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Scientists find a huge 10-sided wave pattern swirling in the clouds over Saturn's south pole

Scientists find a huge 10-sided wave pattern swirling in the clouds over Saturn's south pole

Scientists have discovered an enormous 10-sided wave pattern in the icy ammonia clouds over Saturn's south pole
The Columbus Dispatch The Columbus Dispatch
NASA's Roman telescope 'could not have happened without Ohio State'

NASA's Roman telescope 'could not have happened without Ohio State'

About two dozen Ohio State University researchers traveled to Florida to watch a NASA mission they helped shape. finally launch into space.
USA Today USA Today
Space boom is outgrowing its rocket launch sites. FAA wants feedback

Space boom is outgrowing its rocket launch sites. FAA wants feedback

NASA's lunar ambitions under its Artemis program and SpaceX's plans for its Starship rocket are fueling the need for more launch sites across the US.
Ventura County Star, Camarillo Ventura County Star, Camarillo
California rocket launches are booming. How you can shape what's next

California rocket launches are booming. How you can shape what's next

Want a say in the future of rocket launches in California and across the US? Here's how you can weigh in on the Trump administration's objectives.
Trendline Trendline
Space Florida Applies for Stormwater Permits for New Commercial Aerospace Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Space Florida Applies for Stormwater Permits for New Commercial Aerospace Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Space Florida Applies for Stormwater Permits for New Commercial Aerospace Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center
Rapid Read Rapid Read
Scientists Discover Enormous 10-Sided Wave Pattern Over Saturn's South Pole

Scientists Discover Enormous 10-Sided Wave Pattern Over Saturn's South Pole

Scientists have identified a massive 10-sided wave pattern, described as a decagon, swirling within the icy ammonia clouds above Saturn’s south pole. This discovery was made using the Hubble Space Telescope in 2023. The Spanish-led research team reported that this spinning, meandering decagon appears to be larger and more unstable than the well-known hexagonal cloud formation observed around Saturn’s north pole by NASA’s Voyager probes in the 1980s. Researchers suspect this atmospheric phenomenon developed between 2017 and 2023, a period when Saturn’s south pole was not visible from Earth. The decagon is still evolving, with one side already measuring over 10,000 miles (16,700 kilometers). The findings were published in the journal Science Advances, highlighting that while all planets with atmospheres exhibit wave-spawning disturbances, only Saturn produces them in polygonal shapes. Unlike the stationary hexagon, the decagon migrates eastward at approximately 6 mph (10 kph).
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Private Venus Mission Faces Delay Due to Rocket Readiness Issues

Private Venus Mission Faces Delay Due to Rocket Readiness Issues

A privately funded robotic mission to Venus, a collaborative effort between Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) scientists and Rocket Lab, has been delayed. The mission, which aims to search for signs of life on Venus by deploying a probe to sample its atmosphere, is awaiting the readiness of Rocket Lab's Neutron rocket. The probe is designed to use an autofluorescence nephelometer (AFN) to measure particles in Venusian clouds, analyzing their size, shape, and composition for organic molecules. Rocket Lab has moved the project to the Neutron rocket, which was originally expected to debut in 2024 but has yet to make its maiden flight. The first flight of the Neutron rocket, planned from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 3 on Wallops Island, Virginia, is contingent on the successful completion of its qualification testing and acceptance program. Despite the launch delay, significant progress has been made on the mission's components, including the heat shield developed by NASA's Ames Research Center and th...
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Rocket Lab's Private Venus Mission Delayed Due to Booster Qualification Issues

Rocket Lab's Private Venus Mission Delayed Due to Booster Qualification Issues

A privately-backed robotic mission to Venus, spearheaded by Rocket Lab in collaboration with a scientific group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has been delayed. The mission's primary objective is to deploy a small probe equipped with an autofluorescence nephelometer (AFN) to sample the Venusian atmosphere, specifically searching for organic molecules within its clouds. The AFN is designed to measure the size, shape, and composition of individual particles. The delay stems from issues related to getting a necessary booster flight-qualified, specifically Rocket Lab's Neutron rocket. This mission represents the first step in a broader program to explore Venus with private funding.
AP News AP News
A pair of spacecraft draw closer to Mercury after nearly decade-long voyage

A pair of spacecraft draw closer to Mercury after nearly decade-long voyage

Two Mercury-bound spacecraft are in the home stretch of their nearly decade-long voyage
USA Today USA Today
NASA's Roman telescope is in space. But don't expect photos until 2027

NASA's Roman telescope is in space. But don't expect photos until 2027

Here's what to know about the launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, as well as what's next for NASA's latest astronomical observatory.
Ventura County Star, Camarillo Ventura County Star, Camarillo
SpaceX's next rocket launch from Vandenberg. Track liftoff, scrub updates

SpaceX's next rocket launch from Vandenberg. Track liftoff, scrub updates

Here's how you can track SpaceX's next rocket launch, another Starlink internet satellite mission, at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
USA Today USA Today
A rare all-female spacewalk happens today. Here's how to watch live

A rare all-female spacewalk happens today. Here's how to watch live

NASA's Jessica Meir and the ESA's Sophie Adenot will take part in just the sixth-ever spacewalk outside the ISS exclusively featuring women.