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What is Astrophysical Research and Its Relevance to the Space Economy? #SpaceEconomy #NewSpaceEconomy #NewSpace #Space

NASA's tiny BurstCube mission launches to study cosmic blasts. BurstCube, shown in this artist's concept, will orbit Earth as it hunts for short gamma-ray bursts. NASA's BurstCube, a shoebox-sized satellite designed to study the universe's most powerful explosions, is on its way to the International Space Station. The spacecraft travels aboard SpaceX's 30th Commercial Resupply Services mission, which lifted off at 4:55 p.m. EDT on Thursday March 21 from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.After arriving at the station BurstCube will be unpacked and later released into orbit, where it will detect locate and study short gamma-ray bursts—brief flashes of high-energy light. "BurstCube may be small, but in addition to investigating these extreme events, it's testing new technology and providing important experience for early career astronomers and aerospace engineers," Short gamma-ray bursts usually occur after the collisions of neutron stars, the superdense remnants of massive stars that exploded in supernovae. The neutron stars can also emit gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of space-time, as they spiral together. Astronomers are interested in studying gamma-ray bursts using both light and gravitational waves because each can teach them about different aspects of the event. This approach is part of a new way of understanding the cosmos called multimessenger astronomy. The collisions that create short gamma-ray bursts also produce heavy elements like gold and iodine, an essential ingredient for life as we know it. Currently, the only joint observation of gravitational waves and light from the same event—called GW170817—was in 2017. It was a watershed moment in multimessenger astronomy, and the scientific community has been hoping and preparing for additional concurrent discoveries since. "BurstCube's detectors are angled to allow us to detect and localize events over a wide area of the sky," "Our current gamma-ray missions can only see about 70% of the sky at any moment because Earth blocks their view. Increasing our coverage with satellites like BurstCube improves the odds we'll catch more bursts coincident with gravitational wave detections." BurstCube's main instrument detects gamma rays with energies ranging from 50,000 to 1 million electron volts. (For comparison, visible light ranges between 2 and 3 electron volts.) When a gamma ray enters one of BurstCube's four detectors, it encounters a cesium iodide layer called a scintillator, which converts it into visible light. The light then enters another layer, an array of 116 silicon photomultipliers, that converts it into a pulse of electrons, which is what BurstCube measures. For each gamma ray, the team sees one pulse in the instrument readout that provides the precise arrival time and energy. The angled detectors inform the team of the general direction of the event. #BurstCube #gammarays #cosmicblast #supernovae #neutronstars #exploded

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is indeed a groundbreaking astronomical observatory that operates in space. Launched by NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the JWST represents a significant advancement in space exploration and astronomy. Here are some key points about the Webb telescope: Purpose and Mission Astronomical Observation: The primary mission of the JWST is to observe the universe in the infrared spectrum, enabling scientists to study distant galaxies, stars, exoplanets, and other celestial phenomena. Origins: Named after NASA's second administrator, James E. Webb, the telescope is a successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, offering capabilities beyond what Hubble can achieve due to its advanced technology and placement in space. Technical Specifications Optics: The JWST features a large, segmented primary mirror (6.5 meters in diameter) composed of 18 hexagonal mirror segments. This mirror is optimized for infrared observations, which are crucial for studying objects at great distances. Instruments: Equipped with four main scientific instruments, including cameras and spectrometers, JWST can capture detailed images and spectra across a wide range of infrared wavelengths. Sun-Earth Lagrange Point: Positioned at the second Lagrange point (L2), approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, JWST orbits in a location that offers stable thermal conditions and minimal interference from Earth's atmosphere and heat. Capabilities and Discoveries Deep Space Exploration: JWST aims to peer deeper into space and farther back in time than ever before, observing the universe's infancy and the formation of galaxies and planetary systems. Exoplanet Studies: It has the potential to characterize the atmospheres of exoplanets, providing insights into their composition, climate, and potential habitability. Cosmic Evolution: Observations by JWST contribute to understanding the evolution of stars, galaxies, and black holes over cosmic history, addressing fundamental questions in astrophysics and cosmology. Launch and Operation Launch Date: JWST was launched on December 25, 2021, aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana. Deployment and Calibration: Following launch, JWST underwent a series of deployment maneuvers and extensive calibration processes to ensure its instruments operate correctly in the space environment. Observing Cycle: The telescope's observing time is allocated through competitive proposals from the scientific community, allowing astronomers worldwide to use its capabilities for various research projects. Impact and Future Prospects Scientific Legacy: JWST promises to revolutionize our understanding of the universe, building on the successes of previous space observatories and pushing the boundaries of astronomy and astrophysics.

