How a New Gamma-ray Observatory will See the High-energy Universe | ESO

How a New Gamma-ray Observatory will See the High-energy Universe | ESO

The Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) will be the world’s largest and most powerful gamma-ray observatory. It will detect high energy radiation from some of the most powerful events in the Universe, from supernova explosions to hungry black holes. However, our atmosphere protects us from gamma rays, so how will the CTAO achieve this? By doing something seemingly impossible: observing particles that move faster than light, without breaking the laws of physics.

Learn more about Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) 
https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/ctao/

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)
Directed by: L. Calçada, M. Kornmesser
Hosted by: S. Randall
Written by: S. Randall
Editing: M. Kornmesser, L. Calçada
Videography: A. Tsaousis
Animations & footage: ESO, M. Kornmesser, L. Calçada, ECTAO, polar media, CERN, NASA, ESA, M.J. Jee and H. Ford, ISS, C. Malin
Web and technical support: R. Y. Shida
Fact-checking: CTAO Communications Office
Promotion: J. C. Muñoz Mateoss, O. Sandu
Filming Locations: ESO Supernova
Produced by ESO, the European Southern Observatory

Duration: 7 minutes

Release Date: Dec. 18, 2025

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Supernovae #BlackHoles #Galaxies #Astrophysics #Physics #Universe #CherenkovTelescopeArrayObservatory #CTAO #GammaRayAstronomy #ParanalObservatory #Chile #LaPalma #Spain #Europe #STEM #Education #ChasingStarlight #HD #Video

Close-up: Star Cluster N159—A Neighboring Galaxy's Stellar Birthplace | Hubble

Close-up: Star Cluster N159—A Neighboring Galaxy's Stellar Birthplace | Hubble

This Hubble picture highlights another view of a distant stellar birthplace. Captured in a parallel field to a recently released image, this scene reveals a neighboring region of the N159 star-forming complex in the Large Magellanic Cloud, approximately 160,000 light-years away.

Thick clouds of cold hydrogen gas dominate the scene, forming a complex network of ridges, cavities, and glowing filaments. Embedded within these dense clouds, newly formed stars begin to shine, their intense radiation causing the surrounding hydrogen to glow in deep red tones.

The brightest regions mark the presence of hot, massive young stars whose powerful stellar winds and energetic light reshape their environment. These forces carve out bubble-like structures and hollowed cavities in the gas, clear signatures of stellar feedback in action. Dark clouds in the foreground are lit from behind by new stars. Together, the glowing clouds and sculpted bubbles reveal a dynamic interplay between star formation and the material from which stars are born, capturing the ongoing cycle of creation and transformation within this neighbouring galactic system.

N159 is one of the most massive star-forming clouds in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that is the largest of the small galaxies that orbit the Milky Way. This image shows just a portion of this expansive star-forming complex, as the entire complex stretches over 150 light-years across.

Image Description: A field filled with stars and covered by clouds of gas and dust. In the center, a thick column of dark black dust blocks light from stars that light it up from behind. More clouds behind those stars are illuminated in pale colors. Complex, layered filaments of red dust lie to the left and right. Blue, white and gold stars in various sizes can be seen around, within and through the colorful layers of dust.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Indebetouw, N. Bartmann (ESA/Hubble)

Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 29, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #LMCN159 #StellarNursery #LargeMagellanicCloud #LMC #DwarfGalaxy #Dorado #Constellations #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Star Cluster N159: A Neighboring Galaxy's Stellar Birthplace | Hubble

Star Cluster N159: A Neighboring Galaxy's Stellar Birthplace | Hubble

This Hubble picture highlights another view of a distant stellar birthplace. Captured in a parallel field to a recently released image, this scene reveals a neighboring region of the N159 star-forming complex in the Large Magellanic Cloud, approximately 160,000 light-years away.

Thick clouds of cold hydrogen gas dominate the scene, forming a complex network of ridges, cavities, and glowing filaments. Embedded within these dense clouds, newly formed stars begin to shine, their intense radiation causing the surrounding hydrogen to glow in deep red tones.

The brightest regions mark the presence of hot, massive young stars whose powerful stellar winds and energetic light reshape their environment. These forces carve out bubble-like structures and hollowed cavities in the gas, clear signatures of stellar feedback in action. Dark clouds in the foreground are lit from behind by new stars. Together, the glowing clouds and sculpted bubbles reveal a dynamic interplay between star formation and the material from which stars are born, capturing the ongoing cycle of creation and transformation within this neighbouring galactic system.

