Lifeboat Foundation

On June 25, China’s Chang’e-6 (CE-6) lunar probe is set to return to Earth, carrying the first surface samples collected from the farside of the moon. In anticipation of this historic event, scientists from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences are publishing their predictions for the unique materials that may be found in the CE-6 samples in the journal The Innovation.

Does proton decay exist and how do we search for it? This is what a recently submitted study to the arXiv preprint server hopes to address as a team of international researchers investigate a concept of using samples from the moon to search for evidence of proton decay, which remains a hypothetical type of particle decay that has yet to be observed and continues to elude particle physicists.

Researchers from the University of Leicester have linked the shift of the Solar System’s giant planets 60–100 million years after its formation to the creation of the Moon.

They combined simulations, meteorite analysis, and observations to trace these movements, suggesting that this shift influenced the development and habitability of the Solar System.

Uncovering the Solar System’s Past.

Ever seen a space potato?

This ‘space potato’ has fascinated astronomers for a long time now.

A different astronomy and space science related image is featured each day, along with a brief explanation.

The cosmos has always fascinated scientists, and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is now offering unprecedented views of supernovae from the early universe.

Recently, a team of researchers used Webb’s data to identify ten times more supernovae than were previously known, uncovering some of the most distant examples ever observed.

These findings, presented at the 244th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Madison, Wisconsin, are revolutionizing our understanding of the universe’s expansion.

A new study by Brown University researchers may help redefine how scientists map the surface of the Moon, making the process more streamlined and precise than ever before.

Published in the Planetary Science Journal, the research by Brown scholars Benjamin Boatwright and James Head describes enhancements to a mapping technique called shape-from-shading. The technique is used to create detailed models of lunar terrain, outlining craters, ridges, slopes and other surface hazards. By analyzing the way light hits different surfaces of the Moon, it allows researchers to estimate the three-dimensional shape of an object or surface from composites of two-dimensional images.

Accurate maps can help lunar mission planners to identify safe landing spots and areas of scientific interest, making mission operations smoother and more successful.

Researchers are warning that geoengineering efforts to help cool temperatures in California could trigger heatwaves in Europe, a “scary” implication given the sheer lack of regulation controlling such measures across the globe.

As The Guardian reports, scientists have suggested spraying aerosols into clouds over the ocean to cool down the surface below, a practice called “marine cloud brightening.” As the name suggests, the idea is to brighten clouds to make them reflect more of the Sun’s radiation back into space.

Last month, a team of University of Washington researchers attempted to do just that in the San Francisco Bay using a machine that sprays tiny sea-salt particles, amid criticism from environmentalists. The experiment was later shut down by city officials, citing health concerns.

The Lockheed Martin and U.S. Air Force conducted a planned flight test of the unarmed, developmental Mk21A reentry vehicle in the Pacific Ocean on June 17. Mk21A is the U.S. Air Force’s integrated reentry vehicle and the critical front-end of the service’s future intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) weapon system. This flight test from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, tested Lockheed Martin’s Mk21A design components and technologies for the vehicle. It also continues Lockheed Martin’s leadership and expertise in developing effective and reliable reentry vehicle technology.

This testing is done through Lockheed Martin’s Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract with the Air Force Nuclear Systems Center. Data collected during the event will further inform Mk21A design and future flight test activities. The company’s Mk21A program is on-schedule. Lockheed Martin is maturing its Mk21A design, which includes the arming and fuzing subsystem and support equipment, using advanced digital engineering tools, including advanced modeling and simulation. This allows for efficiency in schedule, reduced cost and risk, and increased confidence in system performance.

“This progress is built on a strong foundation—Lockheed Martin’s 65-plus years of demonstrated exceptional performance in reentry technologies and a pioneering digital engineering approach on this program from its beginning,” said Jay Watson, vice president of Strategic Reentry at Lockheed Martin. “We remain focused on delivering this capability for the warfighter as a trusted partner to the U.S. Air Force for ICBM reentry systems and modernization of the deterrent triad.”