Asteroid Itokawa | Japan's Hayabusa Spacecraft

Asteroid Itokawa | Japan's Hayabusa Spacecraft

Why are parts of this asteroid's surface so smooth? 

The answer seems likely to do with the dynamics of an asteroid that is a loose pile of rubble rather than a solid rock. The unusual asteroid Itokawa was visited by the Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa in 2005 that imaged and documented its unusual structure and mysterious lack of craters. Analyses of the border regions between smooth and rugged sections indicate that jostling of the asteroid might be creating segregation between large and small rocks near the surface, like the "Brazil nut" effect. 

25143 Itokawa (provisional designation 1998 SF36) is a sub-kilometer near-Earth object of the Apollo group and also a potentially hazardous asteroid. It was discovered by the LINEAR program in 1998 and later named after Japanese rocket engineer Hideo Itokawa. The peanut-shaped S-type asteroid has a rotation period of 12.1 hours and measures approximately 330 meters (1,100 feet) in diameter. Due to its low density and high porosity, Itokawa is considered to be a rubble pile, consisting of numerous boulders of assorted sizes, rather than a single solid body.

The robotic Hayabusa actually touched down on one of the smooth patches, dubbed the MUSES Sea, and collected soil samples. These samples were returned to Earth and are not only giving clues to the ancient history of this unusual asteroid, but also about the early years of our Solar System. Computer simulations show that 500-meter asteroid Itokawa may impact the Earth within the next few million years.

Image Credit: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS)

Release Date: June 30, 2026

#NASA #JAXA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Asteroids #AsteroidItokawa #25143Itokawa #Japan #日本 #Hayabusa #HayabusaSpacecraft #はやぶ #JAXA #宇宙航空研究開発機構 #SolarSystem #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceExploration #NASAGoddard #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #APoD

Flyby of Asteroid Torifune | Japan's Hayabusa2 Spacecraft

Flyby of Asteroid Torifune | Japan's Hayabusa2 Spacecraft

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has successfully conducted a flyby of asteroid Torifune, the first asteroid exploration of the Hayabusa2 Extended Mission. On July 5, 2026, at 18:35 Japan Standard Time (JST), the Hayabusa2 spacecraft was confirmed from ground communications to be operating normally.

98943 Torifune (provisional designation 2001 CC21) is an Apollo-type near-Earth asteroid with a diameter of about 450 meters (1,500 feet). It was discovered by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) survey at Socorro, New Mexico, United States on February 3, 2001.

The asteroid explorer Hayabusa2 was launched in December 2014 onboard the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 26. The mission explored asteroid Ryugu, delivering samples from Ryugu to Earth on December 6, 2020. Since then, the spacecraft returned to deep space on an Extended Mission. On July 5, 2026 at around 18:30 JST, Hayabusa2 successfully performed a flyby of Torifune, the asteroid selected as the first exploration target of the Extended Mission.

Observations with the onboard scientific instruments began in mid-June with the Optical Navigation Camera—Telescopic (ONC-T) that directly imaged Torifune on June 20. Observations with the ONC-T then continued with the primary purpose to support optical-radio hybrid navigation for the spacecraft during the approach to Torifune. From about one hour before the closest approach, observations were also conducted using the Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS3), Thermal InfraRed Imager (TIR), and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) instruments. These observations continued until immediately before the closest approach to Torifune but could not be conducted after the spacecraft had passed the asteroid. At present, only part of the data acquired by the scientific instruments has been transmitted to Earth. The remaining data will be transmitted to the ground during future operations.

Image Credit: JAXA, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS)
Release Date: July 5, 2026

#NASA #JAXA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Asteroids #AsteroidTorifune #98943Torifune #Japan #日本 #Hayabusa2 #Hayabusa2Spacecraft #はやぶさ2  #JAXA #宇宙航空研究開発機構 #SolarSystem #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Likely Formed in Outskirts of Old Star System | ESO

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Likely Formed in Outskirts of Old Star System | ESO

Using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have studied the relative abundances of carbon and nitrogen in 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar comet discovered so far and the brightest interstellar object ever seen. Their findings suggest that the comet likely formed in the outskirts of the disc around a star older than the Sun. This video summarizes the discovery.

