Laurie Leshin’s Post

CLIP X-files to power NASA’s 2029 Mars manned exploration mission! According to the Director of NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, "We see no reason why the most efficient instrument of human locomotion cannot be used to power humanity’s multi-planetary exploration and expansion." ;) #NASA #MarsMission #SpaceExploration ..... #Aprilfirst ;)

NASA plans to retire the International Space Station (ISS) with a spectacular descent into the South Pacific by 2030, costing around $1 billion. Seeking a US Deorbit Vehicle, the hefty cost aims to avoid reliance on Russian vehicles. While the ISS could theoretically be elevated to escape Earth’s atmosphere, it’s expensive and risky due to potential debris. NASA prefers a carefully planned descent to the South Pacific, minimizing the risk of harm to people and property. Despite scientific achievements, the ISS’s retirement represents a significant milestone in space exploration. NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration #nasa #InternationalSpaceStation #spacestation #iss #spaceexploration #spacescience #businessdor

How NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration and ISRO - Indian Space Research Organization are collaborating to pinpoint locations on the lunar surface. It is an incredible engineering achievement. This is the power of open architecture, collaboration and not to mention democracies. #sapce #spaceexploration #moon #engineering #extremeengineering #science #tech https://lnkd.in/eKFMec3g

Here on Earth, we have the Global Positioning System satellite constellation to provide precise position, navigation, and timing (PNT) information, but no such capability exists on Mars. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is working on that. JPL is developing modeling and simulation capabilities to assess different Mars data-relay satellite architectures for their ability to provide PNT information. Right now, NASA relies in part on Earth-based tracking for spacecraft and rover operations on the Red Planet. Mars-based PNT would have higher precision and reliability, boosting spacecraft autonomy and reducing power requirements, while also limiting burdens on NASA’s Deep Space Network. Learn more about the project, key partners, and NASA centers on our TechPort database. https://lnkd.in/eNdur27R

#OTD in History, on January 6, 1969, Deke Slayton, the head of NASA's astronaut office, held a meeting with the future #Apollo11 crew - Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. During this meeting, he informed them that their upcoming mission, set for July, might involve a lunar landing. That was a current schedule as Apollo 8 had recently completed the first crewed mission around the Moon, and Apollo 9 and Apollo 10 were scheduled to test lunar landing equipment (Apollo 9 on Earth orbit) and conduct a lunar rehearsal (Apollo 10) On January 9, 1969, #NASA officially announced the crew for the Apollo 11 mission. The fifth crewed Apollo mission, aimed to achieve President John F. Kennedy's goal „before this decade is out, of landing a Man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth”. The following day, NASA introduced the Apollo 11 crew during a press conference at the (now called) Johnson Space Center in Houston. Photo: NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration #space #spaceexploration #Apollo #JFK #science

#OnThisDay in 2019, NASA's New Horizons flew by the farthest object ever visited by spacecraft. 2014 MU69, officially named Arrokoth, is a binary Kuiper Belt object, which means it is two things that fused together. Arrokoth was about 43 AU, or 4 billion miles, from Earth during the flyby. This was the first close-up look at a solar system object of this type. Arrokoth is the first unquestionably primordial contact binary ever explored, and strangely shaped. New Horizons is currently about 58 AU from home and will join Voyagers 1 and 2 in interstellar space in the 2040s. Learn more: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/ #JHUAPL | #NewHorizons | #NASA | NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration | #SolarSystem

