Lifeboat Foundation

Data collected can be used to provide new insights into the evolution of the Kuiper Belt, and the larger solar system.

Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs), small objects that orbit the sun beyond Neptune, are fossils from the early days of the solar system which can tell us a lot about its formation and evolution.

A new study led by Mohamad Ali-Dib, a research scientist at the NYU Abu Dhabi Center for Astro, Particle, and Planetary Physics, reports the significant discovery that two groups of TNOs with different surface colors also have very different orbital patterns. This new information can be compared to models of the solar system to provide fresh insights into its early chemistry. Additionally, this discovery paves the way for further understanding of the formation of the Kuiper Belt itself, an area beyond Neptune comprised of icy objects, that is also the source of some comets.

Billionaire Richard Branson has successfully flown aboard the V.S.S. Unity to outer space — reaching an altitude of more than 50 miles above Earth.

Space Mysteries: A fast radio burst was detected from within our galaxy for the first time. We may be closer to uncovering its origin.

Experiment opens up field for new physics, say Fermilab, UChicago scientists.

The news that muons have a little extra wiggle in their step sent word buzzing around the world this spring.

Continue reading “Muon g-2 Experiment Results – Profound Implications for the History of the Universe” »

Stephen Colbert and Khalid will be on the livestream.

Wondering how to watch Virgin Galactic launch Richard Branson and a crew of three employees to space? The company’s livestream will begin at 9AM ET on July 11th and be hosted by Stephen Colbert, followed by a live performance from Khalid.

When Oumuamua, the first interstellar object ever observed passing through the Solar System, was discovered in 2017, it exhibited some unexpected properties that left astronomers scratching their heads. Its elongated shape, lack of a coma, and the fact that it changed its trajectory were all surprising, leading to several competing theories about its origin: was it a hydrogen iceberg exhibiting outgassing, or maybe an extraterrestrial solar sail (sorry folks, not likely) on a deep-space journey? We may never know the answer, because Oumuamua was moving too fast, and was observed too late, to get a good look.

It may be too late for Oumuamua, but we could be ready for the next strange interstellar visitor if we wanted to. A spacecraft could be designed and built to catch such an object at a moment’s notice. The idea of an interstellar interceptor like this has been floated by various experts, and funding to study such a concept has even been granted through NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program. But how exactly would such an interceptor work?

A new paper released on ArXiv on June 27^th explores one possible mission design. Derived from the NIAC study, the proposal suggests combining solar sail technology with the ability to miniaturize space probes to small, lightweight sizes.

The 2021 Space Renaissance Congress Acta is now online, and the voting session for the new President and Board of Directors is now open.

Dear SRI friends and supporters.

Continue reading “Vote for the President and Board of Directors Space Renaissance” »

“Jupiter does this really weird thing where it pulses with a regular beat like clockwork.”

Using data from the Juno spacecraft, scientists traced the chain of events that lead to Jupiter’s mysterious auroras.

A research team has solved a decades-old mystery as to how Jupiter produces a spectacular burst of X-rays every few minutes.

A research team co-led by UCL (University College London) has solved a decades-old mystery as to how Jupiter produces a spectacular burst of X-rays every few minutes.

The X-rays are part of Jupiter’s aurora — bursts of visible and invisible light that occur when charged particles interact with the planet’s atmosphere. A similar phenomenon occurs on Earth, creating the northern lights, but Jupiter’s is much more powerful, releasing hundreds of gigawatts of energy, enough to briefly power all of human civilization.*.