Interstellar comets are icy objects formed around a star other than the Sun that occasionally wander into our Solar System. "They are sort of fossils from a planetary formation process that happened very far away, but that we get the chance to study from much closer," says astronomer Cyrielle Opitom, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Together with Jean Manfroid and Damien Hutsemékers of the University of Liège, Belgium, Opitom led a study of 3I/ATLAS published today in Nature Astronomy.

3I/ATLAS is the third interstellar object ever discovered, after 1I/ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov. It was found as it was approaching the Sun, spending enough time in our Solar System for astronomers to study it in detail. While it was difficult to measure the composition of the first two interstellar objects—in the first astronomers did not detect gas and the second was too faint—this was not the case for 3I/ATLAS. Thanks to the object's unprecedented brightness, Opitom, Manfroid, Hutsemékers and their team were able to measure the comet's isotopic ratios: the relative amounts of different forms of the same element.

Using the UVES instrument on ESO's VLT, the team measured ratios of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in cyanide molecules present in the gas around the comet. These ratios are known to be a good indicator of a comet’s origin, as they are very sensitive to the physical conditions in the formation environment and are not expected to change much as the comet travels on through space.

“Unlike comets from our Solar System, this interstellar visitor carries unusually high carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios,” explains Aravind Krishnakumar, a researcher at the University of Liège and co-author on the new study. A similar study led by Martin Cordiner at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, US, that was published late last month in Nature, found a similar isotopic ratio of carbon, as well as elevated levels of deuterium, also called heavy hydrogen. The study used data from the James Webb Space Telescope, a joint project of the US, European, and Canadian space agencies.

Overall, the findings by Opitom’s team indicate that the comet likely formed in the outer regions around an old, ‘low-metallicity’ star. A low-metallicity star is one with few elements heavier than helium in its composition, that is thought to have formed when the Universe was much younger—and less chemically rich—than it is now. The team suspects that 3I/ATLAS therefore originated around a star much older than the Sun. “3I/ATLAS is a really exciting opportunity to probe the composition of another planetary system, one that formed long before our Sun and Solar System even existed," says co-author Rosemary Dorsey, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Evidence from the studies by the different teams points to 3I/ATLAS being more than twice as old as the Sun.

As 3I/ATLAS moves away from the Sun and gets progressively fainter, its observations at the VLT are also nearing their end. ESO's upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) will allow similar measurements for future interstellar objects, including those less bright than 3I/ATLAS. "The field of interstellar objects is still very new, and we do not really know what to expect. Every time a new one is discovered, we have new surprises," Opitom concludes.

Credits: European Southern Observatory (ESO)
Directed by: Angelos Tsaousis, Martin Wallner
Editing: Angelos Tsaousis
Written by: Emma Elkington
Footage and photos: ESO, Luis Calçada, M. Kornmesser, Babak Tafreshi, N. Risinger, Cyrielle Opitom, and Olivier Hainaut
Duration: 1 minute, 23 seconds
Release Date: July 6, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #InterstellarObjects #InterplanetaryBodies #InterstellarComets #InterstellarComet3I #Comet3I #StarSystems #SolarSystem #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #VLT #ParanalObservatory #Chile #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

United Launch Alliance Atlas V Amazon Leo 8 Launch Highlights

United Launch Alliance Atlas V Amazon Leo 8 Launch Highlights

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the Leo 8 mission for Amazon lifted off on July 2, 2026, at 12:30:15 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral in Florida. 

With this launch, ULA has delivered a total of 224 of the 375+ satellites for Amazon Leo as it moves closer to commercial operations.

