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Integrating Model-Based Systems Engineering and Fault Management to Enable Autonomous Space Missions
Fully autonomous space mission operations require the ability to detect faults and compensate for them without human intervention. To address this challenge and provide model-based support for system design and operations, it is important to connect fault management (FM) and model-based systems engineering (MBSE). This approach was successfully demonstrated with the model-based generation of a failure modes and effects analysis and fault trees using NASA’s HelioSwarm mission early design information.
As NASA strives to push the boundaries of space travel with the Artemis program and the agency’s upcoming deep-space science missions, increased system autonomy and resiliency have inevitably become key technology needs. Autonomous operations require fault management (FM) software to detect issues that occur in space so they can be mitigated automatically without human intervention. Designing autonomous missions requires a multi-disciplinary approach that connects FM with the model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach used in mission design to ensure that resilient, fault-tolerant systems are architected, modeled, and integrated during the design phase.
To address this need, NASA awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to Qualtech Systems Inc. (QSI) for development of FM capabilities and enhancements to its commercially available toolset, TEAMS® (a product that resulted from commercialization of the company’s earlier NASA-sponsored SBIR work), to support HelioSwarm and other NASA heliophysics missions.
The QSI ApproachOne of the most important tasks in this effort was to connect system health management (SHM) and FM to the systems engineering (SE) process. Together, SHM/FM consists of a set of mechanisms that ensure that mission goals are achieved by preventing failures from occurring, or detecting and then mitigating them if they do occur. The SE process coordinates, cross-checks, and integrates system elements to achieve mission goals and is integral during the design, specification, and verification and validation (V&V) of systems. NASA often employs a model-based approach for its SE process, using Systems Modeling Language (SysML) as the framework.
Despite their inherently close relationship to SE in practice, SHM/FM practices have typically not been tightly integrated with SE. Often, SHM/FM is incorporated only after a nominal system is designed, which essentially makes SHM/FM a bandage fix for problems after they occur, without considering how issues might have been prevented. In addition, SE and SHM/FM often involve separate sets of subject matter experts with stove-piped knowledge repositories. This situation can lead to use of modeling methodologies and analyses processes that yield inconsistent results, and can potentially result in inefficiencies throughout the mission life cycle.
This NASA-funded QSI team’s approach integrates SHM/FM directly within the MBSE process from the beginning of a project. This method enables the FM design to be evaluated in an operational context by showing how the SHM/FM schemes mitigate the effects of simulated component-level physical and functional failures. This technique also facilitates trade studies to evaluate the merits of various FM architectures during the design phase.
Under this SBIR effort, QSI worked with the SysML v2 Submission Team (SST) — an assorted group of end users, vendors, academics, and government liaisons involved in the development of specifications for SysML v2, which is the latest iteration of SysML. The QSI team incorporated FM concepts and modeling standards into SysML v2, then they demonstrated how SysML v2 models could translate to the failure space models produced by the QSI toolset.
This capability enables systems engineers to use QSI’s commercial modeling tool set andanalyze the FM aspects of a system design captured in SysML v2. By capturing the causes and impacts of failures, QSI’s toolset enables mission designers to perform Fault Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analyses (FMECAs) and Fault Tree Analyses (FTAs) to analyze, quantify, and improve the diagnostics and availability of the system. Furthermore, the toolset recommends design improvements (e.g., optimal location of sensors onboard the spacecraft) based on the results from such analyses, and it provides these recommendations in industry-standard formats that can be easily understood and incorporated into the design.
During this SBIR effort, theQSI toolset was also enhanced to interface with an MBSE framework and facilitate the creation, evaluation, and selection of FM concepts for a mission design. The toolset now enables FM concepts to be tested early in the design process so that adequate detection and diagnosis can be built into the system design, which could potentially lower the total cost of development, facilitate enhanced communication and coordination among mission team members, and reduce development risks (cost and schedule).
The HelioSwarm DemonstrationHelioSwarm will transform our understanding of turbulence in the solar wind and the connected Sun–Earth system. The mission uses a constellation, or “swarm,” of one hub and eight co-orbiting small satellites to make the first simultaneous, multiscale measurements of magnetic-field fluctuations and proton flows in the dynamic cislunar space environment. Because plasma turbulence transfers energy across many scales, from fluid-scale motions to kinetic-scale particle dynamics, it cannot be fully understood from a single measurement point, or from measurements at only a single scale. HelioSwarm’s spacecraft will fly with separations ranging from tens to thousands of kilometers, allowing scientists to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure and dynamics of turbulent space plasma. These observations will reveal how energy moves through the solar wind, transforming our understanding of fundamental plasma processes that operate near Earth, around the Sun, and throughout the universe.
Plasma turbulence is the process by which energy contained in fluctuating magnetic fields and plasma motion cascades from large to smaller spatial scales. When the cascade approaches small spatial scales associated with kinetic dissipation, the energy transfers into particle heat. Without turbulent cascades in space plasmas, most of the universe would be far colder than observed. Because of the fundamental thermodynamic role it plays in fluids, including space plasmas, many contend that turbulent fluids are the most important unsolved problem in classical physics.
The QSI team created a SysML v2 design model of HelioSwarm subsystems and top-level mission requirements, capturing the flowdown from mission goals to the design. The team then used its enhanced toolset to translate the HelioSwarm SysML v2 model into an FM model. The HelioSwarm models consist of key subsystems of the hub spacecraft and eight node satellites, including subsystems for command and data handling; electric power; attitude control; propulsion, thermal, and separation hardware payload sensors; and ground and space communications. Using the QSI toolset, mission designers then generated FMECAs and FTAs that were translated into a standardized SysML report. Furthermore, these FM analyses generated recommendations (e.g., for sensor placement) that were provided as proposed updates to the system design. This process will support the design of small spacecraft swarms with inherent redundancy to enhance science observations and other NASA goals, such as providing mission support for lunar surface operations.
Relevance to future NASA missions and non-NASA applicationsThe technology developed via this latest SBIR effort could be of high value for future NASA missions — especially those that require autonomous operation. The QSI TEAMS® toolset was baselined for Vehicle Systems Management functions on NASA’s Gateway project and retains applicability to future human-rated spacecraft. System design engineers could use this technology to incorporate fault mitigation strategies to improve design with additional insight into the overall system resilience — right at the beginning of the design phase.
This technology may also have applications outside of NASA. Comprehensive and efficient FM analyses and architecture trade studies are of critical importance to complex and high-value military systems such as aircraft, surface ships, submarines, and even modern ground-fighting vehicles. Additionally, this technology could be applicable to emerging commercial space systems, civilian aircraft and maritime systems, transportation, and power generation and distribution equipment.
For additional details about this effort, see the relevant TechPort entries: here, here, and here.
Project Lead(s): Dr. Sudipto Ghoshal, Mr. Deepak Haste, Qualtech Systems, Inc.
