NASA’s PUNCH mission observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it passed close to the Sun, revealing its tail and providing valuable data about this interstellar visitor.
This paper describes the monitoring and prediction of the optical properties of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS using ground and space-based observations, including data from the PUNCH mission and solar coronagraphs. It details the methodology for tracking the comet's magnitude throughout its perihelion passage.
Southwest Research Institute Scientists are using data from NASA’s PUNCH mission to study the interaction between interstellar comet 3I/Atlas and the solar wind, providing insights into the comet’s composition and the interstellar medium.
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has discovered tryptophan, an essential amino acid, on asteroid Bennu, providing further evidence that asteroids may have delivered building blocks for life to Earth.
NASA confirms that 3I/ATLAS is an interstellar comet, dismissing speculation about alien origins. The agency shared images and data from multiple space missions to support this conclusion.
NASA missions are tracking and studying the rare interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it passes through our solar system, with observations from Hubble, Webb, SPHEREx, and others.
This document is a **scientific article** from *Nature* titled "Redox-driven mineral and organic associations in Jezero Crater, Mars." It details findings from the Perseverance rover's exploration of the Bright Angel formation within Jezero Crater on Mars.
**Key Findings:**
* The Bright Angel formation consists of mudstones containing organic carbon and minerals (ferrous iron phosphate and sulfide – vivianite and greigite).
* These minerals likely formed through post-depositional redox reactions involving organic matter at low temperatures.
* The rocks show evidence of aqueous alteration and a complex history of mineral precipitation and oxidation-reduction processes.
* The presence of organic carbon and redox-sensitive minerals suggests potential for biosignature preservation and warrants further investigation of the collected core sample.
* The study suggests that the formation of these minerals involved the oxidation of organic matter, leading to the reduction of iron and the precipitation of iron-phosphate and iron-sulfide minerals.
**Key Findings:**
* The Bright Angel formation consists of mudstones containing organic carbon and minerals (ferrous iron phosphate and sulfide – vivianite and greigite).
* These minerals likely formed through post-depositional redox reactions involving organic matter at low temperatures.
* The rocks show evidence of aqueous alteration and a complex history of mineral precipitation and oxidation-reduction processes.
* The presence of organic carbon and redox-sensitive minerals suggests potential for biosignature preservation and warrants further investigation of the collected core sample.
* The study suggests that the formation of these minerals involved the oxidation of organic matter, leading to the reduction of iron and the precipitation of iron-phosphate and iron-sulfide minerals.
Months after arriving in orbit thanks to a Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base, NASA’s newest space telescope has started collecting images of the universe. The craft known as SPHEREx — Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer — shared a ride with another NASA mission for the trek on March 11.
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft obtained a close look at asteroid Donaldjohanson, a uniquely shaped fragment formed about 150 million years ago, during a flyby on April 20, 2025. The asteroid appears to be an elongated contact binary with an odd shape and is approximately 5 miles long and 2 miles wide.
This article discusses the role of amateur (ham) radio as an educational tool, a driver of innovation in telecommunications, and an inclusive community for STEM learning. It highlights the challenges ham radio faces regarding public perception and spectrum allocation, while advocating for its continued support and expansion in education.
