Tag: Mars Missions
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SpaceX Launches Eleventh Starship to Test Reusable Design and Future Moon-Mars Missions
SpaceX Fires Up Eleventh Starship Amid Reusable-Design Tests SpaceX launched its eleventh Starship rocket from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas on Monday, October 13, 2025, carrying a bold promise: to push the boundaries of a fully reusable spacecraft capable of lofting satellites and, eventually, carrying humans to the Moon and Mars. The mission marked another…
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SpaceX Starship Flight 11: Live Launch on Oct 13
Overview: SpaceX Targeting Starship Flight 11 SpaceX is preparing to lift off Flight 11 of its Starship megarocket on Monday, October 13, from SpaceX’s Starbase in South Texas. The 11th flight of this ambitious vehicle is expected within a 75‑minute window opening at 7:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (23:15 GMT). Viewers can watch the action…
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Starship Flight 11: A Recap of the First 10 Flights and What to Expect next
Overview: Starship Flight 11 on the Horizon The next major milestone for SpaceX’s Starship program is Flight 11, with a launch window opening at 7:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 13. This flight marks the fifth Starship test of 2025 and comes after a busy history of 10 prior launch attempts that showcased both breakthroughs…
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SpaceX Aims for Back-to-Back Starship Successes in October Launch
SpaceX Eyes a Second Starship Flight in a Row SpaceX is poised to push its Starship program toward a crucial milestone: a second successful flight in a row. If weather and mechanical checks cooperate, the stainless-steel Starship and its Super Heavy booster are scheduled for a one-day orbital-like test from Starbase in South Texas. The…
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ESA inaugurates New Norcia 3 deep space antenna in Western Australia
ESA opens a new chapter in deep-space communications The European Space Agency (ESA) celebrated a milestone last Saturday with the inauguration of New Norcia 3, its fourth deep space antenna, situated in the quiet town of New Norcia in Western Australia. This state-of-the-art facility marks a significant upgrade to ESA’s global network of ground stations,…
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Multi-technique Characterization of Iron Reduction by an Antarctic Shewanella: An Analog System for Putative Martian Biosignature Identification
Introduction: Using terrestrial extremophiles to inform Martian biosignature detection Microbes from extreme Earth environments offer valuable testbeds for understanding biosignature production under conditions reminiscent of early Mars. Iron reduction is an ancient microbial metabolism that can influence mineralogy and volatile byproducts in ways that may be recognizable by current and future space instruments. In this…
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Bacteria Survive Space Launch and Re-Entry: Implications for Mars
New evidence from an Australian-led study shows Bacillus subtilis spores can endure the harsh dynamics of spaceflight As space agencies outline bold plans to send crews to Mars within decades, scientists are racing to understand how living organisms cope with the extreme conditions of space travel. A recent Australian-led study provides a critical clue: the…
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Bacteria Survive Space Launch and Re-entry: Study Reveals Bacillus subtilis Resilience
Overview: A Bold Look at Microbial Resilience in Space Scientists have long assumed that spaceflight would present extreme challenges to living organisms, especially microbes that play vital roles in human health. A new Australian-led study reveals that spores of Bacillus subtilis, a bacterium integral to immune function, gut health, and blood circulation in humans, can…
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How Solar Storms Could Endanger the First Astronauts on Mars
Overview: Why Mars Is a Radiation Challenge Solar storms, driven by the Sun’s activity, can unleash bursts of energetic particles that easily penetrate the thin Martian atmosphere and the planet’s weak magnetic shield. Unlike Earth, Mars lacks a global magnetic field and has a tenuous atmosphere, which means there is little natural protection for astronauts…
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Solar storms threaten Mars astronauts: risks and protections
Introduction: Why Mars faces a unique radiation challenge Solar storms, driven by the Sun’s activity, pose a serious and sometimes underestimated threat to future crewed missions to Mars. Unlike Earth, Mars lacks a global magnetic field and a thick atmosphere to shield its surface. The result is an increased exposure to energetic solar particles and…