The world's biggest iceberg, known as A68a, is bearing down on the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia.
The Antarctic ice giant is a similar size to the South Atlantic island, and there's a strong possibility the berg could now ground and anchor itself offshore of the wildlife haven.
If that happens, it poses a grave threat to local penguins and seals.
The animals' normal foraging routes could be blocked, preventing them from feeding their young properly.
And it goes without saying that all creatures living on the seafloor would be crushed where A68a touched down - a disturbance that would take a very long time to reverse.
Ecosystems can and will bounce back of course, but the danger here is that if this iceberg gets stuck, it could be there for 10 years.
Nov 03, 2020
Asteroid 16 Psyche
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, (NASA) has found that 16 Psyche asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter is made of rare metals such as gold, cobalt, platinum, rhenium and iridium. The total worth of the precious metals in the asteroid has been estimated as 10,000 Quadrillion USD by NASA scientists.
According to the NASA scientists, the asteroid might have been formed from the leftover of an earlier planet that lost its mantle and crust after getting collided multiple times during the creation of solar system. NASA is to send an unmanned spacecraft to study the asteroid closely.
It is located at around 370 million kilometres away from the earth. It is one of the most massive objects found in the asteroid belt of solar system. The asteroid was first discovered in 1853 by an Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis. The asteroid has been named after the Greek goddess Psyche.
Oct 31, 2020
ISRO to Launch Earth Observation Satellite EOS-1
The Indian Space Research Organisation is to launch Earth observation satellite, RISAT-2BR2 and nine other customer satellites by November 7, 2020.
The earth observation satellite has been code named EOS-01. It aims to support applications in forestry, agriculture and disaster management. The launch of this earth observation satellite will be the 51st mission of ISRO.
The earth observation satellite is to be launched on Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles. The customer satellite is being launched along with the EOS-01 under the commercial agreement signed by ISRO with Newspace India Limited.
Oct 30, 2020
SpaceX Replaces 2 Rocket engines ahead of next Crewed Mission
Elon Musk-run SpaceX is replacing two engines on its Falcon 9 rocket which is scheduled to launch four space travelers to the International Space Station on November 14.
The requirement of replacing the engines became apparent after an investigation into the aberrant behaviour of the Falcon 9 rocket observed during a recent non-NASA mission launch attempt.
The non-NASA mission referred to the launch attempt of a GPS satellite for the US Space Force earlier this month, which was aborted automatically moments before the lit off.
This led NASA and SpaceX to delay the launch of Crew-1 mission, which is also scheduled to launch on a Falcon 9 rocket -- which was originally scheduled for launch on October 31.
Oct 29, 2020
Europe to Send Modules, Astronauts to NASA Moon Station
The European Space Agency agreed to provide several modules for NASA's planned outpost around the moon, in return for a chance to send European astronauts to the lunar orbiter.
ESA's director-general, Jan Woerner, signed a deal with NASA chief Jim Bridenstine to provide essential elements for the mini space station, known as Artemis Gateway.
As per ESA, this includes the main habitat for astronauts visiting the lunar outpost, and a module that provides communications and refueling capability along with a window for the crew to observe the moon.
The agency will receive three flight opportunities for European astronauts to travel to and work on the Gateway as part of the agreement.
NASA aims to use the Gateway as a staging post for missions to the Moon and eventually to Mars.
NASA and ISRO to Launch NISAR Satellite
India and US held the two plus two dialogue. During the meet the country's decided to share space situational awareness information. This will catalyse efforts in creating safe and sustainable space environment
A joint statement issued after the dialogue read that the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar called the NISAR is to be launched by 2022.
The space agencies of the countries signed an agreement to conduct a joint NISAR mission. The mission will develop and launch synthetic aperture radar. The radar will be capable of transmitting dual frequency signals and is to be carried by an Earth observation satellite.
NISAR mission is the first radar imaging satellite to use dual-frequency. The dual frequency of the satellite is to be used for remote sensing and understand the natural processes on the earth.
Based on the agreement NASA is to provide the band synthetic aperture radar. ISRO is to provide S band synthetic aperture radar, satellite bus, launch vehicles and associated launch services.
The mission will also study about evolution and state of the earth crust.
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