In a milestone for Iran’s private space sector, satellites “Kowsar” and “Hodhod” were successfully launched into orbit aboard a Russian Soyuz launcher, marking the country’s initial private effort in satellite production and space deployment.
Iranian satellites Kowsar and Hodhod were sent into space as part of a payload carried by the Russian Soyuz launcher, which delivered 53 satellites to orbit.
This launch represents a significant advancement for Iran, highlighting the first satellite manufacturing and launching attempt from its private space sector.
The Kowsar satellite, weighing 30 kilograms, is a high-resolution sensing satellite designed for applications in agriculture, natural resource management, environmental monitoring, and disaster response.
With a resolution capability of 3.45 meters, Kowsar surpasses Iran’s goal of producing satellites with 10-meter ground sample distance (GSD) cameras by 2025.
Kowsar has a lifespan of 3.5 years in orbit, positioned at an altitude of 500 kilometers, and is capable of capturing six frames per second over a 15-kilometer range.
Its imaging is achieved using an RGB camera with 3.45-meter resolution and an NIR camera with 5.5-meter resolution, supported by a maximum platform weight of 35 kilograms.
The satellite’s orbital period is 5,677 seconds, with pointing and stability accuracies of 1 degree and 0.05 degrees per second, respectively.
Power is sustained by its 44 watt-hour production capacity, and it consumes 29 watt-hours to operate its payloads.
Meanwhile, Hodhod serves as a small communications satellite intended to create satellite-based communication networks and enhance Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity.
Targeted at regions with limited terrestrial communication access, Hodhod offers communication solutions in remote and inaccessible areas.
Built to the CubeSat standard, the satellite operates in a 500-kilometer orbit and supports precision agriculture, transportation, logistics, and environmental monitoring. Its primary mission focuses on expanding IoT capabilities.
Tasnim News Agency
Tasnim News Agency, which claims to be a private news agency in Iran but is reported be close to the IRGC, was launched in 2012. Its purpose is to cover a variety of political, social, economic and international subjects along with other fields.
The first 3D view of the formation and evolution of globular clusters
Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica
A study published today in Astronomy & Astrophysics marks a significant milestone in our understanding of the formation and dynamical evolution of multiple stellar populations in globular clusters (spherical and very compact stellar agglomerates typically populated by 1–2 million stars). This pioneering study, conducted by a group of researchers from the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), the University of Bologna, and Indiana University, is the first to perform a 3D kinematic analysis of multiple stellar populations for a representative sample of 16 globular clusters in our Galaxy. It provides a groundbreaking observational description of their kinematic properties (i.e., how stars move within globular clusters) and their long-term evolution from the formation to the present day.
Emanuele Dalessandro, researcher at INAF in Bologna, lead author of the article and coordinator of the working group, explains: "Understanding the physical processes behind the formation and early evolution of globular clusters is one of the most fascinating and debated astrophysical questions of the past 20–25 years. The results of our study provide the first solid evidence that globular clusters formed through multiple star formation events and place fundamental constraints on the dynamical path followed by the clusters throughout their evolution. These results were made possible by a multi-diagnostic approach and the combination of state-of-the-art observations and dynamic simulations."
The study highlights that the kinematic differences between multiple populations are key to understanding the formation and evolution mechanisms of these ancient structures.
With ages that can reach 12-13 billion years (thus dating back to the dawn of the cosmos), globular clusters are among the first systems to form in the Universe. They represent a typical population of all galaxies. They are compact systems (with masses of several hundred thousand solar masses and sizes of a few parsecs), and they can be observed even in distant galaxies.
"Their astrophysical significance is huge," says Dalessandro, "because they not only help us to test cosmological models of the formation of the Universe due to their age but also provide natural laboratories for studying the formation, evolution, and chemical enrichment of galaxies." Despite globular clusters have been studied for over a century, recent observational results show that our knowledge is still largely incomplete.