N159 is one of the most massive star-forming clouds in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that is the largest of the small galaxies that orbit the Milky Way. This image shows just a portion of this expansive star-forming complex, as the entire complex stretches over 150 light-years across.

Image Description: A field filled with stars and covered by clouds of gas and dust. In the center, a thick column of dark black dust blocks light from stars that light it up from behind. More clouds behind those stars are illuminated in pale colors. Complex, layered filaments of red dust lie to the left and right. Blue, white and gold stars in various sizes can be seen around, within and through the colorful layers of dust.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Indebetouw
Release Date: Dec. 29, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #LMCN159 #StellarNursery #LargeMagellanicCloud #LMC #DwarfGalaxy #Dorado #Constellations #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Mouse Births Pups after Space Mission, Assisting New Research | China Space Station

Mouse Births Pups after Space Mission, Assisting New Research | China Space Station

Of the four mice involved in a recent mission aboard the Tiangong Space Station in orbit, one female has now successfully given birth to healthy offspring on the Earth, the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization (CSU) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has announced.

The four mice were sent into space aboard China's Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship on Oct. 31, 2025, and were housed in a specialized habitat on the space station before returning to the Earth on Nov. 14.

After their return, one female mated with a male and conceived, and later delivered nine pups on Dec. 10. Six of the newborns have survived—a rate considered normal. Researchers have noted that the mother mouse is nursing normally and the pups appear active and healthy.

"Their offspring all appear normal, so preliminary evidence suggests the space environment may have a very limited impact on the fertility of mice. This lays an important foundation for enabling mice to mate in space in the future, as well as to become pregnant, give birth, and produce offspring there," said Wang Hongmei, deputy director of the Institute of Zoology of the CAS.

According to the CSU, throughout the space mission, an AI-powered monitoring system tracked the behavior of the mice, including movement, feeding and sleep patterns, providing critical data to support real-time decision-making.

The CSU stated that this achievement signifies China's first full-cycle realization of a mammalian space experiment, covering pre-launch preparations, in-orbit operations aboard the Chinese space station, and sample recovery.

This milestone lays a solid foundation for larger-scale mammalian space science experiments in the future, the CSU added.

The monitoring by researchers also revealed that the mother mouse that had been to space showed a parenting style drastically different from that of the ground group. She would seek out a special, hidden and secure corner within her "home" to give birth and would deliberately block the entrance with cotton, appearing exceptionally cautious.

In contrast, the mother mouse from the ground group seemed much more "carefree" with most of her offspring born in cotton nests in open areas.

Scientists will continue to study the postnatal development of the mouse pups, monitoring their growth and physiological changes. Further research may also examine whether these offspring can reproduce normally, helping reveal potential multigenerational effects of space exposure on mammals.

Shenzhou-21 Crew
Zhang Lu (张陆) - Commander & Pilot - 2nd spaceflight
Wu Fei (武飞)  Flight Engineer - 1st spaceflight
Zhang Hong Zhang (张洪章) - Payload Specialist - 1st spaceflight

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 1 minute, 41 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 28, 2025

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Mice #Shenzhou21Mission #神舟二十一号 #Shenzhou21 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #ZhangLu #WuFei #ZhangHongzhang #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #MicrogravityExperiments #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Russian Soyuz Rocket Launch: Multi-Satellite Mission | Vostochny Cosmodrome

Russian Soyuz Rocket Launch: Multi-Satellite Mission | Vostochny Cosmodrome

A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a number of satellites launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome facility outside the city of Uglegorsk, in Russia's far eastern region of Amur on Dec. 28, 2025.

A Russian Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat rocket delivered a pair of Aist-2T Earth Observation satellites and 50 ridesharing payloads, including a trio of Iranian-made satellites.

The dual-purpose Aist-2T satellite with a mass of 670 kilograms, was developed at RKTs Progress in Samara under a 2019 contract with the Roskosmos State Corporation that ordered a two-spacecraft system producing stereo-imaging of the Earth surface from a Sun-synchronous orbit. The Aist-2T satellite was reported to be capable of capturing images with a resolution as high as 1.6 meters, when photographing in nadir (directly below its flight path) in pan-chromatic mode. In the same imaging mode, it could also produce stereo images with a resolution up to 1.9 meters. Multi-spectral and color imagery was reported to be possible with a resolution of 4.8 meters when pointing in nadir or up to 5.9 meters for stereo sets of photos.

