Dominique Luchart's Blog, page 579
July 2, 2021
SpaceX rolls giant Super Heavy rocket to launch pad for testing (video), ,
SpaceX is getting ready to test its giant new rocket for the first time.
The first true Super Heavy booster was rolled out of its high bay to a launch pad Thursday (July 1) at SpaceX’s Starbase site in South Texas.
The 230-foot-tall (70 meters) Super Heavy is the first stage of SpaceX’s fully reusable Starship transportation system, which the company is developing to help humanity colonize Mars, among other tasks. The upper stage is a 165-foot-tall (50 m) spacecraft called Starship, a prototype of which aced a 6.2-mile-high (10 kilometers) test flight in May.
Related: SpaceX’s Starship and Super Heavy rocket in pictures
This particular Super Heavy, known as Booster 3, will not fly, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said via Twitter Thursday. It will undergo ground tests intended to pave the way for its successor to launch on the first orbital test flight of the Starship system, which could occur as early as this summer.
That flight will launch from Starbase. If all goes according to plan, Booster 4 will splash down in the Gulf of Mexico, about 20 miles (32 km) off the South Texas coast. The Starship element, meanwhile, will power its way to Earth orbit and eventually come down in the Pacific Ocean, near the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
Additional test flights with other Super Heavy and Starship prototypes will likely follow in relatively quick succession. SpaceX tends to set ambitious milestones, and Musk has said that Starship could be fully up and running by 2023, if development and testing go well.
Mike Wall is the author of “ Out There ” (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
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Queen Elizabeth II reviews Spire’s Earth-observing satellites in Glasgow (photos), ,
Queen Elizabeth II got a first-hand look at the benefits of satellite data in the battle against climate change during a visit to the Glasgow home of the Earth imagery company Spire this week.
The visit, which took place during a string of engagements in Scotland by the Queen, saw the monarch accompanied by her daughter Princess Anne, according to a statement released by Spire. The two spoke to Spire’s vice president of engineering and space services Joel Spark, to learn how data from Spire’s constellation of more than 110 satellites can help governments and businesses tackle some major challenges of today.
“It was an honor to welcome Her Majesty and Her Royal Highness, where we were able to demonstrate the benefits of our technology and how these cutting-edge capabilities are used to better inform our understanding of the world,” Spark said in the statement. “At a critical time for our planet, continuous technological advancements are needed to tackle the impending threats posed by climate change.”
Related: NASA to design ‘Earth System Observatory’ in national push against climate change
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During her visit at Spire, the Queen has learned about the benefits of satellite data in the battle against climate change. (Image credit: Spire Global)The Queen and Princess Royal also toured Spire’s Glasgow facility for satellite manufacturing. Photos of the trip show Queen Elizabeth II examining one of Spire’s satellites up close as it was presented in a glass case.
The Queen’s Spire trip is hardly her first brush with space exploration. The monarch recalled the impact of NASA’s Apollo 11 moon landing in her 2019 Christmas message, and she’s sent messages to astronauts in space (British and Canadian). She’s also toured NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland and spoken with astronauts on the International Space Station from the agency’s Mission Control room at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Spire, headquartered in San Francisco, opened its Glasgow base in 2015 and has recently announced plans to move from its existing 11,000-square-foot premises to a larger 29,500-square-foot site also located in Glasgow’s Skypark, according to the statement.
The U.K. government has been investing heavily into developing the space industry in Scotland, aiming to increase its worth to $5.5 billion (GBP4 billion) by 2030. According to Scottish Development International, Glasgow manufactures more satellites than any other place in the world outside of the United States. Companies including cubesat maker ACC Clyde Space and Alba Orbital have their base in the city. Scotland also plays an important role in the U.K.’s ambitions to launch satellites into orbit from domestic soil with sites in the north in Sutherland and the Shetland Islands hoping to see rockets fly from 2022.
Follow Tereza Pultarova on Twitter @TerezaPultarova. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
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Space miners may use rockets to harvest the moon’s water ice (video), ,
Rockets may help humanity explore the solar system in more ways than one.
Three companies — Masten Space Systems, Lunar Outpost and Honeybee Robotics — are developing a new system that would use rockets to mine water ice on the moon.
Water ice is thought to be abundant in the moon’s polar regions, especially on the permanently shadowed floors of some craters. Harvesting this resource is crucial to establishing a permanent human presence on the moon, NASA officials and exploration advocates say, and not just because it will help keep astronauts alive. Water ice can be broken into its constituent hydrogen and oxygen, the chief components of rocket fuel, allowing spacecraft to top up their tanks away from Earth.
Related: NASA picks Intuitive Machines to land an ice-mining drill on the moon
To spur development of moon mining tech, NASA recently established the “Break the Ice Lunar Challenge.” The contest will award up $500,000 total to the most promising resource-harvesting concepts during its first phase, which wraps up soon; winners will be announced on Aug. 13.
The Masten-Lunar Outpost-Honeybee Robotics team has thrown its hat into the Challenge ring with its Rocket Mining System, which would employ a rocket engine attached to an 1,800-lb. (818 kilograms) rover. When the rover reaches a suitably ice-laden site, the dome-enclosed engine would deploy and fire up, blasting lunar dirt and gravel into a vacuum-like device that separates and stores the particles of water ice.
“The system is projected to mine up to 12 craters per day and produce 100 kg [220 lbs.] of ice per crater,” Masten representatives wrote in a description of the project. “That would allow us to recover more than 420,000 kg [926,000 lbs.] of lunar water per year!”
The harvested ice could also be used to fuel the rocket engine, allowing it to operate for more than five years on the lunar surface, they added.
If NASA ends up funding the Rocket Mining System and the tech does make it to the moon, it will likely fly aboard a Masten lunar lander. The company’s first mission to the lunar surface, using its XL-1 lander, is currently scheduled to launch in 2023 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. That mission will carry a variety of commercial payloads, as well as eight experiments for NASA, to the moon’s south polar region.
Lunar Outpost would provide the Rocket Mining System’s rover, and Honeybee Robotics’ PlanetVac tech would form the core of the ice-handling system.
Mike Wall is the author of “ Out There ” (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
The post Space miners may use rockets to harvest the moon’s water ice (video), , appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
Top sci-fi movies and TV shows to watch on Amazon in July, ,
A veritable treasure trove of sci-fi is available to watch on Amazon Prime; much is free to view with your standard subscription and even more is available if you feel like paying a little more. So settle back and soak up some superb sci-fi from the safety of your sofa.