Sponsoring Organization(s): NASA Ames Research Center
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Article 3 months agoIntegrating Model-Based Systems Engineering and Fault Management to Enable Autonomous Space Missions
Fully autonomous space mission operations require the ability to detect faults and compensate for them without human intervention. To address this challenge and provide model-based support for system design and operations, it is important to connect fault management (FM) and model-based systems engineering (MBSE). This approach was successfully demonstrated with the model-based generation of a failure modes and effects analysis and fault trees using NASA’s HelioSwarm mission early design information.
As NASA strives to push the boundaries of space travel with the Artemis program and the agency’s upcoming deep-space science missions, increased system autonomy and resiliency have inevitably become key technology needs. Autonomous operations require fault management (FM) software to detect issues that occur in space so they can be mitigated automatically without human intervention. Designing autonomous missions requires a multi-disciplinary approach that connects FM with the model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach used in mission design to ensure that resilient, fault-tolerant systems are architected, modeled, and integrated during the design phase.
To address this need, NASA awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to Qualtech Systems Inc. (QSI) for development of FM capabilities and enhancements to its commercially available toolset, TEAMS® (a product that resulted from commercialization of the company’s earlier NASA-sponsored SBIR work), to support HelioSwarm and other NASA heliophysics missions.
The QSI ApproachOne of the most important tasks in this effort was to connect system health management (SHM) and FM to the systems engineering (SE) process. Together, SHM/FM consists of a set of mechanisms that ensure that mission goals are achieved by preventing failures from occurring, or detecting and then mitigating them if they do occur. The SE process coordinates, cross-checks, and integrates system elements to achieve mission goals and is integral during the design, specification, and verification and validation (V&V) of systems. NASA often employs a model-based approach for its SE process, using Systems Modeling Language (SysML) as the framework.
Despite their inherently close relationship to SE in practice, SHM/FM practices have typically not been tightly integrated with SE. Often, SHM/FM is incorporated only after a nominal system is designed, which essentially makes SHM/FM a bandage fix for problems after they occur, without considering how issues might have been prevented. In addition, SE and SHM/FM often involve separate sets of subject matter experts with stove-piped knowledge repositories. This situation can lead to use of modeling methodologies and analyses processes that yield inconsistent results, and can potentially result in inefficiencies throughout the mission life cycle.
This NASA-funded QSI team’s approach integrates SHM/FM directly within the MBSE process from the beginning of a project. This method enables the FM design to be evaluated in an operational context by showing how the SHM/FM schemes mitigate the effects of simulated component-level physical and functional failures. This technique also facilitates trade studies to evaluate the merits of various FM architectures during the design phase.
Under this SBIR effort, QSI worked with the SysML v2 Submission Team (SST) — an assorted group of end users, vendors, academics, and government liaisons involved in the development of specifications for SysML v2, which is the latest iteration of SysML. The QSI team incorporated FM concepts and modeling standards into SysML v2, then they demonstrated how SysML v2 models could translate to the failure space models produced by the QSI toolset.
This capability enables systems engineers to use QSI’s commercial modeling tool set andanalyze the FM aspects of a system design captured in SysML v2. By capturing the causes and impacts of failures, QSI’s toolset enables mission designers to perform Fault Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analyses (FMECAs) and Fault Tree Analyses (FTAs) to analyze, quantify, and improve the diagnostics and availability of the system. Furthermore, the toolset recommends design improvements (e.g., optimal location of sensors onboard the spacecraft) based on the results from such analyses, and it provides these recommendations in industry-standard formats that can be easily understood and incorporated into the design.
During this SBIR effort, theQSI toolset was also enhanced to interface with an MBSE framework and facilitate the creation, evaluation, and selection of FM concepts for a mission design. The toolset now enables FM concepts to be tested early in the design process so that adequate detection and diagnosis can be built into the system design, which could potentially lower the total cost of development, facilitate enhanced communication and coordination among mission team members, and reduce development risks (cost and schedule).
The HelioSwarm DemonstrationHelioSwarm will transform our understanding of turbulence in the solar wind and the connected Sun–Earth system. The mission uses a constellation, or “swarm,” of one hub and eight co-orbiting small satellites to make the first simultaneous, multiscale measurements of magnetic-field fluctuations and proton flows in the dynamic cislunar space environment. Because plasma turbulence transfers energy across many scales, from fluid-scale motions to kinetic-scale particle dynamics, it cannot be fully understood from a single measurement point, or from measurements at only a single scale. HelioSwarm’s spacecraft will fly with separations ranging from tens to thousands of kilometers, allowing scientists to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure and dynamics of turbulent space plasma. These observations will reveal how energy moves through the solar wind, transforming our understanding of fundamental plasma processes that operate near Earth, around the Sun, and throughout the universe.
Plasma turbulence is the process by which energy contained in fluctuating magnetic fields and plasma motion cascades from large to smaller spatial scales. When the cascade approaches small spatial scales associated with kinetic dissipation, the energy transfers into particle heat. Without turbulent cascades in space plasmas, most of the universe would be far colder than observed. Because of the fundamental thermodynamic role it plays in fluids, including space plasmas, many contend that turbulent fluids are the most important unsolved problem in classical physics.
The QSI team created a SysML v2 design model of HelioSwarm subsystems and top-level mission requirements, capturing the flowdown from mission goals to the design. The team then used its enhanced toolset to translate the HelioSwarm SysML v2 model into an FM model. The HelioSwarm models consist of key subsystems of the hub spacecraft and eight node satellites, including subsystems for command and data handling; electric power; attitude control; propulsion, thermal, and separation hardware payload sensors; and ground and space communications. Using the QSI toolset, mission designers then generated FMECAs and FTAs that were translated into a standardized SysML report. Furthermore, these FM analyses generated recommendations (e.g., for sensor placement) that were provided as proposed updates to the system design. This process will support the design of small spacecraft swarms with inherent redundancy to enhance science observations and other NASA goals, such as providing mission support for lunar surface operations.
Relevance to future NASA missions and non-NASA applicationsThe technology developed via this latest SBIR effort could be of high value for future NASA missions — especially those that require autonomous operation. The QSI TEAMS® toolset was baselined for Vehicle Systems Management functions on NASA’s Gateway project and retains applicability to future human-rated spacecraft. System design engineers could use this technology to incorporate fault mitigation strategies to improve design with additional insight into the overall system resilience — right at the beginning of the design phase.
This technology may also have applications outside of NASA. Comprehensive and efficient FM analyses and architecture trade studies are of critical importance to complex and high-value military systems such as aircraft, surface ships, submarines, and even modern ground-fighting vehicles. Additionally, this technology could be applicable to emerging commercial space systems, civilian aircraft and maritime systems, transportation, and power generation and distribution equipment.
For additional details about this effort, see the relevant TechPort entries: here, here, and here.
Project Lead(s): Dr. Sudipto Ghoshal, Mr. Deepak Haste, Qualtech Systems, Inc.