"Results obtained in the last two decades have unexpectedly shown that globular clusters consist of more than one stellar population: a primordial one, with chemical properties similar to other stars in the Galaxy, and another with anomalous chemical abundances of light elements such as helium, oxygen, sodium, and nitrogen," says Mario Cadelano, researcher at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Bologna and INAF associate, one of the authors of the study. "Despite the large number of observations and theoretical models aimed at characterising these populations, the mechanisms regulating their formation are still not understood."
The study is based on the measurement of 3D velocities, i.e., the combination of proper motions and radial velocities, obtained with the ESA Gaia telescope and with data from, among others, the ESO VLT telescope, primarily as part of the MIKiS survey (Multi Instrument Kinematic Survey), a spectroscopic survey specifically aimed at exploring the internal kinematics of globular clusters. The use of these telescopes, from space and the ground, has provided an unprecedented 3D view of the velocity distribution of stars in the selected globular clusters.
The analysis reveals that stars with different abundances of light elements are characterised by different kinematic properties, such as rotational velocities and orbital distributions.
"In this work, we analysed in detail the motion of thousands of stars within each cluster," adds Alessandro Della Croce, a PhD student at INAF in Bologna. "It quickly became clear that stars belonging to different populations have distinct kinematic properties: stars with anomalous chemical composition tend to rotate faster than the others within the cluster and progressively spread from the central regions to the outer ones."
The intensity of these kinematic differences depends on the dynamical age of globular clusters. "These results are consistent with the long-term dynamical evolution of stellar systems, in which stars with anomalous chemical abundances form more centrally concentrated and rotate more rapidly than the standard ones. This, in turn, suggests that globular clusters formed through multiple star formation episodes and provides an important piece of information in defining the physical processes and timescales underlying the formation and evolution of massive stellar clusters," Dalessandro emphasises.
This new 3D view of the motion of stars within globular clusters provides an unprecedented and fascinating framework for the formation and dynamical evolution of these intriguing systems. It also helps to clarify some of the most complex mysteries surrounding the origin of these ancient structures.
Related journal article: “A 3D view of multiple populations kinematics in Galactic globular clusters”, by E. Dalessandro, M. Cadelano, A. Della Croce, F. I. Aros, E. B. White, E. Vesperini, C. Fanelli, F. R. Ferraro, B. Lanzoni, S. Leanza, L. Origlia. In: Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Contacts:
INAF Press Office - Marco Galliani, +39 335 1778428, ufficiostampa@inaf.it
Article Title
A 3D view of multiple populations kinematics in Galactic globular clusters
Article Publication Date
5-Nov-2024
By AFP
November 5, 2024
LignoSat, a satellite made from wood and developed by scientists at Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, shown during a press conference in May, 2024 - Copyright JIJI PRESS/AFP/File STR
The world’s first wooden satellite has blasted off on a SpaceX rocket, its Japanese developers said Tuesday, part of a resupply mission to the International Space Station.
Scientists at Kyoto University expect the wooden material to burn up when the device re-enters the atmosphere — potentially providing a way to avoid generating metal particles when a retired satellite returns to Earth.
These particles may negatively impact both the environment and telecommunications, the developers say.
Each side of the box-like experimental satellite, named LignoSat, measures just 10 centimetres (four inches).
It was launched on an unmanned rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Kyoto University’s Human Spaceology Center said.
The satellite, installed in a special container prepared by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, “flew into space safely”, it said in a post on X.
A spokeswoman for LignoSat’s co-developer Sumitomo Forestry told AFP the launch had been “successful”.
It “will arrive at the ISS soon, and will be released to outer space about a month later” to test its strength and durability, she said.
Data will be sent from the satellite to researchers who can check for signs of strain and determine if the satellite can withstand extreme changes in temperature.
“Satellites that are not made of metal should become mainstream,” Takao Doi, an astronaut and special professor at Kyoto University, said at a press conference earlier this year.
