Monthly Space News Recap - April 2023
Top 5 of the month's most interesting space updates
James Webb reveals that exoplanet atmospheres are not like what we expected
Last month James Webb revealed a surprising new discovery. It proved that some exoplanet atmospheres could be vastly different from our beliefs. It spotted a new gassy exoplanet like Jupiter 250 light years away from the Earth. The new exoplanet called HD149026b has a very unique atmosphere. Its atmosphere contains far more heavy elements like oxygen and carbon than what scientists believed was possible for a planet of that mass.
Dawn Aerospace successfully tests its one-of-a-kind rocket-powered spaceplane
Last week, Dawn Aerospace, a private space startup, successfully tested its latest rocket-powered spaceplane, the Mk-II Aurora. A spaceplane is a type of spacecraft that combines the characteristics of an airplane and a spacecraft. The Mk-II Aurora is capable of reaching heights above 1000 kilometers and can put a satellite into low Earth orbit. This marks the first successful test of an unmanned, reusable, rocket-powered spaceplane by a private space startup.
NASA unveils new Martian habitat for human ventures to the red planet
NASA recently unveiled the Mars Dune Alpha, their latest Martian habitat designed to support astronauts' living and working conditions on Mars. This innovative 3D-printed structure aims to replicate Mars' atmosphere for long-term testing on Earth. It includes essential features such as two bathrooms, a vertical farm for salad cultivation, a medical care room, a relaxation area, and workstations. In an effort to study the impact of long-term isolation, four volunteers will undergo trials in the habitat, while experts monitor their physical and mental health.
ESA launches new mission to discover the secrets of Jupiter’s moons
Last week ESA launched its new Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission to space. The Juice mission is designed to orbit and explore 3 of Jupiter’s moons. Namely Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. The main target however will be Ganymede.
NASA extracts oxygen from simulated lunar soil
Last week NASA successfully extracted oxygen from a simulation of the lunar soil. This was achieved by using a carbothermal reactor (an instrument used to make solar panels and steel) to extract carbon monoxide by heating the soil. The oxygen was then extracted from the carbon monoxide. This new method of extracting oxygen from the lunar soil could help sustain long-term human missions on the moon.