NASA’s BurstCube, a shoebox-sized satellite designed to study the universe’s most powerful explosions, is on its way to the International Space Station. The spacecraft travels aboard SpaceX’s 30th Commercial Resupply Services mission, which lifted off at 4:55 p.m. EDT on Thursday, March 21, from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. After arriving at the station, BurstCube will be unpacked and later released into orbit, where it will detect, locate, and study short gamma-ray bursts – brief flashes of high-energy light. “BurstCube may be small, but in addition to investigating these extreme events, it’s testing new technology and providing important experience for early career astronomers and aerospace engineers,” said Jeremy Perkins, BurstCube’s principal investigator at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Short gamma-ray bursts usually occur after the collisions of neutron stars, the superdense remnants of massive stars that exploded in supernovae. The neutron stars can also emit gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of space-time, as they spiral together. Astronomers are interested in studying gamma-ray bursts using both light and gravitational waves because each can teach them about different aspects of the event. This approach is part of a new way of understanding the cosmos called multimessenger astronomy. The collisions that create short gamma-ray bursts also produce heavy elements like gold and iodine, an essential ingredient for life as we know it. Currently, the only joint observation of gravitational waves and light from the same event – called GW170817 – was in 2017. It was a watershed moment in multimessenger astronomy, and the scientific community has been hoping and preparing for additional concurrent discoveries since. “BurstCube’s detectors are angled to allow us to detect and localize events over a wide area of the sky,” said Israel Martinez, research scientist and BurstCube team member at the University of Maryland, College Park and Goddard. “Our current gamma-ray missions can only see about 70% of the sky at any moment because Earth blocks their view. Increasing our coverage with satellites like BurstCube improves the odds we’ll catch more bursts coincident with gravitational wave detections.” BurstCube’s main instrument detects gamma rays with energies ranging from 50,000 to 1 million electron volts. (For comparison, visible light ranges between 2 and 3 electron volts.) #NASA #BurstCube #CubeSat The BurstCube satellite sits in its flight configuration in this photo taken in the Goddard CubeSat Lab in 2023. (NASA)

Space exploration represents humanity's quest to discover, understand, and venture beyond Earth into the vast expanse of space. It encompasses a wide range of scientific, technological, and exploratory endeavors aimed at unraveling the mysteries of the universe and expanding our presence beyond our home planet. Key aspects of space exploration include: Scientific Discovery: Space missions enable scientists to study celestial objects, cosmic phenomena, and fundamental physical processes in space. Examples include observing distant galaxies, studying planetary atmospheres, and detecting cosmic radiation. Technological Advancement: Space exploration drives innovation in aerospace engineering, robotics, materials science, and more. Technologies developed for space missions often have practical applications on Earth, such as satellite communications, medical imaging, and environmental monitoring. Human Exploration: Crewed missions, such as those to the Moon and potentially Mars, aim to extend human presence into space. These missions test human endurance in microgravity and provide insights into life support systems, space habitat design, and long-duration space travel. Planetary Science: Robotic probes and rovers explore planets, moons, and asteroids to understand their geological composition, surface conditions, and potential for supporting life. Examples include NASA's Mars rovers and missions to Jupiter's moons. International Collaboration: Space agencies worldwide collaborate on joint missions, such as the International Space Station (ISS), promoting scientific cooperation, diplomacy, and the sharing of resources and expertise. Inspiration and Education: Space exploration captivates the imagination and inspires future generations to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It fosters a sense of wonder and curiosity about the universe and our place within it. Challenges and Rewards: Space exploration involves overcoming significant challenges, including technological hurdles, funding constraints, and risks to human safety. However, the potential rewards include groundbreaking discoveries, technological spin-offs, and advances in our understanding of the cosmos. In summary, space exploration represents a journey of exploration, discovery, and innovation that continues to push the boundaries of human knowledge and capability. It holds promise for answering fundamental questions about the universe and shaping the future of humanity's presence beyond Earth.

