Astronauts return to Earth following seven-month science expedition on International Space Station
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts supported a variety of ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations including in-space manufacturing, cancer treatments, and genetic research
International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory
image:
SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts (top to bottom) NASA's Jeanette Epps, Mike Barratt & Matthew Dominick, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin onboard the ISS.
view moreCredit: NASA
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), October 25, 2024–After seven months of living and working onboard the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station), astronauts of NASA’s eighth rotational SpaceX crew mission (Crew-8) splashed down safely off the coast of Florida. The mission, which is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, included NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. During their mission on station, the three NASA astronauts supported dozens of research investigations sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory®.
These investigations spanned many areas, including in-space production applications(Abbreviation: InSPA) InSPA is an applied research and development program sponsored by NASA and the ISS National Lab aimed at demonstrating space-based manufacturing and production activities by using the unique space environment to develop, test, or mature products and processes that could have an economic impact., life and physical sciences, and technology development, all aimed at bringing value to humanity and enabling a robust market in low Earth orbit(Abbreviation: LEO) The orbit around the Earth that extends up to an altitude of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Earth’s surface. The International Space Station’s orbit is in LEO, at an altitude of approximately 250 miles. (LEO).
Below highlights a few of the ISS National Lab-sponsored projects the Crew-8 NASA astronauts worked on during their mission.
- Several investigations focused on in-space production applications, an increasingly important area of emphasis for the ISS National Lab and NASA.
- A project from Cedars Sinai Medical Center aims to establish methods to support the in-space manufacturing of stem cells, which can be matured into a wide variety of tissues. These methods will be used for future large-scale in-space biomanufacturing of stem cell-derived products, which could lead to new treatments for heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and many other conditions.
- Redwire Corporation partnered with Eli Lilly and Company and Butler University on a series of investigations leveraging Redwire’s Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory (PIL-BOX), a platform to crystallize organic molecules in microgravityThe condition of perceived weightlessness created when an object is in free fall, for example when an object is in orbital motion. Microgravity alters many observable phenomena within the physical and life sciences, allowing scientists to study things in ways not possible on Earth. The International Space Station provides access to a persistent microgravity environment.. Results from this research could lead to improved therapeutics to treat an array of conditions. These projects continue Eli Lilly’s space journey, as the company has launched multiple investigations to the orbiting laboratory over the years for the benefit of patient care on Earth.
- The astronauts supported the third experiment in a series of projects from the University of Notre Dame to improve ultra-sensitive biosensors. The biosensors can detect trace substances in liquids, including early cancer biomarkers. By using laser heating to control bubble formation in microgravity, the team improved particle collection—a key step in boosting sensor sensitivity. This research, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, could transform early and asymptomatic cancer detection and other medical diagnostics.
- The crew conducted phase two of a technology development project from Sphere Entertainment to test Big Sky—the company’s new ultra-high-resolution, single-sensor camera—on the space station. In the first phase of the project, which launched in November 2022, astronauts tested a commercial off-the-shelf camera on the ISS to collect baseline information. During the second phase, the astronauts tested Big Sky to validate the camera’s function, operations, and video downlink capabilities in microgravity. Big Sky is being developed by Sphere Entertainment to capture content for Sphere, the next-generation entertainment medium in Las Vegas.
- In the final days before their departure from the space station, the Crew-8 astronauts supported projects that recently launched on NASA’s ninth rotational crew mission (Crew-9).
- One is a student-led project from Isabel Jiang, a recent high school graduate from Hillsborough, CA, who is now in her first year at Yale. Jiang is the winner of the 2023 Genes in Space student research competition, founded by Boeing and miniPCR bio and supported by the ISS National Lab and New England Biolabs. Jiang’s experiment investigates the effect of radiation and the space environment on mechanisms for gene editing. Results could help develop methods to better protect astronauts and shed light on genetic risks for certain diseases during spaceflight.
- Another is an investigation from the U.S. Air Force Academy and Rhodium Scientific to compare the root growth of Arabidopsis plants, a member of the mustard family, at two different orbital altitudes. Plants grown on the space station in LEO for four to six days will be compared with similar plants grown on the recent Polaris Dawn mission, which flew in the same type of vehicle at a higher orbit for approximately the same amount of time. Results could provide insights into the production of crops for long-duration space missions and in high-radiation environments.
These are just a few of the ISS National Lab-sponsored research projects conducted on the space station during this expedition. To learn more about these investigations and others, visit our launch page.
Download a high-resolution image for this release: SpaceX Crew-8
ISS astronauts hospitalized after SpaceX
splashdown
A crew of US and Russian astronauts were treated after landing off the coast of Florida on Friday. The four were onboard the ISS for over seven months, with Hurricane Milton delaying their return.
