Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Space Highlights - May 10, 2017

May 10, 2017


The Indian Geosynchronous Satellite Launch communications satellite was placed into orbit this past week, linking India with its neighbors in South Asia.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/05/06/india-launches-satellite-linking-its-south-asian-neighbors/


Iran has announced plans to launch two satellites in the coming weeks, in what critics are describing as a cover for Iran's ballistic missile weapons program.
http://freebeacon.com/national-security/iran-launch-two-new-satellites-cover-illicit-icbm-program/


Vector Space has made its first successful launch of its microsatellite booster.
http://www.space.com/36710-vector-space-test-launch-success.html


The U.S. Air Force's miniature, unmanned space plane returned for a landing in Florida this past week, after spending nearly two years in orbit.  The purpose and details behind the X-37B's orbital missions remains classified.
http://www.defenseone.com/technology/2017/05/what-americas-secret-space-shuttle/137699/


NASA has released images of Titan's methane cloud cover, captured during the last close pass made by the Cassini spacecraft before it began its "ring diving" orbits last month.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/05/09/cassini-downlinks-view-of-titans-methane-clouds-on-third-loop-inside-rings/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4490106/NASA-reveals-stunning-image-clouds-streaking-Titan.html


Researchers have confirmed that the gap between Saturn and its rings really is the "big empty," after the Cassini spacecraft sent back data from its two initial ring-diving orbits where it passed between Saturn and its innermost ring.  Dust levels between Saturn and its innermost ring were much lower than what scientists had expected.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/nasa-cassini-saturn-rings-big-empty-grand-finale-images-pictures-video-footage-a7715011.html
http://astronomy.com/news/2017/05/cassini-and-the-great-empty


NASA has released a new video depicting images from Cassini's "ring diving" orbit, that took it between Saturn and its innermost rings.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/sciencetech/video-1458153/New-movie-shows-NASA-s-Cassini-spacecraft-dive-Saturn.html


NASA's Curiosity rover sent back photos of black sanddunes on Mars, as the rover began to take samples from a linear, active sand dune.
http://www.space.com/36738-mars-rover-curiosity-sand-dunes-photos.html
http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/solar-system/nasa-curiosity-rover-samples-linear-active-dune-mars/


Two new Saturn-sized exoplanets have been identified by researchers.  The planets orbit red dwarf stars.
http://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/14802/20170510/two-new-exoplanets-orbiting-red-dwarfs-discovered-to-have-saturn-like-mass.htm
https://phys.org/news/2017-05-saturn-mass-exoplanets.html

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