Want to try Amazon Prime? Sign up for a free 30-day trial here.Subscribe to Amazon Prime for $12.99 a monthSci-fi movies1) Alien[image error]
The crew of the USCSS Nostromo commercial towing vehicle, Kane, Parker, Dallas, Brett, Ripley, Brett and Ash. (Image credit: 20th Century Fox)Synopsis: The crew of a deep space commercial hauling ship is unwittingly re-routed while in hypersleep to investigate the origins of a mysterious transmission. Once awake, they travel to the surface of a desolate planet and discover a giant derelict spacecraft…and a thoroughly unpleasant alien parasite. Things get progressively worse after that.
Why you should watch: Simply put, “Alien” is not only one of the best sci-fi movies ever made, it’s one the best movies ever made. Period. The production design is extraordinary, the story is simple but brilliantly effective, the tension is built up flawlessly and the performances from every member of the cast are incredible. Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, John Hurt, Tom Skerritt, Yaphet Kotto, Harry Dean Stanton and Ian Holm star in what is probably Ridley Scott’s finest film.
Free with Amazon Prime
2) Armstrong[image error]
Armstrong’s cool composure while handling of his X-15 made him a prime candidate for the moon landing. (Image credit: Gravitas Ventures)Synopsis: This dramatic, moving and insightful documentary tells the definitive life story of Neil Armstrong: from his childhood in rural Ohio, through aerial combat in Korea, to his first steps on the Moon and the reluctant celebrity status that followed.
Why you should watch: Even before Neil Armstrong became the first human being to set foot on the surface of an entirely different celestial body, he was a unique individual. This enlightening, high-quality documentary, in which Harrison Ford voices many of Armstrong’s personal letters, tells the story of the man, rather than just focusing on the Apollo 11 mission. He was a laser-focused human being with an exceptional ability to keep his cool under very difficult circumstances. Not only was he an astronaut, he was a top-notch engineer and an extremely skilled test pilot. There’s so much footage that we’ve certainly never seen before and when you compare this to say, the movie “First Man,” it actually paints a more layered picture of this quiet but supremely capable human being.
Free with Amazon Prime
3) Barbarella[image error]
“Flash Gordon” meets …”Flesh Gordon”? “Barbarella” is an iconic classic and a reflection of the 1960s zeitgeist. (Image credit: Paramount Pictures)Synopsis: In the 41st century, astronaut Barbarella (Jane Fonda) has been assigned by the President of Earth to rescue renowned scientist Durand Durand (Milo O’Shea), who has vanished in the Tau Ceti region. He has invented the Positronic Ray, a powerful weapon that Earth leaders fear will fall into the wrong hands. Along the way, Barbarella has to deal with things like a machine that causes death by sexual pleasure, a lesbian queen who can make her fantasies take form in her Chamber of Dreams and a group of ladies smoking a giant shisha that dispenses Essence of Man by way of a poor victim imprisoned in its glass globe.
Why you should watch: This classic, campy 1968 movie, based on the comic strip by Jean-Claude Forest, is without a doubt the sexiest sci-fi ever made, it’s an interesting reflection of the era, when the world was a bit more footloose and fancy free. The special effects are actually quite impressive considering when this was made and it should be regarded as an iconic classic and an entertaining chapter in the history of science fiction. Treat yourself to an edible before you watch this, it’ll make it much more entertaining.
Free with Amazon Prime
4) Battle Beyond the Stars[image error]
This big-budget B-movie from 1980 plays an important part in the history of science fiction cinema. (Image credit: New World Pictures)Synopsis: In what is to all intents and purposes “Seven Samurai” set in space, a young farmer, Shad (Richard Thomas) sets out to recruit a band of mercenaries to defend his peaceful planet, which is under threat of invasion by the evil tyrant Sador (John Saxon) and his army of Malmori mutants. Sador possesses a deadly “stellar converter” beam weapon on his formidable warship and threatens to use if the people of Akira don’t surrender to his rule.
Why you should watch: This B-movie with a bigger budget than most has an important part to play in the history of sci-fi cinema. It launched the career of James Cameron, who was working in the art department and this is where he met his future production partner and wife Gale Anne Hurd, which resulted in “The Terminator” and “Aliens.” Producer and director and B-movie maestro, Roger Corman, sadly had to use much of his budget just to pay overpriced stars George Peppard and Robert Vaughn, but the end result is still good fun, plus the James Horner soundtrack is great (this was his first major motion picture score).
Free with Amazon Prime
5) The Blackout[image error]
Written by Ilya Kulikov and directed by Egor Baranov, “The Blackout” is an action-packed sci-fi thriller that’s worth a watch. (Image credit: TV3/Central Partnership Sales House)Synopsis: The Earth has been attacked by a mysterious force from space, but it’s not like any attack you might imagine. The whole planet has been robbed of power and plunged into darkness; nothing works, anywhere…with the exception of a random circular area of eastern Europe, encompassing part of western Russia, southern Finland, Belarus and northern Ukraine. It turns out that the position of the Moon relative to Earth shielded this part of the world from the deadly energy weapon fired from far outside the range of lunar orbit. Now, as the actual alien invasion begins, military forces gather inside the “circle of life” in a desperate effort to save all life as we know it.
Why you should watch: This is a Russian indie sci-fi flick that is extremely enjoyable. It has high production values despite not having a blockbuster budget, the performances are good and an unusual story with a good twist at the end makes this a solid sci-fi movie worth making time for.
Free with Amazon Prime
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One or two cliches aside, “I, Robot” is not entirely awful sci-fi action flick with Alan Tudyk stealing the show. (Image credit: 20th Century Fox)Synopsis: Set in the near future, where every household has a robot assistant/servant, techno-phobic detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) heads the investigation of the apparent suicide of leading robotics scientist Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell). Unconvinced of the motive, the investigation into Lanning’s death reveals a trail of secrets and agendas within the giant US Robotics corporation and suspicions of murder. Little does Spooner know that his investigation would lead to uncovering a much larger threat to humanity.