ULA website: www.ulalaunch.com

Amazon Leo is "Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite network. Its mission is to deliver fast, reliable Internet to customers and communities beyond the reach of existing networks." 
https://www.aboutamazon.com/what-we-do/devices-services/amazon-leo

Video Credit: United Launch Alliance 
Duration: 45 seconds
Release Date: July 7, 2026

#NASA #Space #Satellites #Earth #CommercialSpace #UnitedLaunchAlliance #ULA #AtlasVRocket  #LockheedMartin #Boeing #Amazon #AmazonLEO #AmazonLeo8 #LEO #CommunicationsSatellites #CapeCanaveral #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA's Artemis II Moon Crew Joins Johnson Space Center Events

NASA's Artemis II Moon Crew Joins Johnson Space Center Events

From left to right, Rosemary Roosa, president of The Moon Tree Foundation and daughter of late Apollo 14 astronaut Stuart Roosa, and Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center, participate in the dedication of the Apollo 14 Moon tree alongside the Artemis II crew.

The Artemis II crew participates in the dedication of the Apollo 14 Moon tree at the Lunar Receiving Park at NASA's Johnson Space Center. This tree is a second-generation Apollo Moon tree of the loblolly pine species.

NASA astronaut Christina Koch addresses the crowd at an Artemis II employee celebration event at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch address the crowd at an Artemis II employee celebration event at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen addresses the crowd alongside his fellow Artemis II crew members at an Artemis II employee celebration event

NASA astronaut and Artemis II pilot Victor Glover addresses the crowd at an Artemis II employee celebration event

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen addresses the crowd at an Artemis II employee celebration event

The Artemis II crew reflects on their historic 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth at an Artemis II employee celebration event at the Lunar Receiving Park at NASA's Johnson Space Center. 

NASA's Artemis II Moon crew visited NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on June 25, 2026. They participated in the dedication of the Apollo 14 Moon tree and joined an employee celebration event. The tree is a second-generation Apollo Moon tree of the loblolly pine species. The original Apollo Moon trees were grown from seeds carried aboard Apollo 14 by NASA astronaut Stuart Roosa, a former U.S. Forest Service smoke jumper. Upon return to Earth, the seeds were germinated by the Forest Service, and the resulting seedlings were planted throughout the United States and around the world.

NASA's Artemis II Moon Mission took NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth.

The Orion spacecraft successfully splashed down on Friday, April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean following its journey around the Moon.

The first crewed test flight of NASA’s Artemis Program lifted off from Launch Pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 1, 2026, carrying the first astronauts to travel to the Moon in more than half a century. 

The crew completed a record-setting lunar flyby, taking them 252,756 miles at their farthest distance from Earth and 4,067 miles above the lunar surface at their closest approach. 

Under Artemis, NASA will send astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

Learn more about NASA's Artemis II Mission:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

Image Credit: NASA
Date: June 25, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #Apollo14 #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #Astronauts #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #ChristinaKoch #JeremyHansen #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #CSA #Canada #NASAJohnson #JSC #Houston #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Most Ancient Quasars in the Universe Discovered | Euclid Space Telescope | ESA

Most Ancient Quasars in the Universe Discovered | Euclid Space Telescope | ESA

In March 2026, the European Space Agency's Euclid space telescope discovered 31of the most ancient quasars ever found, more than doubling the number of quasars we know of that are so old. Two of these giant, dazzling, black hole-powered galaxy cores are older than any we have seen before. These cosmic elders shone with the light of a trillion Suns back when the Universe was 670 million years old—just 5% of its current age.

Quasars are distant galaxies whose incredibly bright cores are powered by supermassive black holes. Quasars have been found with luminosities between 10 to 100,000 times that of our Milky Way galaxy, generated from an area just a few light-days to a few light-years across.

Quasars occur when immense amounts of matter fall into a supermassive black hole, spiraling around it in the form of a disk before entering. This “accretion disk” is subjected to extreme gravitational and frictional forces, causing the gas and dust to heat up to millions of degrees and become luminous, blasting out dazzling jets of material into the universe. Together, the jets and glowing disk outshine their host galaxies.

ESA's Euclid Space Telescope:
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Euclid

Credit: A CNES production (Antoine Basset)
Source Imagery: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

Duration: 1 minute, 19 seconds
Release Date: July 6, 2026

#NASA #ESA #ESAEuclid #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #BlackHoles #Quasars #Cosmos #Universe #EuclidSpaceTelescope #EST #SpaceTelescopes #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Highlights from The James Webb Space Telescope’s 4th Year of Science

Highlights from The James Webb Space Telescope’s 4th Year of Science

This Space Sparks episode highlights science results from Webb's 4th year of science operations.