The Aist-2T variant also featured a built-in propulsion system for the first time, while the satellite's downlink channel for sending imaging data back to Earth was expanded from 150 megabits per second on Aist-2D to 1,600 megabits per second on the 2T version.

Iranian media identified the satellites as Paya, also known as Tolou-3, Zafar-2, and a prototype satellite called Kowsar-1.5. 

Paya (Tolou-3), built by the Iranian Space Agency, is Iran’s heaviest Earth-observation satellite to date, weighing about 150 kilograms.

Iranian officials say it is capable of producing black-and-white images with a resolution of about five meters and color images with a resolution of around 10 meters, and is intended for applications including agriculture, water management, environmental monitoring and disaster assessment.

Zafar-2, developed by Iran University of Science and Technology, is also an Earth-observation satellite designed for mapping, environmental monitoring and tracking natural hazards.

Kowsar-1.5 combines imaging and internet-of-things capabilities and is aimed primarily at agricultural and farm-monitoring uses, Iranian officials say.

The Vostochny Cosmodrome is a Russian space launch facility in the Amur Oblast, located above the 51st parallel north in the Russian Far East. It was built to help reduce Russia’s reliance on the Baikonur Cosmodrome located on land the Russian government leases from Kazakhstan. The civilian launch facility is operated by Roscosmos, the state corporation responsible for space flights. The facility was established in August 2011 and saw its first launch on April 28, 2016.

Video Credit: Rocosmos

Duration: 7 minutes
Release Date: Dec. 28, 2025

#NASA #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Space #Science #Earth #Satellites #EarthObservation #Aist2T1 #Aist2T2 #SoyuzRockets #Soyuz21bRocket #VostochnyCosmodrome #КосмодромВосточный #AmurOblast #Russia #Россия #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Italy by Moonlight | International Space Station

Italy by Moonlight | International Space Station

International Space Station - 25 Years in Orbit (2000-2025)

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

The station was designed between 1984 and 1993. Elements of the station were under construction throughout the US, Canada, Japan, and Europe beginning in the late 1980s.

The International Space Station Program brings together international flight crews, multiple launch vehicles, globally distributed launch and flight operations, training, engineering, and development facilities, communications networks, and the international scientific research community.

Learn more about the International Space Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/

https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/space-station-facts-and-figures/

Follow Expedition 74:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 74 Crew

Station Commander: Mike Fincke (NASA)

JAXA Flight Engineer (Japan): Kimiya Yui

Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Oleg Platonov, Sergey-Kud Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev

NASA Flight Engineers: Zena Cardman, Chris Williams

Video Credit: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)/K. Yui

Duration: 15 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 27, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Planets #Moon #Moonlight #Earth #Italy #Europe #Astronauts #UnitedStates #Japan #日本 #JAXA #宇宙航空研究開発機構 #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Young stars blow bubbles? Binary Protostellar System SVS 13 in Perseus | ESO

Young stars blow bubbles? Binary Protostellar System SVS 13 in Perseus | ESO

We know that a star’s childhood is turbulent—growing via a disc of gas and dust, the same disc from where planets form. Young stars also experience outbursts, expelling material via fast jets that regulate how much material is left to feed the young stars and form planets around it. This picture shows one of those jets interacting with the surrounding material. 

The background image, taken with the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope, shows the young star SVS 13, located in the star-forming region NGC 1333 about 1,000 light-years away. This star is expelling gas in the form of clumps known as “molecular bullets”. The insets show observations of one of those “bullets” taken with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), where the European Southern Observatory is a partner. Each frame displays gas moving at different speeds, ranging from 35 km/s (red) to 97 km/s (blue).

This series of images is similar to a medical tomography, and allows astronomers to reconstruct the 3D shape of the rings and shells of gas that the jet creates as it interacts with its environment. “This is the first time such a degree of fine detail has been reached, thanks to the exquisite sensitivity achieved in our study with ALMA,” said Guillermo Blazquez-Calero, lead author of the study recently published in Nature Astronomy. This will help astronomers understand the not-so-peaceful infancy of stars and how planets form around them. 