Sponsoring Organization(s): NASA Ames Research Center
The Transient Artifact and Continuous Learning System (TACLS) leverages data from continuously operating satellite networks coupled with machine learning models to…
Article 2 months ago 3 min read NASA’s CloudCube Pioneers Miniaturized Radar to Study Clouds, PrecipitationA compact, multifrequency radar built by a team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will make…
Article 3 months agoPolish startup Ares Shield hired to protect data center satellites with high-power microwave weapons
The final frontier is getting more and more contested, so satellite companies are investing in some self-defense.
At least one of them is, anyway. Florida-based Lonestar Data Holdings announced today (Aug. 25) that it has contracted Polish startup Ares Shield to provide protection for its off-Earth data centers, in a deal worth up to $6 million.
"Our clients entrust us with mission-critical data, which is why we treat the security of our orbital infrastructure as the foundation of our entire service," Lonestar CEO Stephen Eisele said in a statement today. "Ares Shield technology offers a unique solution that allows us to further protect our satellites without the risk of generating space debris. For a company whose product is data security, it is a compelling option."
Lonestar has already tested its data-storage tech on four space missions, including two that went to the moon.
For example, one of the company's devices hit the gray dirt aboard Intuitive Machines' Athena lander in March 2025. Athena toppled over shortly after touchdown, but Lonestar's mini data center achieved its desired milestones regardless, according to the company.
Such work has helped inform the development of Lonestar's first commercial space-based offering — a platform called StarVault, which will store customer data at a healthy remove from natural disasters and other issues that could crop up here on terra firma.
"StarVault combines Lonestar's advanced cryptographic key escrow capabilities with space-based data storage infrastructure, creating a new class of digital resilience — extending secure data beyond Earth," the company said in a statement in April.
The first StarVault payload is currently scheduled to fly aboard Sidus Space's LizzieSat-4, which is manifested on SpaceX's Transporter 18 rideshare mission. That flight is expected to launch from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base in late October.
Other StarVault missions will follow, as Lonestar builds a data-storage network in low Earth orbit and, perhaps, more far-flung locales.
NASA satellites ace world's 1st 'lost-in-space' GPS-free navigation experiment
No GPS available in space? A satellite experiment may have a solution for that.
NASA's Starling mission — made up of a swarm of four cubesats in low Earth orbit (LEO) — is testing out navigation by using other satellites as moving landmarks. The hope is that this tech will allow future missions to navigate if GPS is not available.
The three-year-old tech demo will be extended beyond its previous expiration date this year until at least 2028, NASA announced on Monday (Aug. 17). The aim is to get the most out of the onboard experiment, a collaboration with industry partner EraDrive called FALCON (short for "Fast Autonomous Lost-in-space Catalog-based Optical Navigation").
"As NASA prepares for more missions beyond Earth's orbit, technologies like FALCON can support lunar satellite swarms, distributed science missions and human exploration," NASA officials said in Monday's statement.
While NASA's applications are civilian, alternative GPS solutions are also being investigated by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) out of concern that the limited number of GPS satellites could be vulnerable to adversaries. Earlier this year, for example, Space Force entities SpaceWERX and Space Systems Command jointly launched an initiative aiming for new ideas for "positioning, navigation and timing" (PNT) capabilities in space.
The aim of FALCON, however, is to deal with sheer distance. While satellites in Earth orbit have ample access to purpose-built navigational markers such as GPS, that access rapidly thins out as missions go farther afield. And this isn't just an abstract concern; NASA aims to send astronauts to the surface of the moon again as soon as 2028 on the Artemis IV mission, as part of a larger effort to build a moon base.
Industry and the military are also very interested in the moon and the area around it, known as cislunar space — and how best to navigate in the new environment. The moon's orbit also introduces complications to navigation; in 2025, for example, Canada's Outer Space Institute reported that "mass concentrations," or mascons, pull down on orbiting satellites and may affect their pathway, in some cases even inducing crashes into the lunar surface.
But before testing at the moon, NASA wants to learn more closer to home. It partnered with EraDrive, an autonomous spacecraft navigation company that originated with a group at Stanford University, which provided flight software and algorithms for FALCON. The experiment uses data from Starling's cameras, as well as a catalog on the spacecraft that charts thousands of known satellites and space objects around it.
The mission not only is trying out "GPS-independent navigation" but is also showcasing space situational awareness, or SSA — that is, the ability to understand the environment around the spacecraft (including other satellites). Some other spacecraft, like SpaceX's Starlink broadband satellites, use SSA to automatically dodge threats of space debris in LEO.
Starling's team is hoping to bring even more capabilities for navigation and SSA. "The results from FALCON can have far-reaching implications for on-orbit space-traffic monitoring, collision avoidance and alternative navigation," Roger Hunter, program manager for NASA's small spacecraft and distributed systems program, said in the statement.
NASA plans a to build a permanent base on the moon over the next decade or so, via a step-by-step approach. (Image credit: NASA)FALCON notched two major milestones in its first three years. For PNT, the spacecraft used its cameras to observe other satellites and objects — and to match their information with the onboard database, which includes roughly 20,000 objects from publicly available DoD records. "FALCON then used the observed and verified objects as reference points to determine Starling's orbit," NASA stated.
FALCON's in-orbit observations also helped mission managers better understand the pathways of 200 individual objects, beyond the orbital estimates in the DoD catalog. The estimating work was performed over just three days and autonomously, meaning ground operators did not participate.
"The self-orbit determination capability made possible through FALCON is a first for spacecraft using optical cameras, to navigate by their relative position to other objects in space," NASA stated. "Separately, the catalog-update experiments produced better object position predictions onboard Starling than those provided by ground stations."
Starling's four spacecraft operate at an altitude of about 350 miles (565 km), which is about 6 miles (10 km) higher than originally planned. That's because SpaceX advised mission managers that Starling's mission plan put it at risk of coming close to Starlink satellites already operating in an orbital shell at 340 miles (555 km), according to Space News. By comparison, the International Space Station typically orbits slightly lower than Starling or Starlink, at 250 miles (400 km).
All of which is to say that the Starling mission demonstrates operations in crowded conditions. But in the future, NASA is hoping to port the lessons learned to the moon and Mars for science applications — meaning, to improve measurements from spacecraft — as well as for interplanetary traffic management.
The humanoid robot ‘Olympics’ is as ridiculous as it is impressive
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Stream 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' and 'Silo' securely from anywhere with 87% off Surfshark VPN
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- We've got you covered with reviews and rankings of the best telescopes, binoculars, star projectors, cameras, drones, Lego, streaming and more.
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What time is the partial lunar eclipse tonight? Here's when to see the 96% 'blood moon'
A dramatic partial lunar eclipse will occur tonight (Aug. 27-28), with almost the entire moon slipping into Earth's shadow.
At its peak, at 12:12 a.m. EDT (0412 GMT) on Aug. 28, 96.2% of the lunar surface will be covered by Earth's dark umbral shadow, leaving only a slender portion of the moon directly illuminated by the sun. The rest of the lunar surface may take on an eerie reddish-orange hue, creating an impressive 'almost blood moon'. The eclipse will be visible from North and South America, Europe and Africa, though exactly how much you'll see will depend on your location (and clouds!).
You can follow along with all the action with our lunar eclipse live blog, and watch the eclipse online with these lunar eclipse livestreams.