"Webb is the largest, most powerful telescope ever launched into space." 

Under an international collaboration agreement, the European Space Agency (ESA) provided the telescope’s launch service, using the Ariane 5 launch vehicle. Working with partners, ESA was responsible for the development and qualification of Ariane 5 adaptations for the Webb mission and for the procurement of the launch service by Arianespace. ESA also provided the workhorse spectrograph NIRSpec and 50% of the mid-infrared instrument MIRI, which was designed and built by a consortium of nationally funded European Institutes (The MIRI European Consortium) in partnership with JPL and the University of Arizona.

Webb is an international partnership between NASA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

Credits:
Directed by: Bethany Downer and Nico Bartmann  
Editing: Nico Bartmann
Written by: Kerry Hensley  
Footage and photos: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, N. Bartmann (ESA/Webb), Y. Cheng (NAOJ), J. DePasquale (STScI), G. Gozaliasl, A. Koekemoer, M. Franco, G. Rihtaršič (University of Ljubljana, FMF), R. Tripodi (University of Ljubljana, FMF), A. Levan (IMAPP), R. Naidu (MIT), P. Tiranti, H. Melin, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb), A. Leroy, A. Pedrini, A. Adamo (Stockholm University) and the FEAST JWST team, L. Furtak (Ben-Gurion University), R. Maiolino (Cambridge), F. D'Eugenio (Cambridge), I. Juodžbalis (Cambridge), H. Übler (MPE), C. Marconcini (University of Florence)
Duration: 1 minute, 53 seconds
Release Date: July 6, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Planets #SolarSystem #Exoplanets #Supernovae #Nebulae #Galaxies #GravitationalLensing #Cosmos #Universe #JWST #InfraredAstronomy #SpaceTelescopes #Europe #NASAGoddard #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Celebrating The James Webb Space Telescope's 4th Year of Science Operations

Celebrating The James Webb Space Telescope's 4th Year of Science Operations

This European Space Agency video highlights images from Webb's 4th year of science operations.

The fourth year of Webb’s science operations has delivered further groundbreaking science and discoveries from places across the Universe. Astronomers found new evidence for a planet orbiting Alpha Centauri, just four light-years away from our Sun. Webb showcased eight spectacular gravitational lenses out of an in-depth survey that identified hundreds of candidates. By looking into the cradles of star clusters in nearby galaxies, scientists found that more massive clusters emerge faster; meanwhile in our own Solar System, Webb mapped the upper atmosphere and auroras of Uranus.

In the early Universe, Webb revealed a black hole that formed before its galaxy did, providing new evidence for how supermassive black holes originated, and identified a supernova occurring just 730 million years after the Big Bang—the earliest to date. Researchers presented the strongest evidence yet that some of the “little red dots” discovered by Webb in 2022 are in fact "black hole stars". Webb also took a fresh look at the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, resulting in a new view that reveals thousands of distant galaxies dating back to the earliest periods of cosmic history.

Among the unique images produced by Webb over the last year were the gossamer nebulae around a planet-forming disc, intricate details in the edge of the Helix Nebula, the complex heart of a cosmic butterfly and young stars across every stage of formation. Webb highlighted a beacon of light in the swirls of galaxy Messier 77, and details of the stellar lifecycle in galaxy NGC 5134. Webb and Hubble also joined forces to share the most comprehensive view of Saturn to date, showing layers and storms in its atmosphere.