Why you should watch: It’s a big-budget sci-fi blockbuster yes, it’s a Will Smith movie after all, but despite a few minor annoyances (mainly Shia LaBeouf) this is not entirely awful. The movie’s plot loosely revolves around the so-called three laws of robotics, laid out by Isaac Asimov. (A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. Secondly, a robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the first law. Finally, a robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law.) There are some nice ideas and a stellar performance from Alan Tudyk as the robot Sonny.
Free with Amazon Prime
7) Runaway[image error]
This could be considered Michael Crichton’s second near-future, out-of-control robots story after “Westworld. (Image credit: Tristar Pictures)Synopsis: Set in the near future, robots are commonplace in society, in every home and working in factories and on farms. John Ramsey (Tom Selleck) works in a special division of the police department called the Runaway Squad that solely deals with malfunctioning droids. He and his new partner, Officer Thompson (Cynthia Rhodes) stumble onto the homicidal plot of an insane scientist (played deliciously by Gene Simmons) to create killer robots.
Why you should watch: Still enjoying the success of “Magnum PI” on TV, this was an interesting move by Selleck and he carries it off very well. The 80s were an exciting testbed for sci-fi — and in fact Amazon has a number of classic examples available to watch — and this is fun, action-adventure romp, with some creative ideas. (It’s written and directed by Michael Crichton.) Rather than simply being an overelaborate robot repair team, it seems every time a domestic droid malfunctions, it somehow threaten a human life. Simmons’ evil scientist character also has a cool handgun that locks onto a target and fires target-seeking projectiles.
Free with Amazon Prime
8) Saturn 3[image error]
“Saturn 3” like many other sci-fi movies of the period should be enjoyed and considered as a piece of history. (Image credit: Associated Film Distribution)Synopsis: In the distant future, a husband-wife scientific team living on one of Saturn’s moons to grow food for the starving Earth, have their isolation shattered when a certified psychotic member of the resupply mission murders and takes the place of the pilot scheduled to make the shuttle run. He brings with him Hector, the latest in the Demigod robot series: an eight-foot tall machine that he can directly interface with over a neural link. As a result of being connected to the mind of this utterly insane individual, the robot begins to take on his homicidal habits.
Why you should watch: This is bonkers sci-fi at its very best. We’ve mentioned before that the late 70s and early 80s was an interesting, experimental period in science fiction and this is a great example of the more out there attempts. Farrah Fawcett and Douglas Kirk star with Harvey Keitel playing the mentally unstable Benson masquerading as the murdered Captain James.
Free with Amazon Prime
9) The Tomorrow War[image error]
If you’re a budding volcanologist, struggling to get recognition from your peers, then this movie is for you. (Image credit: Amazon)Synopsis: Set in the present day, a group of time-travelling soldiers from the future appear during the Qatar World Cup final and announce that in just 30 years in the future, all of mankind is on the brink of annihilation by race of particularly unpleasant aliens. Among those chosen to travel forward in time is former soldier (naturally) and schoolteacher Dan Forester (Chris Pratt) who teams up with both seasoned veterans and raw recruits to save the human race.
Why you should watch: This is very much a popcorn sci-fi blockbuster, equal to the likes of “Independence Day” or “Battle Los Angeles,” and in fact you will notice the influence of other sci-fi movies like “The Thing” to “Edge of Tomorrow” and “Millennium” throughout. And while this won’t win any awards for the story writing, it’s wanton destruction on a massive scale.
Free with Amazon Prime
10) What We Left behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine[image error]
Writers from “DS9” including Ira Steven Behr and Ron Moore create a hypothetical new series first episode (Image credit: Paramount+/455 Films)Synopsis: Showrunner Ira Steven launched the fundraising campaign a couple of years ago and what followed was an incredible tribute documentary looking at the history of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” that features interviews with almost every member of the cast, including Nana Visitor, Terry Farrell, Rene Auberjonois, Alexander Siddig and Andrew Robinson. Sadly though, Avery Brooks’ contribution is limited to archive footage.
Why you should watch: If you’re a fan of “DS9” than this is a must-watch; not only are the insights intriguing and often emotional, but the fictional first episode of a hypothetical new series, crafted together in a writers room packed full of the best writers in “Star Trek” is inspired. There’s a look back at the early reviews (and how negative they were), the casting decisions and the issues faced throughout production. This documentary also marks the first time any footage from “DS9” has been remastered in high definition including a portion of the main battle sequence from “Sacrifice Of Angels” (S06, E06).
Free with ads via IMDB TV
Sci-fi TV shows1) The ExpanseSynopsis: A police detective in the asteroid belt, the first officer of an interplanetary ice freighter, and an earth-bound United Nations executive slowly discover a vast conspiracy that threatens the Earth’s rebellious colony on the asteroid belt. Along the way, evidence of alien life is discovered and a series of ring gates located near Uranus are unlocked that lead to totally new locations through the universe. Meanwhile, the major factions in the Solar System: Earth, Mars, the Outer Planets Authority and the Belters, fight amongst themselves and ultimately threaten all life on Earth.
Why you should watch: “The Expanse” has well and truly earned its place among the titans of TV sci-fi, up there along with “Battlestar Galactica” and “Babylon 5.” It’s by far the most cerebral sci-fi currently on television. You can catch up on everything that happened in Season 1 to 3 here, and a lot happened. Then you can catch up with everything that happened in Season 4 here. Personally, we believe seasons 1 and 2 were ever so slightly better than 3 and 4, but that doesn’t in any way mean they’re not worth watching. Then along came Season 5 and blew everyone’s socks off. It is brilliant. The plot is incredibly complex and engaging and the individual performances are exceptional. Forget any Krell hologram-making mind machine on Altair IV, watching “The Expanse” will permanently double your IQ.
Free with Amazon Prime
2) Farscape[image error]
Out of the blue came this interesting, innovative and slightly insane sci-fi series from Australia … and it rocked. (Image credit: Jim Henson Television)Synopsis: During an experimental test flight in low Earth orbit, astronaut John Crichton (Ben Browder) is catapulted through a wormhole and into a different galaxy and a distant part of the universe. He finds himself part of a crew of fugitives aboard a living, biomechanical spaceship called Moya, running from a tyrannical military force, called the Peacekeepers, all the while hoping that one day, he might figure out a way to get home.
