The most interesting events of astronautics and astronomy for the week (08.03-14.03)

This week a lot of interesting things happened, it’s just impossible to pass by many events. Curiosity and Philae have come to the center of attention of the whole world, for a number of reasons. In the continuation - a description of the most notable events in the world of astronomy and astronautics.

NASA scientists continue to work on solving Curiosity problems

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As you know, trouble happened with Curiosity: a short circuit. Because of this, the project team had to stop the device and begin to carefully examine the problem . It is already clear that the short circuit happened in one of the elements of the manipulator, most likely in the electric motor setting the drill bit of the drilling tool in motion.

Now the manipulator has resumed work, and soon the rover will move to the heights next to Sharpe's mountain.

Scientists try to wake Philae probe

Unfortunately, the Philae probe landing on the surface of the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko was not the most successful: the probe fell into a darkened area, and the energy received by the system ceased to be enough. As a result, the probe went into hibernation.

Now, as the comet approaches the Sun, the amount of solar energy produced by the comet’s surface is increasing. Surface temperature rises. Scientists hope that the probe can wake up now .

Attempts to wake the probe and establish contact with it will continue until March 20, and possibly longer.

An ocean of liquid water can exist on Enceladus and Ganymede.

Astronomers believe that on Enceladus and Ganymede, the satellites of Saturn’s gas giant, there may be an ocean of liquid water. According to scientists, liquid water can be under the thick ice crust covering the surface of the planet.

In proof of this point of view, several papers have been published, where scientists cite a number of calculations. Astronomers point to signs of hydrothermal activity on the ocean floor, with these signs showing up on the surface.

If there really is an ocean of liquid water, it is possible that living organisms may exist in this water. In any case, water is now considered the basic condition for the existence of life in the form in which we know it.

Tests of the most powerful solid accelerator completed successfully

NASA has tested the most powerful solid-fuel booster for the Space Launch System (SLS) super-heavy rocket. It is this rocket will send expeditions to other planets in the solar system.

Astronauts will use video glasses

The MKS team will <a href='http://geektimes.ru/post/247114/"> use video glasses that will allow astronauts to see all the necessary information directly in front of them (for example, the manual for working with any unit).

NASA has teamed up with the manufacturer of electronics for the military industry Osterhout Design Group, in order to make the work of astronauts more convenient and more efficient with the help of augmented reality. ODG glasses are based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, equipped with a camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth modules, gyros, and run on a special version of Android. According to the developer, they allow you to do almost everything a regular tablet can do.

Milky Way more than intended?

Scientists believe that our galaxy can be 50% larger than previously thought. The fact is that the starry ripples, as if the threads encircling the Milky Way from above and below relative to the plane of the galaxy, may actually be part of it. If this is the case, then the size of the Milky Way may be 50% more known to us earlier. In addition, there are intriguing questions about what exactly caused this “wave” of stars, reports DiscoveryNews.

Japanese schoolgirls make important discoveries

Two girls from Japan, Koto’s sisters and Reno Tomita (12 and 9 years old) discovered and recorded a supernova explosion in the constellation Kita. It is worth noting that Koto, from the age of 7, began to conduct serious observations of space, and for the second time the girls make serious discoveries. Professional astronomers envy and ask girls to share their professional experience.