Credit: ALMA(ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/G. Blázquez-Calero, M. Osorio, G. Anglada
Background Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA/Karl Stapelfeldt
Release Date: Dec. 19, 2025

#NASA #ESO #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #Protostars #SVS13 #CircumstellarMaterial #StellarNurseries #NGC1333 #Nebulae #ReflectionNebulae #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #GSFC #STScI #ALMA #RadioAstronomy #NRAO #UnitedStates #Europe #NAOJ #Japan #STEM #Education

Solar System Orbit Visualization | NOIRLab

Solar System Orbit Visualization | NOIRLab

A visualization of the orbits of the planets in our Solar System. The Solar System is the gravitationally bound system of the Sun and the masses that orbit it, most prominently its "eight planets" acccording to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), of these, Earth is one. The system formed about 4.6 billion years ago when a dense region of a molecular cloud collapsed, creating the Sun and a protoplanetary disc where the orbiting bodies assembled. Inside the Sun's core, hydrogen has been fused into helium for billions of years, releasing energy over even longer periods of time emitted through the Sun's outer layer, the photosphere. This created the heliosphere and a decreasing temperature gradient across the Solar System.

The mass of the Solar System is by 99.86% almost completely made up of the Sun's mass. The next most massive objects of the system are the eight planets that by definition dominate the orbits they occupy. Closest to the Sun in order of increasing distance are the four terrestrial planets—Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. These are the planets of the inner Solar System. Earth and Mars are the only planets in the Solar System that orbit within the Sun's habitable zone, where sunlight can make surface water under atmospheric pressure a liquid. Beyond the frost line at about five astronomical units (AU), are two gas giants—Jupiter and Saturn—and two ice giants—Uranus and Neptune. These are the planets of the outer Solar System. Jupiter and Saturn possess nearly 90% of the non-stellar mass of the Solar System.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) established on July 28, 1919, in Brussels, Belgium. Its headquarters is located in Paris, France. The IAU aims to "promote and safeguard astronomy in all its aspects, including research, education, and outreach, through global collaboration."

NSF NOIRLab (formally named the National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory) is the United States' national center for ground-based, nighttime optical astronomy. Through NOIRLab's programs, it is responsible for the following facilities: NSF Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), the Community Science and Data Center (CSDC), the International Gemini Observatory, NSF Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) and the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory. The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) operates these facilities and NSF NOIRLab under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).

Video Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA
Duration: 33 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 17, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Sun #SolarSystem #Planets #Astrophysics #Gravity #Orbits #Earth #NOIRLab #NSF #AURA #UnitedStates #Chile #STEM #Education #Visualization #HD #Video

Starlink Satellites, Star Trails & Earth Airglow | International Space Station

Starlink Satellites, Star Trails & Earth Airglow | International Space Station

NASA astronaut and former International Space Station flight engineer Don Pettit: "Starlink satellites flashing white streaks into the time history of my orbital star trails. Bright flashes contrast against red-orange bands of atmospheric airglow."

NASA astronaut Don Pettit returned to Earth on April 19, 2025, concluding a seven-month science mission aboard the International Space Station. Pettit spent 220 days in space, earning him a total of 590 days in space over the course of his four spaceflights. He orbited the Earth 3,520 times, traveling 93.3 million miles in low-Earth orbit.

You will notice red-orange airglow in this image. Airglow occurs when atoms and molecules in the Earth's upper atmosphere, excited by sunlight, emit light to shed their excess energy. Or, it can happen when atoms and molecules that have been ionized by sunlight collide with and capture a free electron. In both cases, they eject a particle of light—called a photon—in order to relax again. The phenomenon is similar to auroras, but where auroras are driven by high-energy particles originating from the solar wind, airglow is energized by ordinary, day-to-day solar radiation. 

Unlike episodic and fleeting auroras, airglow shines constantly throughout Earth’s atmosphere, and the result is a tenuous bubble of light that closely encases our entire planet. (Auroras, on the other hand, are usually constrained to Earth’s poles.) Just a tenth as bright as all the stars in the night sky, airglow is far more subdued than auroras, too dim to observe easily except in orbit or on the ground with clear, dark skies and a sensitive camera.

Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by Starlink Services, LLC, an international telecommunications provider that is a wholly owned subsidiary of American aerospace company SpaceX, providing coverage to around 150 countries and territories.

