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China Makes History Again: Chang'e-6 Returns with Groundbreaking Moon Samples

In a remarkable achievement, China has successfully collected samples from the far side of the moon, marking a significant milestone in space exploration. The Chang'e-6 mission, launched on May 3, touched down in the Apollo crater within the vast South Pole-Aitken basin on June 1. During its brief but productive stay, the spacecraft gathered approximately 2 kilograms of lunar material using a scoop and drill. The samples, now stored in an ascent vehicle, are expected to return to Earth on June 25, landing in Inner Mongolia. This historic achievement not only demonstrates China's space program prowess but also provides scientists with a unique opportunity to unravel the mysteries of the moon's formation and evolution.   Achievements: - *First-ever samples from the far side*: Chang'e-6 successfully collects lunar material from the moon's less-explored hemisphere. - *Second successful farside landing*: China builds on its 2019 achievement with...

Bepicolumbo's New view of Mercury.

The ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission captured this beautiful view of Mercury’s rich geological landscape on 23 June 2022 as the spacecraft flew past the planet for a gravity assist manoeuvre.  The image was taken at 09:49:22 UTC by the Mercury Transfer Module’s Monitoring Camera 2, when the spacecraft was within about 920 km from the surface of Mercury. Closest approach of about 200 km took place shortly before, at 09:44 UTC. In this view, north is roughly towards the top right.  The cameras provide black-and-white snapshots in 1024 x 1024 pixel resolution. The image has been interpolated to 2048 x 2048 pixels to sharpen the details. Some imaging artefacts such as horizontal striping are also visible. Parts of the Mercury Planetary Orbiter can also be seen, notably the magnetometer boom running from bottom left to top right, and a small part of the medium-gain antenna at bottom right. The magnetometer boom roughly follows the ‘terminator’– the boundary between the nigh...

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Facts You Need to Know About Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and is often referred to as the "Red Planet" due to its reddish appearance in the night sky. It is the second smallest planet in the Solar System, with a diameter of approximately 6,779 kilometers. Mars is often of great interest to scientists and space enthusiasts due to its potential to support life and its similarity to Earth in terms of geological features. In this blog post, we will delve into various aspects of Mars, including its history, geological features, atmosphere, climate, and potential for life. History: Mars is believed to have formed around 4.6 billion years ago, shortly after the formation of the Solar System. Like Earth, Mars is a terrestrial planet, meaning that it is composed primarily of rock and metal. It is thought that Mars may have had a similar early history to Earth, with the presence of liquid water on its surface and the potential for the development of life. Geological Features: Mars is known for its divers...

SLS Rockets are Getting Ready for First Crewed Artemis Mission

The Space Launch System team is not just building one rocket but manufacturing several rockets for exploration missions and future SLS flights beyond the initial Artemis launch,” said John Honeycutt, SLS program manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “The Artemis I mission is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions that will extend our presence on the Moon. The SLS rocket’s unprecedented power and capabilities will send missions farther and faster throughout the solar system. With its two solid rocket boosters and four RS-25 engines, SLS produces more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust to launch each Artemis mission beyond Earth’s orbit and onward to the Moon. The rocket features some of the largest, most advanced, and most reliable hardware elements ever built for space exploration. To power the agency’s next-generation deep space missions, SLS delivers propulsion in phases. At liftoff, the core stage with its four RS-25 engine...

What Did The Flat Earth Theory Really Means?

Flat Earth Theory is a controversial and often misunderstood belief that the Earth is flat rather than round. This theory has gained a significant amount of attention in recent years, with many people claiming that the Earth is not a globe, but a flat disk. While the vast majority of scientists and researchers reject this theory, it continues to attract a dedicated group of believers who argue that the evidence supports their claims. In this blog post, we will explore the history of Flat Earth Theory, examine the evidence that is often cited by its supporters, and explain why the vast majority of scientists reject this theory. History of Flat Earth Theory The idea that the Earth is flat dates back to ancient times, with early civilizations such as the Greeks, Egyptians, and Hindus all believing in a flat Earth. However, by the time of the ancient Greeks, most educated people believed that the Earth was a sphere. This belief was based on observations of the Earth's shadow during lun...