25 Images to Celebrate 25th Anniversary of NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory FriendsofNASA.org: To celebrate the 25th anniversary of its launch, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory is releasing 25 never-before-seen views of a wide range of cosmic objects. These images, showing data from Chandra, demonstrate how X-ray astronomy explores all corners of the Universe. By combining X-rays from Chandra with other space-based observatories and telescopes on the ground, astronomers can tackle the biggest questions and investigate long-standing mysteries across the cosmos. On July 23, 1999, the Space Shuttle Columbia launched into orbit carrying Chandra. It was then the heaviest payload ever carried by the Shuttle. With Commander Eileen Collins at the helm, the astronauts aboard Columbia successfully deployed Chandra into its highly-elliptical orbit that takes it nearly one-third of the distance to the Moon. X-rays are an especially penetrating type of light that reveals extremely hot objects and very energetic physical processes. Many fascinating regions in space glow strongly in X-rays such as the debris from exploded stars and material swirling around black holes. Stars, galaxies, and even planets also give off X-rays that can be studied with Chandra. The new set of images is a sample of almost 25,000 observations Chandra has taken during its quarter century in space. In 1976, Riccardo Giacconi and Harvey Tananbaum first proposed to NASA the mission that would one day become Chandra. Eventually, Chandra was selected to become one of NASA’s “Great Observatories,” along with the Hubble Space Telescope, Compton Gamma Ray Observatory and Spitzer Space Telescope, each looking at distinct types of light. Today, astronomers continue to use Chandra data in conjunction with other powerful telescopes, including the James Webb Space Telescope and the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). Chandra science has led to over 700 Ph.Ds and has supported a diverse talent pool of more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students, about 1,700 postdocs and over 5,000 unique Principal Investigators throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Demand for the telescope has consistently been extremely high throughout the entire mission with only about 20% of the requested observing time able to be approved. Despite being in space for a quarter century, Chandra is operating remarkably well and is still making discoveries. Scientists are looking forward to using this exceptional telescope for years to come. Video Credit: NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory Duration: 3 minutes Release Date: July 22, 2024 NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Caltech NASA Goddard Space Flight Center National Academy of Sciences American Astronomical Society (AAS) #NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Supernovae #Planets #Nebulae #Galaxies #GalaxyClusters #Cosmos #Universe #NASAChandra #XrayObservatory #SpaceTelescopes #JPL #Caltech #CXC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

25 Images to Celebrate 25th Anniversary of NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory FriendsofNASA.org: To celebrate the 25th anniversary of its launch, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory is releasing 25 never-before-seen views of a wide range of cosmic objects. These images, showing data from Chandra, demonstrate how X-ray astronomy explores all corners of the Universe. By combining X-rays from Chandra with other space-based observatories and telescopes on the ground, astronomers can tackle the biggest questions and investigate long-standing mysteries across the cosmos. On July 23, 1999, the Space Shuttle Columbia launched into orbit carrying Chandra. It was then the heaviest payload ever carried by the Shuttle. With Commander Eileen Collins at the helm, the astronauts aboard Columbia successfully deployed Chandra into its highly-elliptical orbit that takes it nearly one-third of the distance to the Moon. X-rays are an especially penetrating type of light that reveals extremely hot objects and very energetic physical processes. Many fascinating regions in space glow strongly in X-rays such as the debris from exploded stars and material swirling around black holes. Stars, galaxies, and even planets also give off X-rays that can be studied with Chandra. The new set of images is a sample of almost 25,000 observations Chandra has taken during its quarter century in space. In 1976, Riccardo Giacconi and Harvey Tananbaum first proposed to NASA the mission that would one day become Chandra. Eventually, Chandra was selected to become one of NASA’s “Great Observatories,” along with the Hubble Space Telescope, Compton Gamma Ray Observatory and Spitzer Space Telescope, each looking at distinct types of light. Today, astronomers continue to use