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Amateur Astronomer Discovers Potential Meteorite Crater in Canada

Amateur Astronomer Discovers Potential Meteorite Crater in Canada

An amateur astronomer, Joël Lapointe, has potentially discovered a meteorite impact crater in Quebec's Côte-Nord region, centered on Lake Marsal. Using Google Maps, Lapointe identified unusual terrain and reported it to Impact Earth, a crowdsourcing platform for crater discoveries. Western planetary geologist Gordon Osinski visited the site in 2025 and provisionally confirmed the crater, naming it Uhackatik with approval from the Innu Council of Ekuanitshit. The crater is estimated to be 390 million years old and approximately 15 miles wide. Osinski's expedition revealed 'shock metamorphic effects' in the rocks, indicative of a meteorite impact. The findings, though not yet peer-reviewed, will be presented at the 88th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society in Frankfurt, Germany.
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Amateur Astronomer Discovers 390-Million-Year-Old Meteorite Crater in Quebec

Amateur Astronomer Discovers 390-Million-Year-Old Meteorite Crater in Quebec

In late 2023, Joël Lapointe, an amateur astronomer, discovered a circular depression in Quebec while planning a road trip using Google Maps. Initially skeptical, Lapointe's curiosity led him to contact experts, eventually catching the attention of a French research center and Gordon Osinski, a professor at Western University. The site, located 100 kilometers north of Magpie, was confirmed to be a 390-million-year-old meteorite impact crater after an expedition in 2025. The crater, named Uhackatik, was identified through shatter cones and impact melt rock, indicating a violent collision from space. This discovery marks the first new crater found in Canada since 2010.
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NASA's SSERVI Forum 2026 Focuses on Lunar and Asteroid Exploration

NASA's SSERVI Forum 2026 Focuses on Lunar and Asteroid Exploration

The NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) is hosting the 2026 Exploration Science Forum at the NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. This annual event, running for three days, brings together experts from the planetary science and human exploration communities to discuss recent research, mission results, and future exploration opportunities. The forum features invited talks, contributed presentations, and interactive poster sessions, with a focus on the Moon, Near-Earth Asteroids, and the Moons of Mars. Virtual participants can access the sessions online, allowing for broader engagement with the scientific community.
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NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Enhance Lunar Exploration Safety

NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Enhance Lunar Exploration Safety

NASA is advancing its EARENDIL project, which focuses on improving astronaut safety during lunar exploration. The initiative addresses the challenges posed by the extreme cold of permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) and the two-week lunar night on the Moon. EARENDIL proposes integrating compact americium-241 radioisotope heat sources into extravehicular activity (EVA) suits, providing astronauts with continuous warmth during extended surface operations. This innovation aims to extend the operational range and duration of EVAs, enhance crew safety during habitat power failures, and reduce reliance on heavy battery systems. The project aligns with NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate and Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate priorities, supporting the Artemis program's long-term objectives at the lunar south pole.
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NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Overcome Lunar Night Challenges with Radioisotope Technology

NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Overcome Lunar Night Challenges with Radioisotope Technology

NASA's EARENDIL project is exploring the use of compact americium-241 radioisotope heat sources integrated into astronaut extravehicular activity (EVA) suits. This initiative addresses the challenges posed by the extreme cold of permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) and the two-week lunar night on the Moon. The project aims to provide astronauts with continuous, passive warmth during extended surface operations, enhancing mission flexibility and safety. By integrating heat sources directly into spacesuits, EARENDIL seeks to reduce reliance on external power and heavy battery systems, enabling longer and more flexible missions in harsh lunar environments.
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NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Overcome Lunar Night Challenges for Astronauts

NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Overcome Lunar Night Challenges for Astronauts