Follow Expedition 74:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 74 Crew

Station Commander: Mike Fincke (NASA)

JAXA Flight Engineer (Japan): Kimiya Yui

Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Oleg Platonov, Sergey-Kud Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev

NASA Flight Engineers: Zena Cardman, Chris Williams

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center/D. Pettit

Release Date: Dec. 28, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #ISS #Science #Stars #Satellites #SpaceX #Starlink #Earth #Airglow #Astronauts #DonPettit #AstronautPhotography #UnitedStates #Japan #JAXA #Cosmonauts #Russia #Roscosmos #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition71 #Expedition72 #STEM #Education

Shenzhou-21 Crew Work on Experiments in Multiple Fields | China Space Station

Shenzhou-21 Crew Work on Experiments in Multiple Fields | China Space Station

Almost two months into their mission, the Shenzhou-21 crew have been smoothly pushing for experiments in multiple domains aboard China's Tiangong Space Station.

China launched the Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship on November 1, 2025, sending three astronauts to its orbiting space station on a six-month mission.

The Shenzhou-21 crew consists of mission commander Zhang Lu, and astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang. These three astronauts serve as pilot, flight engineer, and payload specialist, respectively, representing all three categories of Chinese astronauts currently being applied in the country's space endeavors.

In the field of aerospace medicine experiments, the three astronauts used electroencephalogram (EEG) equipment to acquire data needed for experimental projects such as metacognitive monitoring research and group brain cognition-emotion analysis and regulation, assisting the ground-based researchers in their ongoing research.

In Wentian lab module, the trio used the science glove box to collect samples of Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant that will help in research on the molecular network regulation of plant stem cells.

In the field of microgravity physics, the crew completed the disassembly and assembly of the complex fluid experiment module in the fluid physics experimental cabinet and replaced the experimental samples according to the experimental plan.

The crew members replaced the sampling cover of the plug-in gas experiment in the combustion experimental cabinet, and carried out the cleaning and replacement of the sample in the containerless cabinet experimental chamber and the maintenance of the electrodes of the axial mechanism.

The mission crew also launched the project in-situ electrochemical optical research of lithium-ion batteries for space applications. This will give full play to the professional advantages of payload expert Zhang to acquire images of the entire process of lithium dendrite growth.

Furthermore, the three astronauts underwent medical examinations, such as bone density measurement, electrocardiogram and blood pressure checks, and visual function measurement to comprehensively understand their on-orbit health status.

Shenzhou-21 Crew
Zhang Lu (张陆) - Commander & Pilot - 2nd spaceflight
Wu Fei (武飞)  Flight Engineer - 1st spaceflight
Zhang Hong Zhang (张洪章) - Payload Specialist - 1st spaceflight

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 1 minute, 41 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 28, 2025

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Shenzhou21Mission #神舟二十一号 #Shenzhou21 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #ZhangLu #WuFei #ZhangHongzhang #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #MicrogravityExperiments #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Russian Soyuz Rocket Pre-launch: Multi-Satellite Mission | Vostochny Cosmodrome

Russian Soyuz Rocket Pre-launch: Multi-Satellite Mission | Vostochny Cosmodrome

A Russian Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat rocket, scheduled to deliver a pair of Aist-2T Earth Observation satellites and 50 ridesharing payloads, including a trio of Iranian satellites, is vertical at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur Oblast. The launch is scheduled for no earlier than December 28, 2025.

The Vostochny Cosmodrome is a Russian space launch facility in the Amur Oblast, located above the 51st parallel north in the Russian Far East. It was built to help reduce Russia’s reliance on the Baikonur Cosmodrome located on land the Russian government leases from Kazakhstan. The civilian launch facility is operated by Roscosmos, the state corporation responsible for space flights. The facility was established in August 2011 and saw its first launch on April 28, 2016.

The dual-purpose Aist-2T satellite with a mass of 670 kilograms, was developed at RKTs Progress in Samara under a 2019 contract with the Roskosmos State Corporation that ordered a two-spacecraft system producing stereo-imaging of the Earth surface from a Sun-synchronous orbit. The Aist-2T satellite was reported to be capable of capturing images with a resolution as high as 1.6 meters, when photographing in nadir (directly below its flight path) in pan-chromatic mode. In the same imaging mode, it could also produce stereo images with a resolution up to 1.9 meters. Multi-spectral and color imagery was reported to be possible with a resolution of 4.8 meters when pointing in nadir or up to 5.9 meters for stereo sets of photos.

