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Showing posts from July, 2023

Exploring the Martian Skies: Ingenuity's Stunning Images from Sol 776

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Introduction: The red planet has long captured our imagination, and with every mission, we get closer to unraveling its mysteries. NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has been a trailblazer in this regard, providing us with breathtaking insights into the Martian landscape. On April 27, 2023, during its 52nd flight on Sol 776 of the Perseverance rover mission, Ingenuity's high-resolution color camera captured a series of captivating images. Let us delve into the details of this remarkable event and explore the wonders of the Martian skies. Unveiling Mars from Above: Mounted within the fuselage of Ingenuity, the high-resolution color camera offers us a unique perspective, gazing approximately 22 degrees below the horizon. As the helicopter soared through the thin Martian atmosphere, it transmitted a stunning visual record of its 52nd flight. The images it captured provide us with an awe-inspiring view of the red planet's terrain from a completely different vantage point. Image c...

NASA’s On-duty Moon Surveying Spacecraft: How Long Will it Go?

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Around and around it goes. The veteran NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) continues to circuit the Moon since June 2009. Over the decades, this spacecraft has spit out images and data proven to be transformational in our ability to eye and better value Earth’s celestial neighbor. While the aging craft remains on assignment – now helping plot out where NASA Artemis astronauts will boot their way across select lunar south pole regions – how long will this venerable orbiter last? Uh-oh factor There’s a new call for how to sustain vigilance of the moon, chart forthcoming landing sites of robotic craft and expeditionary crews, the position of wheeled rovers, even spot and help interpret the “uh-oh factor” behind failed landing attempts. NASA’s venerable Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), on-duty since swinging into orbit around the Moon on June 23, 2009. Image credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Informally tagged as Malapert massif, this feature is thought to be a remnant of the ...