Lunar eclipse timings- The eclipse begins when the moon enters Earth's faint outer shadow at 9:23 p.m. EDT on Aug. 27 (0123 GMT on Aug. 28).
- Things get much more interesting at 10:33 p.m. EDT (0233 GMT), when the partial eclipse begins and Earth's dark umbral shadow starts to creep across the lunar surface.
- Maximum eclipse occurs at 12:12 a.m. EDT (0412 GMT) on Aug. 28, when 96.2% of the moon will be immersed in Earth's umbra.
- The partial phase ends at 1:51 a.m. EDT (0551 GMT), with the penumbral eclipse concluding at 3:01 a.m. EDT (0701 GMT).
North and South America are particularly well-placed for the entire eclipse.
For European skywatchers, the eclipse takes place during the early morning of Aug. 28, with the moon setting while the partial eclipse is still underway. From London, maximum eclipse occurs at 5:12 a.m. BST, just over an hour before moonset.
How to view the lunar eclipseUnlike a solar eclipse, you don't need any special equipment to view a lunar eclipse. Simply head outside and look up. If you own binoculars or a telescope, take a look through them for an even better view of Earth's shadow sweeping across the lunar surface.
If you're interested in trying to capture an impressive photograph of the lunar eclipse, check out our expert's guide on how to photograph a lunar eclipse, along with a roundup of the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography.
Editor's Note: If you capture a photo of the August lunar eclipse and want to share it with Space.com's readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
Watch 2 astronauts replace failed ISS antenna during spacewalk today
Two astronauts will do some repair work outside the International Space Station today (Aug. 25), and you can watch the action live.
NASA's Anil Menon and Sophie Adenot of the European Space Agency will conduct a spacewalk today (Aug. 25) to replace a space-to-ground-antenna. The extravehicular activity (EVA) is expected to start around 8:35 a.m. EDT (1235 GMT) and last 6.5 hours.
You can watch it live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA, or directly via the space agency. Coverage will start at 7:00 a.m. EDT (1100 GMT).
NASA astronauts Jessica Meir (at right) and Anil Menon (facing away from camera) completed a 6.5-hour spacewalk to install solar array mounting hardware outside of the International Space Station on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. (Image credit: NASA)This will be the third spacewalk for Menon and the second for Adenot, the first French woman ever to conduct an EVA. Her history-making first excursion occurred on Aug. 18, when she and Menon removed a failed space-to-ground antenna, a relay link that enables high-speed communications between the International Space Station (ISS) and Mission Control at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The duo ran out of time before they could install a replacement antenna, however. They'll finish the job today, if all goes to plan.
"If time allows, Menon and Adenot also will attempt a get‑ahead task to replace a retroreflector on the forward port of the space station's Harmony module, which will improve navigation data for visiting spacecraft," NASA officials wrote in a spacewalk preview.
Adenot arrived at the ISS in February as part of SpaceX's Crew-12 mission, which also includes NASA astronauts Jack Hathaway and Jessica Meir and cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
Menon came aboard on July 14, making the trip on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft along with cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. Menon performed his first-ever spacewalk on Aug. 6, with Meir.
Menon will be "crewmember 1" on today's spacewalk, and Adenot will be "crewmember 2." The EVA will be the 283rd in the history of the ISS, which has been continuously occupied by rotating astronaut crews since November 2000.
Pluto losing its planet status may be the best thing that ever happened to solar system diversity
Unpopular opinion time, but someone has to say it: I think Pluto being reclassified as a dwarf planet was a great thing for our understanding of the solar system and for the former planet itself. Let me try to convince you, too.
First, a little background. The Pluto planet controversy began exactly 20 years ago on Aug. 24, 2006, when the International Astronomical Union (IAU) reclassified the solar system's (former) ninth planet as a dwarf planet.
The reason for the change was the result of the discovery of worlds similar to Pluto in the Kuiper Belt, the ring of icy bodies and debris extending out beyond the orbit of Neptune. It suddenly became necessary to determine if these bodies are planets or whether the definition of what a planet is needs to be reshaped. The IAU decided on the latter. Pluto took the hit.
The 2006 definition developed for the IAU by the Uruguayan astronomers Julio Ángel Fernández and Gonzalo Tancredi says a planet is "a celestial body in the solar system that is in orbit around the sun, has sufficient mass to assume hydrostatic equilibrium [it is round or nearly round], and it has 'cleared the neighborhood' around its orbit."
That meant a new definition had to be introduced for large round bodies orbiting the sun, one that meets these first two criteria, but fails to meet the the third. Thus, dwarf planets were defined by the IAU as: "an object in orbit around the sun that is large enough to pull itself into a nearly round shape but has not been able to clear its orbit of debris."
Pluto fell out of the planet category and into the dwarf planet category because, as it orbits the sun out beyond Neptune, other bodies cross its orbital path. Thus, Pluto hasn't cleared its neighborhood. Not a planet then, sorry.
But don't feel too bad. It is a good thing, honestly.
The redefinition of Pluto has had a strange effect on the general public and even some scientists, who seem to "feel sorry" for the former planet, almost as if it has somehow been demoted. There are several Change.Org petitions and petitions on other sites that demand to restore Pluto's planethood. One of these, established in 2024, has over 1,000 signatures.
Some petitions to make Pluto a planet again fundamentally misunderstand why Pluto isn't a planet anymore. Take this one on slightly tongue-in-cheek petition on iPetitions, which states: "Pluto should not have its planet rights taken away form {sic] it just because it is small, so is Daniel, but that doesn't make him not a human anymore! This is a very urgent matter! This is an EMERGENCY!!"
I don't know who Daniel is, but I do know that Pluto being reclassified as a dwarf planet really exemplified how diverse the solar system actually is.
When we think of the solar system, we think of the planets orbiting the sun, and the moons orbiting their planets. Maybe we picture the occasional visit by an asteroid or comet. The reclassification of Pluto ensures that the general public can't really ignore the fact that there are many solar system bodies with sizes between planets and asteroids that are no less important than the planets themselves.
Many of these dwarf planets exist far from the sun, and don't visit the inner solar system — meaning they don't get blasted by high levels of solar radiation. Likewise, they generally haven't been affected by geological processes, meaning that the material they are composed of is unspoiled. Thus, dwarf planets could act as time capsules that allow us to study the matter that existed in the solar system when planets like Earth started to form.
We shouldn't ignore dwarf planets when we talk about the solar system, and as the king of the dwarfs, Pluto ensures we can't. Its change in status made the study of Kuiper Belt objects seem equally as important as the study of moons and planets.
There is also a really simple and logistical reason not to make Pluto a planet again. Though the IAU currently recognizes only five dwarf planets — Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake and Eris — astronomers think there are as many as 100 of them still waiting to be discovered.
If we let Pluto back into the planet party, then all these other dwarf planets should be allowed back in too, right? Keeping Pluto a dwarf planet better defines what a planet is and prevents an awkward situation in the future in which schoolchildren (and the rest of us) would have to remember upwards of 100 planets.