Three NASA astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) Friday after seven months in orbit.
The four, Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin had been scheduled to return two weeks ago but those plans had to be delayed due to weather disturbances caused by Hurricane Milton.
NASA said the crew had received medical exams upon exiting the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that flew them home, but added that the four, "were taken to a local medical facility for additional evaluation" after splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Florida.
NASA said the step had been taken "out of an abundance of caution," and that "all crew members were flown to the facility together."
No mention was made of why exactly the extra exams were necessary.
The crew had spent the previous seven months conducting hundreds of scientific experiments aboard the ISS, including some conducted with stem cells and plants as well as others concerned with the health of astronauts in space.
Two other stuck-in-space astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, whose own mission went from eight days to eight months, will remain on the ISS until February next year.
js/lo (dpa, Reuters)
Scientists discover molecules that store much of the carbon in space
The discovery of pyrene derivatives in a distant interstellar cloud may help to reveal how our own solar system formed.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
A team led by researchers at MIT has discovered that a distant interstellar cloud contains an abundance of pyrene, a type of large, carbon-containing molecule known as a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH).
The discovery of pyrene in this far-off cloud, which is similar to the collection of dust and gas that eventually became our own solar system, suggests that pyrene may have been the source of much of the carbon in our solar system. That hypothesis is also supported by a recent finding that samples returned from the near-Earth asteroid Ryugu contain large quantities of pyrene.
“One of the big questions in star and planet formation is: How much of the chemical inventory from that early molecular cloud is inherited and forms the base components of the solar system? What we’re looking at is the start and the end, and they’re showing the same thing. That’s pretty strong evidence that this material from the early molecular cloud finds its way into the ice, dust, and rocky bodies that make up our solar system,” says Brett McGuire, an assistant professor of chemistry at MIT.
Due to its symmetry, pyrene itself is invisible to the radio astronomy techniques that have been used to detect about 95 percent of molecules in space. Instead, the researchers detected an isomer of cyanopyrene, a version of pyrene that has reacted with cyanide to break its symmetry. The molecule was detected in a distant cloud known as TMC-1, using the 100-meter Green Bank Telescope (GBT), a radio telescope at the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia.
McGuire and Ilsa Cooke, an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of British Colombia, are the senior authors of a paper describing the findings, which will appear in Science. Gabi Wenzel, an MIT postdoc in McGuire’s group, is the lead author of the study.
Carbon in space
PAHs, which contain rings of carbon atoms fused together, are believed to store 10 to 25 percent of the carbon that exists in space. More than 40 years ago, scientists using infrared telescopes began detecting features that are thought to belong to vibrational modes of PAHs in space, but this technique couldn’t reveal exactly which types of PAHs were out there.
“Since the PAH hypothesis was developed in the 1980s, many people have accepted that PAHs are in space, and they have been found in meteorites, comets, and asteroid samples, but we can’t really use infrared spectroscopy to unambiguously identify individual PAHs in space,” Wenzel says.
In 2018, a team led by McGuire reported the discovery of benzonitrile — a six-carbon ring attached to a nitrile (carbon-nitrogen) group — in TMC-1. To make this discovery, they used the GBT, which can detect molecules in space by their rotational spectra — distinctive patterns of light that molecules give off as they tumble through space. In 2021, his team detected the first individual PAHs in space: two isomers of cyanonaphthalene, which consists of two rings fused together, with a nitrile group attached to one ring.
On Earth, PAHs commonly occur as byproducts of burning fossil fuels, and they’re also found in char marks on grilled food. Their discovery in TMC-1, which is only about 10 kelvins, suggested that it may also be possible for them to form at very low temperatures.
The fact that PAHs have also been found in meteorites, asteroids, and comets has led many scientists to hypothesize that PAHs are the source of much of the carbon that formed our own solar system. In 2023, researchers in Japan found large quantities of pyrene in samples returned from the asteroid Ryugu during the Hayabusa2 mission, along with smaller PAHs including naphthalene.
That discovery motivated McGuire and his colleagues to look for pyrene in TMC-1. Pyrene, which contains four rings, is larger than any of the other PAHs that have been detected in space. In fact, it’s the third-largest molecule identified in space, and the largest ever detected using radio astronomy.
Before looking for these molecules in space, the researchers first had to synthesize cyanopyrene in the laboratory. The cyano or nitrile group is necessary for the molecule to emit a signal that a radio telescope can detect. The synthesis was performed by MIT postdoc Shuo Zhang in the group of Alison Wendlandt, an MIT associate professor of chemistry.
Then, the researchers analyzed the signals that the molecules emit in the laboratory, which are exactly the same as the signals that they emit in space.