Credits:
Directed by: Bethany Downer and Nico Bartmann  
Editing: Nico Bartmann  
Written by: Kerry Hensley  
Footage and photos: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, N. Bartmann (ESA/Webb), G. Östlin, P. G. Perez-Gonzalez, J. Melinder, the JADES Collaboration, the MIDIS collaboration, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb), M. Villenave et al., J. H. Kastner (Rochester Institute of Technology), A. Adamo (Stockholm University), G. Bortolini, and the FEAST JWST team, Almendros-Abad, M. Guarcello, K. Monsch, and the EWOCS team, C. Willott (National Research Council Canada), R. Tripodi (INAF - Astronomical Observatory of Rome), A. Leroy, T. Megeath
Duration: 1 minute, 53 seconds
Release Date: July 6, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Planets #SolarSystem #Exoplanets #Supernovae #Nebulae #Galaxies #GravitationalLensing #Cosmos #Universe #JWST #InfraredAstronomy #SpaceTelescopes #Europe #NASAGoddard #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Journey to Nearby Galaxy Centaurus A | James Webb Space Telescope

Journey to Nearby Galaxy Centaurus A | James Webb Space Telescope

This video takes the viewer on a journey through space to reveal a new image from the NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to celebrate its fourth anniversary of science.

The video reveals the nearby galaxy Centaurus A, exposing the dusty structures and hidden activity that shape this unusual system. Webb’s infrared vision pierces thick lanes of dust that obscure much of the galaxy in visible light, unveiling intricate filaments, loops, and glowing clouds of warm dust stretching across its center. At the heart of the galaxy, an actively feeding supermassive black hole shines brightly, surrounded by complex structures sculpted by a past galactic collision and ongoing activity.

Centaurus A is approximately 10-16 million light-years away from Earth.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, A. Pagan (STScI), J. Depasquale (STScI), M. Garcia Marin (ESA Office at STScI), N. Bartmann (ESA/Webb)
Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: July 6, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #CentaurusA #InteractingGalaxies #CentaurusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #JWST #MIRI #InfraredAstronomy #SpaceTelescopes #Europe #NASAGoddard #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Close-up: Nearby Galaxy Centaurus A | James Webb Space Telescope

Close-up: Nearby Galaxy Centaurus A | James Webb Space Telescope

This video highlights new images from the NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope to celebrate its fourth science anniversary—a familiar galaxy transforms into something far richer, and far more complex, than ever seen before. Webb’s unprecedented sensitivity across near- and mid-infrared wavelengths cuts through the thick lanes of dust that obscure Centaurus A’s center in visible light, showing a densely packed tapestry of individual stars and an active, everchanging galaxy. These images mark four years of better-than-anticipated performance and successful science operations. At the heart of the galaxy, an actively feeding supermassive black hole shines brightly, surrounded by complex structures sculpted by a past galactic collision and ongoing activity.

Centaurus A is approximately 10-16 million light-years away from Earth.

Final Image Description: A horizontal image of the galaxy Centaurus A stretches across a black background filled with thousands of tiny purple, pink, and white points of light. The galaxy is brightest at its center, where a brilliant white and pale pink glow radiates outward. Eight diffraction spikes extend from the central glow. Delicate loops and wispy ribbons of pink and lavender arc above and below the center of the image in the shape of an ‘S’. A band of gray and white dust in the shape of a parallelogram cuts across the middle of the galaxy. Mottled patches and bright knots are scattered throughout the dusty band. The galaxy’s outer edges fade into soft, cloud-like plumes with feathery textures that stretch toward the left and right sides of the image. Against the surrounding darkness, a few bright foreground stars shine with Webb’s distinctive diffraction spikes, while countless fainter stars create a speckled backdrop.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI), J. Depasquale (STScI), M. Garcia Marin (ESA Office at STScI)

Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: July 6, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #CentaurusA #InteractingGalaxies #CentaurusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #JWST #MIRI #InfraredAstronomy #SpaceTelescopes #Europe #NASAGoddard #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Nearby Galaxy Centaurus A | James Webb Space Telescope

Nearby Galaxy Centaurus A | James Webb Space Telescope

The NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) reveals the nearby galaxy Centaurus A, exposing the dusty structures and hidden activity that shape this unusual system. Webb’s infrared vision pierces thick lanes of dust that obscure much of the galaxy in visible light, unveiling intricate filaments, loops, and glowing clouds of warm dust stretching across its center. At the heart of the galaxy, an actively feeding supermassive black hole shines brightly, surrounded by complex structures sculpted by a past galactic collision and ongoing activity.

