Latest news with #NickyFox
4 days ago
- Science
NISAR satellite could help scientists predict natural disasters before they happen
What if we could have more warning time before a natural disaster? People could seek shelter faster. First responders could surge resources to the impacted area. And new construction projects could be relocated to safer locations. To better understand how small changes in the Earth's land and ice surfaces can lead to catastrophic events and natural disasters, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is collaborating with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on a space mission to launch a first-of-its-kind satellite into orbit that's capable of monitoring the planet in an unprecedented way. The NISAR mission, which stands for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, is scheduled to lift off at 8:10 a.m. ET on July 30 aboard an ISRO GSLV-F16 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India's southeastern coast. Built by NASA JPL and the ISRO, the satellite features a unique radar system that utilizes two different frequencies -- L-band and S-band --making it capable of measuring small changes (less than half an inch) on the Earth's surface. Using that data, it will then produce highly detailed 3D images that should help researchers better understand and predict natural disasters, such as wildfires, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides. "NISAR truly is a first-of-its-kind dual radar satellite that will change the way we study our home planet and better predict a natural disaster before it strikes. NISAR will scan and take imagery of nearly all the Earth's land and ice surface twice every 12 days in unprecedented detail, literally down to a centimeter," said Nicky Fox, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA, during a pre-launch press conference. The $1.3 billion mission will not only help scientists better understand the causes of natural disasters but also enable climate researchers to monitor melting glaciers and ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica and track the health of the world's rainforests with more precision. It can also identify human-produced changes to the land, including those from farming and ranching, water projects, housing and commercial development and infrastructure projects. "We'll put NISAR science and observations to work, making it available to inform decisions where and when they're needed, helping to ensure that as a nation, we can abundantly feed ourselves, build resilient housing and transportation systems, and better prepare and respond to natural hazards," explained Karen St. Germain, director of the Earth Science Division at NASA. While other satellites can monitor the Earth's surface and provide images and measurements, NASA JPL said NISAR has a unique radar system. The system works by sending microwave signals to Earth and then using its large 39-foot radar antenna to receive those signals when they bounce back. Researchers can then compare the signals to study how the planet's surface is changing. Since it revisits each location every 12 days, it can track those changes over time. NISAR can also penetrate clouds and light rain, and operates continuously, unlike the optical sensors on other satellites. "The L-band radar, which is provided by JPL, operates at a longer wavelength and that can see through the trees and see the bare surface of the bare Earth and even some substructure. The S-band radar, which is provided by ISRO, operates at a shorter wavelength and that sees the vegetation, foliage, surface features better," said Wendy Edelstein, the deputy project manager for NISAR at NASA JPL. "These two radars work together, complementary to achieve science that neither could see on their own." NISAR's mission is scheduled to last three years, and it marks the first time NASA and ISRO have collaborated on a project of this kind. NASA said the satellite will collect enough data to fill about 150 512-gigabyte hard drives each day, and that information will be made available free of charge to scientists and anyone else interested in studying it.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA Just Captured the Closest Images of the Sun Ever, from Inside Its Atmosphere