Using the GBT, the researchers found these signatures throughout TMC-1. They also found that cyanopyrene accounts for about 0.1 percent of all the carbon found in the cloud, which sounds small but is significant when one considers the thousands of different types of carbon-containing molecules that exist in space, McGuire says.
“While 0.1 percent doesn’t sound like a large number, most carbon is trapped in carbon monoxide (CO), the second-most abundant molecule in the universe besides molecular hydrogen. If we set CO aside, one in every few hundred or so remaining carbon atoms is in pyrene. Imagine the thousands of different molecules that are out there, nearly all of them with many different carbon atoms in them, and one in a few hundred is in pyrene,” he says. “That is an absolutely massive abundance. An almost unbelievable sink of carbon. It’s an interstellar island of stability.”
Ewine van Dishoeck, a professor of molecular astrophysics at Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands, called the discovery “unexpected and exciting.”
“It builds on their earlier discoveries of smaller aromatic molecules, but to make the jump now to the pyrene family is huge. Not only does it demonstrate that a significant fraction of carbon is locked up in these molecules, but it also points to different formation routes of aromatics than have been considered so far,” says van Dishoeck, who was not involved in the research.
An abundance of pyrene
Interstellar clouds like TMC-1 may eventually give rise to stars, as clumps of dust and gas coalesce into larger bodies and begin to heat up. Planets, asteroids, and comets arise from some of the gas and dust that surround young stars. Scientists can’t look back in time at the interstellar cloud that gave rise to our own solar system, but the discovery of pyrene in TMC-1, along with the presence of large amounts of pyrene in the asteroid Ryugu, suggests that pyrene may have been the source of much of the carbon in our own solar system.
“We now have, I would venture to say, the strongest evidence ever of this direct molecular inheritance from the cold cloud all the way through to the actual rocks in the solar system,” McGuire says.
The researchers now plan to look for even larger PAH molecules in TMC-1. They also hope to investigate the question of whether the pyrene found in TMC-1 was formed within the cold cloud or whether it arrived from elsewhere in the universe, possibly from the high-energy combustion processes that surround dying stars.
The research was funded in part by a Beckman Foundation Young Investigator Award, the Schmidt Family Futures Foundation, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Goddard Center for Astrobiology, and the NASA Planetary Science Division Internal Scientist Funding Program.
###
Written by Anne Trafton, MIT News
Journal
Science
Article Title
Detection of interstellar 1-cyanopyrene: a four-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
Article Publication Date
24-Oct-2024
Progress of radiation belt exploration by a constellation of small satellites TGCSS/SGRB, COSPAR
Following the COSPAR Scientific Roadmap on Small Satellites for Space Science, SGRB of TGCSS proposed the CORBES mission to address the Earth’s radiation belt scientific survey program and has been propelling this mission over the past two years.
The CORBES mission aims to conduct an ultra-fast survey of the Earth’s radiation belt using a constellation of multi-Small/CubeSats. The orbit of CORBES is designed to closely align with the equatorial plane, with an apogee altitude of approximately 7 Earth radii, similar to that of Geostationary Transfer Orbits (GTO). By utilizing this multi-satellite constellation, the mission aims to differentiate between temporal and spatial variations in the radiation belts, thus significantly advancing our understanding of Earth’s radiation belt dynamics. Each Small/CubeSat is expected to have a minimum operational lifetime of one year to manage costs effectively.
The CORBES mission aims to elucidate the physical mechanisms governing Earth’s outer radiation belt dynamics, addressing key unresolved questions. Through a CubeSat constellation, CORBES will measure energetic electron flux, geomagnetic field variations, and plasma waves with unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution. This will enable a detailed investigation of the outer radiation belt, potentially uncovering fundamental physical processes underlying its rapid dynamics. Below are primary targeted physical processes for quantitative or quasi-quantitative investigation (not exhaustive).
- Energy diffusion occurs due to local resonant interactions between electrons and Very Low Frequency (VLF) waves, including whistler-mode waves generated by unstable plasma distributions during storms.
- Pitch angle scattering arises from local resonant interactions between electrons and magnetospheric plasma waves, including whistler hiss and electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves.
- Radial transport driven by the drift resonance between electrons and Ultra-Low-Frequency (ULF) magnetospheric waves, alongside radial transport induced by sudden, intense electric fields resulting from large-scale magnetic field reconfiguration, including shock-induced injection, substorm depolarization injection, and storm convection.
- Electron escape from the magnetosphere into the solar wind occurs via magnetopause shadowing and the combined effects of magnetopause shadowing and outward radial transport.
