Tag

Space Weathering

All articles tagged with #space weathering

space1 month ago•12 min saved

NASA’s LDEF: A 69-Month Orbit Turns Into A Treasure Trove Of Space Weather

NASA’s Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), launched in 1984 for a planned 10 months, remained in orbit for 69 months due to scheduling changes and the Challenger aftermath; retrieved by Space Shuttle Columbia in January 1990 with 57 experiments, it provided an unusually long record of how materials and surfaces endure the space environment, including exposure to micrometeoroids, atomic oxygen, radiation and debris, enabling researchers to refine models of the orbital environment.

via Space Daily|

#columbia #ldef #long-duration-exposure

space3 months ago•13 min saved

Kamoʻoalewa: Earth’s quasi-satellite may be an ordinary space rock

A peer‑reviewed study argues Kamoʻoalewa is likely an ordinary LL chondrite asteroid weathered in sunlight, not lunar debris; the researchers show that powder from LL chondrites can mimic the Moon’s reddened spectrum, pointing to a Flora‑family origin via orbital resonances. The debate may be settled when China’s Tianwen‑2, currently circling the asteroid to collect a sample, returns material to Earth in 2027 for definitive isotopic and mineral tests.

via Space Daily|

#flora-family #kamooalewa #ll-chondrite

science5 months ago•6 min saved

JWST Reveals Basaltic, Airless Surface on Rocky Exoplanet LHS 3844 b

JWST’s infrared observations of the rocky exoplanet LHS 3844 b reveal a dark, airless basalt-like surface, suggesting it lacks Earth-like crust and significant water. The study proposes two surface scenarios—recent volcanism with a fresh basalt surface or a heavily space-weathered regolith—with current data favoring the latter due to the absence of sulfur dioxide. Further JWST observations will help distinguish surface texture and composition to resolve the ambiguity.

via Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian|

#exoplanets #geology #jwst

space7 months ago•7 min saved

New 22-Meter Moon Crater Highlights Ongoing Lunar Change

Researchers using imagery from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter identified a fresh 22‑meter crater on the Moon by comparing images from 2009 and 2012, revealing bright ejecta rays that contrast with the dark surface. The rays will gradually darken due to space weathering, showing that the Moon's surface is still being sculpted today. The finding helps refine current impact rates and aids in calibrating age estimates for lunar terrains.

via SciTechDaily|

#impact-rate #lro #lunar-crater

science1 year ago•6 min saved

Bennu Asteroid Samples Reveal Ancient Stardust and Interstellar Traces

Samples from asteroid Bennu reveal materials from both within and outside our Solar System, including ancient stardust from other stars, and show that Bennu's surface has been significantly altered by space weathering and hydrothermal processes, providing insights into the early solar system and the asteroid's complex history.

via ScienceAlert|

#asteroid-bennu #nasa-osiris-rex #science

science1 year ago•4 min saved

NASA's Bennu Samples Uncover Ancient Origins and Transformation

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission's analysis of Bennu asteroid samples reveals a complex history involving diverse origins, transformation by water and space environment, and signs of impact weathering, providing valuable insights into the early solar system and planetary formation processes.

via NASA Science (.gov)|

#asteroid-samples #bennu #nasa

science1 year ago•3 min saved

Ryugu Asteroid Shows Scars from Tiny Meteoroid Impacts

Research on samples from the Ryugu asteroid, collected by JAXA's Hayabusa2 mission, reveals that even microscopic meteoroids can cause significant damage. These tiny particles, accelerated by solar wind, break oxygen-hydrogen bonds in minerals like serpentine, leading to dehydration. Simulations show that impacts at high velocities can break thousands of bonds, although some atoms may recombine to form water, partially offsetting the damage. The study highlights the role of kinetic energy in chemical reactions on asteroids.

via Phys.org|

#asteroid #jaxa #micrometeoroids