If you want to capture the majesty of the Sun, you should probably ask an artist, but if you want to capture its raw power, that's a job for a robot. While generations of artists have painted or photographed sunsets and poets have written sonnets to the Sun, NASA's Parker Solar Probe (PSP) just sent back the closest solar snapshots of all time. While our planet sits a cozy 93 million miles away from the fusion inferno of our star, Parker gets as close as 3.8 million miles, close enough to get inside the Sun's sweltering and chaotic atmosphere. The images put us inside the solar wind, electrically charged solar particles which race across the solar system at more than a million miles an hour. For More on the Sun Parker Solar Probe snaps closest images of the Sun ever taken SYFY's The Ark follows the crew of an interstellar spacecraft on a multi-light-year journey to the star next door. In the real world, NASA's Parker Solar Probe is doing the next best thing, having traveled 90 million miles from home to get up close and personal with the Sun. In addition to being infinitely cool, the data sent back by PSP helps scientists better understand space weather, including powerful coronal mass ejections (CMEs) which have the potential to damage spacecraft and Earth's electrical and communications systems. The probe was launched aboard a Delta IV rocket in 2018 and has been on a spiraling path, winding its way closer to the Sun ever since. It began its most recent approach in December of 2024 and completed its most recent flyby of the Sun from June 14 to June 24, 2025. It was the probe's 24th pass of the Sun and the third to reach an altitude of just 3.8 million miles. 'Parker Solar Probe has once again transported us into the dynamic atmosphere of our closest star,' said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, in a statement. 'We are witnessing where space weather threats to Earth begin, with our eyes, not just with models. This new data will help us vastly improve our space weather predictions to ensure the safety of our astronauts and the protection of our technology here on Earth and throughout the solar system.' Parker measures the environment around the Sun with an array of instruments. SWEAP, short for Solar Winds Electrons Alphas and Protons investigation, studies the characteristics of particles in the solar wind, while WISPR (Wide-Field Imager for Solar Probe) captures images in visible light. WISPR takes images of solar particles just as they're leaving the Sun and the new images showcase the interaction of multiple outflows. You can also see the place where three CMEs collide, forming a perfect storm in space, 90 million miles away. Scientists are hoping these images will help us to better understand and defend against CMEs in the future. When multiple coronal mass ejections pop off at the same time, it makes them harder to predict, can complicate their magnetic properties, and can accelerate charged particles, making them even more dangerous if they happen to come our way. 'In these images, we're seeing the CMEs basically piling up on top of one another,' said Angelos Vourlidas, the WISPR instrument scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, which designed, built, and operates the spacecraft in Laurel, Maryland. 'We're using this to figure out how the CMEs merge together, which can be important for space weather.' The future of the Parker Solar Probe is uncertain This was the 24th and final approach of Parker's planned primary mission. Its job is done, but it can't come home. As of June 22, 2025, when the probe checked in with the team at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, all systems were operational and healthy, so it can still do plenty of useful science. For now, Parker will remain in orbit and continue making observations, while the folks at NASA figure out where they want to go from here. 'Parker Solar Probe remains in excellent health, with both the spacecraft and its instruments ready to continue their groundbreaking mission,' said Arik Posner, Parker Solar Probe program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. 'The spacecraft will keep exploring the solar atmosphere as the Sun enters the declining phase of its 11-year cycle, providing a unique opportunity to study how solar activity evolves and shapes the heliosphere during this pivotal period.' While we're waiting to see what's next for NASA's PSP, check out The Ark, . Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA just took the closest-ever images of the sun, and they are incredible (video)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. NASA's Parker Solar Probe is no stranger to breaking records. On Dec. 24, 2024, Parker made history by flying closer to the sun than any spacecraft in history. The probe reached a distance of just 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) from the solar surface, entering the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona. During this flyby, it also reached a top speed of 430,000 miles per hour (690,000 kilometers per hour), breaking its own record as the fastest ever human-made object. Now, NASA has released remarkable video captured during the historic flyby, offering the closest views of the sun ever recorded. The new images were captured with Parker's Wide-Field Imager for Solar Probe, or WISPR, revealing a never-before-seen view of the sun's corona and solar winds shortly after they are released from the corona. Video not playing? Some ad blockers can disable our video player. "Parker Solar Probe has once again transported us into the dynamic atmosphere of our closest star," said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, in