The Aist-2T variant also featured a built-in propulsion system for the first time, while the satellite's downlink channel for sending imaging data back to Earth was expanded from 150 megabits per second on Aist-2D to 1,600 megabits per second on the 2T version.

Video Credit: Rocosmos/SMG

Duration: 1 minute, 32 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 26, 2025

#NASA #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Space #Science #Earth #Satellites #EarthObservation #Aist2T1 #Aist2T2 #SoyuzRockets #Soyuz21bRocket #VostochnyCosmodrome #КосмодромВосточный #AmurOblast #Russia #Россия #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Russian Soyuz Rocket Pre-launch: Multi-Satellite Mission | Vostochny Cosmodrome

Russian Soyuz Rocket Pre-launch: Multi-Satellite Mission | Vostochny Cosmodrome

Roscosmos completed assembly and encapsulation of the payload section for the Aist-2T imaging satellite, along with a cluster of secondary payloads, including an Iranian satellite(s) (center) and multiple cubesats (left) ahead of a late December 2025 launch.

A Russian Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat rocket, scheduled to deliver a pair of Aist-2T Earth Observation satellites and 50 ridesharing payloads, including a trio of Iranian satellites, is vertical at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur Oblast. The launch is scheduled for no earlier than December 28, 2025.

The Vostochny Cosmodrome is a Russian space launch facility in the Amur Oblast, located above the 51st parallel north in the Russian Far East. It was built to help reduce Russia’s reliance on the Baikonur Cosmodrome located on land the Russian government leases from Kazakhstan. The civilian launch facility is operated by Roscosmos, the state corporation responsible for space flights. The facility was established in August 2011 and saw its first launch on April 28, 2016.

The dual-purpose Aist-2T satellite with a mass of 670 kilograms, was developed at RKTs Progress in Samara under a 2019 contract with the Roskosmos State Corporation that ordered a two-spacecraft system producing stereo-imaging of the Earth surface from a Sun-synchronous orbit. The Aist-2T satellite was reported to be capable of capturing images with a resolution as high as 1.6 meters, when photographing in nadir (directly below its flight path) in pan-chromatic mode. In the same imaging mode, it could also produce stereo images with a resolution up to 1.9 meters. Multi-spectral and color imagery was reported to be possible with a resolution of 4.8 meters when pointing in nadir or up to 5.9 meters for stereo sets of photos.

The Aist-2T variant also featured a built-in propulsion system for the first time, while the satellite's downlink channel for sending imaging data back to Earth was expanded from 150 megabits per second on Aist-2D to 1,600 megabits per second on the 2T version.

Image Credit: Artyom Pylayev
Acknowledgement: Katya Pavlushchenko
Release Date: Dec. 26, 2025

#NASA #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Space #Science #Earth #Satellites #EarthObservation #Aist2T1 #Aist2T2 #SoyuzRockets #Soyuz21bRocket #VostochnyCosmodrome #КосмодромВосточный #AmurOblast #Russia #Россия #STEM #Education

Phobos Moon over Martian dust storm near Pavonis Mons | Europe's Mars Express

Phobos Moon over Martian dust storm near Pavonis Mons | Europe's Mars Express

The European Space Agency (ESA) Mars Express spacecraft's High Res­o­lu­tion Stereo Cam­era (HRSC) captured these views of the Martian moon Phobos above a Martian dust storm near Pavonis Mons. Pavonis Mons (Latin for "peacock mountain") is a large shield volcano located in the Tharsis region of the planet Mars. It is the middle member of a chain of three volcanic mountains (collectively known as the Tharsis Montes) that straddle the Martian equator between longitudes 235°E and 259°E. The volcano was discovered by the Mariner 9 spacecraft in 1971, and was originally called Middle Spot. Its name formally became Pavonis Mons in 1973. A shield volcano is a type of volcano characterized by its low profile and broad, gently sloping sides, resembling a warrior's shield lying on the ground. They are primarily formed by the eruption of low-viscosity basaltic lava that allows the lava to flow over great distances, creating a wide, shield-like shape. 

The HRSC camera on Mars Express is operated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The systematic processing of the camera data took place at the DLR Institute for Planetary Research in Berlin-Adlershof.

Mars Express has now been in space for over twenty-two years, despite a planned initial lifetime of just 687 Earth days. It has achieved its aforementioned aims and revealed a wealth of knowledge about Mars in that time, making it undeniably one of the most successful missions ever sent to the Red Planet.

