Asteroid trace over Chelyabinsk, Russia, on 15 February 2013 EU–(ENWSPF)–08 May 2013.  In February, a speeding asteroid slammed into our atmosphere and exploded high over Russia’s Ural region, injuring hundreds and causing millions of euros of damage. What should we do if we have a similar – or even bigger[Read More…]

Galactic centre EU–(ENEWSPF)–07 May 2013.  ESA’s Herschel space observatory has made detailed observations of surprisingly hot molecular gas that may be orbiting or falling towards the supermassive black hole lurking at the centre of our Milky Way galaxy. Our local black hole is located in a region known as Sagittarius[Read More…]

Download here (Credit: NOAA/NASA) The first of six instruments that will fly on GOES-R, NOAA’s next-generation of geostationary operational environmental satellites, has been completed seven months before its scheduled installation onto the spacecraft. The instrument, the Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors, or EXIS, will provide forecasters at NOAA’s Space[Read More…]

Sulci Gordii EU–(ENEWSPF)–2 May 2013.  Giant landslides, lava flows and tectonic forces are behind this dynamic scene captured recently by ESA’s Mars Express of a region scarred by the Solar System’s largest volcano, Olympus Mons. Sulci Gordii in context The image was taken on 23 January by the spacecraft’s high-resolution[Read More…]

Herschel and Vela C EU–(ENEWSPF)–29 April 2013.  ESA’s Herschel space observatory has exhausted its supply of liquid helium coolant, ending more than three years of pioneering observations of the cool Universe. The event was not unexpected: the mission began with over 2300 litres of liquid helium, which has been slowly[Read More…]

Fully assembled Vega VV02 on pad EU–(ENEWSPF)–26 April 2013.  The second Vega launch marks the transition to commercial exploitation, showcasing a mature launcher with increased capabilities and flexibility to meet the different demands of the launchers market. On 3 May, Vega flight VV02 will demonstrate extended capabilities made possible in[Read More…]

Concept for future deorbit mission EU–(ENEWSPF)–25 April 2013.  There is an urgent need to remove orbiting space debris and to fly satellites in the future without creating new fragments, Europe’s largest-ever space-debris conference announced today. The findings from the 6th European Conference on Space Debris were released during the concluding[Read More…]

Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact site G EU–(ENEWSPF)–23 April 2013.  ESA’s Herschel space observatory has solved a long-standing mystery as to the origin of water in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter, finding conclusive evidence that it was delivered by the dramatic impact of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 in July 1994. During the spectacular[Read More…]

Industrial measurement EU–(ENEWSPF)–22 April 2013.  Without hi-tech magnetic sensors, rovers wouldn’t be able to roam around Mars. These same sensors will soon boost terrestrial travel by improving the machinery that moulds parts for cars and aircraft here on Earth. These devices will ‘feel’ parts in exquisite detail, noting features like[Read More…]