Image Date: Aug. 22, 2024


#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #Animation #HD #Video

Uniquely-shaped Galaxy ESO 99-4 in Triangulum Australe | Hubble Space Telescope

Uniquely-shaped Galaxy ESO 99-4 in Triangulum Australe | Hubble Space Telescope

ESO 99-4 is a galaxy with a highly peculiar shape that is probably the remnant of an earlier merger process that has deformed it beyond visual recognition, leaving the main body largely obscured by dark bands of dust. ESO 99-4 lies in a rich field of foreground stars, in the constellation of Triangulum Australe, the Southern Triangle, about 400 million light-years away.

This image is part of a large collection of 59 images of merging galaxies taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and released on the occasion of its 18th anniversary on April 24, 2008.


Credit: NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration and A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)

Release Date: April 24, 2008


#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #Galaxies #Galaxy #ESO994 #InteractingGalaxies #TriangulumAustrale #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Mission: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket & Crew Dragon at Launchpad

Polaris Dawn Mission: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket & Crew Dragon at Launchpad




Polaris Mission Patch

On Aug. 24, 2024, the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft for the Polaris Dawn Mission was made vertical at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew Crew-1 to and from the International Space Station, and Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit. This will be the fourth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-8 and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Launch is expected no earlier than Aug. 27, 2024.

The Polaris Program is a planned human spaceflight program organized by businessman and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman. Isaacman, who commanded the first all-civilian spaceflight— Inspiration4—in September 2021, purchased flights from SpaceX in order to create the Polaris Program.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An elevated metabolic period for the crew to simulate the expected workload during the spacewalk, as well as a reduced-activity period to understand the trend of body temperatures throughout the operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be the first time that four astronauts will be concurrently exposed to the vacuum of space. During the approximately two-hour-long operation, Mission Commander Jared Isaacman and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis will separately exit the Dragon spacecraft through its forward hatch. Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet and Mission Specialist & Medical Officer Anna Menon will remain seated, managing spacesuit umbilicals and monitoring telemetry on Dragon’s interior displays.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com


Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX

Image Date: Aug. 24, 2024


#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Falcon9Rocket #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

The Cat’s Paw Nebula: NGC 6334 in Scorpius | Victor Blanco Telescope

The Cat’s Paw Nebula: NGC 6334 in Scorpius | Victor Blanco Telescope


This image of emission nebula NGC 6334 (the Cat’s Paw Nebula), a star-forming region in the constellation Scorpius, was taken in 2007 using the Mosaic-2 imager on the Blanco 4-meter telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO). The colors of the nebula are reddened by intervening dust in the plane of the Milky Way galaxy. The image was taken as part of a continuing campaign of public-release images using both National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) 4-meter telescopes.

The 4-meter Víctor M. Blanco Telescope was commissioned in 1974. It is a near twin of the Mayall 4-meter telescope on Kitt Peak. In 1995, it was dedicated and named in honor of Puerto Rican astronomer Víctor Manuel Blanco. It is also part of the Dark Energy Survey (DES), a visible and near-infrared survey that aims to probe the dynamics of the expansion of the Universe.

Víctor M. Blanco Telescope:

https://noirlab.edu/science/programs/ctio/telescopes/victor-blanco-4m-telescope


Credit: T.A. Rector/University of Alaska Anchorage, T. Abbott and NOIRLab/NSF/AURA

Release Date: June 30, 2020


#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #Nebula #CatsPawNebula #NGC6334 #Scorpius #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #VictorBlancoTelescope #DECam #CTIO #CerroTololo #Chile #NOIRLab #NSF #AURA #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education