Analyzing these primary physical processes in detail will yield quantitative insights into electron transport, acceleration, and losses, elucidating their respective contributions to outer radiation belt dynamics. This comprehensive understanding will refine our knowledge of outer radiation behavior and improve prediction models for more accurate forecasts.
The CORBES program initiative contains satellites outfitted with three types of payloads: the Magnetometer (MAG), the Search Coil Wave Detector (SCWD), and the High Energy Electron Detector (HEED) .
In order to cover the outer radiation belts for the measurements, a highly eccentric and inclined orbit is suggested. The orbit apogee must permit adequate magnetic field exploration. An example of a standard science orbit is this: 280 km at the perigee, 7 Re at the apogee, and approximately 11 degrees of inclination. For such an orbit, the orbit period is then roughly 13.5 hours. The outer radiation band (3 Re to 7 Re) can be traveled through in around 10.5 hours. It is anticipated that every satellite will function in the same orbit, spinning at a speed of around eight revolutions per minute on a spin-stabilized axis that faces the sun. The mass of each satellite shouldn't be more than 30 kg. The program's lifespan cannot be shorter than a year.
For telecommand, either S-band or X-band will be utilized, while X-band is assigned for data downlink. The satellites are scheduled for launch by one or two rockets, with the fitted upper stage delivering them into the target orbit, and the connected dispenser releasing them individually according to the specified separation sequence.
Assembly Integration and Testing (AIT), radiation shielding, and cross-calibration are important components of the program. Cross-calibration of the payloads is optional before launch. To calibrate the technical standards, the payloads will undergo testing in an identical setting. Cross-calibration in orbit after launch is required to preserve data consistency and comparability. With regard to HEED specifically, this entails choosing electrons in the same energy range during the magnetospheric quiet phase (Kp<3) and contrasting the outcomes of various HEED observations made under identical L, B conditions. When MAG and SCWD compare observations made during a chosen calm period, a similar methodology is used.
There are currently three small satellite contributions: the HIT satellite at the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), the IMACAS satellites at the Innovation Academy of Microsatellites (IMAC), and the Foresail satellites at the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Research of Sustainable Space (FORESAIL). IMAC is going to provide two satellites.
FGM has three contributions: MAG at the National Space Science Center, FGM at Beihang University (BHU), and FGM at the Space Research Institute Graz (IWF). The NSSC will contribute two sets of FGM. SCWD has two contributions: SCWD at the National Space Science Center and SCWD at Beihang University. The NSSC will contribute two sets of SCWD. HEED has four contributions: HEED at the National Space Science Center, HEED at Beihang University (BHU), HEED at the University of Turku (UTU), and HEED at the Paul Scherrer Institute. The NSSC will contribute two sets of HEED.
CORBES is an international multilateral mission with potential participants from Asia, Europe, and America. Each entity is expected to contribute one or more satellites to form the constellation, equipped with baseline instruments to achieve CORBES’s primary science goals, or provide a related ground support system. A data-sharing policy will ensure open access to observations within the COSPAR mission, benefiting both contributors and the broader research community.
Over the past two years, SGRB has hosted more than forty online meetings to outline the CORBES mission profile, identify potential participants, establish the CORBES scientist team, and organize the mission's technical design. The CORBES scientist team discussed and defined the CORBES’s scientific objectives and demonstrated the scientific requirements of the payloads. The general science goal for CORBES is to investigate two groups of physical processes related to the radiation belts: wave-particle interactions and radial transport. Two papers about the technical design and the scientific objectives of CORBES have been submitted to Advances in Space Research.
In propelling CORBES, COSPAR has played a key role in coordinating and managing the mission, as well as acting as a mediator between participating governments, universities, and research institutions.
The data set from CORBES will be shared among the contributors to the constellation and the broader research community. This data will be invaluable for comprehensively understanding the dynamics of magnetospheric energetic populations and developing a more standard model of the Earth’s radiation belts. Additionally, from an application perspective, the ultra-fast survey of the radiation belt will serve as a crucial tool for monitoring Earth's space weather.
See the article：
Progress of Radiation Belt Exploration by a Constellation of Small Satellites TGCSS/SGRB, COSPAR
https://doi.org/10.11728/cjss2024.04.2024-yg25
https://www.cjss.ac.cn/cn/article/doi/10.11728/cjss2024.04.2024-yg25
Journal
Chinese Journal of Space Science
Article Title
Progress of Radiation Belt Exploration by a Constellation of Small Satellites TGCSS/SGRB, COSPA
Latest scientific results of China’s lunar and deep space exploration (2022–2024)
Beijing Zhongke Journal Publising Co. Ltd.