If you are going to feel sorry for any dwarf planet, maybe it should be Ceres. The closest dwarf planet to Earth, it was discovered in 1801, 129 years before Pluto, and was therefore the first dwarf planet to be discovered (though it was not defined as such initially).
Pluto has really stolen Ceres' thunder as the solar system's most prominent dwarf planet.
Spare a thought for Eris as well. Also located beyond the orbit of Neptune, this dwarf planet is 1,445 miles (2,326 kilometers) wide, making it just a hair smaller than the largest solar system dwarf planet, Pluto, which is 1,477 miles (2,377 km) across. But Eris is actually more massive than Pluto, making it the most massive dwarf planet in the solar system, and Eris never even got the chance to be called a planet.
Where is the petition for Ceres or Eris, eh? Nowhere, that's where.
But seriously, there is something crucial to remember in all this: The redefinition of Pluto as a dwarf planet took away none of the former planet's wonder or beauty.
Is the bright heart-shaped plain of Sputnik Planitia, composed of squishy nitrogen ice, any less spectacular because it belongs to a dwarf planet? Are the towering 11,000-foot-high (3,350 m) ice mountains of Pluto any less majestic because they rise from the surface of a dwarf planet, not a planet?
What about the blue haze that envelops the dwarf planet? Or Pluto's regions of shifting ice that show the former planet to be far more active than we once thought? Are they less scientifically fascinating?
Were the observations made by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft less monumental for humanity, or less of an impressive scientific achievement, because this was only a nine-year trip to a dwarf world?
Of course, the answer to all of the above questions is definitely no.
Pluto may not be the ninth planet, but it still sits at the forefront of dwarf planets in our minds and helped to define a whole population of solar system bodies.
Let's give Pluto its due.
NASA Sets Coverage for Roman Space Telescope Launch from Florida
Coverage plans are ready for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope prelaunch and launch activities. Roman is NASA’s next-generation observatory designed to explore some of the universe’s biggest mysteries, including dark energy.
NASA and SpaceX are targeting Roman’s liftoff for no earlier than 7:26 a.m. EDT Sunday, Aug. 30, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Launch coverage begins at 6:20 a.m.
Live coverage of these events will stream through a variety of platforms. Learn where to watch online:
Named for NASA’s first chief astronomer, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will pair sharp infrared vision with a field of view at least 100 times larger than the agency’s Hubble Space Telescope. Its crisp, sweeping surveys will help scientists investigate dark energy and dark matter, discover and characterize exoplanets, map billions of galaxies, study black holes, and explore objects from our own solar system to the edge of the observable universe.
After launch and separation from the rocket, Roman will travel to the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point, or L2, about one million miles from Earth. The mission has a five-year primary lifetime with a goal of operating for 10 years, and Roman’s science data will be publicly available after processing.
NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times are Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Saturday, Aug. 29
9 a.m.: NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Mission Science Briefing: The briefing will take place in the NASA Kennedy Press Site auditorium with the following participants:
- Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director, Astrophysics Division, NASA Headquarters
- Julie McEnery, Roman telescope senior project scientist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
- Vanessa Bailey, Roman Coronagraph Instrument scientist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Kristen McQuinn, Roman Science Operations Center lead, Space Telescope Science Institute
- Lee Armus, Roman Science Support Center lead, Caltech/IPAC
Media may ask questions in person or by phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the briefing at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
10:30 a.m.: NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Prelaunch News Conference: The news conference will take place in the NASA Kennedy Press Site auditorium with the following participants:
- Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Lucas Paganini, Roman telescope program executive, NASA Headquarters
- Jackie Townsend, Roman telescope project manager, NASA Goddard
- Denton Gibson, launch director, NASA’s Launch Services Program, NASA Kennedy
- Julianna Scheiman, director, NASA Science and Dragon Programs, SpaceX
- Justin McReynolds, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, U.S. Space Force
Media may ask questions in person or by phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the briefing at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
11:45 a.m.: NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman is expected to fly past the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and Falcon Heavy rocket on the launchpad in his jet. The flyby will be shown live on the same stream as the prelaunch news conference, with a view of the launch pad during the transition. The flyby is subject to weather and operational considerations.
12 p.m.: In-person interviews will take place in the NASA Kennedy Press News Center:
- Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Lucas Paganini, Roman telescope program executive, NASA Headquarters
- Dalia Kirschbaum, acting director, Sciences and Exploration Directorate, NASA Goddard
- Josh Schlieder, Roman telescope project scientist, NASA Goddard
- Jason Hylan, Roman telescope flight segment and observatory manager, NASA Goddard
- Bertrand Mennesson, Roman Coronagraph Instrument project scientist, NASA JPL
- Jeff Hanke, president, Space Systems, Space and Mission Systems, L3Harris Technologies
- Wendy Minotti, program manager, Exquisite Imaging, Space and Mission Systems, L3Harris Technologies
- Bonnie Patterson, vice president and general manager, Civil Space, Space and Mission Systems, BAE Systems
- Sarah Lipscy, director, Strategic Operations, Space and Mission Systems, BAE Systems
Previously credentialed media interested in scheduling an interview should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Sunday, Aug. 30
6:20 a.m.: Launch coverage begins.
7:26 a.m.: Launch
9:30 a.m.: Postlaunch news conference with the following participants:
- NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
- Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Jackie Townsend, Roman telescope project manager, NASA Goddard
- Julie McEnery, Roman telescope senior project scientist, NASA Goddard
- Denton Gibson, launch director, NASA’s Launch Services Program, NASA Kennedy
Media may ask questions in person or by phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the news conference at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Audio-only coverage
Audio-only coverage of the launch will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, accessible by dialing 321-867-1220 or 321-867-1240. On launch day, mission audio countdown activities without NASA broadcast commentary will be carried on 321-867-7135.
Launch audio also will be available on Launch Information Service and Amateur Television System’s VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz and KSC Amateur Radio Club’s UHF radio frequency 444.925 MHz, FM mode, heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast.
NASA website launch coverage
Launch day coverage will be available on the NASA website, including the livestream and blog updates as countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video and launch photos will be available shortly after liftoff. Follow mission updates on the Roman launch blog.
Attend launch virtually
Members of the public may register to attend the Roman launch virtually. NASA’s Virtual Guest Program includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or schedule changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following launch.
Watch, engage on social media
Let people know you’re watching the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by following and tagging these accounts:
- X: @NASARoman, @NASAUniverse, @NASAKennedy
- Facebook: @NASARoman, @NASAGoddard, @NASAKennedy
- Instagram: @NASAGoddard, @NASAUniverse, @NASAKennedy
The Roman telescope is managed at NASA Goddard with participation by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California; Caltech/IPAC in Pasadena, California; the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore; and a team of scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are BAE Systems Inc., L3Harris Technologies, and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging. Contributions to Roman also are made by ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), the French space agency CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales), and the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, manages the launch service for the Roman mission.
