World Asteroid Day 2025: How to watch near-Earth asteroids live on June 30
The UN began observing World Asteroid Day to raise awareness about the scientific value and potential risks of the asteroids. This event is held on the anniversary of the 1908 Tunguska event when a massive meteor explosion over Siberia had flattened over 80 million trees.
According to a Space.com report, the Virtual Telescope Project will be hosting a free livestream of near-Earth asteroids beginning at 5 pm EDT on June 30 to mark the occasion. Viewers can tune in via their official YouTube channel. Astronomers will also be discussing the characteristics of asteroids and the ongoing efforts to defend Earth from possible future impacts. Why do asteroids matter?
Earth has been struck by asteroids multiple times through the years. Some impacts, like the Chicxulub impactor, led to mass extinction events including that of the dinosaurs. The Space.com report further cited NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies stating that over 30,000 near-Earth objects (NEOs) have been identified. Fortunately, no major asteroid poses a risk of colliding with Earth in the next century. How are NASA and global partners working to prevent asteroid threats?
According to the report, every year, global space agencies like NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) participate in the Planetary Defence Conference, where they simulate asteroid impact scenarios and refine response strategies.
In 2022, NASA successfully conducted the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) by intentionally crashing a spacecraft into Dimorphos, a moonlet of asteroid Didymos, The NASA intended to test whether a collision could alter its trajectory and the test confirmed kinetic impact was a viable method for planetary defense.
ESA's Hera mission will be revisiting the Didymos system in December 2026 to study the aftermath of the DART impact.
Meanwhile, efforts to detect potentially hazardous asteroids are ramping up with the introduction of the Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile. During initial scans, the observatory detected over 2,100 new near-Earth objects within days.
Željko Ivezić, deputy director of Rubin's Legacy Survey of Space and Time, was quoted as saying that two centuries' worth of effort can be outdone in just a couple of years.
The observatory is expected to discover up to five million new asteroids in the coming years, revolutionising our ability to monitor space threats. FAQs: 1. What is World Asteroid Day?
World Asteroid Day is a UN-backed annual event held on June 30 to raise awareness about asteroids and space safety. 2. How can I watch the asteroid livestream?
The Virtual Telescope Project will stream it live on their YouTube channel starting at 5 pm EDT on June 30. 3. Is Earth at risk from asteroids?
According to NASA, no large asteroid is projected to hit Earth in the next 100 years. 4. What is the DART mission?
NASA's DART mission tested whether crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid could deflect its path. It succeeded in altering Dimorphos's orbit.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
17 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Crew members aboard International Space Station resume space science work
The 11 crew members aboard the International Space Station, representing Expedition 73 and Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), resumed their space science duties on Tuesday. Their research focused on various areas, including brain circulation, the observation of cancer cells, and the study of biotechnology, among other investigations, as per a statement by NASA. Station Commander Takuya Onishi, from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), attached sensors to his neck and chest to measure how blood flows from the brain to the heart. Doctors will review the data to understand how blood circulation adapts to weightlessness. Meanwhile, Ax-4 crewmates Peggy Whitson and Tibor Kapu also studied cerebral circulation for another experiment designed for their mission. Whitson assisted Kapu, who wore a cap, using a Doppler ultrasound to image blood flow in his cerebral artery while a cuff measured his blood pressure. Doctors will use the results to help protect the crew's visual processing and perception in microgravity. Whitson later peered inside a fluorescence microscope at cancer cells to learn how to detect and prevent cancer earlier, the statement read. NASA Flight Engineers Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers spent a portion of their shift assisting the Ax-4 crew on Tuesday. McClain helped the private astronauts operate the research hardware throughout the orbital lab and guided their science activities. Ayers set up a microscope in the Destiny laboratory module that Ax-4 crew member Shubhanshu Shukla used to view how tardigrades, tiny aquatic animals, survive numerous harsh climates, including microgravity. Ax-4 astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski explored the use of nanomaterials in wearable devices that monitor crew health. NASA Flight Engineer Jonny Kim began his shift alongside Onishi by collecting blood samples, processing them in a centrifuge, and stowing the specimens in a science freezer for preservation. Kim later reorganised the hardware inside the Harmony module's maintenance work area and then installed ventilation system components inside the Quest airlock, as per the statement. The uncrewed, trash-packed Progress 90 cargo craft ended its stay at the orbital outpost today, undocking from the Poisk module at 2:42 pm (local time). It will reenter Earth's atmosphere for a fiery, but safe demise above the South Pacific Ocean, completing a seven-month space delivery mission, NASA stated. Waiting to replace the spacecraft is the Progress 92 cargo craft standing at the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Progress 92 is counting down to its launch at 3:32 pm (local time) on Thursday. It will arrive at the orbital lab on Saturday and dock with Poisk at 5:27 pm (local time), delivering approximately three thousand pounds of food, fuel, and supplies for the orbiting lab residents. Roscosmos Flight Engineers Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy began their day training on the telerobotically operated rendezvous unit, or TORU, for Saturday's approach and rendezvous of the Progress 92. Ryzhikov then set up hardware to capture hyperspectral imagery of landmarks in Mexico and South America. Zubritskiy photographed the Progress 90 as it departed the station. Roscosmos Flight Engineer Kirill Peskov checked a laptop computer used for European robotic arm operations, then completed a 24-hour session wearing sensors that measured his heart activity and blood pressure, the statement said.