CE-4 mission
The Chang'e-4 mission was the first spacecraft to land on the Moon's far side, specifically in the Von Kármán crater within the South Pole-Aitken Basin (45.457°S, 177.588°E), with a geological age of ~3.6 Ga. The landing site revealed regolith with an average grain size of 15 µm, covered by ejecta layers up to 70 m thick. Spectral analysis identified olivine and low-Ca pyroxene, suggesting deep mantle origin. Thermal properties showed efficient heat insulation, while radar data revealed subsurface structures. High radiation levels, with ENA (Energetic Neutral Atom) flux reflecting solar wind interactions, were observed, providing insights into lunar-solar wind dynamics.
The Chang’E-4 mission provides a unique opportunity to reveal the space environment on the lunar far side, with the Advanced Small Analyzer for Neutrals (ASAN) and Lunar Lander Neutron and Dosimetry (LND) instruments onboard the Yutu-2 rover. The ASAN instrument is designed to measure the low-energy particles from the solar wind-surface interaction. A partially-formed lunar mini-magnetosphere has been observed by ASAN, where no shock but just a boundary layer can be found near the magnetic anomalies. In addition, the energy spectra of energetic neutral atoms scattered from the lunar surface, as well as their dependences on the solar wind, have been detected by ASAN. The LND instrument has performed the first active dosimetric measurements on the lunar surface. It is found that the interaction of GCRs with the lunar regolith can results in upward-directed albedo protons, and the ratio of albedo protons to primary protons in the energy range of 64.7-76.7 MeV has been obtained with the LND measurements. Additionally, the spectra of cosmic rays in the energy range of 10 to 100 MeV/nuc has been measured by LND, which is a little bit different from those measured by the near-earth spacecraft, and suggests a non-negligible contribution of secondary particles to the surface radiation environment. There results have done much to improve our understanding on the lunar space environment and are very helpful for the future lunar explorations.
CE-5 mission
Compositional analyses of the lunar soil have revealed higher concentrations of FeO, along with moderate levels of TiO2 and Al2O3. Analyses have shown that much of the lunar soil from the Chang'E-5 mission likely originated from the Xu Guangqi crater, northwest of the landing site, and is characterised by a high degree of maturity, a condition largely attributed to the extensive micrometeoroid impacts in the region. Micrometeoroid impacts have led to the predominance of spallation processes in the formation of the soil.
The average particle size of the Chang’E-5 soils is around 50 μm, with a relatively low glass content. Basaltic fragments are composed of clinopyroxene, plagioclase, olivine, and ilmenite, with textures varying from porphyritic to ophitic and poikilitic. While previous analyses suggested abundant olivine, laboratory studies revealed the presence of iron-rich high-Ca pyroxene, challenging prior assumptions about the mineral composition of this lunar region.
Impact glasses found in the Chang’E-5 samples display diverse forms, including ultra-elongated fibers and amorphous layers without np-Fe0, indicative of a moderate impact environment. The composition points to a primarily local origin, with transport distances limited to 150 km or less. U-Pb isotopic dating suggests these glasses formed between a few million and two billion years ago, younger than the basalts. Additionally, KREEP-rich impact glass has been discovered, possibly originating from the boundary between the P58/Em4 mare unit and adjacent highlands.
Space weathering studies on Chang’E-5 samples show that iron-rich basalts experience rapid formation of np-Fe0, which aggregates into larger particles. The discovery of np-Fe0 in amorphous layers on fayalitic olivine surfaces provides new insights into space weathering mechanisms. This phenomenon is primarily driven by micrometeoroid impacts, with only minimal contribution from solar wind injection. Furthermore, lunar agglutinate glasses contain np-Fe0 and Fe3+, which increase with ongoing micrometeoroid impacts.
A notable discovery in the Chang’E-5 samples is the presence of iron meteorite fragments, classified as part of the IID group based on their Ni- and P-rich, S-poor composition. These fragments formed through low-velocity impacts and provide valuable information on lunar impact processes. Additionally, newly discovered minerals, such as trigonal Ti2O and triclinic Ti2O, were found in micrometeorite impact craters on glass beads, enhancing our understanding of space weathering effects.
Sulfides in the Chang’E-5 samples, though constituting less than 1%, also reveal impact-induced weathering. Magnetite and np-Fe0 particles were observed in iron-sulfide particles, formed by eutectoid reactions, providing evidence of significant impact events on the lunar surface.
Solar wind-derived water is another critical finding, with more than 170 ppm of water detected in the Chang’E-5 samples, consistent with lunar surface spectral measurements. Impact glasses in the lunar soil contain 15 to 25 ppm of molecular water, primarily solar wind-derived. These glasses are essential for preserving water and help sustain the lunar surface water cycle. The concentration of solar wind-derived water in glass beads can reach up to 2000 ppm, with an average of about 500 ppm.