For more information about NASA’s Roman telescope, visit:
-end-
Alise Fisher
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-385-1287
alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
Leejay Lockhart
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-747-8310
leejay.lockhart@nasa.gov
Claire Andreoli
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
301-286-1940
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
NASA Sets Coverage for Roman Space Telescope Launch from Florida
Coverage plans are ready for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope prelaunch and launch activities. Roman is NASA’s next-generation observatory designed to explore some of the universe’s biggest mysteries, including dark energy.
NASA and SpaceX are targeting Roman’s liftoff for no earlier than 7:26 a.m. EDT Sunday, Aug. 30, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Launch coverage begins at 6:20 a.m.
Live coverage of these events will stream through a variety of platforms. Learn where to watch online:
Named for NASA’s first chief astronomer, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will pair sharp infrared vision with a field of view at least 100 times larger than the agency’s Hubble Space Telescope. Its crisp, sweeping surveys will help scientists investigate dark energy and dark matter, discover and characterize exoplanets, map billions of galaxies, study black holes, and explore objects from our own solar system to the edge of the observable universe.
After launch and separation from the rocket, Roman will travel to the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point, or L2, about one million miles from Earth. The mission has a five-year primary lifetime with a goal of operating for 10 years, and Roman’s science data will be publicly available after processing.
NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times are Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Saturday, Aug. 29
9 a.m.: NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Mission Science Briefing: The briefing will take place in the NASA Kennedy Press Site auditorium with the following participants:
- Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director, Astrophysics Division, NASA Headquarters
- Julie McEnery, Roman telescope senior project scientist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
- Vanessa Bailey, Roman Coronagraph Instrument scientist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Kristen McQuinn, Roman Science Operations Center lead, Space Telescope Science Institute
- Lee Armus, Roman Science Support Center lead, Caltech/IPAC
Media may ask questions in person or by phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the briefing at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
10:30 a.m.: NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Prelaunch News Conference: The news conference will take place in the NASA Kennedy Press Site auditorium with the following participants:
- Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Lucas Paganini, Roman telescope program executive, NASA Headquarters
- Jackie Townsend, Roman telescope project manager, NASA Goddard
- Denton Gibson, launch director, NASA’s Launch Services Program, NASA Kennedy
- Julianna Scheiman, director, NASA Science and Dragon Programs, SpaceX
- Justin McReynolds, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, U.S. Space Force
Media may ask questions in person or by phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the briefing at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
11:45 a.m.: NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman is expected to fly past the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and Falcon Heavy rocket on the launchpad in his jet. The flyby will be shown live on the same stream as the prelaunch news conference, with a view of the launch pad during the transition. The flyby is subject to weather and operational considerations.
12 p.m.: In-person interviews will take place in the NASA Kennedy Press News Center:
- Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Lucas Paganini, Roman telescope program executive, NASA Headquarters
- Dalia Kirschbaum, acting director, Sciences and Exploration Directorate, NASA Goddard
- Josh Schlieder, Roman telescope project scientist, NASA Goddard
- Jason Hylan, Roman telescope flight segment and observatory manager, NASA Goddard
- Bertrand Mennesson, Roman Coronagraph Instrument project scientist, NASA JPL
- Jeff Hanke, president, Space Systems, Space and Mission Systems, L3Harris Technologies
- Wendy Minotti, program manager, Exquisite Imaging, Space and Mission Systems, L3Harris Technologies
- Bonnie Patterson, vice president and general manager, Civil Space, Space and Mission Systems, BAE Systems
- Sarah Lipscy, director, Strategic Operations, Space and Mission Systems, BAE Systems
Previously credentialed media interested in scheduling an interview should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Sunday, Aug. 30
6:20 a.m.: Launch coverage begins.
7:26 a.m.: Launch
9:30 a.m.: Postlaunch news conference with the following participants:
- NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
- Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Jackie Townsend, Roman telescope project manager, NASA Goddard
- Julie McEnery, Roman telescope senior project scientist, NASA Goddard
- Denton Gibson, launch director, NASA’s Launch Services Program, NASA Kennedy
Media may ask questions in person or by phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the news conference at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Audio-only coverage
Audio-only coverage of the launch will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, accessible by dialing 321-867-1220 or 321-867-1240. On launch day, mission audio countdown activities without NASA broadcast commentary will be carried on 321-867-7135.
Launch audio also will be available on Launch Information Service and Amateur Television System’s VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz and KSC Amateur Radio Club’s UHF radio frequency 444.925 MHz, FM mode, heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast.
NASA website launch coverage
Launch day coverage will be available on the NASA website, including the livestream and blog updates as countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video and launch photos will be available shortly after liftoff. Follow mission updates on the Roman launch blog.
Attend launch virtually
Members of the public may register to attend the Roman launch virtually. NASA’s Virtual Guest Program includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or schedule changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following launch.
Watch, engage on social media
Let people know you’re watching the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by following and tagging these accounts:
- X: @NASARoman, @NASAUniverse, @NASAKennedy
- Facebook: @NASARoman, @NASAGoddard, @NASAKennedy
- Instagram: @NASAGoddard, @NASAUniverse, @NASAKennedy
The Roman telescope is managed at NASA Goddard with participation by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California; Caltech/IPAC in Pasadena, California; the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore; and a team of scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are BAE Systems Inc., L3Harris Technologies, and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging. Contributions to Roman also are made by ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), the French space agency CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales), and the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, manages the launch service for the Roman mission.
For more information about NASA’s Roman telescope, visit:
-end-
Alise Fisher
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-385-1287
alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
Leejay Lockhart
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-747-8310
leejay.lockhart@nasa.gov
Claire Andreoli
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
301-286-1940
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
'Ghosts of Mars' at 25: Are we any closer to living on the Red Planet? We asked the experts
In August 2001, filmmaker John Carpenter said "Boo!" and unleashed "Ghosts of Mars" on the world. While not one of Carpenter's most revered works, it's still a neat sci-fi horror movie in which Mars has been terraformed – 84% terraformed to be exact – and inhabited by humans. Plus, it has Jason Statham and Ice Cube in it, so it's automatically 99% better than all other movies ever made.
Now, the action takes place at Shining Canyon, a remote mining outpost on Mars that has a gritty wild west/Mad Max-ness vibe; it's cold, harsh, and so so so so soooooo dusty – not exactly a dream home location.
Then there's the whole "scary horde possessed by ancient extraterrestrial evil spirits trying to kill you" thing. But let's remove the spooky elements and put them aside for one second, and really consider the possibility of actually living on Mars. It's been 25 years since the movie was released, so how much closer are we to calling the Red Planet our new home?
(Image credit: Screen Gems)Chief Scientist at the Planetary Society, Dr. Bruce Betts, isn't optimistic. "I don't think we're in a position to do global terraforming due to the technology and lack of resources. The papers indicate now you have only a tiny fraction of carbon dioxide, and then there's just the political and economic reality of it. Any method I've ever heard of is really outrageously expensive over time, and you would have to have multi-year, multi-generational support for programs at a high level. You'd have the whole world having opinions on whether you could or should do it. Then there's also the planetary protection agreements that many countries have agreed to. But the lack of carbon dioxide is the showstopper, really." Even in the movie, they're still 10 years away from having air like we do on Earth.