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Whisky aging to maze-solving slime mold: 10 science experiments aboard the ISS
The International Space Station (ISS) serves as a global laboratory for experiments ranging from life sciences to physics and technology to Earth observation. Since its launch in 1998, various space agencies – including NASA, Russia's Roscosmos, European Space Agency, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, among others – and private players have conducted studies on this space laboratory. According to NASA, more than 3,000 experiments have been conducted aboard the ISS. Here are a few: Suntory, a leading Japanese company in aged whiskies, collaborated with JAXA in 2015 to study the aging patterns of liquor in microgravity. Samples of five different types of whiskey, along with a bottle of ethanol, were sent to the space station for this experiment. The Cold Atom Laboratory was launched to the ISS in 2018 to study quantum properties of atoms in microgravity by creating Bose-Einstein condensates – a fifth state of matter. The condensates are created by chilling a cloud of atoms close to absolute zero (-271 degrees Celsius) using lasers or magnets. The compact lab, about the size of a small refrigerator, is operated remotely by a team with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California. A plasmodial slime mold, capable of solving mazes by finding the shortest path between food sources, was sent to the ISS under an experiment conducted by the ESA, French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) and Airbus ICE Cubes Facility. The organism, despite lacking a brain, showed primitive learning capability. NASA and European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in May 2011 started the largest and longest-running astrophysics experiments focused on topics like Cosmic rays, dark matter and antimatter. Vegetable Production System, known as Veggie, is a plant growth unit developed by NASA in 2014 to study the germination in microgravity and add fresh food to the astronauts' diet. Zinnias and red romaine lettuce are among the plants grown. This experiment was aimed at studying the genetic, cognitive, immune, and microbiome changes in twins. Scott Kelly spent a year in orbit while mark Mark Kelly was on Earth. Spiders were sent to the ISS to study how they build webs in microgravity. BioServe Space Technologies and NASA studied the result and found that spiders adapted to the conditions. The experiment lasted four years. Marking a collaboration between NASA and ROSCOSMOS, this experiment aims at studying the growth of mold in microgravity. Various fungal species identified, including Aspergillus niger and others, can thrive in the space environment and survive high levels of radiation. The experiment is still ongoing. Research aboard the ISS is advancing bioprinting, a process which uses living cells to 3D print human tissues and potentially entire organs. Bioprinting requires a scaffold or other type of structure to support tissues, but in the near-weightlessness of the space station's orbit, tissues grow in three dimensions without such support, according to NASA. Redwire's BioFabrication Facility, which leads the initiative, has won Popular Science's 2023 Best of What's New Award in the Health Category. In another combined effort, NASA and Roscosmos are studying the effects of how fluids shift to the upper body in space and how this phenomenon causes changes in vision. According to NASA, this research will help prepare for a human journey to Mars.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Top 10 space missions to watch in 2025 and beyond: Exploring the Moon, Mars, and distant worlds
Space exploration is entering an exciting new era in 2025, with a remarkable lineup of missions poised to deepen our understanding of the Moon , Mars , and beyond. These missions, led by NASA , ISRO , ESA, JAXA , and private companies, will not only advance scientific knowledge but also pave the way for future human exploration and technological innovation. From crewed lunar orbits to robotic explorers on distant moons, here are the top 10 space missions to watch in the coming years. From lunar landers to interplanetary explorers: The most ambitious space missions ahead 1. Intuitive Machines IM-3 (PRISM) Launch Date: 2026 by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Destination: Moon Objective: Deliver scientific payloads and rovers to study lunar geology and test technologies for future Artemis missions. Overview: The IM-3 mission is a critical part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, designed to help establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon. It will carry advanced instruments to analyze the lunar surface, including rovers that can traverse and study the terrain. Beyond science, IM-3 will test new landing technologies and autonomous systems that will be essential for future crewed Artemis missions. Success here will build confidence in commercial partnerships supporting lunar exploration. 2. ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) Launch Date: December 2025 Destination: Mars Orbit Objective: Study Mars' plasma environment and magnetic fields to understand atmospheric loss. Overview: ESCAPADE consists of two small satellites, 'Blue' and 'Gold,' orbiting Mars at different altitudes to provide a detailed picture of how solar wind strips away the Martian atmosphere. This process is key to understanding why Mars lost much of its atmosphere and surface water, transforming from a potentially habitable planet to the cold desert we see today. The mission's data will improve models of planetary atmospheres and help assess Mars' past habitability. 3. NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) Launch Date: 2025 Destination: Earth Orbit Objective: Monitor Earth's surface changes with high precision to study natural disasters and environmental shifts. Overview: NISAR is a groundbreaking collaboration between NASA and ISRO, equipped with dual-frequency radar that can penetrate clouds and darkness to provide detailed maps of Earth's surface. It will track land deformation caused by earthquakes and volcanic activity, monitor deforestation, and measure ice sheet dynamics. This mission will provide timely data to improve disaster response and deepen understanding of climate change impacts, making it a vital tool for scientists and policymakers worldwide. 4. Artemis II Launch Date: April 2026 Destination: Lunar Orbit Objective: Conduct the first crewed mission of the Artemis program to test spacecraft systems in lunar orbit. Overview: Artemis II marks NASA's return to crewed lunar missions after decades. Four astronauts will orbit the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft, launched by the powerful Space Launch System (SLS). This 10-day mission will test life support, navigation, and communication systems in the deep space environment, ensuring readiness for the subsequent Artemis III landing mission. Artemis II is a major step toward establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon. 5. Gaganyaan-2 Launch Date: 2025 (Test Flights) Destination: Low Earth Orbit Objective: Validate safety, life support, and avionics systems for India's first crewed spaceflight. Overview: Gaganyaan-2 is part of India's ambitious human spaceflight program. The uncrewed test flights will rigorously evaluate the spacecraft's critical systems, including environmental controls and emergency procedures. These tests are essential to ensure astronaut safety for the planned Gaganyaan-3 mission. Success will place India among the few nations capable of independently sending humans to space, marking a significant milestone in its space capabilities. 6. Dragonfly Launch Date: July 2028 Destination: Titan (Saturn's Moon) Objective: Explore Titan's organic-rich surface and study prebiotic chemistry. Overview: Dragonfly is a unique rotorcraft lander designed to fly across Titan's diverse and complex terrain. Titan's thick atmosphere and organic molecules make it one of the most intriguing places to study prebiotic chemistry and the potential for life beyond Earth. Dragonfly will analyze surface composition, weather patterns, and chemical processes, providing unprecedented insight into how life's building blocks might form in environments vastly different from Earth. 7. Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) Launch Date: September 2026 Destination: Phobos (Mars' Moon) Objective: Explore Mars' moons and return samples from Phobos to Earth. Overview: JAXA's MMX mission aims to solve the mystery of Mars' moons' origins by collecting and returning samples from Phobos. The mission will also conduct detailed observations of Deimos. Understanding whether these moons are captured asteroids or formed from Mars itself will shed light on the history of the Martian system and the early solar system. The sample return is a complex feat that will provide invaluable material for laboratory analysis on Earth. 8. Space Rider Launch Date: 2027 Destination: Low Earth Orbit Objective: Conduct reusable microgravity experiments in orbit. Overview: ESA's Space Rider is a reusable, autonomous spaceplane designed to carry payloads for scientific and technological experiments in microgravity. It will enable longer-duration studies on biological processes, materials science, and plant growth, helping researchers understand how space conditions affect various systems. Its reusability lowers costs and increases access to space for European researchers and industry. 9. SPHEREx Launch Date: April 2025 Destination: Earth Orbit Objective: Conduct an all-sky infrared survey to study galaxy evolution, cosmic inflation, and dark energy. Overview: SPHEREx will map the entire sky in infrared light, providing a treasure trove of data about the universe's structure and history. It will investigate the origins of galaxies, measure cosmic inflation's fingerprints, and explore the mysterious dark energy driving the universe's accelerated expansion. This mission promises to answer fundamental questions about the cosmos with a new level of precision. 10. VERITAS Launch Date: 2028 Destination: Venus Objective: Map Venus' surface geology to understand its tectonics and volcanic history. Overview: VERITAS will produce high-resolution maps of Venus' surface using radar to penetrate its thick clouds. By studying Venus' tectonic activity and volcanic processes, the mission seeks to explain why Venus evolved so differently from Earth despite their similar size and composition. VERITAS will also help assess Venus' potential for past habitability and provide context for comparative planetology. These missions represent the cutting edge of space exploration, combining human spaceflight, robotic explorers, and Earth observation to expand our knowledge of the solar system and our home planet. As they launch and unfold over the next decade, they will inspire new discoveries and redefine humanity's place in the cosmos.