The petrogenesis of the Chang’E-5 basalts suggests they originated from an olivine-bearing pyroxenite mantle source at pressures of (1.0–1.3)×103 MPa and temperatures around 1350 ± 50 °C. These basalts indicate that lunar magmatic activity persisted until at least 2 billion years ago, suggesting the Moon experienced large-scale volcanic eruptions later than previously thought. The Chang’E-5 basalts exhibit rapid cooling with shorter degassing periods compared to Apollo samples, and the latest findings suggest evidence of volcanic activity on the Moon as recently as 120 million years ago.
Tianwen-1 mission
China's Tianwen-1 mission, featuring the Zhurong rover, has made remarkable progress in uncovering the geological and environmental history of Mars, particularly in the southern Utopia Planitia region. Combining advanced instruments such as low-frequency radar, multispectral imaging, and environmental sensors, the mission has provided a comprehensive understanding of both the surface and subsurface structures of Mars. These discoveries are shedding new light on the planet's dynamic past, offering clues about water-related processes and climate shifts.
One of the key findings involves the dynamic changes in Martian aeolian landforms, particularly Transverse Aeolian Ridges (TARs) and dunes. These structures, initially shaped by northern winds and later reworked by northeastern winds, reflect the planet's complex climatic history. The observed changes in dune morphology align with the end of Martian most recent ice age, suggesting a major transition from glacial to interglacial periods. This transition was marked by significant wind regime shifts, which reshaped the Martian landscape, providing critical evidence of the Martian evolving climate.
The radar data collected by the Zhurong rover has revealed detailed subsurface stratigraphy, exposing sedimentary sequences at depths of 10 to 80 meters. These sequences indicate multiple resurfacing events that likely occurred during the late Hesperian period (approximately 3.5 to 3.2 billion years ago) and possibly extended into the Amazonian period. This points to the possibility of water-related geological processes continuing far longer than previously believed. Furthermore, spectroscopic studies have detected the presence of water-bearing minerals, such as polyhydric sulfates and gypsum, which support theories of a once wetter Mars, potentially with subsurface glaciers or permafrost.
Environmental sensors on Zhurong rover have provided vital data on Martian dust deposition, wind dynamics, and surface temperatures. During the Martian spring and summer, strong winds were found to significantly influence dust deposition rates, a critical factor in understanding Martian current surface conditions. Thermal inertia and dust have been identified as key contributors to the regulation of surface temperatures, especially during periods of increased dust storm activity.
Water-related processes have also been a key focus of the mission. While liquid water is unlikely to be stable at shallow depths, there is evidence of brine ice deposits near the surface. The Mars Climate Station (MCS) aboard Zhurong rover has regularly recorded frost formation, which sublimates after sunrise, suggesting active water vapor cycles. This observation provides crucial insight into the interactions between the Martian atmosphere and surface.
In conclusion, the Tianwen-1 mission has delivered significant insights into Martian geological and environmental conditions, particularly its water history and climatic evolution. These discoveries have important implications for whether there was potential life on ancient Mars and provide a foundation for future missions aimed at exploring Martian habitability.
The Martian space environment investigation is carried out mainly based on insitu observations on board Tianwen-1 orbiter. Comparisons between Tianwen-1 and other Earth & Mars based observations confirmed a general consistency among missions. Data correction and retrieval algorithms have been developed to improve data quality or provide supporting data. Remote sensing of the interplanetary media, radio occultation of the ionosphere and atmosphere were also explored using the VLBI data. Observations reveal that up to Mars, the background solar wind is important in determining the interplanetary evolution and global morphology of ICMEs; A small but finite cross-field diffusion is crucial to understanding the formation of the SEP reservoir phenomenon. The foreshock waves are highly distorted. The Martian bow shock is rapidly compressed and then expanded in response to the dynamic pressure pulse in the solar wind, and also oscillates during the IMF rotation. The altitude of the Martian ionopause location was lowered during the ICME. The depletion of the plasma density in the topside Martian ionosphere on the nightside reveals the presence of substantial ion and electron escape. The planetary heavy ions picked up by the solar wind mostly originate from middle and low MSE (Mars Solar Electric) latitude of the northern dayside Martian ionosphere. Enhanced acceleration of pickup ions inside the magnetosheath by the motional electric field located at the upper edge or within the Magnetic Pileup Boundary. The observations were also used to evaluate the performance of an operational solar wind prediction system, to predict the arrival time and in-situ parameters of corotating interaction regions (CIRs).
