SPA

Nov 07 2024TECHNOLOGY

Space Safety: NATO's Cyber Challenges

NATO heavily relies on space assets for missions and defense. But these assets come with a hidden danger: cybersecurity gaps. These weaknesses exist throughout NATO's supply chain for space assets, putting both NATO's missions and member states' security at risk. What's worrying is that this supply

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Nov 07 2024SCIENCE

Farewell, NEOWISE: Asteroid Hunter's Final Orbit Ends in a Blaze

NASA's NEOWISE spacecraft, which spent over a decade hunting near-Earth objects like asteroids, met its end in a dramatic way. On November 1, the craft burned up in Earth's atmosphere, as expected. Launched in 2009 as WISE, its main mission was to explore the universe in infrared light. When its coo

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Nov 07 2024POLITICS

Voting from Space: NASA Astronauts Make Their Voices Heard in 2024 Election

Did you know that some Americans are voting from space this year? That's right – NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are participating in the 2024 election. They use special procedures to cast their votes, just like any other American citizen. Four astronauts are currently

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Nov 07 2024SCIENCE

NASA's VIPER Rover: A New Path Forward

NASA's VIPER lunar rover mission, which was canceled in July, is now under review for potential repurposing. About 50 initial expressions of interest were received, with a more formal request for information (RFI) issued afterward. NASA is currently considering partnerships to move forward with the

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Nov 07 2024SCIENCE

SpaceX's Dragon Delivers Supplies to ISS with Some New Tricks

SpaceX recently sent its cargo Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) using a Falcon 9 rocket. The launch took place on November 4 at 9:29 PM Eastern time from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A. The Dragon spacecraft, known as CRS-31 or SpX-31, will dock with the ISS on N

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Nov 07 2024SCIENCE

Jupiter's Colorful Makeover: Seeing the Gas Giant in a New Light

Ever since 2016, NASA's Juno spacecraft has been orbiting Jupiter, capturing stunning images of the planet and its moons. But get ready for a fresh look! On October 23, Juno made its closest approach to Jupiter, and the new photos are breathtaking. We're talking vibrant colors and shapes that look l

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Nov 07 2024POLITICS

The Morning After: Black Women Business Leaders Reflect on Election Outcome

Pinky Cole, a successful vegan food entrepreneur, woke up feeling drained after the presidential election results. She had built her business from scratch in just a few years, but today, she felt emotionally exhausted. "I'm sad, " she shared with ESSENCE. This election, she said, affected her differ

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Nov 06 2024EDUCATION

Educational Fairness: How Gender, Birth Order, and Parents' Education Matter in Benin

In Benin, a study looked at how gender, birth order, and natural skills affect how much education kids in the same family get. They used two methods: a simple approach and a detailed model of how families divide their resources for education. The researchers found that in families where parents did

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Nov 06 2024SCIENCE

Space Health: Stranded Astronauts' Long Voyage Raises Concerns

In recent days, a photo of astronaut Sunita Williams has sparked worry about her health. She's been stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) along with Barry Wilmore since June, after their Boeing Starliner had technical issues. They were initially supposed to stay for just eight days, but now

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Nov 06 2024POLITICS

Voting from Space: How Astronauts Cast Their Ballots

Even when they're orbiting Earth, astronauts still have the right to vote. Voting from space isn't as simple as heading to the local polling station, though. Instead, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) use NASA's Space Communication and Navigation Program. They start by filling

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