Hylmpulse is looking to launch their small rocket from Shetland as the space sector continues to grow and diversify. Based in Germany they are looking to launch later this summer from the SaxaVord space port in Shetland . As the competition to be the first successful rocket launch from European soil continues.

It's one of these anomalies that despite having such a history in pioneering the exploration of space and the world. From the highest mountains to the deepest depths that a space launch from European soil has yet to occur. ESA launch from French Guiana in South America.

Hopefully this will inspire others that space is not to far and Scotland can do it's part in progressing the exploration of space.

Plans are in place to launch rockets, including people and resources to the moon, by NASA and China's space program. What about the UK? Constantly relying on other space launch providers. The UK has never had a successful launch to space to date. Despite it's resources, engineering capabilities and scientific community. There are many questions regarding this. To much reliance on others? A lack of appreciation for the effort and work required to have a successful rocket program? A lack of appreciation in how long it takes to gain the knowledge, experience and expertise required to overcome the difficulties in launching a rocket to space. With Orbex's fall into administration. Despite what looks like especially from the pictures, a well engineered if untested rocket. Staying afloat as a space company while this knowledge and expertise is developed is a challenge.

One of the most sophisticated telescopes since Hubble and JWST is online. This telescope contains a large digital camera to observe the night sky. Located in the mountains of Chile. Scanning the night sky above. it takes millions of images with enormous detail sending the images to data centres around the world, including the UK. Allowing citizens and scientists to explore the universe in a way that has never been done before. It is specially designed to capture changes over time so that supernovae and fast moving objects such as asteroids and comets can be observed. Pushing the boundaries of what is possible. What can be observed and understood, about the universe. Like never before.

Rubin-Observatory 

One notable space mission is ESA's Juice mission. Launched in 2023. This mission will explore Jupiter along with 3 moons of Jupiter, Ganymede, Callisto and Europa. By use of a space probe full of instruments that explore in detail Jupiter and 3 moons of Jupiter.

Currently the spacecraft is doing a flyby of Venus to gain a gravity assist to propel the spacecraft towards Jupiter.

Japanese scientists studying samples from the Asteroid Bennu mission. Have found sugars in the samples returned from space.

Nasa article 

NHK News article 

Successful launch of the Blue Origin's New Glen and deployment of the ESCAPADE spacecraft into orbit. Cheered on by thousands of supporters the launch was a fantastic success. As the new era of space exploration continues. NG-2 Recap. 

The successful launch of ESCAPADE. Will enable the study of  how the solar wind that travels through the solar system affects the magnetic atmospheric properties surrounding the fourth planet in the solar system. 

Another successful launch and flight of SpaceX's Starship last night with a successful splashdown in the indian ocean. The launch from Boca Chica Texas was flawless. With a successful landing of the booster in the Gulf of Mexico. This marked the 11th test flight of the Starship. Follow along at SpaceX. As It's eventual destination, the fourth planet of our solar system, gets ever closer to being a reality..

A meteorite landed in Scotland recently. Landing in a remote part of Scotland. Glasgow University tried to retrieve the meteorites but so far have failed to do so due to inclement weather. Putting a call out to anyone walking in the area to keep an eye out for these unusual rocks. Formed before the earth was formed, The space rock was formed during the early formation of the solar system. Before the Earth was formed. Which was approximately 4.5 billion years ago. These rare objects from space rarely land in Scotland.

We have a small but growing space sector with businesses building and launching small satellites upon other agencies rockets. It would be nice if they were being launched aboard rockets built in the UK. Unfortunately our space industry is still very small when compared to other countries such as Japan.

Has NASA's Perseverance Rover found signs that may point to life having existed on the fourth planet from the Sun? That in Japanese is written (火星) pronounced Kasei or in Korean written (화성) pronounced hwaseong?

As can be seen from the video the clues set out in the presentation were a bit vague. Though possibly ground breaking. Follow up analysis of what they have found will be required.