See the article：
Latest Scientific Results of China’s Lunar and Deep Space Exploration (2022–2024)
https://www.sciengine.com/CJSS/doi/10.11728/cjss2024.04.2024-yg10
https://www.cjss.ac.cn/cn/article/doi/10.11728/cjss2024.04.2024-yg10
Journal
Chinese Journal of Space Science
Article Title
Latest Scientific Results of China’s Lunar and Deep Space Exploration (2022–2024)
Recent progress of Earth observation satellites in China
Beijing Zhongke Journal Publising Co. Ltd.
Currently, there are 32 Earth observation satellites in orbit. Since 2022, China has launched 9 Earth observation satellites which are shown in Table 1. This article introduces the recent progress of Earth observation satellites in China, especially the satellite operation, data archiving, data distribution and data coverage.
Table List of new Earth observation satellites in China
number | Satellite name | Code | Launch time | Design life /years |
1 | L-SAR 01A | LT-1A | Jan. 26, 2022 | 8 |
2 | L-SAR 01B | LT-1B | Feb. 27, 2022 | 8 |
3 | Gaofen-3 03 | GF-3C | Apr. 7, 2022 | 8 |
4 | Atmospheric environment monitoring satellite | DQ-1 | Apr. 16, 2022 | 8 |
5 | Terrestrial ecosystem carbon monitoring satellite | CM-1 | Aug. 4, 2022 | 8 |
6 | 5m S-SAR 01 | HJ-2E | Oct. 13, 2022 | 8 |
7 | Gaofen-5 01A | GF-5 01A | Dec. 9, 2022 | 8 |
8 | 5 m S-SAR 02 | HJ-2F | Aug. 9, 2023 | 8 |
9 | Land Exploration Satellite 4-01 | JZ-1 | Aug. 13, 2023 | 8 |
In this work, researchers provide a introduction of total 9 Earth observation satellites in section 1.
LT-1A and LT-1B are shown in section 1.1. The Land Exploration Satellite 1 project is an important component of the national medium and long term civilian space infrastructure development plan (2015-2025), and it is also the first scientific research satellite project approved by the plan. Featuring all-weather, all-time, multi-mode, and multi-polarization capabilities, they can be applied in geology, land use, Earthquake, disaster reduction, surveying and mapping, forestry, effectively enhancing China’s capacity for independent satellite detection and prevention of geological disasters. LT-1A and LT-1B operate on a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 607 kilometers, equipped with advanced L-band multi-polarization multi-channel SAR payloads. The article lists the imaging mode of LT-1A and LT-1B in a table format.
GF-3C satellite is shown in section 1.2. GF-3C is one of the two operational satellites outlined in the national medium and long term civilian space infrastructure development plan (2015–2025). Its primary payload is a C-band synthetic aperture radar. This satellite fully inherits the technical solutions of the GF-3 satellite. It is designed to operate for eight years in orbit and features a suite of 12 conventional imaging modes. The imaging mode of GF-3C is shown in a table.
Section 1.3 is an introduction to the DQ-1 satellite. DQ-1 operates in a Sun-synchronous orbit and boasts a comprehensive array of payloads. It is not just a research satellite in the nation’s medium and long term development plan for civil space infrastructure; but also a world pioneer, being the first satellite capable of detecting carbon dioxide laser. Equipped with five advanced remote sensing instruments, it promises to significantly enhance global capabilities in carbon monitoring and atmospheric pollution detection. The payloads of DQ-1 are listed in a table.
The introduction of Carbon Monitoring Satellite for Terrestrial Ecosystems (CM-1 Satellite) is in section 1.4. As the world’s first satellite to combine active and passive observation for forest carbon sink monitoring, its successful launch signifies China's entry into the era of remote sensing-based carbon sink monitoring. t is equipped with four satellite payloads: a multi-beam lidar, a multi-angle multispectral camera, a hyperspectral detector, and a multi-angle polarization imager. The payloads of CM-1 are listed in a table.
The introduction of HJ-2E and HJ-2F are in section 1.5. As outlined in the national medium and long term civilian space infrastructure development plan (2015–2025), the HJ-2E and HJ-2F satellites operate in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 499 kilometers. Their primary payload is an S-band synthetic aperture radar. These twin satellites will form a network, marking the initial establishment of a constellation of satellites for emergency management and ecological environment monitoring. The article lists the imaging mode of HJ-2E and HJ-2F in a table format.
Section 1.6 is an introduction to the GF-5 01A satellite. GF-5 01A is a successor to the Gaofen-5 satellite. It boasts three payloads: the Advanced Hyperspectral Imager for the Visible and Shortwave Infrared (AHSI), the Wideband Thermal Infrared Imager (WTI), and the Environmental Monitoring Instrument for Atmospheric Trace Gases (EMI).
