Short Takes – 8-20-24 – Space Geek Edition

Extraterrestrial chemistry with earthbound possibilities. D.Newswise.com article. Pull quote: “Back to space chemistry, in attempting to better understand prebiotic molecule synthesis, the researchers didn’t limit their efforts to mathematical modeling; they also tested their hypothesis by mimicking the conditions of space in the lab. They use an ultrahigh-vacuum chamber containing an ultrapure copper substrate that they can cool to ultralow temperatures, along with an electron gun that produces low-energy electrons and a laser-driven plasma lamp that produces low-energy photons. The scientists then bombard nanoscale ice films with electrons or photons to see what molecules are produced.”

SpaceX a week away from first private spacewalk. Phys.org article. Pull quote: “A second similar Polaris mission is planned after this trip, and then a planned third trip will be the first crewed flight on SpaceX's massive Starship rocket, currently under development and ultimately intended for trips to the Moon and Mars.”

Project Helianthus—a solar-sail-driven geomagnetic storm tracker.  Pull quote: “For now, it's unclear whether Helianthus has the financial backing to make it to the finish line for actual deployment. While some prototypes of the lightweight instrumentation have been built, there is still a lot of engineering work to do before any such solar-sail mission sees the light of day. If it is to do so, the Italian Space Agency must show how committed they are to that idea.”

Rocket engine explodes during test at Shetland spaceport. BBC.com article. Pull quote: “A spokesman said: "This was a test, and test campaigns are designed to identify issues prior to the next stage. We will work with RFA [Rocket Factory Augsburg] to understand and learn from the causes and support them as they move forward to the next phase of their preparations."

The new Moon race: Assessing Chinese and US strategies. TheSpaceReview.com article. Pull quote: “In sum, the competition to return to the Moon is accelerating and now involves an increasing number of countries and companies. Fortunately, the evidence so far is that the United States is building a more powerful and enduring coalition for sharing costs and pooling capabilities, which should serve it better than China’s largely self-contained and self-funded program.”