Though the universe is estimated to be around 13 Billion years old. Some scientists think that there may be evidence that it may be older. However the consensus view at the moment is that the universe is just over 13 billion years as I type. Humans have only been launching people into space for just over 60 years. The technology is continuing to advance but much needs to be done in order for it to become routine. The difficulty of transporting life around the solar system and the fragile nature of humans makes it extremely taxing. How we are going to transform the next generation of humans to become a space explorers. With inquisitive minds. Is a task that requires lots of helpers.  

The tenth test of starship launch was carried out yesterday. A successful launch of the biggest rocket built so far. The booster fired up all 33 raptor engines. Launching the starship into a sub orbital trajectory. Then boosted back with a soft splash down into the gulf.

The starship continued in orbit and then launched starlink satellites through a dispenser style mechanism.

The main focus of the test was  starships re-entry and how it would handle the extreme heat as it descended through the atmosphere. One flap, the aft flap began to disintegrate as it descended. On the whole though the starship remained intact. There was also a short burst in the engine bay, perhaps a build up of vacuum pressure as it descended into the atmosphere. During the initial re-entry phase.

However despite all this starship splashed down in the Indian ocean right on target. 

SpaceX 

With plans to improve the navigation capabilities of travelling to the moon. With many probes already getting to the moon. The majority have crashed due to navigation errors upon approaching to land. So plans are in place to set up a network of satellites around the moon to aid navigation. They will also help monitor the various construction plans for the moon. These plans are being developed by the European Space Agency.

Plans for a base on the moon have been around since 1960's and 70's. Apollo managed to establish a temporary base on the moon at Tranquility Bay. Many plans by both China and Usa but no feet on the ground to date. It was the natural next step after the moon landings, to set up a colony or outpost on the moon. The TV series Space 1999 envisioned what such a colony would look like. However after the end of Apollo the plans for the moon were put on hold in favour of a number of space probes to explore the solar system in its entirety.

Voyager probes were built and voyaged across the solar system sending images of planets, that had been pointed out by Galileo. Galileo, who first spotted moons orbiting what would be called Jupiter.  Copernicus using maths and a vast database of observations worked out how the sun was the centre of the solar system. That planets including our own orbited this sun and each point of light in the night sky was another sun like our own. With the possibility that there might be similar planets to our own 

The planets that orbited our star came in many forms, shapes and sizes. Some were small and rocky like our own. Many were large clumps of gas on their way to becoming stars. Others were ice giants. Orbiting where the power of the sun to melt ice into water and gas waned. The probes navigated their way to these planets on a grand tour. Then after their tour the voyager probes travelled ( shiubhail ) into the stellar void. The probes are fascinating explorers to this day. Sending back data on the interstellar void beyond the solar system. 

It is amazing thinking back on how far technology and engineering has improved access to space over the last few years. The number of astronauts continue to grow. It has become normal for people to live, breath and work in space. NASA and the Chinese Space Agency working hard to make humanity a space roaming species. Planning is continuing in converting the Space station into becoming even more accessible. Making way for private enterprises to run and maintain the space station. Allowing for even more science and engineering advances to be tested in near earth orbit. 

Even Scotland is slowly beginning its journey to space with the establishment of a rocket launch facility in Shetland at the very tip of Britain. More could be done in this regard to inspire and reward forward looking ambitions.

Video of AX-4 and Dragon's Grace arrival at the ISS. 

Gypsum is a natural occurring mineral that on earth improves the soil structure to plants and gives some nutrition to plants such as calcium and sulphur. Often used in cereal crops. Such as wheat or barley. The Curiosity rover on Mars is currently exploring a region where such a mineral may exist. Looks like the viability to grow crops on Mars may be improving.

Article by David Vaniman and collaborators

The possibility of life has been detected on another planet in the universe : SkyNewsLink. The findings are tentative at the moment but the possibility is there. Further investigations may add details to the possibility of biological life on this planet. Or find other answers to the discovery of the bio-signatures found from the planet K2-18b.