Dance of electrons measured in the glow from exploding neutron-stars
University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science
Black holes:
The temperature of elementary particles has been observed in the radioactive glow following the collision of two neutron stars and the birth of a black hole. This has, for the first time, made it possible to measure the microscopic, physical properties in these cosmic events. Simultaneously, it reveals how snapshot observations made in an instant represents an object stretched out across time. The discovery was made by astrophysicists from the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen and is published in the international scientific journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
New method of observation shows the creation of heavy elements
The collision of two neutron stars has created the smallest black hole yet observed. The dramatic, cosmic collision resulted in, apart from the birth of a black hole, a ball of fire, expanding with nearly the speed of light. In the following days it shone with a luminosity comparable to hundreds of millions of Suns.
This luminous object, aka a kilonova, shines this bright because of the emission of large amounts of radiation from the decay of the heavy, radioactive elements created in the explosion.
By combining the measurements of the kilonova light, made with telescopes across the Globe, an international team of researchers, led by The Cosmic DAWN Center at the Niels Bohr Institute, have closed in on the enigmatic nature of the explosion and come closer to the answer of an old, astrophysical question: Where do the elements, heavier than iron, come from?
Observatories all over the Globe took part in the observations
“This astrophysical explosion develops dramatically hour by hour, so no single telescope can follow its entire story. The viewing angle of the individual telescopes to the event are blocked by the rotation of the Earth.
But by combining the existing measurements from Australia, South Africa and The Hubble Space Telescope we can follow its development in great detail.
We show that the whole shows more than the sum of the individual sets of data” says Albert Sneppen, PhD student at the Niels Bohr Institute and leader of the new study.
The explosion resembles The Universe shortly after the Big Bang
Just after the collision the fragmented star-matter has a temperature of many billion degrees. A thousand times hotter than even the center of the Sun and comparable to the temperature of the Universe just one second after the Big Bang.
Temperatures this extreme results in electrons not being attached to atomic nuclei, but instead floating around in a so-called ionized plasma.
The electrons “dance” around. But in the ensuing moments, minutes, hours and days, the star-matter cools, just like the entire Universe after the Big Bang.
The fingerprint of Strontium is evidence of the creation of heavy elements
370,000 years after the Big Bang the Universe had cooled sufficiently for the electrons to attach to atomic nuclei and make the first atoms. Light could now travel freely in the Universe because it was no longer blocked by the free electrons.
This means that the earliest light we can see in the history of the Universe is this so-called “cosmic background radiation” – a patchwork of light, constituting the remote background of the night sky. A similar process of the unification of electrons with atomic nuclei can now be observed in the star-matter of the explosion.
One of the concrete results is the observation of heavy elements like Strontium and Yttrium. They are easy to detect, but it is likely that many other heavy elements which we were unsure of the origin of, were also created in the explosion.
“We can now see the moment where atomic nuclei and electrons are uniting in the afterglow. For the first time we see the creation of atoms, we can measure the temperature of the matter and see the micro physics in this remote explosion. It is like admiring three cosmic background radiation surrounding us from all sides, but here, we get to see everything from the outside. We see before, during and after the moment of birth of the atoms”, says Rasmus Damgaard, PhD student at Cosmic DAWN Center and co-author of the study.
Kasper Heintz, co-author and assistant professor at the Niels Bohr Institute continues: “The matter expands so fast and gains in size so raidly, to the extent where it takes hours for the light to travel across the explosion. This is why, just by observing the remote end of the fire ball, we can see further back in the history of the explosion.
Closer to us the electrons have hooked on to atomic nuclei, but on the other side, on the far side of the newborn black hole, the “present” is still just future.
Journal
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Method of Research
Observational study
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Title
Rapid kilonova evolution: Recombination and reverberation effects
Space: A new frontier for exploring stem cell therapy
Stem cells grown in microgravity aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have unique qualities that could one day help accelerate new biotherapies and heal complex disease, two Mayo Clinic researchers say. The research analysis by Fay Abdul Ghani and Abba Zubair, M.D., Ph.D., published in NPJ Microgravity, finds microgravity can strengthen the regenerative potential of cells. Dr. Zubair is a laboratory medicine expert and medical director for the Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics at Mayo Clinic in Florida. Abdul Ghani is a Mayo Clinic research technologist. Microgravity is weightlessness or near-zero gravity.
