NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft catches its first glimpse of its target Bennu asteroid

NASA’s asteroid sampling spacecraft OSIRIS-REx has captured first images of its target asteroid Bennu and began its final approach towards it after almost two-year journey. OSIRIS-Rex stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer. The first glimpses of targeted ..

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2018

NASA launches Parker Solar Probe mission to touch Sun

On August 12, the US space agency NASA has successfully launched the Parker Solar Probe mission to send a satellite closer to the Sun than any before. The rocket carrying the Parker Solar Probe lifted off from Space Launch Complex ..

NASA launches Remote Sensing Toolkit to promote commercial use of satellite data

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has launched ‘Remote Sensing Toolkit’ to promote commercial use of satellite data. The toolkit was launched as part of NASA’s Technology Transfer program that offers open remote-sensing data benefiting scientific community, other government ..

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2018

Peggy Whitson: NASA’s record-breaking spacewoman retires as astronaut

NASA’s record-breaking spacewoman, Peggy Whitson (58) has announced her retirement as astronaut less than year after returning from her last and longest spaceflight.  During her career, she had racked up total of 665 days in space — more than any ..

Month: Current Affairs - June, 2018

Alan Bean, who was 4th man to walk on Moon passes away

Former US astronaut Alan Bean (86), who was the fourth man to walk on the Moon, has passed away in Texas, United States. Bean went into space twice, the first time in November 1969 as the lunar module pilot on ..

GRACE-FO satellites: SpaceX launches NASA satellites to track Earth’s water Cycle

Elon Musk-led SpaceX has successfully launched twin NASA satellites GRACE-FO (Follow-On) that will track Earth’s water Cycle i.e. water movement and icemelt. It was launched onbaord of SpaceX’s preflown Falcon 9 Rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, US. ..

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2018

US cancels NASA’s carbon monitoring project

US President Donald Trump’s administration has cancelled NASA’s Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) programme citing reasons of budget constraints and higher priorities within science budget. It was also in line with Donald Trump’s latest broad attack on climate science. Carbon Monitoring ..

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2018

InSight Mission: NASA launches robotic lander to explore Mars

NASA launched first-ever InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) lander dedicated to exploring the deep interior of Mars. It was launched aboard United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-3 at Vandenberg Air ..

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2018