Chandra data in conjunction with other powerful telescopes, including the James Webb Space Telescope and the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). Chandra science has led to over 700 Ph.Ds and has supported a diverse talent pool of more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students, about 1,700 postdocs and over 5,000 unique Principal Investigators throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Demand for the telescope has consistently been extremely high throughout the entire mission with only about 20% of the requested observing time able to be approved. Despite being in space for a quarter century, Chandra is operating remarkably well and is still making discoveries. Scientists are looking forward to using this exceptional telescope for years to come. Video Credit: NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory Duration: 3 minutes Release Date: July 22, 2024 #NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Supernovae #Planets #Nebulae #Galaxies #GalaxyClusters #Cosmos #Universe #NASAChandra #XrayObservatory #SpaceTelescopes #JPL #Caltech #CXC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Pan of Galaxy Messier 106 | James Webb Space Telescope FriendsofNASA.org: Featured in this new image from the NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope is Messier 106, also known as NGC 4258. This is a nearby spiral galaxy that resides roughly 23 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici, practically a neighbor by cosmic standards. Messier 106 is one of the brightest and nearest spiral galaxies to our own and two supernovae have been observed in this galaxy in 1981 and 2014. At its heart, as in most spiral galaxies, is a supermassive black hole, but this one is particularly active. Unlike the black hole at the center of the Milky Way that pulls in wisps of gas only occasionally, Messier 106’s black hole is actively gobbling up material. As the gas spirals towards the black hole, it heats up and emits powerful radiation. This image was captured with Webb’s Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam). The observation was taken as part of a dedicated program to study the galaxy’s active galactic nucleus, the galaxy’s bright central region that is dominated by the light emitted by dust and gas as it falls into the black hole. The blue regions in this image reflect stellar distribution throughout the central region of the galaxy. The orange regions indicate warmer dust and the stronger red hues represent colder dust. The teal, green and yellow tones near the center of the image depict varying gas distributions throughout the region. The galaxy has a remarkable feature—it is known to have two ‘anomalous’ extra arms visible in radio and X-ray wavelengths, rather than in the visible. Unlike the normal arms, these are composed of hot gas instead of stars. Astronomers believe these extra arms result from the black hole’s activity, a feedback effect seen in other galaxies as well. They are likely caused by outflowing material produced by the violent churning of gas around the black hole, creating a phenomenon analogous to a wave crashing up out of the ocean when it hits a rock near the shore. Despite carrying his name, Messier 106 was neither discovered nor cataloged by the renowned 18th century astronomer Charles Messier. Discovered by his assistant, Pierre Méchain, the galaxy was never added to the catalogue in his lifetime. Along with six other objects discovered but not logged by the pair, Messier 106 was posthumously added to the Messier catalogue in the 20th century. Credits: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. Glenn; M. Zamani, N. Bartmann (ESA/Webb) Duration: 30 seconds Release Date: Aug. 9, 2024 ESA Hubble and Webb Space Telescopes Canadian Space Agency #NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Galaxies #Galaxy #Messier106 #NGC4258 #SpiralGalaxy #BlackHole #CanesVenatici #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #JWST #Infrared #NIRCam #SpaceTelescopes #ESA #CSA #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Pan of Galaxy Messier 106 | James Webb Space Telescope FriendsofNASA.org: Featured in this new image from the NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope is Messier 106, also known as NGC 4258. This is a nearby spiral galaxy that resides roughly 23 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici, practically a neighbor by cosmic standards. Messier 106 is one of the brightest and nearest spiral galaxies to our own and two supernovae have been observed in this galaxy in 1981 and 2014. At its heart, as in most spiral galaxies, is a supermassive black hole, but this one is particularly active. Unlike the black hole at the center of the Milky Way that pulls in wisps of gas only occasionally, Messier 106’s black hole is actively gobbling up material. As the gas spirals towards the black