NASA Is Testing the ISS for Evidence That Microorganisms Can Survive in Outer Space
Video Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories - Duration: 01:30s - Published
NASA Is Testing the ISS for Evidence That Microorganisms Can Survive in Outer Space
NASA Is Testing the ISS for , Evidence That Microorganisms , Can Survive in Outer Space.
On October 12, NASA conducted a spacewalk to
swab the exterior of the International Space
Station to check for evidence of microorganisms. .
The Byte reports that, if found, the microorganisms
would have survived under some of the most
extreme conditions possible.
The search for evidence that microbes are capable
of surviving in outer space could have
implications on the search for life outside of Earth.
.
Back in 2015, astronauts exposed
microbes to cryogenic temperatures
and extreme radiation levels.
According to a 2020 paper, a bacteria known
as Deinococcus radiodurans was able to
survive for three years in outer space.
Another experiment found that even simpler
organisms were also capable of surviving in
the harsh conditions outside of the ISS.
The Byte reports that the results suggest that microbes
may be able to allow basic life forms to cover vast
distances, potentially jumping from planet to planet.
Of course, this does not mean
that life actually exists on Mars, Jean-Pierre Paul de Vera, Astrobiologist at BIOMEX, via The Byte.
But the search for life is
more than ever the strongest
driving force for the next
generation of missions to Mars, Jean-Pierre Paul de Vera, Astrobiologist at BIOMEX, via The Byte
Two astronauts who have been stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) for over a month are talking to reporters for the first time on Wednesday afternoon. Sky News
Recently Spotted Asteroid, Set for Near Miss With Earth.
ABC reports that an asteroid
is set to make a close pass
by Earth this weekend.
Asteroid 2024 MK should
be visible with the proper
equipment and timing. .
Asteroid 2024 MK should
be visible with the proper
equipment and timing. .
The space rock will make its closest approach past
Earth early on June 29, passing at just three-quarters
of the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
The asteroid, which was first spotted two
weeks ago by an observatory in South Africa,
is estimated to be about 393 feet to 853 feet wide.
According to asteroid expert Davide Farnocchia,
who works for NASA's Center for Near-Earth
Object Studies, asteroids the size of 2024 MK
only pass by about every 25 years.
Weβre going to see a few
of those during our lifetimes,
but itβs not something that
happens every other day, Davide Farnocchia, NASA Center for
Near-Earth Object Studies, via ABC.
On June 27, a 7,579-foot asteroid just passed
the Earth at a slightly greater distance and
was only visible with professional telescopes.
The upcoming 2024 MK will be visible
with a small telescope but will not
be visible to the naked eye. .
ABC reports that skywatchers in
the Southern Hemisphere will have
the best odds of spotting the asteroid.
The next major asteroid is set for April 13, 2029,
when Apophis will pass Earth and be visible with
the naked eye to viewers in Europe, Africa and Asia.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
ISS Crew Forced to , Take Shelter , After Russian Satellite Breaks Apart.
'The Independent' reports that astronauts aboard the
International Space Station (ISS) took shelter due to
the danger of debris from a broken up Russian satellite.
Crews aboard the ISS were ordered to board
their respective spacecraft in case debris
struck and damaged the orbital laboratory.
According to experts, the ever-increasing number of
satellites in orbit around Earth has magnified the risk of
collision and other potential problems for space crews.
It remains unclear what caused
the RESURS-P1 Russian Earth
Observation satellite to break apart. .
According to NASA's Space Station office, the event
occurred near the space station, prompting astronauts
to take shelter in their spacecraft for about an hour. .
Mission Control continued to monitor the path of the debris, and after about an hour, the crew was cleared to exit their spacecraft and the station resumed normal operations, NASA statement, via X.
Space-tracking firm LeoLabs said that U.S. radar
detected the decommissioned satellite releasing a
cloud of debris in low-Earth orbit late on June 26. .
Shortly after 9 p.m. EDT, NASA
instructed crews aboard the space
station to shelter in their respective
spacecraft as a standard precautionary
measure after it was informed
of a satellite break-up at an
altitude near the station, NASA statement, via X.
According to U.S. Space Command, the Russian satellite created , "over 100 pieces of trackable debris.".
USSPACECOM has observed no
immediate threats and is continuing
to conduct routine conjunction
assessments to support the safety
and sustainability of the space domain, U.S. Space Command statement, via 'The Independent'
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
NASA Discovers Mysterious , Martian 'Hole' That Could , Shelter Future Astronauts.
'LiveScience' reports that scientists have
discovered a mysterious pit on the side
of an ancient volcano on Mars.
The discovery has generated
excitement due to what it may reveal
beneath the Red Planet's surface.
Images of the pit were
first captured by NASA's
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. .
The hole's origins and
depth remain unknown.
This pit, found on an extinct lava flow of Arsia Mons,
appears to be a vertical shaft that scientists
believe could lead to a much larger cavern. .
The pit could also be a deep
lava tube formed at a time when
Arsia Mons was still active.
Due to the thin atmosphere and lack of a magnetic
field, scientists have looked to pits and caves to
potentially shelter astronauts in the future. .
'LiveScience' reports that if Mars ever hosted life, those
organisms may have sheltered in pits like this one, which
could offer protection and even allow life to flourish. .
If future missions reveal that the pit leads to a large
open cave, it could provide the perfect landing
site for crewed missions to Mars in the future.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
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