Centaurus A is approximately 10-16 million light-years away from Earth.

Image Description: A horizontal image of the galaxy Centaurus A stretches across a black background filled with thousands of tiny purple, pink, and white points of light. The galaxy is brightest at its center, where a brilliant white and pale pink glow radiates outward. Eight diffraction spikes extend from the central glow. Delicate loops and wispy ribbons of pink and lavender arc above and below the center of the image in the shape of an ‘S’. A band of gray and white dust in the shape of a parallelogram cuts across the middle of the galaxy. Mottled patches and bright knots are scattered throughout the dusty band. The galaxy’s outer edges fade into soft, cloud-like plumes with feathery textures that stretch toward the left and right sides of the image. Against the surrounding darkness, a few bright foreground stars shine with Webb’s distinctive diffraction spikes, while countless fainter stars create a speckled backdrop.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI. Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI), J. Depasquale (STScI), M. Garcia Marin (ESA Office at STScI)
Release Date: July 6, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #CentaurusA #InteractingGalaxies #CentaurusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #JWST #MIRI #InfraredAstronomy #SpaceTelescopes #Europe #NASAGoddard #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education 

China’s Tianwen-2 Sample-Return Mission Arrives at Asteroid 2016 HO3

China’s Tianwen-2 Sample-Return Mission Arrives at Asteroid 2016 HO3

China’s Tianwen-2 spacecraft has arrived at asteroid 2016 HO3 and begun scientific studies, after about a 400-day journey of roughly a billion kilometers (km) through deep space. This new image from July 2, 2026, was released on Monday, July 6, 2026 by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). It shows the target asteroid from roughly 20 km away.

China launched its first asteroid sample-return mission, Tianwen-2, on May 29, 2025, aiming to achieve multiple goals over a decade-long expedition: collecting samples from the near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3 and exploring the main-belt comet 311P, more distant than Mars.

469219 Kamoʻoalewa (provisional designation 2016 HO3) is a very small Apollo-type near-Earth asteroid approximately 40–100 meters (130–330 feet) in diameter. It is an elongated object that rapidly rotates every 28 minutes. At present it is a quasi-satellite of Earth, and currently the second-smallest, closest, and most stable known such quasi-satellite (after 2023 FW13). Kamoʻoalewa was discovered by Pan-STARRS at Haleakala Observatory on April 27, 2016.

During the approach phase, the probe acquired imagery of the asteroid. The mission team leveraged optical navigation data gathered during the close approach to refine the asteroid's ephemeris, reducing the positional uncertainty, previously determined solely through ground-based observations, from hundreds of kilometers down to the kilometer scale, according to the CNSA.

On its voyage to the asteroid, the probe executed deep-space maneuvers and trajectory correction operations. On June 6, 2026, the probe achieved its first detection of the asteroid. On June 7, at a range of 30,000 kilometers, it entered a coplanar trajectory with the asteroid, while on June 19, it approached the asteroid to within 2,000 kilometers.

Next, the probe will progressively conduct more detailed scientific examinations to acquire data on the asteroid's morphology, material composition, and internal structure, laying the groundwork for subsequent sample collection operations, the CNSA said.

The probe is expected to return asteroid samples to Earth in 2027 with the entire mission to last a decade.

If successful, China will become only the third country in the world to carry out such a feat after Japan and the United States.

The Tianwen-2 mission is the latest example of China's space achievements in recent years. These include returning samples from the near and far sides of the Moon, launching a successful mission to probe Mars, operating its own national space station in orbit, and moving ahead in its plan to send humans to the lunar surface by 2030.

Image Credit: CNSA via Xinhua
Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: July 6, 2026

#NASA #CNSA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Earth #Asteroids #AsteroidKamooalewa #Asteroid2016HO3 #AsteroidSampleReturn #Comets #Comet311P #Comet311PPANSTARRS #CometFlyby #China #中国 #Tianwen2 #天问二号 #Tianwen2Spacecraft #DeepSpace #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China’s Tianwen-2 Sample-Return Mission Arrives at Asteroid 2016 HO3

China’s Tianwen-2 Sample-Return Mission Arrives at Asteroid 2016 HO3

China’s Tianwen-2 spacecraft has arrived at asteroid 2016 HO3 and begun scientific studies, after about a 400-day journey of roughly a billion kilometers (km) through deep space. This new image from July 2, 2026, was released on Monday, July 6, 2026 by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). It shows the target asteroid from roughly 20 km away.

