Time for another batch of papers from Planetary Science Journal (still vol. 6): Schang, K. Dove, A. Effects of Particle Shape and Size on Granular Mechanics in Vacuum and Microgravity Environments 88 adbgebÄtuk, M. Two Possible Orbital Histories of… Read More »Note, Paper: Mote Papers
A quick story in the journal Science: https://www.science.org/content/article/china-sets-out-sample-unusual-near-earth-asteroid Dennis Normile China sets out to sample an unusual near-Earth asteroid .z2q2idq Normile describes the Chinese Tianwen-2 mission and its target, the Earth-resonant asteroid (469219) Kamo’oalewa. The asteroid has the unusual property… Read More »Out of Ecliptic, In Patch
Last week was the American Astronomical Society‘s DDA sub-meeting. The DDA (Division on Dynamical Astronomy) covered “particles” (discrete objects, from dust all the way up to individual stars) as they behave under physical laws (mostly gravity, but also impacts, etc.)… Read More »56th AAS-DDA Meeting
A small-body paper made a Nature group journal, Nature Astronomy: Beck, P. Quirico, E. Poch, O. et al. On the darkness of Ryugu and other dark small bodies s41550-025-02557-z The carbonaceous asteroids (those in the C-complex) resemble the carbonaceous-chondrite meteorites.… Read More »Note, Paper: Black of Night
It’s time for the Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2025, from 25-30 May 2025. (Sorry, we here not in Japan had a holiday.) Like the AGU and EGU, the conference deals with Earth sciences, extending all the way up to other… Read More »2025 Japan Geoscience Union Meeting
Congrats to director Wes Anderson, auteur of (among other things- lots of other things) 2023’s Asteroid City. The actual asteroid numbered 689822, formerly designated 2013 PU10, is now officially asteroid (689822) Anderson.
The June issue of Planetary and Space Science (Volume 260) includes: Song, Z. Liu, Z. Quan, R. Three-dimensional simulation of surface charging in meteorite craters on rotating asteroids Article 106089 .2025.106089Slyusarev, I. G. et al. Opposition effect of M-type asteroids … Read More »Note, Paper: Drilling Down in Dust
Here’s one out of the blue. In the journal Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation: Wu, Y. Song, Z. Zhang, X. et al. The dynamic corridor of regolith transportation near a spinning-up asteroid 108905 .2025.108905 Particle dynamics has lots of applications- mining,… Read More »Note, Paper: Astr-lanche
The Off Nominal podcast, episode 195, features Dante Lauretta talking OREx with the hosts: https://offnom.com/episodes/195 “Dirtiest Thing in the Cleanroom (with Dante Lauretta)” Have a listen.
Let’s check on Journal of Propulsion and Power for May (vol. 41 #3): Ezuka, F. Koizumi, H. Nakano, M. et al. Effect of Nonuniform Plasma on Grid Erosion of the Water Ion Thruster pp. 313 1.B39004Kim, J. W. Bhosale, V.… Read More »Note, Paper: Green Steam