Why you should watch: “Farscape” was unlike anything that had come before it; the show was bold, brilliant and a little bit barmy. In a time where computer generated VFX were entering a new chapter, “Farscape” relied heavily on practical effects, especially where alien creatures were concerned and the result was amazing. A solid cast of characters, some spaced-out plots, well-placed humor and for the most part, good writing, makes this sci-fi show extremely enjoyable.
Free with Amazon Prime
3) The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy[image error]
Still probably one of the most quoted sci-fi shows ever, watch this, then read all the books. You owe it to yourself. (Image credit: BBC)Synopsis: Arthur Dent’s house has been scheduled for demolition to make way for a new bypass, but this is the least of his problems as it turns out that the planet Earth has bee scheduled for demolition to make way for a new hyperspace express route. Thankfully though, it also turns out that his friend Ford Prefect isn’t from Guildford after all, but in fact from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse, and has been long aware of the Earth’s impending demise. Together they manage to escape and along the way learn the true history of the universe.
Why you should watch: This one is a real treat and will unquestionably appeal to fans of British humor and more specifically, the epic humor of Douglas Adams. Made in 1981, this is still (tragically) the best adaptation that’s been brought to either the big or small screen. The visual effects certainly haven’t stood the test of time, but that’s not why you’re watching it; you’re watching it because it shows beautifully how the relationship between Arthur Dent (Simon Jones) and Ford Prefect (David Dixon) develops.
4) Humans[image error]
The quality of writing, high production values and stellar casting makes “Humans” an enjoyable sci-fi thriller. (Image credit: Channel 4 Television)Synopsis: Set in a parallel present, the latest must-have gadget for any middle-class family is a “synth” — a technologically advanced, a highly-developed robotic servant, eerily similar to its human equivalent. In the hope of transforming the way they live, one strained suburban family purchases a refurbished synth only to discover that sharing life with a machine has far-reaching and chilling consequences.
Why you should watch: Based on the Swedish science fiction drama Akta manniskor, this was an adaptation written by the British team Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley, that lasted for three, eight-episode seasons before it was sadly cancelled. The concepts in this show aren’t particularly groundbreaking, but what makes it compelling viewing is the quality of writing, high production values and stellar casting. It’s a compelling analysis of human nature and our reactions to technology and it beautifully reflects so many issues facing us, in the real world, today.
Free with Amazon Prime
5) The Man in the High Castle[image error]
Rufus Sewell, who plays Obergruppenfuhrer John Smith, is a definite highlight of Amazon’s “The Man in the High Castle.” (Image credit: Amazon)might look like if World War II had ended differently. In this dystopian scenario, the Axis powers won the war, leading to the USA being divided into three zones: Imperial Japanese, Nazi and a buffer zone between the two. Despite the oppression, hope emerges when some mysterious cans of film turn up that seem to show a parallel world — and even more bizarrely, footage of different versions of the same people. A woman, Juliana Crain (Alexa Davalos) believes the films contain the key to freedom and is determined to find their elusive guardian — the man in the high castle.
Why you should watch: Alt-history is a difficult genre to perfect without descending into a cascade of cliches. If you’re a fan however, you should definitely check out the works of Harry Turtledove, a writer who nails it every single time. This show can be hard going at times and the Juliana Crain character can be extremely frustrating. That said, Rufus Sewell, who plays Obergruppenfuhrer John Smith, is magnificent to watch. There are four seasons, and yes, the show does dip a little bit in the middle, but it picks up in the fourth season. Stick with it.
Free with Amazon Prime
6) Space: 1999[image error]
Aside, obviously, from the magnificent Martin Landau, the other star of Space: 1999 was the Eagle transporter. (Image credit: Gerry Anderson)Synopsis: Moonbase Alpha is a research colony nestled in the Lunar crater Plato. Along with scientific study, it also monitors silos of atomic waste from Earth stored on the Moon’s far side. On September 13th 1999, disaster strikes; a build up of magnetic energy causes an explosive chain-reaction of the waste, blasting the Moon out of Earth’s orbit and off the plane of the ecliptic, out of the Solar System. The inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha are trapped, unable to return to Earth and wander the galaxy on their unique celestial spacecraft.
Why you should watch: From the mind of Gerry Anderson, who also gave us “Thunderbirds,” this one benefitted from an amazing cast, including the phenomenal Martin Landau, together with Barbara Bain and Nick Tate. The first season is currently available to watch and while many of the practical effects look dated today, don’t forget that this show — and especially the first season — contained some pretty horrific scenes, in particular, “Dragon’s Den” (S01, E08), that mentally scarred many young sci-fi fans at the time.
Free with ads via IMDB TV
7) Star Trek: Deep Space Nine[image error]
“Deep Space Nine” took “Trek” in a new direction and consequently made it much more interesting. (Image credit: CBS)Synopsis: Adventures abound for the crew of Deep Space Nine, one of the most important space stations in the Alpha Quadrant. Built by the Bajorans for the Cardassians and now under Federation administration, its location next to strategically vital wormhole makes it the center of all social and political interest in the region.
Why you should watch: This was the second series to be set in the 24th century, with events that took place concurrently to those in “The Next Generation,” but this was different, instead of a traditional starship setting, it took place aboard a space station. Despite arguably suspicious origins, “Deep Space Nine” quickly carved out its own identity. The Dominian War story arc is enthralling and this incarnation also paid more visits to the Mirror Universe than any other “Trek” series.
Free with Amazon Prime
8) Star Trek: Enterprise[image error]
Undoubtedly “Enterprise” is the most underrated “Star Trek” show, yet it’s stood the test of time better than most. (Image credit: CBS)Synopsis: Long before there were fleets of starships, there was just one, the Enterprise NX-01, humanity’s first warp 5 capable starship. The crew of this historic vessel tentatively steps forth into the unknown and begins to explore the galaxy and seek peaceful relations with alien races.
Why you should watch: This was the first new “Star Trek” show to be a prequel to “The Original Series” and contextually set in the past, which is refreshing. “Enterprise” is without question the most underrated “Star Trek” series and it was tragically cancelled before its time was due. There were no magic wands that could fix warp engines, we saw the regular need for environment suits and even the use of transporters was kept to an absolute minimum. It was a back-to-basics “Trek” and consequently it was extremely effective. Some of the very best episodes of any “Trek” are in “Enterprise,” including the augments story arc and by far the best visit to the Mirror Universe in “In a Mirror, Darkly” (S04, E18 & E19).
