Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!

[rebs]

Full map of active volcanoes on Io, courtesy of NASA and the Juno probe.

Read more below, as well as see a larger version of the above map.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/jupiter-s-moon-io-is-covered-in-active-volcanoes-now-we-have-the-1st-map-of-them/ar-AA1k3gg1?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=71a30b123b6e4dc5837285fbaad6903f&ei=11

[Daryk]

Size matters, but that makes Earth look CALM! ;D

[Wrangler]

Interesting.  I wonder how they can name features of the moon if it's always changing with activity on the surface.

[rebs]

Interesting.  I wonder how they can name features of the moon if it's always changing with activity on the surface.

Those are just the largest active volcanoes.  But you're right - we can't name hills, plateaus or valleys there because they rise and fall all the time.

Size matters, but that makes Earth look CALM! ;D

Get this - Io has over 400 volcanoes, and about 150 of them are erupting at any given moment. 

[Wrangler]

Io must be a squeezy toy to jupiter, with all the gravity grabbing it. None of the other Moon seem to be suffering the same way that one is going through. Lisa it's been speculated that the gravity is the cause for the volcanic activity on the planetoids.

[elf25s]

https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/16/50_years_skylab_4/?td=rt-3a
still skylab paved way for other stations...

[Prospernia]

Is it just me, or am I the only one that thinks Io may have had an atmosphere, similar to Venus, in the early-days of it's existence due to all that out-gassing.

[rebs]

Interesting idea about the possibility of Io once having an atmosphere.

Along similar lines - I've read that under all the water and ice on Europa, its surface is likely very similar to that of Io.  Probably not quite as active volcanically, but still active enough to heat the currents and drive them upward toward the ice, as well as fill the water with sulfur compounds and other minerals.

[rebs]

China rolls out its "Long March 2F" rocket.  This thing is colossal!   But in a way it's just a big throwback to the time before corporations took over space launch efforts.  Governments will still play their part, but by and large the torch is being passed to private industry.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-rolls-out-long-march-2f-rocket-for-shenzhou-17-crew-launch/vi-AA1kacLP?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=0e9c57db2c094633a60b35f799c91e45&ei=12#details

[Daryk]

Heh... it's almost like the space race is now between corporations and countries... ;)

[rebs]

Right!  And the next big pay-per-view fight will be SpaceX vs China. 

[truetanker]

Well...

The Artemis Accords with the Wolf Amendment puts the US against China, without expressed consent from both Congress and a full FBI investigation of both party interests.

TT

[Natasha Kerensky]

China rolls out its "Long March 2F" rocket.

The -2F is a quarter-century old.  The -5 is the heavy lift member of the Long March family.

The Artemis Accords with the Wolf Amendment puts the US against China, without expressed consent from both Congress and a full FBI investigation of both party interests.

Just for the sake ground truth... That’s not the Artemis Accords, the so-called Wolf Amendment only restricts NASA interactions with China’s program (doesn’t put the US against China), and none of this necessarily involves the FBI.

[rebs]

Just to be positive, here is an article about how the second attempt by SpaceX to launch Starship didn't completely destroy the launchpad this time.

https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-launch-pad-good-condition

Rapid unscheduled disassembly is simply breaking a few eggs to make that martian omelet. 

[Daryk]

Well, that's at least ONE lesson learned! ;D

[Wrangler]

I've been closely following the Starship developments.   Two take aways was, that the Booster swing around is where things went wrong.  While official word not out, appears that it's turn to fly back may been too fast, causing the fuel to swash around inside cutting off fuel and leading to gas getting in it's down comer (wide fuel line) causing the triggering of the charges blow B9 up.   

Starship 25....their not sure.  She was fine 8 minutes in and there was release gas and everything was cut off.  Someone was able to capture picture of the nose of ship flying by itself...Hopefully, they'll figure it out since ultimately this vehicle's later version is the lander to come.

[rebs]

JWST aims its near infrared camera toward the gas-clouded and dust-covered center of the Milky Way.  In video with cheesy AI "over-the-top" style commentary.  But don't judge it by that, it's still a good video!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/the-james-webb-telescope-just-turned-its-lens-inward-at-an-extremely-active-area-at-the-heart-of-the-milky-way/vi-AA1khYyV?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=57791f77a97444649111e59f15e49910&ei=9

[rebs]

NASA currently plans to launch its DAVINCI mission in 2029 to further explore the surface of Venus.  This probe is slated to survey a mountainous area, and also take stock of water vapor and try to determine where any past oceans have gone, among many other purposes. 

https://www.nasa.gov/solar-system/nasas-davinci-explores-ten-mysteries-of-venus/

[Daryk]

I hope it survives the budgeting process!

[rebs]

I hope it survives the budgeting process!

Yes, things are getting dicey.  We may see NASA sidelined as Europe, China and others take the lead in exploration. 

The private sector can't be relied upon to explore, they are more interested in exploiting over exploring. 

[Daryk]

Too true!

[rebs]

If they did explore unknown regions of space, they would likely keep 90% of their data as "corporate business secrets".

[Daryk]

That's how it worked on planet, for a while at least... ;)

[truetanker]

Don't think legally they can, they'll have to share something or loose their licenses...

TT

[Daryk]

Just until they can install their headquarters on a different celestial body... ;)

[rebs]

Right.  Anyone who thinks laws from nations on Earth will apply on Mars or anywhere else is deluding their selves.  It's going to be Lord of the Flies II on Mars for a decade of so.

[rebs]

Don't think legally they can, they'll have to share something or loose their licenses...

TT

True but then they won't do it.  Private concerns can't be forced to do anything without compensation or profit.  They may sell their information, but they won't give it away, knowledge is a resource.

[rebs]

https://www.space.com/cannibal-cme-solar-outburst-will-hit-earth-dec-1-2023-triggering-auroras

Massive auroral displays in the northern hemisphere tonight.  I hope anyone in the viewing range has clear skies.

[rebs]

Over 300 gamma ray producing neutron stars (as well as pulsars) have been discovered by the Fermi gamma ray space telescope.  Above star map shows rough locations of some of the objects in relation to our solar system. 

And below is the link to the article.  Enjoy!

https://www.space.com/gamma-ray-spider-pulsar-neutron-star-spinning-fermi

[rebs]

https://www.space.com/spacex-space-force-x-37b-ot7-launch-webcast

The Pentagon's reusable drone vehicle, the X-37B, is scheduled for launch later tonight at about 8:14pm EST.  It will be launched on a Falcon Heavy, taking it to a higher orbit than where it has operated in past missions.