#AskAnExpert When New Horizons approached a Kuiper Belt object known as Arrokoth, we discovered it wasn't just one object, but a binary system shaped like a peanut. 🥜✨ By studying other Kuiper Belt objects, we found that Arrokoth’s shape is common. This discovery, along with insights into Arrokoth’s rotation and structure, revealed that planets form through an intermediate stage of pebble formation, not just dust accumulation. This new understanding reshaped our knowledge of planetary system formation. https://lnkd.in/dvNDFC6Q #JHUAPL | #NewHorizons | #PlanetaryScience | #SpaceExploration | NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA Twin Study: Telomere Length Changes in Scott Kelly, the ISS Astronaut In my perspective, the most noteworthy revelation from the NASA twin study was the elongation of Scott Kelly's telomeres as an adaptive response to the challenging conditions of space, as outlined in this study: https://lnkd.in/ezQ2WM7K. Scott Kelly experienced alterations in his DNA, including telomere elongation, which were not observed in his twin brother, providing valuable insights into the impact of space travel on human health. The observed changes in telomere length during space travel are unsurprising and may signify an adaptive response to significant space stressors, including radiation. Concerning the NASA Twin Study, we previously reported that telomere elongation may be attributed to a well-established biological adaptive response to the space environment [1]. Interestingly, studies in high background radiation areas of Ramsar, Iran [2], and Kerala, India [3], found no alterations in telomere length. However, the NASA Twin Study [4] revealed a significant change, potentially associated with the presence of high linear energy transfer (LET) relativistic particles in space. While protons are recognized as low-LET particles, high-charge and energy (HZE) particles possess heightened energies and LET values [5]. Despite their low abundance, HZE particles traversing a cell nucleus induce nearly irreparable DNA damage due to a very high rate of energy deposition in living cells [6]. In an e-letter published in Science, Mortazavi et al. expressed concerns about the NASA Twins Study, which examined the biological effects of a year-long spaceflight on a male astronaut compared to his monozygotic twin [7]. The authors of the e-letter suggest that the study did not adequately address the potential impact of space radiation, especially HZE particles, on telomere length and telomerase activity. They also propose the possibility that telomere elongation during space flight could be an adaptive response to the space environment but might also increase the astronaut's long-term risk of cancer [8]. Additionally, they suggest that the study could provide insights into the differences between low-dose exposures to low- vs. high-LET radiation. Source: https://lnkd.in/eR_pVYMg References 1. doi: 10.1080/09553002.2020.1739770. [PubMed PMID: 32134704] 2. doi: 10.1080/09553002.2019.1605460. [PubMed PMID: 31038377] 3. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008440. [PubMed PMID: 20037654; PubMed PMCID: PMC2793520] 4. doi: 10.1126/science.aau8650. [PubMed PMID: 30975860; PubMed PMCID: PMC7580864] 5. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02972. [PubMed PMID: 31867459; PubMed PMCID: PMC6906680] 6. doi: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2010.11.002. [PubMed PMID: 21126526; PubMed PMCID: PMC3318975] 7. Mortazavi SMJ, Bevelacqua JJ, Welsh. 2019. eLetter. Available from: https://lnkd.in/eS2Ep552. 8. doi: 10.31661/jbpe.v0i0.2005-1115. [PubMed PMID: 33564645; PubMed PMCID: PMC7859374]

NASA Tests Inflatable Decelerator 🚀 NASA's Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) mission, launched on November 10, 2022, successfully demonstrated an innovative inflatable heat shield technology. The Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) showed minimal damage after reentry, marking a significant achievement. This technology, tested in a relevant environment, promises to facilitate the safe descent of larger spacecraft on planets with atmospheres, overcoming the size limitations of current rigid aeroshells. Future applications include delivering heavy payloads and possibly crew to planets like Mars, Venus, and Saturn's Moon Titan. NASA plans further tests for diverse uses, including small satellite reentry and payload placement in cislunar space. Additionally, a collaboration with United Launch Alliance (ULA) is underway to develop a larger 12-meter HIAD for recovering Vulcan engines from low Earth orbit. Daily Smart Bites: Engineering Trek 🧠 #nasa #space #engineering

Discover how solar light ☀️ could propel future space missions! 🚀 NASA will soon launch a groundbreaking technology, the Advanced Composite Solar Sail, aboard Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from New Zealand. This sail could transform space travel by enabling longer and more cost-effective missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. 🪐 The technology uses a unique composite boom that offers advantages over traditional solar sails, such as a lighter and more durable design. 🛰️ With this innovation, NASA aims to expand our understanding of the Sun and the solar system, paving the way for new and exciting space missions in the future. More news! 💻 firius.com 📩 [email protected]