a statement accompanying the images. "We are witnessing where space weather threats to Earth begin, with our eyes, not just with models. This new data will help us vastly improve our space weather predictions to ensure the safety of our astronauts and the protection of our technology here on Earth and throughout the solar system." WISPR's images revealed an important boundary in the sun's atmosphere called the heliospheric current sheet, where the sun's magnetic field changes direction from north to south. It also captured, for the first time in high resolution, collisions between multiple coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are major drivers of space weather, and are important in understanding risks to astronauts and technology on Earth such as power grids and communications satellites. "In these images, we're seeing the CMEs basically piling up on top of one another," said Angelos Vourlidas, the WISPR instrument scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, which designed, built, and operates the spacecraft in Laurel, Maryland. "We're using this to figure out how the CMEs merge together." Before the Parker Solar Probe, NASA and its international partners could only study solar wind from afar, which is why the spacecraft has been instrumental in closing key knowledge gaps. It identified the widespread presence of "switchbacks" — zig-zagging magnetic field patterns — around 14.7 million miles from the sun and linked them to the origins of one of the two main types of solar wind. Closer in, at just 8 million miles, Parker discovered that the boundary of the sun's corona is far more uneven and complex than previously believed. But more remained to be discovered. "The big unknown has been: how is the solar wind generated, and how does it manage to escape the sun's immense gravitational pull?" said Nour Rawafi, the project scientist for Parker Solar Probe at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. "Understanding this continuous flow of particles, particularly the slow solar wind, is a major challenge, especially given the diversity in the properties of these streams — but with Parker Solar Probe, we're closer than ever to uncovering their origins and how they evolve." Prior to Parker Solar Probe, distant observations suggested there are actually two varieties of slow solar wind, distinguished by the orientation or variability of their magnetic fields. One type of slow solar wind, called Alfvénic, has small-scale switchbacks. The second type, called non-Alfvénic, doesn't show these variations in its magnetic field. As it spiraled closer to the sun, Parker Solar Probe confirmed there are indeed two types of solar wind. Its close-up views are also helping scientists differentiate the origins of the two types, which scientists believe are unique. The non-Alfvénic wind may come off features called helmet streamers — large loops connecting active regions where some particles can heat up enough to escape — whereas Alfvénic wind might originate near coronal holes, or dark, cool regions in the corona. "We don't have a final consensus yet, but we have a whole lot of new intriguing data," said Adam Szabo, Parker Solar Probe mission scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The Parker Solar Probe is built to endure extreme conditions — from the freezing cold of deep space to the intense heat near the sun. A key factor in its survival is the difference between temperature and heat. While space near the sun can reach temperatures of several million degrees, that doesn't necessarily mean there's a lot of heat. This is because the sun's corona is extremely thin, meaning there are fewer particles. Even though individual particles in the corona are incredibly hot, there aren't many. The probe, therefore, doesn't receive much heat. "While Parker Solar Probe will be traveling through a space with temperatures of several million degrees, the surface of [its] heat shield that faces the sun will only get heated to about 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (about 1,400 degrees Celsius)," write NASA scientists. These temperatures are, of course, still incredibly hot, which makes its heat shield, the Thermal Protection System (TPS), essential. The shield is made from a carbon composite foam sandwiched between two carbon plates. Carbon is ideal for this purpose because it is both lightweight and able to withstand extremely high temperatures without melting. "Tested to withstand up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,650 degrees Celsius), the TPS can handle any heat the sun can send its way, keeping almost all instrumentation safe," explained NASA. Its structure allows it to endure intense heat while minimizing weight, making it crucial for a spacecraft that needs to travel at extreme speeds. The outer surface of the TPS is also coated with a white ceramic paint, which helps reflect as much solar energy as possible and further reduces the amount of heat absorbed.