NASA is developing a new technology called EARENDIL (Extended Astronaut Radioisotope-EVA in Nighttime and Deep-space Icy Landscapes) to address the challenges faced by astronauts operating in the extreme cold of the Moon's permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) and during the two-week lunar night. The project proposes integrating compact americium-241 (Am-241) radioisotope heat sources into extravehicular activity (EVA) suits. This innovation aims to provide astronauts with continuous, passive warmth, enhancing their safety and mission flexibility. The EARENDIL project is part of a Phase I study that will assess the feasibility of this concept through thermal modeling, health physics assessment, and systems integration analysis. The goal is to ensure that astronauts can maintain operational body temperature without relying on external power or habitat support, thereby extending the range and duration of EVAs in harsh lunar environments.
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NASA Prepares for SpaceX Crew-13 Mission with Upcoming Briefings

NASA Prepares for SpaceX Crew-13 Mission with Upcoming Briefings

NASA is gearing up for the SpaceX Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station, with a series of briefings scheduled for August 3 at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The mission will involve NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. The crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, no earlier than mid-September. The briefings will provide an overview of the mission and insights into the crew's training and preparations. This mission marks the second spaceflight for Watkins and the first for Delaney, Kutryk, and Teteryatnikov.
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Amateur Astronomer Discovers 390-Million-Year-Old Meteorite Crater in Quebec

Amateur Astronomer Discovers 390-Million-Year-Old Meteorite Crater in Quebec

In late 2023, amateur astronomer Joël Lapointe discovered a circular depression in the landscape of northern Quebec while planning a road trip using Google Maps. Initially skeptical of his find, Lapointe reached out to experts, leading to a French research center's interest in the site. The depression, located about 100 kilometers north of the town of Magpie, was confirmed to be a meteorite impact crater by a team led by Gordon Osinski, a professor of earth sciences at Western University. The crater, named Uhackatik in collaboration with the local Indigenous community, is approximately 25 kilometers in diameter and dates back 390 million years, a time when life on land was just beginning to emerge.
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Asteroid Breakup Near Jupiter 800 Million Years Ago May Have Impacted Earth and Moon

Asteroid Breakup Near Jupiter 800 Million Years Ago May Have Impacted Earth and Moon

A study led by researchers at the Southwest Research Institute suggests that a massive asteroid breakup in the main asteroid belt, located between Mars and Jupiter, occurred approximately 800 million years ago. This event may have sent numerous rocky fragments towards Earth, the Moon, and Mars. The collision is believed to have happened in a region known as the J3:1 resonance, a gravitational area influenced by Jupiter's orbit. The shattered pieces from this event are thought to have traveled through the inner solar system over millions of years, potentially causing a prolonged period of impacts on these celestial bodies. The study highlights that this event could explain the presence of large craters on the Moon dating back to the same period. The researchers also suggest that the bombardment may have coincided with significant changes in Earth's climate and the evolution of life.
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NASA Engineers Uncover Ancient Martian Silica Using Spirit Rover's Failed Wheel

NASA Engineers Uncover Ancient Martian Silica Using Spirit Rover's Failed Wheel

NASA's Spirit rover, which landed on Mars in January 2004, experienced a failure in its right-front wheel in March 2006. Engineers adapted by driving the rover backwards, using the immobile wheel as an excavation tool. This led to the accidental discovery of bright silica deposits near the volcanic plateau called Home Plate in Gusev Crater. The silica, identified as opaline, suggests ancient hydrothermal activity, possibly from hot springs or steam vents. The discovery required extensive follow-up analysis using various instruments, confirming the presence of silica concentrations up to 90% in some areas.
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NASA Prepares for SpaceX Crew-13 Mission to International Space Station

NASA Prepares for SpaceX Crew-13 Mission to International Space Station

NASA is gearing up for the SpaceX Crew-13 mission, which will transport a team of astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission includes NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. The crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, with the launch scheduled for no earlier than mid-September. NASA has planned a series of briefings to discuss the mission details, including an overview and crew training sessions, which will be streamed live. This mission marks the second spaceflight for Watkins and the first for Delaney, Kutryk, and Teteryatnikov.
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Abcourt Mines Reports Record Development at Sleeping Giant Gold Mine

Abcourt Mines Reports Record Development at Sleeping Giant Gold Mine

Abcourt Mines Reports Record Development at Sleeping Giant Gold Mine