Free with Amazon Prime
9) Tales From the Loop[image error]
The visual style of the show has been heavily influenced by Swedish artist Simon Stalenhag and it works extremely effectively. (Image credit: Amazon)Synopsis: A small backwater town has a scientific research facility built underneath it, exactly like the Large Hadron Collider at the CERN facility that lies on the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva, Switzerland. But the people of this town experience all kinds of weird events and strange phenomena. Each episode follows one townsperson, or a particular group of townspeople, and their experiences with “the loop.”
Why you should watch: What an incredibly brilliant idea. Why wouldn’t a super-accelerated particle smasher designed to uncover the mysteries of the universe not create super-weird events and interdimensional portals?! The premise of this show is quite possibly one of the most simple and effective we’ve ever seen. Using the existing notion of a sub-atomic research facility, which we’re all already familiar with, as a frame for a “Twilight Zone”-style, “X-Files”-esque, episodic show featuring stories about the “strange and unexplained” is genius. Strong writing and exceptional casting make the week-by-week adventures of the fictional town of Mercer, Ohio addictive viewing.
Free with Amazon Prime
10) Thunderbirds[image error]
Thunderbird 2, a gigantic, gravity-defying aircraft could carry all manner of specialized rescue machinery in its cargo hold. (Image credit: Gerry Anderson)Synopsis: In the near future, a billionaire philanthropist has used his extensive knowledge, resources and wealth to create a non-profit, independently operated rescue organization. Using specifically designed, technologically advanced vehicles, including two supersized aircraft, two space vehicles and a submarine, the father — Jeff Tracey and his five sons, Scott, John, Virgil, Gordon and Alan — constantly monitor events around the world and then selflessly rush to the scene, wherever it might be, to save lives and avert total disaster.
Why you should watch: The man behind “Thunderbirds,” Gerry Anderson, also gave the world “Space: 1999,” “UFO,” “Captain Scarlet” and “Space Precinct.” Some of his shows were live action and others, like “Thunderbirds,” were made using puppets. This was done largely to make the demanding special effects scenes possible and as a result, this show features some of the very best model work ever seen on either the large or small screen. The original “Thunderbirds” show is a classic and should be enjoyed as such. If only Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos had watched this show growing up; surely this would be more effective than some lame tunnel linking Las Vegas to Los Angeles that no one asked for.
Free with Amazon Prime
11) Upload[image error]
No extravagant sets here, instead a straightforward premise, with some, simple well-placed VFX, make “Upload” compelling viewing. (Image credit: Amazon)Synopsis: When a computer programmer Nathan Brown (Robbie Amell) dies prematurely, his socialite girlfriend pays the expensive fee to have his consciousness uploaded to the exclusive Lake View resort for the recently deceased. However, depending on what she chooses to accept to pay for, he finds some simple elements of his life are restricted. As Nathan adjusts to digital heaven, he begins to develop feelings for with his customer service representative in the real world, Nora (Andy Allo). She is struggling with the pressures of her job, her dying father who does not want to be uploaded and her own growing feelings for Nathan while slowly coming to believe that Nathan was murdered.
Why you should watch: “Upload” was with a doubt one of the highlights of last year; creator Greg Daniels (“Parks and Recreation” and “The Office”) did a phenomenal job of creating a believable, dark comedy, set in the very near future, with so many worryingly realistic plot elements. Add in characters that you quickly become invested in and this is an enjoyable, addictive and thoroughly amusing must-watch show.
So there you have it! A look at our picks for the best sci-fi movies and TV shows on Amazon Prime. You can sign up for Amazon Prime here. After the 30-day free trial, a subscription costs $12.99 per month or $119 for the year.
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Microsoft warns of Windows ‘PrintNightmare’ vulnerability that’s being actively exploited, Tom Warren
Microsoft is warning Windows users about an unpatched critical flaw in the Windows Print Spooler service. The vulnerability, dubbed PrintNightmare, was uncovered earlier this week after security researchers accidentally published a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit. While Microsoft hasn’t rated the vulnerability, it allows attackers to remotely execute code with system-level privileges, which is as critical and problematic as you can get in Windows.
Researchers at Sangfor published the PoC, in what appears to have been a mistake, or a miscommunication between the researchers and Microsoft. The test code was quickly deleted, but not before it had already been forked on GitHub.
Sangfor researchers had been planning to detail multiple 0-day vulnerabilities in the Windows Print Spooler service at the annual Black Hat security conference later this month. It appears the researchers thought Microsoft had patched this particular vulnerability, after the company published patches for a separate Windows Print Spooler flaw.
It has taken Microsoft a couple of days to finally issue an alert about the 0-day, and Bleepingcomputer reports that the company is even warning customers that it’s being actively exploited. The vulnerability allows attackers to use remote code execution, so bad actors could potentially install programs, modify data, and create new accounts with full admin rights.
Microsoft admits “the code that contains the vulnerability is in all versions of Windows,” but it’s not clear if it’s exploitable beyond server versions of Windows. The Print Spooler service runs by default on Windows, including on client versions of the OS, Domain Controllers, and many Windows Server instances, too.
Microsoft is working on a patch, but until it’s available the company recommends disabling the Windows Print Spooler service (if that’s an option for businesses), or disabling inbound remote printing through Group Policy. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has recommended that admins “disable the Windows Print Spooler service in Domain Controllers and systems that do not print.”
Vulnerabilities in the Windows Print Spooler service have been a headache for system administrators for years. The most infamous example was the Stuxnet virus. Stuxnet used multiple 0-day exploits, including a Windows Print Spooler flaw, to destroy several Iranian nuclear centrifuges more than a decade ago.
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Don’t back down from Facebook fight, lawmakers tell FTC, Dave Gershgorn
A bipartisan group of lawmakers have asked that the FTC continue its antitrust lawsuit against Facebook after setbacks in court. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Lee (R-UT), together with House representatives David Cicilline (D-RI) and Ken Buck (R-CO), signed a letter addressed to FTC Chair Lina Khan detailing why the regulatory action is needed.
“It is essential that the Commission take action to deter anticompetitive conduct by digital monopolists by ensuring that they are held liable for antitrust violations to the full extent of the law,” the lawmakers wrote.
This letter comes just four days after Judge James E. Boasberg dismissed the federal government’s key antitrust complaint against Facebook on Monday, as well as a complaint from 48 state attorneys general.
