Blue Moon: Here's How Blue Origin's New Lunar Lander Works
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“One of the only ways to get out of a tight box is to invent your way out.” Jeff Bezos ASTRONEWSLETTER Volume 12, Issue 7 May 16, 2019 CONTENTS • Surprise 4,000-Mile ‘Ice Corridor’ Found on Saturn’s Moon Titan ...................1 • Blue Moon: Here’s How Blue Origin’s New Lunar Lander Works . 1 • New Water Cycle on Mars Discovered ................... 2 • NASA Crowns Winner in • Mars Habitat Competition ...... 2 • Brazilian Scientists Investigate Dwarf Planet’s Ring ..........3 • Our History in the Stars . 3 Surprise 4,000-Mile ‘Ice Corridor’ Found on Saturn’s Moon Titan Blue Moon: Here’s How Blue Although Cassini’s mission ended in 2017, its data lives on, and planetary scientists continue to learn more about the history Origin’s New Lunar Lander Works and surface features of this strangely Blue Origin’s billionaire founder, Jeff Bezos, revealed the company’s plans to Earth-like moon. The new technique is called principal components analysis land a spacecraft named “Blue Moon” on the lunar surface. During an exclusive (PCA), and it could be a game-changer for presentation here at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on May 9th, Titan-ophiles. To test their new tool, the international Bezos laid out the details of Blue Moon and all the ways it can be used to explore team of researchers applied PCA to half of Earth’s natural satellite. Titan’s surface, from 30° S to 30° N. Once everything was correlated and indeed found to be accurate, the team was left From new tech to possible crewed missions to the lunar surface, there’s a lot to with a hi-def distribution of water ice on unpack from Bezos’ presentation. Blue Moon bears some resemblance to NASA’s Titan. And curiously, the authors write, it formed in a noticeable pattern. “Our PCA old Apollo lunar modules, but there are some noticeable differences. The most study indicates that water ice is unevenly, obvious, aside from its sleeker design, is the enormous, spherical fuel tank with but not randomly, exposed across Titan’s tropical surface. Most of the exposed ice- the words “Blue Moon” printed in big, blue letters on its side. Blue Moon is a rich material follows a long, nearly linear, corridor that stretches 6,300 (kilometers),” relatively large lunar lander that’s designed to deliver science payloads, moon or nearly 4,000 miles (6,400 km). That’s rovers and even astronauts to the lunar surface. Space.com about 40 percent of Titan’s entire Astro Newsletter 1 circumference. Astronomy.com New Water Cycle on Mars Discovered New Water Cycle on Mars Discovered NASA Crowns Winner in Billions of years ago, Mars was a planet rich in water with rivers, and even an Mars Habitat Competition ocean. Since then, our neighboring What would life on Mars look like? Monsi Roman, program manager for NASA thinks it’s getting one step NASA’s Centennial Challenges, in a planet has changed dramatically. Today, closer to figuring it out. The Agency press statement. only small amounts of frozen water has awarded a combined $700,000 exist in the ground; in the atmosphere, to the first and second-place teams “We celebrate their vision, dedication water vapor occurs only in traces. All in in its 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge. and innovation in developing all, the planet may have lost at least 80 concepts that will not only further percent of its original water. In the upper Self-described “multi-planetary NASA’s deep-space goals, but also atmosphere of Mars, ultraviolet radiation architectural and technology design provide viable housing solutions from the sun split water molecules into agency” AI SpaceFactory, based right here on Earth.” in New York, took first place with hydrogen (H) and hydroxyl radicals $500,000. A team of professors from The winning design, named MARSHA, (OH). The hydrogen escaped from there Penn State finished in second with was built from a biopolymer basalt irretrievably into space. Measurements $200,000. AI SpaceFactory beat over composite and “marks a radical by space probes and space telescopes 60 other teams in the finale of an departure from previous Martian show that even today, water is still lost ongoing competition that began designs typified by low-lying domes in this way. But how is this possible? The in 2015. NASA ran the contest in or buried structures,” according middle atmosphere layer of Mars, like conjunction with Bradley University to the winning team. Instead of Earth’s tropopause, should actually stop of Peoria, Illinois, where the final building MARSHA to fight off gravity challenges were held. For the On- and wind, AI SpaceFactory designed the rising gas. After all, this region is Site Habitat Competition, teams had it to combat internal atmospheric usually so cold