Dr. Mark Gallaway, an astronomer, science pundit, and founder of Starlight Planetarium, also mentions the cost and carbon dioxide issues as major obstacles, as well as two other challenges that may make attempts to live on Mars near impossible. "There have been enclosed habitats we've built on Earth. A number of times external teams have had to go in and break groups up, because there have been fistfights [...] so that's going to be a long-term problem." And that’s probably going to be an extra big problem when people are cooped up at a remote mining outpost.
(Image credit: Screen Gems)"The other big problem is we have no idea how human physiology works at 0.38G. The only way we could do 0.38 of a G is to have some kind of spin habitat and have people live there. So, without actually knowing what that surface gravity is going to do to us, it's a bit tricky. We might find that they're on Mars for a year, and when they come back, they can't function anymore."
Recent studies about the state of Mars haven't been too promising either. Betts views Bruce Jakosky and Christopher Edwards' 2018 research paper, where it explicitly states "terraforming Mars is not possible using present-day technology," as the biggest reality check.
"The Jakosky and Edwards paper about CO₂ makes me very negative," Betts says. "There have been thoughts of using exotic technologies, such as nanorods and aerogel, but even with the aerogel, I believe they're talking about using it to create localized domes, and you'd create the interior of that and try to terraform it. It's certainly more plausible than doing the whole planet, but still seems like [there are a lot of implications]. [...] People are coming up with new, nifty technologies, but I just don't see how they can be implemented, even if they did work."
(Image credit: Screen Gems)Science fiction tends to depict Mars as a possibility for human occupation, but Gallaway points out another big blow for any terraforming ambitions: "We've made recent discoveries that the soil on Mars is actually quite toxic to life. So the scene in 'The Martian' where Mark Watney grows potatoes? That's just not possible. It means if you're going to colonize Mars, you're going to have to bring all your topsoil, which is a big problem."
In addition to all of this, there are the ethical dilemmas that need to be addressed. Astronomer, teacher, and author Dr. Jeffrey Bennett wrote "Life in the Universe" along with Seth Shostak, Nicholas Schneider, and Meredith MacGregor.
In the book, there's a section that discusses introducing greenhouse gas to the Martian atmosphere in order for humans to walk around without a spacesuit. However, this leads to serious questions about the effects of colonization and whether humans have the right to fundamentally change another planet's atmosphere and potentially wreck it for other possible lifeforms already living there. Remember, "it's their planet… we are the aliens."
(Image credit: Screen Gems)For Bennett, he questions whether terraforming Mars is even an option if humans can't get their own house in order: "Given that we can't even seem to keep Earth's climate functioning the way we'd like it to – for example, global warming is making the climate worse for humans and other life – I find it difficult to believe that our present level of knowledge would allow us to turn an inhospitable place like Mars into a livable world. Perhaps this may become possible in the future, but certainly not before we first learn how to take care of our home planet's climate."
Clearly, living on Mars isn't possible at the moment, but "Ghosts of Mars" takes place in the future, so we still have time because who knows what scientific advancements await us? Alas, experts tend to agree that it's unlikely to happen by 2176 at this current rate, though developments could happen: "I think that people will continue researching on the small scale of things you could do, but I don't think we're going to be any closer to terraforming Mars in reality by 2176 than we are now," Betts says. So, I guess you could say we "don’t stand a ghost of a chance."
(Image credit: Screen Gems)Gallaway suggests an interesting alternative to terraforming Mars, or any other planet: "From a personal point of view, I actually think we should be looking at space habitats rather than planet-based habitats. Get to what we call an M-type asteroid: [...] Get the platinum group metals out, sell those, then spin the asteroid up, and you can live on it – inside at 1G. I'm a big fan of the late Iain M. Banks and his science fiction, where virtually everybody is living in inhabitable orbital structures, because it's easier to make the environment than it is to change it."
Hmm… Gallaway may have just pitched the perfect sequel. Yeah, "Ghosts of the Asteroid" sounds decent, doesn't it? Just as long as Statham somehow returns and punches everything in sight.
Watch "Ghosts of Mars" on Prime Video or Apple TV.
‘Extreme’ wildfire sweeps Nevada as U.S. tallies almost 51,000 wildfires so far this year
A wildfire outside Reno began on August 22 and has already burned more than 15,000 acres of land
'Project Hail Mary' and 'The Martian' author Andy Weir is headed back to outer space, but not how you'd expect
Amiable sci-fi author Andy Weir, the New York Times bestselling author of "The Martian," "Artemis," and "Project Hail Mary", is embarking on an entirely new imaginative odyssey later this year.
It's not exactly another sci-fi book, though; It's an audiobook, and Weir is foregoing sole authorship of the project and instead co-shepherding this captivating space opera drama for the folks at Audible.
Arriving on Nov. 5, 2026, "Exoplanet" is an ambitious celestial thriller written by comic book veteran and acclaimed author Benjamin Percy ("Red Moon"), executive produced by Weir, and showcasing a stellar vocal cast that includes Anthony Mackie, the Oscar-winning Ariana DeBose, and John Leguizamo.
"When the starship Wild Blue Yonder is torn apart by a quantum anomaly, each surviving crew member crash-lands in a different era on the same deadly exoplanet — hunted, alone and running out of time," states the official synopsis.
"Chief Engineer Jeff Shaw (Anthony Mackie), aided by his virtual assistant, must battle an unforgiving present, driven by one thing: getting home to his daughter. First Officer Becca Bang (Ariana DeBose) fights to survive a hostile alien past. Science Officer Logan Bowers (John Leguizamo) wakes in a machine-ruled future that shouldn’t exist.
"But the anomaly wasn’t random. A relentless alien intelligence is feeding on human technology, and it's been waiting for them across every timeline. Separated by centuries, the crew must find a way to communicate across time itself before this world consumes them all. Blending heart-stopping action with the mind-bending science that Andy Weir is known for, 'Exoplanet' explores what it means to fight for humanity’s future when your own existence hangs in the balance."
"Exoplanet" brings together a strong creative crew and highlights sound design by Lucasfilm's Skywalker Sound, along with an original soundtrack by composer Rob Cairns ("Love, Death & Robots," "Secret Level").
Additional vocal performers include Cherry Jones ("Succession," "The Handmaid’s Tale"), Sufe Bradshaw ("Veep," "Vice"), Charlie Plummer ("The Long Walk," "Lean on Pete"), Ray Porter (Audible's "Project Hail Mary," "The Bobiverse") and Aida Osman ("Rap Sh!t").
Andy Weir attends "Project Hail Mary" New York premiere at Lincoln Center on March 18, 2026 in New York City (Image credit: Getty Images (Dimitrios Kambouris))"I'm obsessed with problems, the kind where one person and a lot of math are all that stand between survival and disaster," Weir explained in an Audible statement.
