Europe's new rocket has been successfully launched for the first time. On July 9, the European Space Agency… New Ariane 6 rocket (pictured) launched its first payload into low Earth orbit. Ariane 6 builds on the long-standing success of the Ariane 5 rocket and adds new capabilities, including the ability to deorbit its upper stage after use. Image credit: ESA/S. Corvaja.
The House Appropriations Committee moved forward with the NASA funding bill this week. The bill cuts NASA's budget for fiscal year 2025 Below the White House request, which increases it from fiscal year 2023 levels below the current rate of inflation. The shortfall does not affect all aspects of the space agency evenly, prioritizing funding for human space exploration over scientific missions. The Planetary Society, along with a coalition of scientific organizations and more than 40 members of Congress, supports restoration of space science funding to $9 billion.
JWST has detected an atmosphere on an exoplanet in the habitable zone of its star. A team of researchers used the space telescope to examine LHS 1140 b, one of the closest exoplanets to our Solar System that lies within the habitable zone of its star, where liquid water could exist on the surface. Their observations suggest that LHS 1140 b may have an atmosphereand that between 10 and 20% of its mass may be composed of water. This makes LHS 1140 an attractive exoplanet for the search for life.
The NEOWISE mission will end on July 31. Since 2011, NASA NEOWISE (Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) has been in orbit discovering main-belt asteroids, near-Earth objects, and the first known Earth-Trojan asteroid. The spacecraft no longer has enough fuel to remain in orbit and will complete its mission later this month. NEOWISE is expected to burn up in our planet's atmosphere sometime between late 2024 and early 2025.
Leave feedback about this