The orbiter will continue its study of Mars until at least the end of 2026 with an indicative extension from January 1, 2027 to December 31, 2028 to support the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)-led Mars Moons eXploration (MMX) mission (Japan), followed by two years of post-operations.

Mars Express has conducted data relay for seven rovers and landing platforms and has supported scientific work with a further five orbiters.

The past 20 years of observations from Mars Express have solidified our picture of Mars as a once-habitable planet with warmer and wetter epochs that may have been oases for ancient life. This is a monumental shift from our previous view of the planet that characterized it as an eternally cold and arid world.

Mars Express has identified and mapped signs of past water across Mars—from minerals that only form in the presence of water to water-carved valleys, groundwater systems, and ponds lurking below ground—and traced its influence and prevalence through martian history. It has peered deep into the Martian atmosphere, mapping how gases (water, ozone, methane) are distributed and escape to space, and watching as dust is whipped up from the surface into the air. The mission has seen giant dust storms engulf the planet, creating familiar clouds like those we see on Earth, and tracked rare ultraviolet auroras. 

The orbiter has seen signs of recent and episodic volcanism and tectonics, and explored the planet’s unique surface features, mapping 98.8% of Mars and creating thousands of 3D images of impact craters, canyons (including the Valles Marineris system), the planet’s icy poles, immense volcanoes and more.

Learn more: 
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Mars_Express

Image Credit: ESA/DLR/FUBerlin/AndreaLuck via creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en
Release Date: Dec. 27, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planet #Mars #PavonisMons #ShieldVolcanoes #TharsisMontes #Geology #MarsExpress #MarsExpressSpacecraft #HRSC #Europe #DLR #FUBerlin #Berlin #Germany #Deutschland #STEM #Education

Phobos Moon above Martian Dust Storm near Volcano | Europe's Mars Express

Phobos Moon above Martian Dust Storm near Volcano | Europe's Mars Express

The European Space Agency (ESA) Mars Express spacecraft's High Res­o­lu­tion Stereo Cam­era (HRSC) captured these views of the Martian moon Phobos above a Martian dust storm near Pavonis Mons. Pavonis Mons (Latin for "peacock mountain") is a large shield volcano located in the Tharsis region of the planet Mars. It is the middle member of a chain of three volcanic mountains (collectively known as the Tharsis Montes) that straddle the Martian equator between longitudes 235°E and 259°E. The volcano was discovered by the Mariner 9 spacecraft in 1971, and was originally called Middle Spot. Its name formally became Pavonis Mons in 1973. A shield volcano is a type of volcano characterized by its low profile and broad, gently sloping sides, resembling a warrior's shield lying on the ground. They are primarily formed by the eruption of low-viscosity basaltic lava that allows the lava to flow over great distances, creating a wide, shield-like shape. 

The HRSC camera on Mars Express is operated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The systematic processing of the camera data took place at the DLR Institute for Planetary Research in Berlin-Adlershof.

Mars Express has now been in space for over twenty-two years, despite a planned initial lifetime of just 687 Earth days. It has achieved its aforementioned aims and revealed a wealth of knowledge about Mars in that time, making it undeniably one of the most successful missions ever sent to the Red Planet.

The orbiter will continue its study of Mars until at least the end of 2026 with an indicative extension from January 1, 2027 to December 31, 2028 to support the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)-led Mars Moons eXploration (MMX) mission (Japan), followed by two years of post-operations.

Mars Express has conducted data relay for seven rovers and landing platforms and has supported scientific work with a further five orbiters.

The past 20 years of observations from Mars Express have solidified our picture of Mars as a once-habitable planet with warmer and wetter epochs that may have been oases for ancient life. This is a monumental shift from our previous view of the planet that characterized it as an eternally cold and arid world.

Mars Express has identified and mapped signs of past water across Mars—from minerals that only form in the presence of water to water-carved valleys, groundwater systems, and ponds lurking below ground—and traced its influence and prevalence through martian history. It has peered deep into the Martian atmosphere, mapping how gases (water, ozone, methane) are distributed and escape to space, and watching as dust is whipped up from the surface into the air. The mission has seen giant dust storms engulf the planet, creating familiar clouds like those we see on Earth, and tracked rare ultraviolet auroras. 

The orbiter has seen signs of recent and episodic volcanism and tectonics, and explored the planet’s unique surface features, mapping 98.8% of Mars and creating thousands of 3D images of impact craters, canyons (including the Valles Marineris system), the planet’s icy poles, immense volcanoes and more.