Engadget
13-07-2025
- Science
- Engadget
These are the closest-ever images of the sun from Parker Solar Probe's historic flyby
These are the closest-ever images of the sun from Parker Solar Probe's historic flyby NASA's Parker Solar Probe made history with the closest-ever approach to the sun last December, and we're finally getting a look at some of the images it captured. The space agency released a timelapse of observations made using Parker's Wide-Field Imager for Solar Probe (WISPR) while it passed through the sun's corona on December 25, 2024, revealing up close how solar wind acts soon after it's released. The probe captured these images at just 3.8 million miles from the solar surface. To put that into perspective, a NASA video explains, "If Earth and the sun were one foot apart, Parker Solar Probe was about half an inch from the sun." The probe got an unprecedented view of solar wind and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) during the approach, which could be invaluable for our understanding of space weather. "We are witnessing where space weather threats to Earth begin, with our eyes, not just with models," said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. After completing its December flyby, the Parker Solar Probe matched its record distance from the surface in subsequent approaches in March and June. It'll make its next pass on September 15.
USA Today
13-07-2025
- Science
- USA Today
The Parker Solar probe captures closest-ever images of the Sun. See the results.
Newly released imagery from NASA shows the Sun's corona in stunning detail after the Parker Solar probe performed its closest-ever flyby. On its closest-ever flyby to the Sun, NASA's Parker Solar probe captured newly released images of solar winds purging out from the Sun's outermost atmosphere, the Corona. Scientists are learning more about the Sun's impact throughout the solar system, including events that may have an impact on Earth. 'Parker Solar Probe has once again transported us into the dynamic atmosphere of our closest star,' said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington in a recent release. 'We are witnessing where space weather threats to Earth begin, with our eyes, not just with models. This new data will help us vastly improve our space weather predictions to ensure the safety of our astronauts and the protection of our technology here on Earth and throughout the solar system.' Sun's solar wind captured in detail For the first time, the probe recorded in high resolution the collision of numerous coronal mass ejections (or CMEs) which are massive explosions of charged particles that play a major role in space weather. 'In these images, we're seeing the CMEs basically piling up on top of one another,' said Angelos Vourlidas, the WISPR instrument scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, which designed, built, and operates the spacecraft in Laurel, Maryland. 'We're using this to figure out how the CMEs merge together, which can be important for space weather.' Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. The Parker Solar Probe discovered that while the solar wind is a steady breeze near Earth, it is anything but at the Sun. The spacecraft experienced switchbacks, or zigzag magnetic fields, when it got within 14.7 million miles of the Sun. Scientists found that these switchbacks, which occurred in clusters, were more frequent than anticipated using data from the Parker Solar Probe. How close was the probe to the sun? On December 24, 2024, the Parker Solar Probe began its closest approach to the Sun, traveling only 3.8 million miles from the solar surface. Putting that into perspective, if the Earth and Sun were only 1 foot apart, the Parker probe would be about a 1/2 inch from the Sun's surface, according to NASA. In the spacecraft's closest orbit to the Sun, it used a variety of scientific instruments, including the Wide-Field Imager for Solar Probe (or WISPR) to gather data as it passed through the Sun's outer atmosphere, or corona. The solar wind, a continuous flow of electrically charged particles from the Sun that rages throughout the solar system and the corona are both visible in the new WISPR photos. Knowing the origins of the solar wind near the Sun is the first step towards comprehending its effects, according to NASA. More: James Webb Space Telescope marks 3rd anniversary: What to know about observatory More: NASA astronaut captures rare phenomenon from 250 miles above Earth: See photo of 'sprite' How the Sun's solar winds impact Earth's atmosphere The Earth's magnetic field is our invisible protector. The field creates a barrier that shields us from the powerful solar winds. The magnetic field can occasionally become disrupted by stronger solar winds. According to NASA, in some cases, it can also trigger space weather events that interfere with everything from land-based power networks to ship communications on our oceans to our satellites in orbit. Stunning auroras are also created when the particle stream interacts with gases in the planet's magnetic field. Parker Solar Probe is expected to continue gathering more data in its present orbit as it makes future passes through the corona to assist scientists to discover the origins of the sluggish solar wind. The next pass is scheduled for September 15, 2025. SOURCE NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Johns Hopkins APL, Naval Research Laboratory and USA TODAY research