Section 1.7 is an introduction to the JZ-1 satellite. It is a remote sensing research satellite outlined in the national medium and long term civilian space infrastructure development plan (2015–2025). It is operated in a near 36000-kilometer inclined geosynchronous orbit. JZ-1 satellite is the world's first geosynchronous orbit SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite, equipped with an L-band SAR as its primary payload. The satellite is currently undergoing in-orbit testing.
Next, the researchers described the operation of these 9 satellites.
Section 2 is the statistics of satellite imaging operation. In daily situations, the imaging is arranged comprehensively based on user demands and satellite constraints. The researchers analyzed the imaging data of GF-3C/LT-1A/LT-1B/HJ-2E/GF-5 01A(infrared)/GF-5 01A (hyperspectral) since their launch, such as number of imaging turns, imaging time, track adjustment.
Section 3 is the statistics of satellite data archiving since launch. The data acquired by the satellites will be processed into Levels 0 and 1 for storage. The researchers analyzed the data archiving of LT-1A/LT-1B/GF-3C/HJ-2E/HJ-2F/GF-5 01A, such as the number and capacity of Level 0 and Level 1.
Section 4 is the data distribution of LT-1A/LT-1B/GF-3C/DQ-1 (WSI)/CM-1 (DMC)/HJ-2E/GF-5 01A/HJ-2F since launch. The data of China Earth observation satellites are distributed to the research institutions, governments, commercial companies and individuals. The researchers analyzed the number of data distribution of these satellites.
Section 5 is the data coverage of typical sensors on LT-1A/LT-1B/GF-3C/CM-1/HJ-2E/HJ-2F/GF-5 01A. The researchers analyzed the standard products distribution of typical sensors and calculated the coverage area of these data.
This article introduces the recent progress of Earth observation satellites in China since 2022, especially the satellite introduction, satellite operation, data archiving, data distribution and data coverage. After more than 20 years of development, Earth observation satellites possess the capability to observe across multiple spectral bands, under all weather conditions, and at all times. The increasing number of civilian Earth observation satellites and diverse payload types have promoted the development of remote sensing technology applications. At the same time, the improvement of remote sensing technology application level has put forward higher requirements for satellite payload indicators and image quality, promoting the development of civilian Earth observation satellites and ground processing systems.
By 2030, the number of Earth observation satellites in China will reach 40, and the payload and orbit types will become more diverse, further improving the high spatial, high temporal, high spectral, and high radiation resolution. Earth observation satellites will provide rich, stable, and sustainable scientific data for various fields of national economy and people’s livelihood, promote the further improvement of remote sensing technology application level, and create greater social and economic benefits.
See the article：
Recent Progress of Earth Observation Satellites in China
https://doi.org/10.11728/cjss2024.04.2024-yg23
https://www.cjss.ac.cn/cn/article/doi/10.11728/cjss2024.04.2024-yg23
Journal
Chinese Journal of Space Science
Article Title
Recent Progress of Earth Observation Satellites in China
Nicodemos Damianou,Cyprus' deputy minister of research, innovation and digital policy, signs the Artemis Accords during a ceremony held Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at the NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of Cyprus Embassy to the United States/X
Oct. 23 (UPI) -- The Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus signed the U.S.-led Artemis Accords on Wednesday, becoming the 46th signatory to the agreement that establishes principles for the safe exploration of space.
Nicodemos Damianou, Cyprus' deputy minister of research, innovation and digital policy, signed the accords during a ceremony in the nation's capital of Nicosia with James O'Brien, the U.S. State Department's assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs, in attendance.
"As we embark on this exciting journey, we reaffirm our commitment to a safe and responsible space exploration, as well as our strong belief in the importance of international cooperation in ensuring space is utilized to the benefit of all humanity," Damianou said, according to a statement from NASA.
Founded by NASA four years ago, the Artemis Accords establish principles for peaceful space exploration based on the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. It is also in conjunction with NASA's Artemis campaign to land the first woman, the first person of color and the U.S. agency's first partner astronaut on the moon.
NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free said they "applaud" Cyprus' commitment to the accords, which he explained will deepen Nicosia's engagement not only with NASA but the larger international community.
"By joining 45 other country signatories in this effort, Cyprus will help play a role in implementing the accords and exploration that is open, responsible, transparent, and peaceful for the benefit of all," Free said.
The announcement comes less than two weeks after 42 of the accord signatories gathered at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, Italy. NASA said it was a congregation of a record number of signatories.
It also comes just days before Chile is set to become the 47th country to commit to the accords.
Aisén Etcheverry, Chile's minister of science, technology, knowledge and innovation, is scheduled to sign the agreement on behalf of her country at 3 p.m. Friday at NASA's headquarters in Washington, D.C.