"Studying stem cells in space has uncovered cell mechanisms that would otherwise be undetected or unknown within the presence of normal gravity," says Dr. Zubair. "That discovery indicates a broader scientific value to this research, including potential clinical applications."
Dr. Zubair has launched stem cell experiments from his lab on three different missions to the ISS. His review paper provides data on the scientific question, "Is space the ideal environment for growing large numbers of stem cells?" Another key concern is whether cells grown in space could maintain their strength and function after splashdown on Earth.
"The goal of almost all space flight in which stem cells are studied is to enhance growth of large amounts of safe and high-quality clinical-grade stem cells with minimal cell differentiation," says Dr. Zubair. "Our hope is to study these space-grown cells to improve treatment for age-related conditions such as stroke, dementia, neurodegenerative diseases and cancer."
The challenges of growing stem cells on Earth
Adult stem cells found in bone marrow and adipose (fat) tissue do not divide and differentiate into specialized cells. As a result, the number of adult stem cells in any one patient is limited. To obtain enough stem cells for clinical research or patient use, cells must be multiplied and expanded. It's an expensive, time-consuming process with inconsistent results.
Through research on the International Space Station, scientists gained new understanding of how cells multiply, function and morph into specialized cells. Importantly, they've also discovered microgravity fosters better cell growth and function compared to those cultured in an Earth lab setting.
"The space environment offers an advantage to the growth of stem cells by providing a more natural three-dimensional state for their expansion, which closely resembles growth of cells in the human body. That's in comparison to the two-dimensional culture environment available on Earth that is less likely to imitate human tissue," says Dr. Zubair.
Discoveries from stem cells grown in space
The immediate value of the interstellar stem cell research may be in growing tissue for disease modeling. Space-cultured stem cells could be used to recreate lifelike models of cancer and other diseases in a petri dish. Researchers can then use these models to track disease progression and test new therapies to stop it.
A comprehensive review of papers from the Mayo Clinic and other academic health centers shows space research has applications well beyond the lab. Several stem cell lines grown in weightlessness have shown clinical potential:
- Mesenchymal stem cells are adult stem cells that secrete growth factors with potential for healing. Dr. Zubair's team has documented that mesenchymal stem cells expanded in microgravity have greater immunosuppressant capabilities than those grown on Earth.
- Hematopoietic stem cells have blood regenerative abilities to fight infection, stop bleeding and carry oxygen. Hematopoietic stem cells grown aboard the ISS have shown ability to expand and differentiate into red or white blood cells that could one day be used to manage patients with blood cancers.
- Cardiovascular progenitor cells provide the building blocks for blood vessels and heart muscle. They play a crucial role in repairing muscle. Growing cardiovascular progenitor cells in space could someday provide new options for repairing tissue damaged by heart attack.
- Neural stem cells are found in the central nervous system and play a key role in brain development, maintenance and repair. Neural cells expanded in a gravity-free environment and maintained their regenerative capabilities on Earth. Researchers are studying whether neural cells grown in space could offer replacement therapy for diseases of the central nervous system.
Hurdles to healing
Despite the promise of extraterrestrial stem cell research, researchers are faced with many challenges. Cells could lose their strength and ability to function after long-term exposure to microgravity. Over time, space radiation could damage DNA and affect the growth of cells. Another concern is whether cells grown in microgravity could turn cancerous. Dr. Zubair's team, however, found no evidence of chromosomal damage that could trigger cancer in mesenchymal stem cells cultured in space.
Stem cell research in the cosmos is in its early stages, and the full effects of multiplying cells in weightlessness are not fully understood. More scientific data, research and funding are needed to help researchers fully comprehend the clinical potential of space-expanded cells.
"The space research conducted so far is just a starting point. A broader perspective about stem cell applications is possible as research continues to explore the use of space to advance regenerative medicine," writes Dr. Zubair.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Mayo Clinic's Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics provided funding for this research. Revi
Journal
Nature
Article Title
Discoveries from human stem cell research in space that are relevant to advancing cellular therapies on Earth
Three million euros to SISSA for precision astronomy
The School is among the partners of the international consortium GWSky, awarded with 12 million euros by the European Research Council to investigate gravitational waves.
Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati
Existing and future gravitational-wave detectors will observe signals so precisely that they will be able to detect possible deviations from Einstein’s theory of relativity and the standard model of particle physics. To fully exploit this unique instrumental capability, fundamental advances are needed in the theoretical description of black holes, the gravitational waves they emit, their cosmic environment and physics beyond the standard model. Providing the necessary theoretical framework is the aim of the project GWSky, awarded with 12 million euros over the next six years by the European Research Council (ERC). The ERC Synergy grant involves four nodes, SISSA (Trieste), the Niels Bohr Institute (Copenhagen), the University of California (Los Angeles), and the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Potsdam).
The aim of the project, called “Making Sense of the Unexpected in the Gravitational-Wave Sky“ (GWSky), is to use gravitational-wave measurements by existing and future observatories on Earth and in space as precision laboratories for fundamental physics, cosmology and astrophysics. This includes the current detectors of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration as well as the future ground-based observatories Cosmic Explorer and Einstein Telescope, and the space-based LISA detector.
"GWSky aims to develop innovative tools to interpret gravitational wave signals with great precision. The aim is to identify and understand possible anomalies in the signals, which could reveal new physical phenomena not predicted by Einstein's theory of General Relativity. These anomalies could result from unknown gravitational effects, the presence of the astrophysical environment, or inaccuracies in our solutions to the Einstein equations. The project will exploit the full potential of precision gravitational wave data to gain insight on astrophysical and cosmological phenomena," says Enrico Barausse (SISSA), one of the four PI’s of the project alongside Zvi Bern (University of California Los Angeles), Alessandra Buonanno (Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics) and Maarten Van de Meent (Niels Bohr Institute).
This is the first ERC Synergy Grant awarded to SISSA, which up to now has been managing 31 ERC projects, including the Consolidator grant awarded to Barausse in 2019 and ending in March 2025. Thanks to GWSky, the physicist will be able to investigate the effect of the astrophysical environment on gravitational waves, as well as explore and test alternatives to Einstein’s general relativity. The SISSA node will pursue these goals and explore their implications for the statistical analysis of gravitational wave data, both with classical techniques and machine learning.
“The upcoming flood of highly accurate gravitational wave data from both updates to current facilities and future detectors has the potential to revolutionize physics and astrophysics, but only if we have the right theoretical and statistical tools. GWsky will provide these tools and allow for decades of precision gravitational wave astronomy”, concludes Barausse.
ERC Synergy Grants
The European Research Council awards Synergy Grants for scientifically excellent research projects through a complex and competitive selection process. Grants are awarded for a period of six years and are generally worth up to 10 million euros. Additional funding can be requested for large-scale equipment relevant to the project. Funding is available for projects involving two to four Principal Investigators (PIs). In the current selection round, the ERC is funding 57 projects out of 548 evaluated research proposals from all scientific disciplines. This corresponds to a success rate of 10.4 percent.
The GWSky project will receive a total of 11.98 million euros, of which 2.8 million euros will go to SISSA.
Besides Enrico Barausse, the other PIs of this ERC Synergy Grant are:
Zvi Bern from the University of California, Los Angeles, USA
Alessandra Buonanno, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute), Potsdam, DE
Maarten van de Meent from the Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark
Oh buoy! Curtin and NASA unlock ocean secrets from space
Curtin University
Curtin University has joined forces with NASA, University of Miami, San José State University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology on a new-generation satellite mission to study the colour of the ocean from space, providing vital information about ocean health and its role in climate regulation.
Researchers recently deployed a 15-metre-tall buoy off the coast of Perth, Western Australia, as part of a new project to ensure the data quality for NASA’s newly launched PACE (Plankton, Aerosols, Clouds, Ocean Ecosystems) satellite mission.
Professor David Antoine, head of Curtin’s Remote Sensing and Satellite Research Group (RSSRG) in the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said the new optical system, known as MarONet (Marine Optical Network), deployed near WA’s Rottnest Island will play a critical role in verifying - or ‘ground-truthing’ - PACE’s satellite observations.
