The launch of the Odin asteroid mission, from AstroForge, was successful. Unfortunately, that’s about the only thing we can say for sure just yet. Separation occurred, and the probe appears to be powered and transmitting, but no useful radio link… Read More »AstroForge Odin OK?
Before we get to LPSC, there’s a German conference coming up soon: (deep breath) Towards New Frontiers: The Astrochemical Journey from Young Stellar Nurseries to Exoplanets, in Garching, next week. Yes, this is relevant as comets, (most) asteroids, and transition… Read More »Astrochemical New Frontiers Conference
One in-scope paper in Planetary and Space Science, vol. 256 (Feb), and none in March: De Keyser, J. Edberg, N. J. T. Henri, P. H. et al. Optimal choice of closest approach distance for a comet flyby: Application to the… Read More »Note, Paper: Plan Sp Plans
It’s a bit much to lump in New Scientist with the lay press, but it’s certainly no peer-reviewed journal. I call MIT Technology Review the same. In the 8 Feb 2025 issue (vol. 265, No. 3529): Drake, Nadia Destination Phobos… Read More »New Scientist ‘SSSB’ News
This month’s Acta Astronautica (vol. 227, February) is propulsion-relevant: Deng, H. Sun, Y. Cheng, L. et al Study on the current stability and performances of electrospray thruster by coaxial capillary emitters of hybrid highly conductive ionic liquids P 1 .2024.11.049Moriai, I.… Read More »Note, Paper: Acta Thrustronautica
Today is, I gather, the holiday of something love-related? It sure is. Asteroid “Eros” (named for the Greek god of love) had, twenty-five years ago today, been the site of a space “first”- the first orbiting of an asteroid (or… Read More »25th Anniversary of a First: NEAR
Oops, forgot there was a mid-month Advances in Space Research. For Jan 15 (vol. 75 #2): de Almeida, A. K. Vaillant, T. Santos, L. B. T. et al. Low-thrust transfer with Theory of Functional Connections: Application to 243 Ida with… Read More »Note, Paper: Advances in Sail Res
… see also SBAG Day 1 and Day 2 … And now let’s conclude this writeup of the early-‘25 SBAG (Small Bodies Assessment Group) meeting, the 32nd: Thursday, January 9, 2025 Publishing Updates 10:00 AM Maria Womack Centaurs Book10:10… Read More »32nd SBAG, Jan 2025 pt. 3
The latest issue of Astronomy & Astrophysics (Vol 692, Dec 2024) seems to have a protoplanet theme: Zhou, W-H. The binary Yarkovsky effect on the primary asteroid with applications to singly synchronous binary asteroids L2 202452146 Pinilla-Alonso, N. Licandro, J.… Read More »Note, Paper: eArly and hydrAted
The first January issue of Acta Astronautica (vol. 226 part 1) is a good one. Here’s some light reading for your holiday: Iwry, J. Collective action problems in planetary defense p. 25 .05.029Wang, Y. Guan, W. Hu, J. High-fidelity landing… Read More »Note, Paper: Act Fast