China launched its first asteroid sample-return mission, Tianwen-2, on May 29, 2025, aiming to achieve multiple goals over a decade-long expedition: collecting samples from the near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3 and exploring the main-belt comet 311P, more distant than Mars.

469219 Kamoʻoalewa (provisional designation 2016 HO3) is a very small Apollo-type near-Earth asteroid approximately 40–100 meters (130–330 feet) in diameter. It is an elongated object that rapidly rotates every 28 minutes. At present it is a quasi-satellite of Earth, and currently the second-smallest, closest, and most stable known such quasi-satellite (after 2023 FW13). Kamoʻoalewa was discovered by Pan-STARRS at Haleakala Observatory on April 27, 2016.

During the approach phase, the probe acquired imagery of the asteroid. The mission team leveraged optical navigation data gathered during the close approach to refine the asteroid's ephemeris, reducing the positional uncertainty, previously determined solely through ground-based observations, from hundreds of kilometers down to the kilometer scale, according to the CNSA.

On its voyage to the asteroid, the probe executed deep-space maneuvers and trajectory correction operations. On June 6, 2026, the probe achieved its first detection of the asteroid. On June 7, at a range of 30,000 kilometers, it entered a coplanar trajectory with the asteroid, while on June 19, it approached the asteroid to within 2,000 kilometers.

Next, the probe will progressively conduct more detailed scientific examinations to acquire data on the asteroid's morphology, material composition, and internal structure, laying the groundwork for subsequent sample collection operations, the CNSA said.

The probe is expected to return asteroid samples to Earth in 2027 with the entire mission to last a decade.

If successful, China will become only the third country in the world to carry out such a feat after Japan and the United States.

The Tianwen-2 mission is the latest example of China's space achievements in recent years. These include returning samples from the near and far sides of the Moon, launching a successful mission to probe Mars, operating its own national space station in orbit, and moving ahead in its plan to send humans to the lunar surface by 2030.

Image Credit: CNSA via Xinhua
Release Date: Jul 5, 2026

#NASA #CNSA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Earth #Asteroids #AsteroidKamooalewa #Asteroid2016HO3 #AsteroidSampleReturn #Comets #Comet311P #Comet311PPANSTARRS #CometFlyby #China #中国 #Tianwen2 #天问二号 #Tianwen2Spacecraft #DeepSpace #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education

China Long March 8 Rocket Launch of Qianfan Constellation Satellites in Hainan

China Long March 8 Rocket Launch of Qianfan Constellation Satellites in Hainan

The China Long March 8A Y9 launch vehicle lifted off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site in China's southern Hainan province on July 5, 2026, at 21:43 pm China Standard Time (13:43 pm Universal Coordinated Time). This was the largest Qianfan Group to be delivered to a polar orbit via an upgraded Long March 8 launch vehicle. The Long March 8A has had a few upgrades made to its systems, while infrastructure for it in Wenchang has expanded, too.

Making up the largest group to date, the fourteenth overall, were twenty satellites manufactured by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This brings the total number of Qianfan satellites deployed up to 238 with all past the second hundred coming within the past two days.

Costing under 10 million Yuan (~1.47 million USD, as of July 4), each Qianfan satellite weighs 300 kilograms with a ‘flat pack’ design using a single solar array to fit as many satellites as possible inside the rocket fairing within two parallel stacks. For maneuvering in orbit, each satellite has an electric hall-effect thruster burning krypton to generate 20 millinewtons of thrust with a specific impulse of 1,385 seconds.

Long March 8A rocket upgrades include improved insulation on the second-stage, keeping propellants in their desired temperature window longer, as well as the introduction of the YF-75DB engine, boasting cleaner and more possible startups. They all allow for a stated payload capacity increase of almost 1,000 kilograms.