This is the first detection of biological signatures of life on an Exoplanet. The chemical signatures are called, DMS and DMDS, which on earth are produced by algae in the oceans on earth.

Many astronomers remain skeptical waiting for further clarifications with other theories existing that may nullify the claims.

It would seem though just a matter of time before biological life on another planet other than earth is confirmed.

CambridgeUniversityAstronomy present their findings.

NASA launched a mission to a metal rich asteroid.

What will it find?

The spacecraft continues out into space and will soon be extending pass the orbit of Mars.

NASA and Arizona State University have put together a slick website detailing the mission.

Psyche Educational Website 

Follow along and I'll comment more when I have time.

ULA Launches Vulcan Rocket with payload to the moon

ULA launches the Vulcan rocket with a commercially made payload to the moon.

The opening up of space to the world continues with the launch of the Vulcan Rocket with the first commercially made US spacecraft to the moon.  Where once missions to space could only be done through government funding. Slowly but surely space missions are reaching the private and commercially funded entrepreneurs.

This mission unfortunately ended in failure.

An anomaly has occurred which prevented the spacecraft achieving a "stable sun-pointing orientation" the team are currently responding to this anomaly.

twitter-feed-from-Astrobotic 

As can be seen from the tweets the propulsion anomaly looks to have made landing on the moon impossible.

The spacecraft reached the orbit of the moon but the moon wasn't there. The propulsion anomaly resulted in some kind of leakage and the lunar spacecraft had enough propulsion to travel out to the moons orbit and return to earth.  They checked the batteries as it travelled out and they were all charged. They were able to check the other components and payloads to check the payloads were all working. If the propulsion anomaly had not occurred then things may have been very different.

The spacecraft eventually returned to Earth and splashed down in the south pacific.

The largest known comet ever to enter the solar system in my lifetime was picked up by Pedro H Bernardanelli and Gary M Bernstein in the summer of 2021. The comet was discovered while scouring data from the dark energy survey

Comets are named after their discoverer in this case it is called Comet Bernardinelli–Bernstein. 

Here is Anton Petrov explaining the discovery. Youtube-Link

It is estimated that the size is around 120 kilometers meters across.

Just to get your head around sizes of bodies in space. The meteorite impact that wiped out 75% of life on planet earth and wiped out the dinosaurs was estimated to be around 7 kilometers wide. So 14 - 28 times as big. Comet Hale-Bopp which famously crashed into Jupiter was 40 - 60 km.

These estimates are constantly under review so as I hear more I will update this page.

The comet is not visible to the naked eye or to amateur astronomical community due to its lack of luminosity. Though it will be visible to backyard astronomers in 2031 when it makes its closest approach to earth. It should be similar in size to Saturn's moon Titan. Information regarding this object is very thin. But am sure will be expanded upon in the coming years. It is said to be venting Carbon Monoxide gas already. That means it has a tail.

The trajectory of the comet is unusual in that it is not tracking along the plane of the solar system but from below. The trajectory is entering the solar system below the ecliptic currently at -54 degrees declination. It's closest approach will be towards Saturn's orbit before leaving the solar system. The date of closest approach  (Perihelion), has been currently calculated to be around the 24th of January 2031. 

The comet can be followed on the sky live tracker.

It has been estimated that the comets previous visit to the solar system was just over 3 million years ago. Which is around when one of our common ancestors Lucy, roamed the planet.

A team of researchers at the Paris observatory has used the Atacama Large Millimeter array in Chile using the colour reflected by the comet to peer beyond the dust cloud to estimate the size of the comet to be approximately 137 kilometers across.

Here is a link to the National Geographic article on the comet published : 29th day of September of 2021.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/one-of-the-largest-comets-ever-seen-is-headed-our-way

Hubble has also studied this comet with a detailed analysis of the comet given below.

Nasa Hubble link

Wikipedia article/page on the comet.