hole, it heats up and emits powerful radiation. This image was captured with Webb’s Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam). The observation was taken as part of a dedicated program to study the galaxy’s active galactic nucleus, the galaxy’s bright central region that is dominated by the light emitted by dust and gas as it falls into the black hole. The blue regions in this image reflect stellar distribution throughout the central region of the galaxy. The orange regions indicate warmer dust and the stronger red hues represent colder dust. The teal, green and yellow tones near the center of the image depict varying gas distributions throughout the region. The galaxy has a remarkable feature—it is known to have two ‘anomalous’ extra arms visible in radio and X-ray wavelengths, rather than in the visible. Unlike the normal arms, these are composed of hot gas instead of stars. Astronomers believe these extra arms result from the black hole’s activity, a feedback effect seen in other galaxies as well. They are likely caused by outflowing material produced by the violent churning of gas around the black hole, creating a phenomenon analogous to a wave crashing up out of the ocean when it hits a rock near the shore. Despite carrying his name, Messier 106 was neither discovered nor cataloged by the renowned 18th century astronomer Charles Messier. Discovered by his assistant, Pierre Méchain, the galaxy was never added to the catalogue in his lifetime. Along with six other objects discovered but not logged by the pair, Messier 106 was posthumously added to the Messier catalogue in the 20th century. Credits: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. Glenn; M. Zamani, N. Bartmann (ESA/Webb) Duration: 30 seconds Release Date: Aug. 9, 2024 #NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Galaxies #Galaxy #Messier106 #NGC4258 #SpiralGalaxy #BlackHole #CanesVenatici #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #JWST #Infrared #NIRCam #SpaceTelescopes #ESA #CSA #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope mission Webb is currently at its observing spot, Lagrange point 2 (L2), nearly 1 million miles (1.6 million km). It is the largest and most powerful space telescope ever launched. Space.com is sharing live updates about the new space observatory's mission here. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has proved to be the "mane" telescope when it comes to looking at stunning celestial objects. The JWST was able to see never-before-seen details of the Horsehead Nebula, also known as Barnard 33, revealing some regions of this iconic astronomical target in a completely new light. The JWST images show turbulent waves of gas rising from the western side of Orion B, a star-forming molecular cloud located 1,300 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Orion, where the nebula is located. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has proved to be the "mane" telescope when it comes to looking at stunning celestial objects. The JWST was able to see never-before-seen details of the Horsehead Nebula, also known as Barnard 33, revealing some regions of this iconic astronomical target in a completely new light. The JWST images show turbulent waves of gas rising from the western side of Orion B, a star-forming molecular cloud located 1,300 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Orion, where the nebula is located. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has investigated gas flowing from a protoplanetary disk surrounding an infant star, an outflow known as "disk winds." The observations could help scientists better understand how gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn are born. The team behind the study focused the JWST on a young, low-mass star called T Cha, located around 350 light-years from Earth. This star is known to have a large gap in the protoplanetary disk that swirls around it. Gaps like this indicate a budding young planet is moving around the star, gathering material. By studying how gas escapes from this disk, the team could learn what conditions favor the formation of gas giants and what conditions favor the formation of rocky planets like Earth. "Rocky planets very close to the star will have very little or no atmosphere [like Mercury], as it will be stripped away by the sun's high energy photons — similar to photoevaporation," Naman Bajaj, lead author of the new disk-wind analysis and a scientist with the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Science Laboratory, told Space.com. "For gas giants, if they happen to form close to the star, it is possible that they find a balance between their gas and the sun's energy." Website : worldtopscientists.com #SpaceTelescopeDiscovery #CelestialExplorer #GalacticEye #StellarSurveyor #CosmicObserver #AstronomyAdvocate #NebulaNavigator #DeepSpaceSpectator #StarSeeker #CosmosCanvas