Learn more: 
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Mars_Express

Video Credit: ESA/DLR/FUBerlin/AndreaLuck via creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en
Duration: 14 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 27, 2025

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China Tech Review 2025: Reusable Rockets "just got real"

China Tech Review 2025: Reusable Rockets "just got real"

Reusable rockets are no longer a spectacle. This year saw them gradually transform into a piece of infrastructure with China emerging as a strong competitor in the race for space transport vehicles.

December 2025 featured two significant spaceflights. LandSpace's Zhuque-3 and the state-backed Long March-12A each completed their maiden missions carrying satellites to orbit.

The Long March 12A (LM-12A or CZ-12A), is a Chinese reusable medium-lift launch vehicle carrier rocket. The rocket has two stages and its first stage is designed to be reused after stage-recovery via propulsive landing. Both stages of the rocket use methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX) for propulsion. The rocket is manufactured by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST).

The first flight occurred on December 23, 2025 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC) with a successful orbital launch but the first-stage recovery was unsuccessful.

By comparison, SpaceX's first landing test occurred in September 2013 on the sixth flight of a Falcon 9 and maiden launch of the v1.1 rocket version. Between 2013 to 2016, sixteen test flights were conducted, only six of these achieved a soft landing and recovery of the first-stage booster. 

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has commented on the Landspace Zhuque-3's design: "They have added aspects of Starship, such as use of stainless steel and methalox, to a Falcon 9 architecture, which would enable it to beat Falcon 9 . . ."

Video Credit: CGTN
Duration: 3 minutes
Release Date: Dec. 27, 2025

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ISRO LVM3 Heavy-lift Rocket Launch: US BlueBird 6 Communications Satellite

ISRO LVM3 Heavy-lift Rocket Launch: US BlueBird 6 Communications Satellite

On Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved another significant milestone for India's space program, successfully launching the LVM3-M6 rocket carrying the next-generation US communication satellite, BlueBird Block-2, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This mission highlights India's strengths in space technology and the critical role of ISRO’s heavy-lift vehicle, the LVM3 rocket, in the global space industry.

The LVM3, ISRO’s most powerful rocket, is known for its ability to carry large payloads into space, making it essential for missions requiring high payload capacity. In this mission, LVM3-M6 successfully placed the 6,100 kg BlueBird Block-2 satellite into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This makes the BlueBird Block-2 the heaviest payload ever launched by the LVM3, setting a new benchmark for the rocket’s capabilities.

The satellite launch is part of a commercial mission, underlining ISRO's growing role in the international space market. The BlueBird Block-2 satellite was launched as part of a partnership between ISRO and U.S.-based AST SpaceMobile, aimed at providing global mobile broadband coverage. The satellite's primary objective is to improve communication networks by providing mobile connectivity across underserved regions, especially in remote areas. At nearly 2,400 square feet, BlueBird 6 is over three times the size and ten times the capacity of AST SpaceMobile’s six satellites currently in orbit. The satellite is designed to enable peak data rates of up to 120 Mbps directly to standard, unmodified mobile devices, supporting voice, full data, and video applications from space.

More information: 

https://isro.gov.in/LVM3_M6_BlueBird_Block2_Mission.html

AST SpaceMobile: https://feeds.issuerdirect.com/news-release.html?newsid=4645472761706619

Sriharikota is a barrier island off the Bay of Bengal coast located in the Shar Project settlement of Tirupati district in Andhra Pradesh, India. It houses the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, one of the two satellite launch centres in India (the other being Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, Thiruvananthapuram). ISRO launches satellites using multistage rockets, such as the PSLV and the GSLV, from Sriharikota. Sriharikota was selected by ISRO because of its proximity to the equator, it gives extra centripetal force from the rotation of Earth.

Video Credit: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) 

Duration: 1 minute
Date: Dec. 24, 2025

#NASA #ISRO #Space #Satellites #Science #Earth #India #BhāratGaṇarājya #LVM3M6Rocket #HeavyLiftRockets #BlueBirdSatellite6 #BlueBirdBlock2 #ASTMobile #CommunicationsSatellites #UnitedStates #CommercialSpace #NSIL #SDSC #Sriharikota #AndhraPradesh #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #Aerospace #STEM #Education #HD #Video