The FTC has until July 29th to refile its complaint, although it will have to offer more comprehensive evidence that Facebook does indeed wield monopoly power in social networking. In the Monday dismissal, Boasberg wrote he was unimpressed with the FTC’s attempt to classify Facebook as a monopoly, as the initial complaint only provided “the naked allegation” that the social media giant had a 60 percent market share.
The dismissal does offer some metrics that might be persuasive to the court, like how much users spend on Facebook apps, or an explanation of Facebook’s competition in the sector. However, each of those suggestions are caveated with how examples of how difficult these metrics can be to prove.
In the dismissal, Boasberg also noted how difficult it was to fit Facebook’s service into the existing antitrust regulations.
“This case involves no ordinary or intuitive market,” he wrote. “Rather, PSN [Personal Social Networking] services are free to use, and the exact metes and bounds of what even constitutes a PSN service — i.e., which features of a company’s mobile app or website are included in that definition and which are excluded — are hardly crystal clear.”
This point hasn’t been lost on lawmakers, who have rallied around changing antitrust law to better address modern tech giants. Buck, one of the letter’s signatories, tweeted Monday that the dismissal showed antitrust reform is urgently needed.
“Congress needs to provide additional tools and resources to our antitrust enforcers to go after Big Tech companies engaging in anticompetitive conduct,” he wrote.
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July 1, 2021
Facebook confirms tests of a new anti-extremism warning prompt, Mitchell Clark
Facebook is testing prompts that will link users to anti-extremism support and resources if the company believes the user knows someone who could be on the path to extremism, or if the user has been exposed to extremist content themselves, according to a report by CNN Business.
In a statement to The Verge, a Facebook spokesperson said that the test is part of the company’s “larger work to assess ways to provide resources and support to people on Facebook who may have engaged with or were exposed to extremist content, or may know someone who is at risk.”
Facebook says that it’ll continue to remove extremist content that violates its rules, though the company has had issues tracking down and removing similar content, even from groups that it’s actively tried to kick off the platform. Facebook has long been the subject of scrutiny from the public and lawmakers, as many say that its algorithms divide people and push them towards extreme ideologies, something the company has itself recognized.
Facebook says that the tests go along with its Redirect Initiative, which “helps combat violent extremism and dangerous organizations” in several countries. According to its webpage, the program (as the name implies) redirects users to educational resources instead of further hateful content. It also says the test is part of its response to the Christchurch Call for Action campaign, and the test identifies both users who may have seen extremist content, and those who have had enforcement actions taken against them by Facebook in the past.
The test links to resources intended to help someone intervene if they’re concerned about a loved one joining a violent extremist group or movement. On a Facebook support page titled “What can I do to prevent radicalization,” Facebook links to Life After Hate’s ExitUSA program, which Facebook says helps people find “a way out of hate and violence.” The support page also gives tips on engaging with someone who’s trying to leave a hate group.
Facebook, like other platforms, has had issues with extremism for a long time, and though it’s good that it’s trying to combat it, some of its efforts feel like they should’ve been implemented long ago. This is the case with many forms of bad behavior online, as many platforms are still struggling to get a hold on users who harass women, or display other general toxic behavior.
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Russian Progress cargo ship docks at space station after two-day journey, ,
An uncrewed Russian cargo spacecraft has arrived at the International Space Station after a two-day journey to deliver food, fuel and supplies for the orbiting outpost’s crew.
The Progress MS-17 freighter linked up with the Poisk mini research module on the space-facing side of the station’s Russian segment on Thursday (July 1). The automated docking occurred at 8:59 p.m. EDT (0059 GMT on July 2).
Launched on Tuesday (June 29) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Progress MS-17 completed 34 orbits of Earth on its way to the space station. During its rendezvous, the ship was predicted to come within the vicinity of two pieces of SpaceX hardware.
Related: How Russia’s Progress cargo ships work (infographic)
“Information shows that a Starlink satellite system spacecraft and a Falcon 9 rocket fragment [are] expected to approach the Progress MS-17 spacecraft on July 1,” Roscosmos, Russia’s state space corporation, stated in a June 30 release.
Flight controllers monitored the situation, but no maneuvers were needed to avoid an impact, with the Starlink satellite expected to fly by at a distance of about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) and the rocket fragment passing at about 1,600 feet (500 meters). The two encounters occurred about three minutes apart.
Packed aboard Progress MS-17 is more than 3,600 lbs. (1,630 kilograms) of supplies for the space station’s Expedition 65 crew, including commander Akihiko Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and flight engineers Mark Vande Hei, Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of NASA, Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (ESA) and Oleg Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrov of Roscosmos.
Among the cargo to be unpacked are Russian science experiments designed to develop countermeasures for osseous (bone) lesions and to study the impact of long-duration space missions on cosmonauts’ activities. There is also research into pharmaceuticals to modulate the human immune system and hardware to map the global structure of space weather and meteorological processes from orbit.
Progress MS-17 will spend almost five months docked to Poisk at the station. The cargo craft is then scheduled to perform an automated undocking and relocation to the new “Nauka” multipurpose laboratory module in late October. Named for the Russian word for “science,” Nauka is slated to be launched to the space station this summer.
After changing ports and being repacked with refuse from the space station, Progress MS-17 will undock in November to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere for its safe destruction.
Progress MS-17 is the 78th Russian cargo craft to launch to the International Space Station since August 2000.
Robert Pearlman is a Space.com contributing writer and the editor of collectSPACE.com, a Space.com partner site and the leading space history news publication. Follow collectSPACE on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Follow us @Spacedotcom and Facebook.
Robert Pearlman is a journalist and space historian.
His original “Ask An Astronaut” website preceded NASA’s efforts to connect the public with the men and women who have flown in space. Later, as the online program director for the National Space Society, Pearlman led the redesign and expansion of the organization’s online resources and website, including authoring the educational viewer’s guide for Tom Hanks’ award-winning HBO miniseries “From the Earth to the Moon.”
In 1997, Pearlman was recruited by Buzz Aldrin to develop the Apollo astronaut’s first website. And in 1999, Pearlman co-founded the astronaut-endorsed Starport.com, which subsequently was acquired by Space.com. Pearlman was then hired by Space.com to manage the site’s community projects.