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Commercial Launch Vehicle Group acted as the liaison between the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and Shanghai Spacesail Technologies for this launch mission.

This mission was the 9th launch of a Long March 8A vehicle, the 16th launch of the Long March 8 series, and the 656th launch of the Long March launch vehicle series. This was also the 47th launch from China in 2026.

Image Credit: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CAST)
Text Credit: Jack C.

Date: July 5, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Satellites #SpaceSailConstellation #QianfanConstellation #千帆星座 #China #中国 #Rockets #LongMarch8AY9 #LongMarch8Rockets #长征八号运载火箭 #MediumLiftRockets #CAS #CASC #CAST #SpaceTechnology #CommercialSpace #Spaceports #Wenchang #Hainan #STEM #Education

China Long March 8 Rocket Launch of Qianfan Constellation Satellites in Hainan

China Long March 8 Rocket Launch of Qianfan Constellation Satellites in Hainan

The China Long March 8A Y9 launch vehicle lifted off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site in China's southern Hainan province on July 5, 2026, at 21:43 pm China Standard Time (13:43 pm Universal Coordinated Time). This was the largest Qianfan Group to be delivered to a polar orbit via an upgraded Long March 8 launch vehicle. The Long March 8A has had a few upgrades made to its systems, while infrastructure for it in Wenchang has expanded, too.

Making up the largest group to date, the fourteenth overall, were twenty satellites manufactured by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This brings the total number of Qianfan satellites deployed up to 238 with all past the second hundred coming within the past two days.

Costing under 10 million Yuan (~1.47 million USD, as of July 4th), each Qianfan satellite weighs 300 kilograms with a ‘flat pack’ design using a single solar array to fit as many satellites as possible inside the rocket fairing within two parallel stacks. For maneuvering in orbit, each satellite has an electric hall-effect thruster burning krypton to generate 20 millinewtons of thrust with a specific impulse of 1,385 seconds.

Long March 8A rocket upgrades include improved insulation on the second-stage, keeping propellants in their desired temperature window longer, as well as the introduction of the YF-75DB engine, boasting cleaner and more possible startups. They all allow for a stated payload capacity increase of almost 1,000 kilograms.

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Commercial Launch Vehicle Group acted as the liaison between the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and Shanghai Spacesail Technologies for this launch mission.

This mission was the 9th launch of a Long March 8A vehicle, the 16th launch of the Long March 8 series, and the 656th launch of the Long March launch vehicle series. This was also the 47th launch from China in 2026.

Video Credit: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CAST)
Text Credit: Jack C.

Duration: 55 seconds
Date: July 5, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Satellites #SpaceSailConstellation #QianfanConstellation #千帆星座 #China #中国 #Rockets #LongMarch8AY9 #LongMarch8Rockets #长征八号运载火箭 #MediumLiftRockets #CAS #CASC #CAST #SpaceTechnology #CommercialSpace #Spaceports #Wenchang #Hainan #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Solar Activity: June 26 - July 2, 2026 | NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory

Solar Activity: June 26 - July 2, 2026 | NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory

It’s Sunday! Here’s your NASA space weather report for the week of June 26-July 2, 2026:
• 1 X-class flare
• 24 M-class flares
• 50 coronal mass ejections
• 0 geomagnetic storms
This video from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows the week’s activity.
The Sun put on its own fireworks show this week! 🎇Most of this week’s flare activity came from Active Region 14479. It unleashed a barrage of M-class flares and one X-class flare, visible here beginning at about 2:09 in the video.

The current Solar Cycle 25 officially began in December 2019. It is currently ongoing and is projected to conclude around December 2030.

To see how such space weather may affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center https://spaceweather.gov/, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts.

NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth.

Learn more about space weather: http://go.nasa.gov/4bLKwte

Video Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Duration: 3 minutes
Release Date: July 5, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #SpaceWeather #Sun #Stars #Sun #SolarCycle25 #SolarFlares #Plasma #MagneticFields #SolarRadiation #Earth #Astrophysics #Heliophysics #SDO #NASAGoddard #GSFC #NOAA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video