that water vapor would to autonomously print a one-third- pressure and structural stresses. For turn to ice. How does the Martian water scale habitat. This habitat had to be the design firm, that means using vapor reach the upper air layers? built from recyclables and materials a vertical container with a minimal that could be found on deep-space footprint. In their current simulations, the destinations, like the Moon and Russian and German researchers find Mars. “It’s light, and it’s strong, like an airplane,” says Lex Akers, Dean of the a previously unknown mechanism Teams built their habitats in 10- Caterpillar College of Engineering reminiscent of a kind of pump. Their hour increments as a panel of and Technology at Bradley model comprehensively describes judges watched. Once complete, University, in the press statement. the flows in the entire gas envelope the structures were tested for “That’s going to be very important surrounding Mars from the surface material mix, leakage, durability for these types of habitats.” Research to an altitude of 160 kilometers. The and strength. ”The final milestone shows architecture has an impact on calculations show that the normally of this competition is a culmination human psychology, and any habitat ice-cold middle atmosphere becomes of extremely hard work by bright, on Mars would likely carry extra inventive minds who are helping us emotional significance due to its permeable to water vapor twice a day— advance the technologies we need isolation, at least at first. That gives but only at a certain location, and at a for a sustainable human presence housing a responsibility to draw out certain time of year. Phys.org on the Moon, and then on Mars,” says a person’s social tendencies. 2 Astro Newsletter PopularMechanics.com Brazilian Scientists Investigate Dwarf Planet’s Ring Brazilian Scientists Investigate Our History in the Dwarf Planet’s Ring Stars Discovered in 2004, Haumea is Engineering School (FE-UNESP) Astronomers map the substance a dwarf planet located beyond in Guaratingueta, Brazil. The aluminum monoxide (AlO) in a cloud Pluto’s orbit in a region of the researchers who discovered the around a distant young star - Origin Solar System called the Kuiper ring in 2017 suggested that its Source I. The finding clarifies some Belt. Pluto was demoted from the orbit around Haumea was very important details about how our solar category of fully fledged planets in close to the 1:3 resonance region, system, and ultimately we, came to 2006 because of the discovery of meaning that ring particles make be. The cloud’s limited distribution Haumea and other dwarf planets. one revolution every three times suggests AlO gas rapidly condenses Haumea was officially recognized Haumea rotates. A new study by to solid grains, which hints at what an as a dwarf planet in 2008. Its Winter, Tais Ribeiro and Gabriel early stage of our solar evolution looked ellipsoidal shape resembles that of Borderes Motta, who belong to like. Professor Shogo Tachibana of the the ball used in rugby or American UNESP’s Orbital Dynamics and football. It has two moons and a Planetology Group, shows that a UTokyo Organization for Planetary and ring. Because of its ring, Haumea degree of eccentricity would be Space Science has a passion for space. is a member of a group of Solar required for this resonance to act From small things like meteorites to System objects comprising the on the ring particles. According enormous things like stars and nebulae planets Saturn, Uranus, Neptune to Winter, the fact that the ring - huge clouds of gas and dust in space - and Jupiter, as well as the asteroids is narrow and practically circular he is driven to explore our solar system’s Chariklo and Chiron, which orbit prevents action by the resonance. origins. between Jupiter and Neptune. However, the group identified a specific type of stable, almost Minerals present in CAIs indicate that Haumea’s ring has never been circular, periodic orbit in the same our young solar system must have been directly observed. Its existence was region as Haumea’s ring. A periodic extremely hot. Physical techniques inferred in 2017 by an international orbit is an orbit that repeats over for dating these minerals reveal a group of astronomers who took time. fairly specific age for the solar system. detailed measurements of the light However, Tachibana and colleagues fluctuations as Haumea occulted “Our study isn’t observational. wished to expand on the details of this (passed in front of) a star. In space, We did not directly observe the stage of evolution. ”Thanks to ALMA, an occultation occurs when one ring. No one ever has,” Winter said. we discovered the distribution of AlO object passes in front of another The reason is that the ring is very around a young star for the first time. from an observer’s perspective.