Between 1998 and 2003, Pearlman was the on-air, online host for the National Space Day live webcast filmed at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
In 1996, Pearlman was hired by space tourism firm Space Adventures as its first marketing and publicity director.
Today, Pearlman is the editor of collectSPACE.
Pearlman is a contributing writer for Space.com, serves on the leadership board for For All Moonkind, he is a member of the American Astronautical Society’s history committee, and serves as an advisor for The Mars Generation.
He is the co-author of “Space Stations: The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space,” published on Oct. 30, 2018 by Smithsonian Books.
He served as technical consultant on the 2013 movie “Space Warriors” with Mira Sorvino and Danny Glover and the 2018 Damien Chazelle film “First Man” with Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy. He served as historical consultant on the 2019 Todd Douglas Miller documentary “Apollo 11.”
Pearlman has also appeared as a commentator on:
Strange Inheritance (Fox Business Network)American Restoration (History Channel)American Pickers (History Channel)Mysteries at the Museum (Travel Channel)Brad Meltzer’s Lost History (H2)Ancient Aliens (History Channel)NASA’s Unexplained Files (Science Channel)Pearlman previously served on the boards of the National Space Society and U.S. Space Walk of Fame Foundation. He is also a former national chair for the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space.
In 2001, his work on collectSPACE earned Pearlman the Collector of the Year Award from the Universal Autograph Collectors Club (UACC).
In 2009, Pearlman was inducted into the Space Camp Hall of Fame.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
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Watch live now: Russian Progress freighter docking to space station at 9:03 pm ET, ,
An uncrewed Russian Progress cargo spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station tonight (July 1) at 9:03 p.m. EDT (0103 GMT on July 2). Watch it live in the window above, courtesy of NASA, or directly via the space agency. Coverage begins at 8:15 p.m. EDT (0015 GMT on July 2).
The Progress, which launched on Tuesday (June 29), is carrying about 3,600 lbs. of supplies for crewmembers aboard the orbiting lab.
Update for June 30, 3:48 pm EDT: SpaceX has successfully launched the 88-satellite Transporter 2 rideshare mission on a Falcon 9 rocket and landed its 1st stage booster. See launch video and photos in our wrap story here.
A used SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch 88 satellites on the Transporter 2 rideshare mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida Wednesday (June 30) and you’ll be able to watch it live here, courtesy of SpaceX. Liftoff is set for 3:31 p.m. EDT (1931 GMT) with a one-hour launch window. A launch attempt on Tuesday was delayed.
The Falcon 9 rocket will liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40, with SpaceX’s webcast expected to begin about 15 minutes before liftoff. You can also watch directly from SpaceX here. SpaceX will have a one-hour window in which to launch the mission, which will fly on a polar trajectory into orbit.
SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, June 29 for launch of Transporter-2, SpaceX’s second dedicated SmallSat Rideshare Program mission, from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The 58-minute launch window opens at 2:56 p.m. EDT, or 18:56 UTC, and there is a backup opportunity available on Wednesday, June 30 with the same 58-minute window.
Falcon 9’s first stage booster previously supported launch of GPS III Space Vehicle 03, Turksat 5A, and five Starlink missions. Following stage separation, SpaceX will land Falcon 9’s first stage on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. One half of Falcon 9’s fairing previously supported Transporter-1 and a Starlink mission, and the other previously flew on SAOCOM 1B and a Starlink mission.
On board this launch are 85 commercial and government spacecraft (including CubeSats, microsats, and orbital transfer vehicles) and 3 Starlink satellites. While there are fewer spacecraft on board compared to Transporter-1, this mission is actually launching more mass to orbit for SpaceX’s customers.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff.
Mission Profile:
LAUNCH, LANDING, AND DEPLOYMENT
HR/MIN/SEC EVENT
00:38:00 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load
00:35:00 RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading underway
00:35:00 1st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading underway
00:16:00 2nd stage LOX loading underway
00:07:00 Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch
00:01:00 Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks
00:01:00 Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins
00:00:45 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
00:00:03 Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
00:00:00 Falcon 9 liftoff
00:01:12 Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
00:02:15 1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:02:18 1st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:26 2nd stage engine starts
00:02:32 Boostback burn begins
00:03:42 Fairing deployment
00:06:34 1st stage entry burn begins
00:08:24 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO)
00:08:24 1st stage landing
00:54:13 2nd stage engine restarts
00:54:15 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)
00:57:50 NASA’s PACE-1 deploys
00:57:57 Satellogic’s NewSat-19 deploys
00:58:04 The 1st ICEYE satellite deploys from EXOPort-5
00:58:32 NASA’s TROPICS Pathfinder deploys
00:58:37 PlanetiQ’s GNOMES-2 deploys
00:58:44 Tyvak-0173 deploys
00:59:47 The 2nd ICEYE satellite deploys from EXOPort-3
01:00:00 Tyvak-0211 deploys
01:00:08 Loft Orbital’s YAM-3 deploys from EXOPort-5
01:00:18 TU Berlin’s TUBIN deploys from EXOPort-4
01:00:23 UmbraSAR deploys
01:00:33 D-Orbit’s ION satellite carrier deploys
01:01:50 Space Development Agency/General Atomics/Peraton’s LINCS-2 deploys
01:02:16 Satellogic’s NewSat-20 deploys
01:02:30 Satellogic’s NewSat-21 deploys
01:02:40 Capella SAR satellite deploys
01:02:46 The 3rd ICEYE satellite deploys from EXOPort-4
01:04:12 Space Development Agency/General Atomics/Peraton’s LINCS-1 deploys
01:04:29 DARPA/Space Development Agency/Air Force Research Laboratory’s Mandrake-2 Able deploys
01:05:33 The 4th ICEYE satellite deploys from EXOPort-3
01:06:48 Swarm’s 1st SpaceBEE cluster deploys from EXOPort-4
01:07:10 Swarm’s 2nd SpaceBEE cluster deploys from EXOPort-4
01:07:17 NanoAvionics’ D2/AtlaCom-1 deploys from EXOPort-3
01:07:24 Spire’s LEMUR number 1 deploys from EXOPort-3
01:07:47 Satellogic’s NewSat-22 deploys
01:07:56 Loft Orbital’s YAM-2 deploys
01:09:51 Spires’s LEMUR number 2 deploys from EXOPort-3
01:09:58 DARPA/Space Development Agency/Air Force Research Laboratory’s Mandrake-2 Baker deploys
01:21:10 Spaceflight Inc.’s Sherpa-FX2 deploys
01:21:14 Spaceflight Inc.’s Sherpa-LTE1 deploys
01:27:35 Starlink satellites deploy
A robotic Russian Progress cargo spacecraft launched toward the International Space Station on Tuesday (June 29) with more than 3,600 lbs. of supplies. The freighter is scheduled to arrive at the orbiting lab on Thursday evening (July 1). Read more below.
