Get ready for flights to space! $1.4bn 'plane' is about to liftoff
Sierra Space's 'Dream Chaser' spaceplane, capable of horizontal runway landings, is set for its maiden trip to the ISS carrying cargo before eventually transporting astronauts like SpaceX's Crew Dragon. [ more ]
ISS space junk: Germany on alert for debris, risk minimal DW 03/08/2024
German authorities closely monitoring space junk from ISS, likely to land in ocean, poses unlikely risk to Germany.
Debris weighs 2.6 tons, expected to burn up upon entering Earth's atmosphere, might impact North America, especially Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. [ more ]
New Space Station Sensor Can Reveal Hidden Greenhouse Gas Polluters
The Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) sensor installed on the International Space Station (ISS) can gather highly detailed observations of greenhouse gas plumes.
EMIT's ability to pinpoint emission sources can be a valuable tool in tackling the climate crisis as greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere increase.
EMIT has prioritized monitoring dust but has also gathered data on greenhouse gases, focusing on methane over carbon dioxide. [ more ]