"Benjamin Percy's writing in 'Exoplanet' takes that and adds a twist that genuinely kept me up at night: What if the people trying to save each other were separated not by distance, but by centuries? You can’t see that story. You have to hear it. The crackle across a 500-year gap, the desperation in a voice that doesn't know if anyone’s still listening?"
We'll be listening, Andy! We'll definitely be listening!
Audible’s sci-fi audio drama, "Exoplanet," lands on Nov. 5., 2026.
Mission Fails to Rescue Swift Observatory (Updated)
A daring mission tried but failed to save a key astrophysics observatory in low Earth orbit.
The post Mission Fails to Rescue Swift Observatory (Updated) appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Goodbye, Falcon 9: SpaceX planning to retire workhorse launcher when Starship is up and running
The rumors are true. SpaceX plans to retire its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket once the company's giant next-generation Starship begins regular operational flights.
SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 for the first time in 2010, and the rocket soon chiselled itself a place in spaceflight history. The Falcon 9 has lifted off nearly 700 times to date, and it's the first orbital rocket ever to land and refly its first-stage booster. Russia's Soyuz rocket, which has been in operation since 1957, is the only launch vehicle with more missions under its belt, but the Falcon 9 is on track to pass it next year.
However, "winding down Falcon" — both Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, a triple-booster variant that has flown 12 times to date — is inevitable, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said in an Aug. 22 post on X. "Once Starship is flying reliably several times per week, it makes sense to shift … production resources to Starship to get launch rate to several times per day," he wrote.
The impact of Falcon 9's absence from the launch market can't yet be known, but industry reports suggest that SpaceX may discontinue all but a few Falcon 9 missions beginning in 2028. The ones that remain will likely include crew and resupply missions for NASA to the International Space Station (ISS), which is expected to continue flying until at least 2030, meaning that commercial operators will have to start looking to Starship to deliver their satellites to space.
When exactly SpaceX will begin to wind down Falcon 9 will depend on the continuing development of Starship. Unlike its predecessor, Starship is built for full reusability, with the rocket's Super Heavy booster and Ship upper stage both designed to return to Earth for recovery and reflight. (Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy upper stages are expendable.)
And Starship is bigger than Falcon 9, too. The current Version 3 (V3) Starship stands 408 feet (124.4 meters) tall, towering over the 230-foot tall (70 m) Falcon 9, and is capable of launching substantially heavier payloads to space. Starship is expected to be able to deliver more than 100 tons to low Earth orbit (LEO). By comparison, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy can carry about 25 tons and 63 tons to LEO, respectively.
The majority of Falcon 9 missions over the past few years have been dedicated to SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet network, with more than 300 launches since 2023 adding to the growing constellation of over 11,000 spacecraft. The more powerful next generation of Starlink satellites, however, are bigger, and designed to fit in Starship's payload bay, not atop the Falcon 9. And once Starship is launching reliably (and even before then), SpaceX plans to begin upgrading its Starlink network with the newer satellite version.
A Falcon 9 rocketl launches the Crew-7 mission for NASA on Aug. 26, 2023 (Image credit: Space.com/ Josh Dinner)That will likely kick off an exponential upward trend for Starship launches. This happened with the Falcon 9, after all. SpaceX launched the rocket just 11 times in 2019, the year the company began assembling its Starlink constellation. In 2025, Falcon 9 flew a whopping 165 missions, and 122 of them were Starlink flights.
NASA has also contracted SpaceX to design a version of Starship for use as a lunar landing vehicle for the space agency's Artemis missions. A Starship V3 is in line to launch on the Artemis III mission next year, which will practice docking operability in LEO with NASA's Orion spacecraft. Starship has also been slated to deliver astronauts to the surface of the moon on Artemis IV in 2028. That's also when SpaceX has told NASA that it plans to end commercial Falcon 9 launches, according to Ars Technica.
One thing Starship has not yet been contracted or designed for is docking with the ISS. NASA is positioned to continue purchasing flights of SpaceX's cargo and Crew Dragon spacecraft to deliver astronauts and supplies to the space station through 2030, and would be hard pressed to shift those tasks to Starship. Cost and contract logistics aside, the mere size of Starship poses significant engineering risks outside the station's safety margins.
Regardless of the timeline for the ISS, SpaceX's planned sundowning of Falcon 9 also hinges on Starship's success. The launch vehicle has flown 13 suborbital test flights to date. Another is poised to lift off within the next month, and may be the rocket's first attempt at fully reaching orbit. But that's just one of many milestones that Starship must hit before it can begin "flying reliably several times per week," as Musk stipulated in his post.
That kind of turnaround time has already been achieved by Falcon 9, but building up Starship's infrastructure is a much bigger enterprise than the dozen or so successful test flights the vehicle has under its belt. And how quickly SpaceX can scale Starship to match Falcon 9's reliability will ultimately determine how soon the legacy rocket is largely phased out of commission.
Perseverance Captures Another Phobos Transit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS/SSI Photojournal Navigation Downloads Perseverance Captures Another Phobos Transit
PNG (296.77 KB)
PIA26811 Animation (.mp4)
MP4 (160.24 KB)
Description
NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z camera to capture the silhouette of Phobos, one of the two Martian moons, as it crossed in front of the Sun on Aug. 12, 2026, the 1,948th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.
The animation has been tinted to simulate what a human would see if they were watching the transit from the Martian surface through protective solar eclipse glasses.
Perseverance has captured several Phobos transits since its landing at Jezero Crater in February 2021. By comparing the various recordings, scientists can refine their understanding of the potato-shaped moon’’ orbit, learning how it is changing. Eons from now, Phobos’ orbit is expected to eventually send the moon toward the Red Planet’s surface.
Arizona State University leads the operations of the Mastcam-Z instrument, working in collaboration with Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, on the design, fabrication, testing, and operation of the cameras, and in collaboration with the Niels Bohr Institute of the University of Copenhagen on the design, fabrication, and testing of the calibration targets.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.
For more about Perseverance: science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance
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Perseverance Captures Another Phobos Transit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS/SSI Photojournal Navigation Downloads Perseverance Captures Another Phobos Transit
PNG (296.77 KB)
PIA26811 Animation (.mp4)
MP4 (160.24 KB)
Description
NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z camera to capture the silhouette of Phobos, one of the two Martian moons, as it crossed in front of the Sun on Aug. 12, 2026, the 1,948th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.
The animation has been tinted to simulate what a human would see if they were watching the transit from the Martian surface through protective solar eclipse glasses.
Perseverance has captured several Phobos transits since its landing at Jezero Crater in February 2021. By comparing the various recordings, scientists can refine their understanding of the potato-shaped moon’’ orbit, learning how it is changing. Eons from now, Phobos’ orbit is expected to eventually send the moon toward the Red Planet’s surface.
Arizona State University leads the operations of the Mastcam-Z instrument, working in collaboration with Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, on the design, fabrication, testing, and operation of the cameras, and in collaboration with the Niels Bohr Institute of the University of Copenhagen on the design, fabrication, and testing of the calibration targets.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.
For more about Perseverance: science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance
Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Photojournal
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