Editor’s Note: This advisory was updated June 28, 2021, to provide an updated figure for the amount of cargo being delivered.
Live coverage of Russia’s Progress 78 cargo spacecraft’s launch and docking to the International Space Station will begin at 7 p.m. EDT Tuesday, June 29, on NASA Television, the agency’s website, and the NASA app.
The uncrewed spacecraft is scheduled to launch on a Soyuz 2.1a rocket at 7:27 p.m. (4:27 a.m. Wednesday, June 30, Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The Progress spacecraft will go into orbit for a two-day journey before automatically docking to the Poisk module on the space-facing side of the station’s Russian segment at 9:02 p.m. Thursday, July 1. Coverage of rendezvous and docking will begin at 8:15 p.m.
Carrying more than 3,600 pounds of food, fuel, and supplies for the Expedition 65 crew, the Progress 78 resupply vehicle will spend almost five months at the station. The cargo craft is scheduled to perform an automated undocking and relocation to the new “Nauka” Multipurpose Laboratory Module in late October. Named for the Russian word for “science,” Nauka is planned to launch to the space station in mid-July.
Progress 78 will undock from the orbiting laboratory in November for a re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere that results in its safe destruction.
Get breaking news, images and features from the space station on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Find out what the astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station are up to by tuning in to the “ISS Live” broadcast. Hear conversations between the crew and mission controllers on Earth and watch them work inside the U.S. segment of the orbiting laboratory. When the crew is off duty, you can enjoy live views of Earth from Space. You can watch and listen in the window below, courtesy of NASA.
“Live video from the International Space Station includes internal views when the crew is on-duty and Earth views at other times. The video is accompanied by audio of conversations between the crew and Mission Control. This video is only available when the space station is in contact with the ground. During ‘loss of signal’ periods, viewers will see a blue screen.
“Since the station orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes, it experiences a sunrise or a sunset about every 45 minutes. When the station is in darkness, external camera video may appear black, but can sometimes provide spectacular views of lightning or city lights below.”
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On its first try, China’s Zhurong rover hit a Mars milestone that took NASA decades, ,
This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com’s Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights .
Sara Webb, PhD candidate in Astrophysics, Swinburne University of Technology
Rebecca Allen, Swinburne Space Office Project Coordinator | Manager Swinburne Astronomy Productions, Swinburne University of Technology
China’s rover landed safely on Mars on May 15, making China only the third country to successfully land a rover on the red planet.
More impressively still, China is the first Mars-going nation to carry out an orbiting, landing and rovering operation as its first mission.
Planetary scientist Roberto Orosei told Nature China is “doing in a single go what NASA took decades to do,” while astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell described China’s decision to include a rover in its maiden Mars outing as a “very gutsy move.”
Related: Hear the 1st sounds from China’s Mars rover Zhurong and watch it drive in new video
See more
Where did it land?Zhurong, named after the god of fire in Chinese mythology, separated from the Tianwen-1 orbiter and touched down close to the site of previous NASA missions, on a vast plain called Utopia Planitia.
This area of Mars was formed billions of years ago, when a martian meteorite smashed into the planet’s surface. The surrounding area is largely featureless, covered mostly in volcanic material.
Zhurong is not the first rover to explore this region. In 1976, NASA’s Viking 2 lander touched down further north within the Utopia Planitia basin, returning high-resolution images of the martian surface and analyzing soil samples.
The Viking 2 lander lacked the ability to investigate any further than its initial landing site. But the Zhurong rover should be well equipped to roam farther afield during its mission.
What will it do?The mission’s three-month scientific program will begin once the Zhurong rover disembarks from the landing craft and begins its journey across the martian surface. The 240-kilogram, six-wheeled rover is equipped with six individual scientific instruments, and has four large solar panels, giving it the appearance of a “blue butterfly.”
Zhurong’s design, instruments and technology on board Zhurong are comparable to those on board NASA’s twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which touched down in January 2004. Although Zhurong is not at the cutting edge of current space exploration technology, the sheer speed of this program’s development since its initiation in 2006 is awe-inspiring.
Like the many Mars rovers before it, Zhurong will probe this alien planet’s environment, and search for signs of water ice on the surface.
The mission is expected to survey four aspects of its local environment:
topography and geological structuresoil structure and possible presence of water icechemical composition, minerals and rock typesphysical characteristics of the atmosphere and the rocky surface.Zhurong will thus help build a more complete geological picture of the Red Planet’s history. And, in a genuine first for Martian exploration, it is equipped with a magnetometer to measure the planet’s magnetic field. This is an important study that will help address why Mars has lost much of its atmosphere, leaving its landscape so barren.
China’s growing space presenceThe Tianwen-1 mission is just one of an impressive list of accomplishments by the China National Space Administration in the past year. Its other feats include launching dozens of Long March rockets, each with multiple payloads, including that of the Chang’e 5 lunar probe, which brought moon rocks back to Earth for the first time since the end of NASA’s Apollo program in the 1970s.
Last month, China launched the first stage of its Tiangong space station, which next year is set to become the world’s second long-term home for humans in space. The momentous launch didn’t go off without a hitch, however, as debris from the launch vehicle made an uncontrolled re-entry back to Earth, eventually splashing down in the Indian Ocean.
Thankfully no one was hurt in that incident, but it is a timely reminder that China’s accelerating pace of space missions and rocket launches need to be carefully managed.
This year of activity has solidified China’s powerful presence in space, and we are only seeing the beginning of its ambitious future. By 2045, China hopes to become a leading space power, as outlined in the 2018 Aerospace Science and Technology Corporations route map.
In the coming years we can look forward to seeing China launch crewed missions to the Tiangong space station, and in the coming decades can expect to see China join other spacefaring nations in missions back to the moon and Mars.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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