“We typically think of the ocean’s colour as blue, but in many places, it looks blue-green because those areas are teeming with single-celled plants called phytoplankton, which contain chlorophyll and absorb the blue light,” Professor Antoine said.
“Phytoplankton are tiny plants that, in addition to being a vital food source for all marine life, collectively produce more than half of the world’s oxygen and absorb almost as much carbon dioxide as all the trees and land plants on Earth.
“By measuring the colour of the ocean with both satellites and sea-based sensors, we can study the enormous impact phytoplankton have on our climate and the potential of this tiny plant to help combat climate change.
“Sensors on the buoy capture and analyse colours within sunlight reflected from the ocean to measure algae levels. This data is sent to shore via the mobile network, where it then helps fine-tune the satellite sensors for more accurate ocean monitoring.”
Project lead engineer Andrew Gray, also from Curtin’s RSSRG, said the collaboration with NASA will help ensure the accuracy of data collected by its PACE satellite.
“MarONet will improve the accuracy of remote sensing data collected by NASA by comparing it with physical measurements taken at ground level,” Mr Gray said.
“The unique oceanic conditions and clear atmosphere at the MarONet buoy site near Rottnest make it ideal for accurate calibration.
“Curtin is proud to be a part of this important global initiative and looks forward to advancing our understanding of Earth’s oceans and climate.”
University of Miami Principal Investigator Professor Art Gleason said the MarONet buoy deployed off Perth complements NASA’s existing sea-based (MOBY) systems.
“There are sea-based sensors off Hawaii that have been operating for more than 20 years, allowing close co-ordination with the new buoy off Rottnest,” Professor Gleason said.
Curtin University has joined forces with NASA, University of Miami, San José State University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology on a new-generation satellite mission to study the colour of the ocean from space, providing vital information about ocean health and its role in climate regulation.
Researchers recently deployed a 15-metre-tall buoy off the coast of Perth, Western Australia, as part of a new project to ensure the data quality for NASA’s newly launched PACE (Plankton, Aerosols, Clouds, Ocean Ecosystems) satellite mission.
Professor David Antoine, head of Curtin’s Remote Sensing and Satellite Research Group (RSSRG) in the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said the new optical system, known as MarONet (Marine Optical Network), deployed near WA’s Rottnest Island will play a critical role in verifying - or ‘ground-truthing’ - PACE’s satellite observations.
“We typically think of the ocean’s colour as blue, but in many places, it looks blue-green because those areas are teeming with single-celled plants called phytoplankton, which contain chlorophyll and absorb the blue light,” Professor Antoine said.
“Phytoplankton are tiny plants that, in addition to being a vital food source for all marine life, collectively produce more than half of the world’s oxygen and absorb almost as much carbon dioxide as all the trees and land plants on Earth.
“By measuring the colour of the ocean with both satellites and sea-based sensors, we can study the enormous impact phytoplankton have on our climate and the potential of this tiny plant to help combat climate change.
“Sensors on the buoy capture and analyse colours within sunlight reflected from the ocean to measure algae levels. This data is sent to shore via the mobile network, where it then helps fine-tune the satellite sensors for more accurate ocean monitoring.”
Project lead engineer Andrew Gray, also from Curtin’s RSSRG, said the collaboration with NASA will help ensure the accuracy of data collected by its PACE satellite.
“MarONet will improve the accuracy of remote sensing data collected by NASA by comparing it with physical measurements taken at ground level,” Mr Gray said.
“The unique oceanic conditions and clear atmosphere at the MarONet buoy site near Rottnest make it ideal for accurate calibration.
“Curtin is proud to be a part of this important global initiative and looks forward to advancing our understanding of Earth’s oceans and climate.”
University of Miami Principal Investigator Professor Art Gleason said the MarONet buoy deployed off Perth complements NASA’s existing sea-based (MOBY) systems.
“There are sea-based sensors off Hawaii that have been operating for more than 20 years, allowing close co-ordination with the new buoy off Rottnest,” Professor Gleason said.
Method of Research
Data/statistical analysis
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